4 Small Towns in Oklahoma So Dreamy, You’ll Swear You’ve Seen Them on TV

Have you ever visited a town for the first time and found it to look so familiar? Well, there is a chance you've seen it or someplace similar on a show you watched. Small towns across the country often make idyllic settings, especially for Hallmark Channel movies. Can you think of any dreamy small towns in Oklahoma that you may have seen on TV? Here are four such towns that have either been used as a filming location or look like they should have a starring role in one of your favorite small-screen series:

1. Carlton Landing

With its idyllic, utopian look and feel, Carlton Landing is one of the most unique towns in Oklahoma, and has been compared to both "The Truman Show" and "Pleasantville" due to its New Urbanist planned design. While it has yet to land a starring role on a TV show, it probably should be considered as a filming location. This idyllic community was first established in 2013. As one of Oklahoma's newest towns, Carlton Landing is a resort community situated on Lake Eufaula, with a small population of under 100 residents. While tiny, its natural surroundings, community, and lakeside location make it a desirable place to live and visit.

2. Fort Gibson

Founded in 1824, Fort Gibson is recognized as the oldest town in Oklahoma. It's home to Fort Gibson Historical Site & Interpretive Center, the oldest frontier fort in the state, with 80 acres of preserved historic structures and ruins. This National Historic Landmark is not to be missed when visiting the town. With so much preserved history, you would expect the park itself to be a perfect backdrop for a TV show based on the American Frontier.

3. Pawnee

The small town of Pawnee is the seat of Pawnee County, established in 1894, and was named after the Pawnee Nation. Whether you're a history buff interested in the Wild West and/or Native American culture and history, visiting this town is a must, especially with informative sites like the Pawnee Bill Historic Site & Museum and the Museum of the Pawnee Nation. While the area boasts a rich history, it also features natural beauty, some of which can be found on the property of the Pawnee Bathhouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built by the WPA in 1939, the stone bathhouse overlooks a two-acre freshwater Pawnee Lake and a sandy beach. Open seasonally, it's a dreamy place to spend a summer afternoon, and it has appeared on local TV channels.

4. Waynoka

Waynoka is a destination for nature lovers seeking a dreamy landscape that seems out of place in the state of Oklahoma. It's in this town that you'll find Little Sahara State Park and its vast 1,600-acre landscape of undulating dunes. Hiking isn't allowed in many places along the dunes; instead, ATVs race up and down the hills of sand, which range in height between 25 and 75 feet. This state park is proof that Oklahoma's landscape isn't just prairie, plains, and grasslands, but much more diverse than that.

Have you visited any of the aforementioned small towns in Oklahoma? You can check out more Oklahoma small towns or plan your own small-town trip with Only In Your State’s AI-powered itinerary planner.