Bricktown Water Taxi
4.7(3.5K)google
4.5(290)yelp
Water ActivityRiver
Overview
A water taxi or a water bus is a boat used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar manner to a taxi. A boat service shuttling between two points would normally be described as a ferry rather than a water bus or taxi.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-1.5 hours
Best TimeOperational dynamically from May to September; an evening cruise between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM is highly advised. The intense plains heat subsides, and boarding the narrated open-air boats lets you glide down the historic Bricktown canal beneath neon-lit warehouse arches at sunset.
Getting ThereThe primary ticket office and central launch dock sit at 111 S Mickey Mantle Drive along the canal. Drive and park at the Reno Ave municipal deck, then stroll down the historic stairwells to the water's edge. Take the OKC Streetcar to the Bricktown hub for a quick 2-minute walk.
Travel Tips
- Tickets operate as an all-day hop-on, hop-off pass; daytime queues peak heavily between 11:00 and 15:00, making an evening boarding after 18:00 the optimal strategy to bypass direct sun exposure and witness the illuminated canal historic murals.
- Avoid driving into the narrow one-way streets directly framing the canal; park precisely within the multi-level pay garages on Mickey Mantle Drive, as local traffic police strictly monitor street meters with zero-tolerance towing for minor overtimes.
- The vessels are completely open-air with zero air conditioning, driving interior temperatures near 100°F during mid-summer; passengers must board with personal drinking water, and standing up or climbing the gunwales for photos yields immediate ejection.
Reviews
Positive
- Riding the retro yellow water taxi down the Bricktown canal past red-brick buildings and greenery is a core OKC experience offering great scenery.
- The captains double as narrated guides, using speakers to humorously explain local history and architecture lore with great wit and depth.
- The boats cruise smoothly and safely. Docking areas feature sturdy handrails and accessible floating bridges, and the boat interior is kept clean.
- A day-pass ticket grants hop-on, hop-off privileges at designated stops all day, saving walking energy and combining sightseeing with transit value.
Heads up
- The canal routing is actually quite short; a full loop takes just 20-30 minutes, and the views can be seen just as well by walking along the banks.
- During peak summer noon hours, lack of sun canopies leads to intense sun, and since the canal is stagnant artificial water, faint odors occur when hot.
- Weekend evening queues are intensely crowded. Lacking a digital reservation queue, tourists must stand in long physical lines on the boardwalk.
- Purely as a one-way transit tool, the ticket price is considerably higher than city buses or scooters. A less-talkative captain reduces the tour value.