Autumn in Oklahoma is by far my favorite time of the year. It brings the electricity of football season and a welcome relief from our sizzling Sooner summers. Now's the time to get out and share the fun of Oklahoma's fall festivals with your family and enjoy the serenity of changing colors as nature prepares for winter. Here are some suggestions to celebrate the season.

Fall Foliage
The last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November are expected to be the best time for viewing the state's most brilliant displays of red and orange-and I'm not just referring to the Sooners and the Cowboys. Oklahoma's spectacular fall foliage is a wonderful reason to pack a picnic and pile the kids in the car for a Sunday drive like no other. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department's web site, offers several foliage tour routes across the state. Just don't forget your camera.

Red Rock Canyon State Park, State Highway 8, south of Hinton
Along this 10-mile route, you will view the red stone canyon walls that serve as cover for the massive trees and present a dramatic landmark amid the Western Oklahoma plains. Hiking and camping are available at the park.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Lawton off Highway 9
Astonishing granite formations set the backdrop for the post and blackjack oaks' amazing fall colors displayed throughout this 20-mile drive. You will also see the resident buffalo herd and other interesting wildlife. For a panoramic view of the area, drive to the top of Mount Scott, located on the eastern edge of the refuge. The visitor's center offers audio driving tours on CD or cassette so you can listen as you drive. Plan to stretch your legs on one of the hiking or biking trails, or stop to watch the adorable prairie dogs.

Forgo the picnic and head north on Highway 115 to Meers for lunch. This old frontier gold mining ghost town is the home of the Meers Store and its famous oversized "Meers burgers," tasty barbecue, and homemade cobblers. It is worth the trip. While in the area, visit the early-day cobblestone resort town of Medicine Park or the nation's largest collection of military artifacts at the Fort Sill Museum in Lawton.

Katherine Leidy is a freelance writer and public relations professional. She and her husband, Robert, have a five-year-old daughter, Allison, and reside in Norman. The fall colors at her home are appropriately crimson and cream.