Enid Woodring Airport, Enid, OK!
Landmarks and the Technical Part
Enid Woodring Regional Airport (WDG, KWDG)is located in Enid, OK. Enid is also home to Vance AFB and the largest twin tower grain elevators in the world!
Woodring Airport is a towered, city-owned, and public-use airfield located 4 nautical miles (approx. 5 1/2 road miles) SE of downtown Enid. The airport is open 365 days a year from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. with two runways and available services after hours for transient traffic. There are two runways as follows: 17/35 being 8,613 x 100 (1,905 x 30 m) surfaced with concrete and 13/31 being 3,150 x 108 feet (960 x 33 m) surfaced with asphalt. The field has both AVGAS and Jet fuel.
The airport itself houses the Barnstormers Restaurant, Wrenn Aviation, and ASIC (Aircraft Structures International Corp.) Martin Induction Systems, Aviator’s Wing, Fly Enid, North American Aerospace Holdings, and the Woodring Campus of the Autry Technology Center.
Woodring is now the permanent home to the once-traveling 80% scale model of the Vietnam Memorial Wall and numerous other war displays.
Please note: You will notice a discrepancy between runway lengths if you go to older posts about Woodring Airport. The length of the concrete runway has been expanded to accommodate jets from Vance AFB. As always, please check FltPlan.com and your software for the most current information on weather and fuel prices.
Transport
If you are going into town and you don’t have pre-arranged transport, Woodring Airport does have a courtesy car. There is also Enterprise Rental Cars in town. While Uber and Lyft operate here, it’s still pretty much a hit or miss situation.
Check out Carle Car Rentals for the best deal!
Where to find the Finer Things!
Once in town, there are the excellent Callahan’s Pub and Grille, Napoli’s Italian Restaurant, Mango Tree Cafe, and Cafe Garcia. For breakfast lovers, there is the locally owned Wee Too Restaurant with its famous Garbage Omelet, large portions, and home-cooked style food.
For Asian food lovers, Enid has the extraordinary Tokyo Sushi Hibachi Steak House. The dishes are just as beautiful as they are delicious. There is also sushi and Chinese cuisine at Jade Garden or the buffet-style Chen Gardens. The Jade Garden can get busy and noisy, and while it’s not upscale, it’s worth a little noise and a short wait. Paired with a nice Japanese beer, lunch is served. All three of these establishments are on Owen K. Garriott (Highway 412), the main east-west thoroughfare through town.
Mexican food lovers should try Catrinas Mexican Grill or Las Margaritas Grill and Cantina.
A bit more unusual is the Mango Tree Restaurant. A crazy little getaway with authentic Thai flavor. It rather resembles an overlooked antique store, but the food is great! The green Curry or the Pho is wonderful!
Steaks!
If your taste runs more to American standard fare. There are several other steak houses in town. There is also a new Texas Roadhouse that I’ve heard everyone bragging about.
Hungry for good BBQ? I know for a fact that the biggest, baddest baked potato in town, plus good meat, is at Blaze’s BBQ. The baked potato is a meal on its own! We also have a Rib Crib and a Swadley’s.
Local Enid Pubs and Hangouts!
At the top of the list for me and most locals is a place called Callahan’s. On a Friday or Saturday evening, it’s a starting point for some and an ending place for others, but there isn’t a soul in town who doesn’t know about Callahan’s. Their crunchy chicken wings and perfect Brussels sprouts are just the tip of the iceberg. The steaks and salmon are great, the beer is cold, and making you feel at home is their specialty. If you’re looking for a nice, big, juicy burger, this is the place. The doctors, lawyers, plumbers, musicians, and everyone in between call this “their bar”.
Things to do in Enid
Enid hosts a ‘First Friday‘ celebration around the downtown square between April and October. With live music everywhere and food trucks galore, it’s a great time. Local artists display their goods on the sidewalks, and there are street games for every age. Shops all over town are open late, and everyone is genuinely glad to see you. Enid Axe draws quite a crowd (Yes, they throw axes), as does the Finger Pickin’ Good Guitar Store (who do not throw axes but certainly play them). Usually, there’s so much going on that it’s hard to choose where to go.
There are three 18-hole golf courses, of which two are open to the public. Additionally, there’s another public course about 20 miles from Enid in the town of Hennessey. There’s also a place downtown called The Back Nine if you want to analyze your swing and have a beer after a snow storm, you can do that here.
Enid is also home to the NJCAA Division II College World Series at the David Allen Memorial Ballpark. This is a beautiful field located on Grand Street, just south of downtown. Use the above link for tournament times and dates.
If you travel with children, please visit Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse. It’s interactive, educational, and just a whole lot of fun.
Night Life in Enid!
If you want to make a night of it, Enid has two local Breweries. Both are welcoming and relaxed, with live music most weekends and food trucks just outside their doors. Enid Brewing Company is a farm-to-table place and does have a nice blueberry beer and a malty amber ale that was good if you prefer something a little more solid. They also have a small wine collection if there is a non-beer drinker in your crowd.
The newest brewery in town is Settlers Brewing Co. They promote a charity tap every month, chosen from one of their handcrafted beers. Both establishments have indoor and outdoor seating and an ever-changing selection of their wares depending on the season.
The Chisholm Trail Expo Center, or the Stride Bank Center, is your source for entertainment. Concerts, Comedy acts, rodeos, and tractor pulls, they’ve got it all. For concerts and upcoming sporting events in Enid, OKC, or Tulsa, go to ScoreBig.com.
Notable Aviators
Enid was once home to Clyde Cessna before he started Cessna Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, KS. It is rumored that he couldn’t get a loan from Enid banks. So, to finance his new business venture, he moved to Wichita and, as they say, the rest is history.
Enid was also home to Owen K. Garriott, a NASA Skylab astronaut. As mentioned above, if you’re in Enid with youngsters, one of the coolest places in town is Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse. It was started by Dr. Owen K Garriott and Helen Garriott and consists of a hands-on arts and sciences warehouse and a science playground. Leonardo’s castle and the playground were designed by Tom Rockwell (grandson of Norman Rockwell) and built by 12,000 volunteers, including my son and I, mostly from Enid and the surrounding areas. It’s an interactive adventure! You will accrue major brownie points with the kids if you go, so don’t miss it!
Safe travels and smooth landings,
Jo@Jettreks