The Cheapest Places on Earth: Oklahoma City

Many Americans have seen Oklahoma City. "Oh yeah," they'll tell you, "I was on my way out to California and we spent the night there." And then they fall silent.

The fact is, the capital of Oklahoma, born from a cannon shot and the ensuing Land Run of 1889, has not been much of a vacation spot in its century or so of existence. With just under 500,000 residents within the city limits, spread across 608 square miles (ranked third in size after enormous Anchorage and Jacksonville, Florida), this heartland city seems to some passersby little more than a sprawling mass of strip malls, parking lots, and highways. But heads-up to cutting-edge travelers: Oklahoma City is an emerging gem of a destination, and it can be done on a dime. Oklahoma City is cheap. In fact, it's so cheap that the local chamber of ...