Lawton (Oklahoma) - city and County seat of Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States

Lawton is in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma.

Get in

Most travellers will arrive by car via I-44 from either Oklahoma City or Wichita Falls, Texas. US-62 connects the city with Altus and the Texas High Plains to the west, while Oklahoma state highway 7 leads in from Duncan about 25 miles to the east.

By plane

American Airlines has nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth from Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport.

Get around

• Lawton Area Transit System (LATS)

See

• Comanche National Museum & Cultural Center, 701 NW Ferris Ave, 34.61875°, -98.39903°, +1 580 353-0404. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-2PM. Exhibits on Comanche culture. Free
• Mattie Beal Home, 1006 SW 5th St, +1 580 678-3156. Th-Su noon-3PM. Interesting historic home completed in 1910. Adults $4, children $2
• Museum of the Great Plains, 601 NW Ferris Ave, 34.61757°, -98.39784°, +1 580 581-3460. Features a number of unique exhibits on Great Plains history including some original or reconstructed pioneer buildings and a restored Frisco steam locomotive.
• Robinson's Landing Marina, 133 Lawtonka Road, 34.77688°, -98.53196°, +1 580 447-3223. 2021-09-05
• Fort Sill, B4700 Mow-Way Road, Fort Sill, 34.65039°, -98.42844°, +1 580 442-4916. National Historic Landmark designated as an artillery school and was the birthplace of Stephen Hillenburg, the former marine scientist who was remembered for creating the Nickelodeon children's animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. Also, you'll find the clandestine graves of Quanah Parker and Geronimo here. If you like scavenger hunts, this could be just your thing; otherwise, not so much. 2022-01-19
• Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, 435 Quanah Road, Fort Sill, 34.66957°, -98.3859°, +1 580 442-5123.
• U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Corral Road-Harry Road, Fort Sill, 34.66567°, -98.3853°, +1 580 442-1819. Artillery Park, Missile Park, and Constitution Park exhibit long range military armaments and trajectory ordnance. 2021-09-05
• Lake Lawtonka, 23510 State Highway 58, 34.7456°, -98.48452°, +1 580 529-2663.

Do

• Comanche Nation Casino, 402 SE Interstate Dr, 34.603611°, -98.375°, +1 580 354-2000.
• Comanche Nation Waterpark, 501 NE Lawrie Tatum Rd (I-44 at Gore Blvd), +1 580 353-6129. Late May-mid Aug: M-W 10:30AM-6PM, Th-Sa 10:30AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM. Mid Aug-Labor Day: Sa 10:30AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM. 12 acres of waterslides with a wave pool and lazy river.
• Apache Casino Hotel, 2315 E Gore Blvd, +1 580 248-5905.

Buy

• Central Mall, 100 Central Mall, 34.6036°, -98.3922°, +1 580 248-1742.

Eat

• Mutti's German Restaurant, 1410 SW Sheridan Rd, +1 580 353-3928. Real German food.
• Polly's Thai Food, 402 SW Sheridan Rd, +1 580-699-8082.
• Hot Wok Chinese Restaurant, 1303 SW Lee Blvd, +1 580 355-7888.
• The Meers Store & Restaurant, OK Hwy 115 (1 1/2 miles north of the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, Meers). Famous for Meersburger - 7" diameter burgers made exclusively from Texas Longhorn beef, raised on the family's ranch. Voted the Best Burgers in Oklahoma. A must see if you are near Lawton. Be sure to bring cash as this is a cash only establishment.

Drink

Sleep

• Best WesternSurestay Plus Hotel By Best Western Lawton, 1125 E Gore Blvd, +1 580 713-0255. Comfortable rooms and a clean pool.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Lawton, 201 SE 7th St, +1 580-248-5500. Suites with kitchenette. A good breakfast is provided.

Go next

• Fort Sill (dead link: January 2023) borders the city on the north. This US Army installation is the last operating fort of those built during the Indian Wars of the mid-1800s and has been declared a National Historic Landmark. Cemeteries on the site are the final resting place for many famous American Indians, including Geronimo, Satanta, and Quanah Parker. A small museum documents the history of the fort and its use in various conflicts.
• Medicine Park, located just north of Fort Sill on Oklahoma-49, is a quaint little arts community with some unique shopping.
• Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, (Take Route 62 west of town about 6 miles, take a right on Scenic Highway 115 in Cache and drive for about 3 miles). This park provides a natural mixed-grass prairie habitat for bison, elk, deer, and longhorn cattle, as well as a wide range of smaller animal, bird, and plant species.

Related: Tornado safety