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Tfa tours | tulsa underground: the tunnel tour.

Tickets Go On Sale for TFA Members on June 1st and Not Yet Members on June 8th at 9:00 AM 2023! 

TULSA UNDERGROUND: THE TUNNEL TOUR Saturday, February 10, 2024

$25 | $18.75 | Start Times from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

On this guided tour, we’ll view seven buildings, lobbies and explore tunnels without ever stepping outside while enjoying fascinating oil boom stories inside and below historic Tulsa buildings!

TICKET INFORMATION : Tickets for this tour are $25 for not yet members and $18.75 for members.

[TICKETS ARE NOT SOLD AT THE DOOR – ADVANCED TICKETS ARE REQUIRED]

YOUTH TICKETS: The historic information on this tour was created with an adult audience in mind. Tour content is most appropriate for youth ages 13 and up. Youth under the age of 13 are welcome to attend at your discretion, but a paid ticket will be required for each attending child.

We do, however, offer private guided tours for youth groups of all ages with information tailored to suit the age of the audience. Please visit tulsaarchitecture.org/tours/ for more information on scheduling a private youth tour!

Second Saturday Tour Tickets sell out FAST, so purchase yours today to make sure you don’t miss out!

GROUP SIZE: We limit each tour group to 30 participants max (including youth ages 13 and up).

SAVE ON TICKETS BY JOINING TFA TODAY: www.tulsaarchitecture.com/support-tfa/

CHECK-IN LOCATION: Check-in for this tour will take place at:

Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2nd Floor Lobby

100 E 2nd St, Tulsa, OK 74103

PARKING: There is ample street parking, which is free on weekends!

This tour will take place indoors with outdoor walking downtown required between your vehicle, the start point of the tour (Hyatt Regency, 3rd & Boston) and the end point of the tour (Philcade Building & Topeca Coffee Shop at 427 South Boston.) You may plan to have someone drop you off or pick you up as needed.

ON TOUR DAY: Please arrive 10 minutes early to get checked in. Tours begin at 9:00 am and continue in 15-minute increments. Consult your ticket for the departure time you selected when purchasing your ticket.

Tours take place rain or shine; please look ahead at the weather, plan to wear sturdy footwear, layers, and bring weather related items such as umbrellas, hats, gloves, fans, visors, sunscreen or other comfort items, as needed. You’ll be on foot for up to 1.5 hours.

ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION: TFA is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive experience for all. If you have any questions regarding accessibility accommodations at our various tour locations, please contact us at [email protected] and we will be happy to assist with planning your experience.

SUPPORT INFORMATION: TFA tours include 0.5-1.5 miles of walking (typically on streets/sidewalks, which sometimes include uneven terrain) in a variety of weather conditions. Seating is limited or non-existent along many of our tour routes. If it will improve your experience, we encourage you to bring a lightweight stool, walking stick, or other assistive device!

Routes to avoid stairs are planned in advance for those who need an elevator or ramp. Our docents use a personal microphone to enhance hearing ability for all on the tour. You are welcome to move closer to the docent or request a volume adjustment at any time.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Photography is allowed!

TRANSLATION SERVICES: If you are in need of a translator, Spanish language or ASL, please let us know and we’ll try our best to accommodate your request!

SERVICIOS DE TRADUCCIÓN: Si necesita un traductor de español, háganoslo saber y haremos todo lo posible para satisfacer su solicitud!

633 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119

Phone: 918.583.5550

Private Tours: [email protected]

Inquiries: [email protected]

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Explore Tulsa's Underground Tunnels On This Unique Tour In Oklahoma

Ashley has lived in Oklahoma for 30 years and is the Oklahoma staff writer for onlyinyourstate.com. When she isn't writing about Oklahoma, she enjoys visiting the beach and exploring new areas.

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If you’re looking for a new adventure in Tulsa, try out the underground tunnel tour that will take you below historic buildings downtown! You’ll get to explore areas most people are unaware even exist and see beautiful architecture along the way. Have you ever heard of the Tulsa underground tunnels? Now you have! This is one of those awesome hidden gems in Oklahoma you can’t miss.

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For more information on guided tours, please visit these websites for more details and pricing: Tours of Tulsa and Tulsa Foundation for Architecture .

Oklahoma City is also home to an underground tunnel system, similar to Tulsa’s. Check out a previous article for all the details about the underground tunnels of Oklahoma City .

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Tulsa underground tunnels.

What is the history of mining in Oklahoma?  

Oklahoma has a long history in mining and mining towns; many of the ghost towns in Oklahoma exist thanks in part to a nearby mine that dried up, and today, there are still operations ongoing in the state. The Oklahoma Department of Mines was established in 1907, though mining in the state had gone on for much longer. Coal, for example, had been mined in Oklahoma since 1873, and it was during that same year that commercial mining began in the state as well.  

Where can I go on an underground tour in OK?  

Interestingly, both of the large cities in Oklahoma – OKC and Tulsa – are home to a network of tunnels underground. The Oklahoma City tunnels are about one mile long and opened in the 1970s. The Tulsa tunnels, which you’ve just read about above, can be found downtown near the Riverwalk. You can do occasional walking tours of the Tulsa tunnels. For those craving a different kind of underground tour in OK, you might want to check out some of the caves in Oklahoma for ideas – you can go on all kinds of interesting adventures in Oklahoma ’s cave systems, including some truly fun tours.  

What kind of minerals are found in Oklahoma?  

Oklahoma is a place where mining is taken seriously, and there’s a reason for that: it’s one of the most amazingly prolific producers of certain rocks, minerals, and resources in the United States. You’ll find an array of minerals in Oklahoma like quartz, malachite, orthoclase, agates, fossils, and so much more. Oklahoma is famous for its zinc mines, too. Some of the best places to find gems in Oklahoma include Cherokee City , the City of Noble, Lawton, Idabel, Jet, and several others. Who knew the small towns in Oklahoma were great for rockhounding too?  

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7 of Tulsa's Most Iconic "Underground" Spots

If you’re looking for a little adventure, these Tulsa gems are hidden away just out of sight for the truly curious explorer. Experience an evening like no other with an ornate dinner deep underground or some of the best tacos in town tucked behind a mead taproom. Read on for some of Tulsa's most unique spots to add to your list!

1. Notion Espresso

321 S Frankfort Ave Suite 3B, Tulsa, OK 74120

This underground coffee shop is a trendy find located behind NEFF Brewing. On the East side of the building, you will find a doorway to a tunnel that takes you down to Notion. The shop is painted all white and with murals from local artists, and additional local art on rotating display, giving it a clean and cool atmosphere. Try the incredible coffee, brewed fresh, with one of their seasonal syrups.

2. Bull in the Alley

11 East Mathew B, E Brady St, Tulsa, OK 74103

As the name implies, you’ll find this high-end chophouse tucked into an alley in the Tulsa Arts District with only a small sign bearing a bull symbol hinting at more. The exclusive, dimly lit, classy atmosphere makes any evening romantic. Enjoy a delicious steak cooked just to your liking or fresh seafood while you listen to live piano. Bull in the Alley is open late and guaranteed to provide a dining experience to remember.

3. Taqueria Escondido

1724 E 7th St, Tulsa, OK 74104

This cute taco spot specializes in authentic marinated pork, al pastor, tacos on handmade blue corn tortillas. “Escondido” means hidden in Spanish, appropriate for its sneaky location behind OK Distilling Company on a side street near the Tulsa Pearl District. Only open a few nights each week, check out Taqueria Escondido’s social media for deliciously creative taco specials and drink deals.

4. Cellar Dweller

417 W 7th St, Tulsa, OK 74119

This one-of-a-kind dive bar has a dark, mysterious atmosphere with no-frills drinks and regular live music. It is located under a 3-story nondescript brick building on the corner of 7th and Elwood in downtown Tulsa. Look for the black awning with “Cellar Dweller” written in white. Inside you’ll find comfy old-school seating and unique paintings and wall décor. This eclectic find is the perfect choice for a low-key nightcap.

5. Boston Title and Abstract

522 S Boston Ave Suite B100, Tulsa, OK 74103

Experience a romantic atmosphere at Boston Title & Abstract, speakeasy and restaurant hidden beneath the Deco District downtown. This exclusive gem may be hard to find, but it is worth the search. Treat yourself to fine dining and a cocktail or two and see why Boston Title & Abstract was named in “The 11 Best Places for Cocktails in Tulsa” by Root Tulsa.

6. Downtown Tunnel Tours

Locations vary around downtown.

One of Tulsa’s best kept secrets is the network of underground tunnels that run beneath the busy streets of downtown. Each tunnel has its own unique story, with some originally built to transport freight and others for certain businesspeople to travel from one skyscraper to the next. The tunnels run underneath several buildings, including the Philtower and the Atlas Life Building. Visitors can explore these underground tunnels with a guide giving you the inside scoop through  TulsaTours  or  Tulsa Foundation for Architecture .

3rd and Denver, Tulsa, OK 74103

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What lies beneath? A rare tour of Melbourne's secret tunnels amid $24 million power upgrade

As a legion of workers and residents rush about their days on the streets of Melbourne's CBD, Mal Harrison is wandering around a little further below — underneath the buildings and bitumen.

For the past two decades, his office has largely been the vast network of tunnels crisscrossing their way under the city, out of sight — and largely out of mind — of the people bustling above.

Clad in high-vis and safety gear, Mal is something of an expert on what lies underneath Melbourne.

He's a CitiPower project manager, recently tasked with helping deliver a major upgrade to the city's power network to help future-proof it against growing demand.

His subterranean workplace has also given him an enviable insight into a topic often pondered by curious Melburnians: what secrets lie hidden in the tunnels under the city?

Mysteries buried deep underground

CitiPower has long been the main energy distributor in the city, overseeing more than 2,300 kilometres of massive cables that snake their way under almost every street in the Hoddle Grid.

Many of these cables run through tunnels previously used for other purposes, such as the tunnel Mal is wandering through now, in the bowels of Southern Cross Station — previously used as a transport route between the station and the Mail Exchange.

To enter these tunnels, Mal strolls onto one of the train platforms and waits to be buzzed into a gated-off sloping runway in its centre.

After a walk through the station's underbelly, he arrives at a nondescript door, with a telling 'high-voltage' warning attached to it — the hallmark of many of CitiPower's mostly blank CBD infrastructure entrances.

Inside is a roughly 40-metre long hallway, lit by a series of fluorescent tubes and holding a bit more than a dozen large black cables to its walls.

The cables snake their way into the tunnel via an underground pit beside its entrance, travel along the walls where they take their leave into tubes embedded in the wall — and continue their journey elsewhere in the CBD.

Melbourne's power needs are growing, spurring an investment in the infrastructure beneath the city. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Many of Melbourne's tunnels were once forgotten. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Cables run through brick walls, which hold the history of Melbourne's CBD. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Mal knows a bit about the history of these tunnels, including that this one was discovered during the most recent redevelopment of the station above.

Many others were discovered and repurposed by CitiPower, having been buried when the CBD was levelled in the 1800s.

"There's a lot of things buried deep that were buried in the 1850s, 1860s when they levelled it off and did the Hoddle Grid," he says.

'Urban legends' of the tunnels

"Every day's different," says the easygoing Mal, standing a couple of metres underneath the intersection of Spencer and Bourke streets, where he talks over the dull rumble of trams passing overhead.

"We find lots of stuff that's forgotten about or abandoned."

There was also a thick road surface discovered under Todd Road in Port Melbourne a few years back, which gave Mal's CitiPower crew an exciting opportunity to test their research skills.

"It was actually the old runway from World War II, where they built aircraft down at Fishermans Bend then rolled them out on the runway and flew them straight up to New Guinea," he says.

"Recently we also found an old cable car system in Lonsdale Street, including the culverts and a gear room that was just buried and abandoned in the city.

"There's all sorts of urban legends about the amount of tunnels in Melbourne, and I guess only time will tell."

Many of those legends include tales of underground transport routes and gold stockpiles. Asked if he's found any yet, Mal answers with a wry smile.

"No, not that. Or any bodies either."

Increasing power demand

CitiPower has opened up its "hidden" network of tunnels to the ABC amid a three-year, $24 million upgrade.

The electricity distributor's head of network planning, Andrew Dinning, says the need for the works is clear, with demand across the CBD expected to jump by at least 60 per cent over the next decade.

"Melbourne CBD is certainly growing," he says, standing inside a hulking substation hidden behind an unassuming facade in a Chinatown alleyway.

"Currently, the peak demand we see for that CBD network is around 500 megawatts. To set that in context, that's the same as one generation unit out at somewhere like Loy Yang power station, dedicated to supplying less than 3 square kilometres of CBD.

"We are forecasting that to increase up towards 700 megawatts in the next decade."

Census data shows the population in Melbourne's 3000 postcode almost tripled in the 15-year period from 2006 to 2021, from 14,538 to 43,084.

Andrew says the increasing number of people living and working in the city, along with a push for electrification and even a jump in the use of electric cars, was behind the increasing power demands.

CitiPower's $24 million upgrade began in late April, starting with a tunnel on Little Queen Street built in the 1930s, and stretching in an almost 100-metre loop.

It gets hot and muggy quickly down there, and the walls are lined with an organised chaos of red and black high-voltage power cables, which disappear into holes in the wall and stretch their way out underneath the city.

As works begin, Mal says he'd rather be down here than sitting at a desk all day.

"Every day is a mystery on this job, finding stuff buried underground when we're doing excavation works. Because even though Melbourne's not that old a city, it's been redeveloped multiple times," Mal says.

"There are parts of Melbourne's underground that nobody knows exist, and we get to work in them every day, so it's not a bad office."

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