VisitEdmondOK.com; @VisitEdmond
The city’s many amenities make Edmond a great place for tourists and event planners, says Jennifer Thornton, tourism director for Visit Edmond.
“We like to say Edmond has small-town charm with big-city experiences, with 13.4 miles on Route 66; favorite roadside attractions include a quirky Blue Hippo, the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse (first school built in Oklahoma Territory), and the ‘Hallmark movie’ feel of downtown Edmond’s 40 blocks of shopping, dining, and year-round festivals.”
Celebrations are being planned in cities across Oklahoma along historic Route 66 for the “Mother Road’s” 100th anniversary in 2026, Thornton says. “Edmond started early by launching Cycle 66 urban/rural bicycling tour in 2021. In its fifth year, Edmond will welcome more than 1,000 riders from 15 states. Since 2021, Cycle 66 has given more than $80,000 to local charities.”
Located just 30 minutes from Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), Edmond offers planners approximately 1,000 guest rooms and a variety of event spaces. Edmond Conference Center has more than 20,000 square feet of event space to host 1,000 people in banquet or theater seating. It is connected to the 158-room Hilton Garden Inn. Larger facilities include The Gin, located on Route 66, with indoor and outdoor spaces for 500 guests; Aspen Ranch, with a reception capacity of 800; and classroom, ballroom, and auditorium spaces at Oklahoma Christian University and The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). According to Visit Edmond, UCO’s Nigh Center ballrooms are undergoing renovations and upgrades to be completed this spring.
The UCO Boathouse at Arcadia Lake is a fun new option for teambuilding, according to Thornton. “They offer paddleboards, kayaks, mountain bikes, and ropes course programs specific to each group’s needs, and it is fully ADA-accessible.”
