So you’re headed to Altus AFB! Odds are, you knew almost nothing about this town before you got your assignment.
Let’s be honest: Altus, Oklahoma is not the most glamorous of locations. It’s a small town in rural Oklahoma, off the beaten path in every sense. But after three years living here, I want to offer some options of how to embrace and even – dare I say it – enjoy it!
Hiking
Altus has several great hiking options within an hour or two, making it ideal for spending time outdoors. The best is Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, which has tons of trails at all difficulty levels. We visited at least once a month our entire time here and never got tired of it. Whether you want mountain climbing, bison sighting, waterfront views, or quick and easy kid-friendly options, there’s a trail that suits here.
Become a Local
Unlike some assignments, you can actually become a local here. Find a favorite restaurant and become a regular. (We chose Taqueria Hernandez and never got tired of it!) Go to the local coffee shop and get to know the barista – they’ll learn your order, I promise. Attend the annual festivals, even the cheesy ones. Check out the local boutiques – they’ll surprise you.
Getting to know the locals will also fill you in on all those small town things that don’t get publicized. They’ll tell you should go to Val’s to watch the car show, where you can eat wings instead of just sitting on curb. They’ll tell you about the small town of Medicine Park, a way underrated day trip with cute shops, good restaurants, and a river for splashing around in to cool off. It’s the sort of thing that you can’t
necessarily ask google.
Take Day Trips & Weekend Getaways
Odds are, this is a different part of the country than you’ve lived in before, and there’s a ton here to explore! Oklahoma City makes a great day trip. With museums, good food, and surprisingly cool neighborhoods, we made the trip often just to get out of town for a bit. And don’t forget Route 66 runs right through the state, offering all the classic kitsch you can ask for!
The Dallas-Fort Worth area was our favorite weekend spot. At less than four hours, you can do it after work on Friday and spend the whole weekend exploring. Whether you want a big city, country western vibes, or just a spot with a Trader Joe’s, Dallas has you covered.
The weekend trip that surprised us the most was Amarillo, Texas! The town is felt like the most Americana road trip you can imagine – a massive route 66 steakhouse, good food & coffee, and a massively underrated state park called Palo Duro. It’s home to the second biggest canyon in the country after the Grand Canyon and is a great spot for hiking, camping, or horseback riding!
This part of the country also defines “drive-able” differently than some, so plan accordingly. But without too much trouble, you can get to Austin (6 hours) Denver (8 hours), Carlsbad Caverns (8 hours), San Antonio (6.5 hours). Especially when the nearest airport of any size is Oklahoma City, we ended up driving on most of our trips and really enjoyed the flexibility it gave us!
Embrace What It Is
Everyone says this, but your attitude will make or break you in Altus. If you’re constantly focused on what the town doesn’t have, you’ll be miserable.
Altus is a great place for families with kids. There are a million playgrounds dotting the neighborhoods, and there’s plenty of space for kids to safely roam. Many of the jobs for military members here are slower tempo than other assignments, meaning you actually get to see your spouse.
Whether or not you have kids, Altus brings community together well. Since there isn’t much to do in the evenings, we spent a lot of time at each other’s homes, playing cards or cooking for each other. We built deeper relationships faster than we might have otherwise, mostly because we needed each other! There’s something special about feeling so at home with friends that you know you can drop by whenever for a cup of tea or glass of wine, and we got there with friends especially quick in Altus.
There’s also a certain level of humor and silliness in this. Stick with me here: embracing the ridiculousness of the town made the hard parts funny. Make a list of every restaurant in town and try them all. Go to Scooters, the only bar with a dance floor – equal parts honkytonk and sketchy – to people watch.
Altus AFB likely makes no one’s dream sheet.
I’ll be honest, I got tired of having to drive an hour to buy clothes. But there is plenty to do and explore here, and plenty of space to make a life for yourself and your family. You’d be shocked at how many people I knew who decided to retire here after a career of living all over the world!
