After living in Salt Lake City for two years before moving to Dallas, I often find myself missing nature and the outdoors. I miss mountains, hiking, fresh air, nature and just escaping the concrete jungle of Dallas. Sometime my brain needs to unplug and refresh. I am thankful I quickly found out about Hochatown, Oklahoma. It’s just a quick 3 hour drive or so from Dallas. It’s about the same from Tulsa, where I’m originally from and it’s also a quick drive from Arkansas. Hochatown is the lesser known neighbor of Broken Bow, Oklahoma but it is quickly becoming the best town in the area. While Broken Bow tends to feel a little more outdated and worn out, Hochatown has a breath of fresh air blown through it and it has the feel of a cute little mountain town. I have been fortunate enough to spend a decent amount of time in both areas and I can say Hochatown quickly stole my heart and became my go-to.
If you’re anything like me, this corona virus quarantine has you dreaming and wishing for days of travel and exploration. Or you might need a place to ride out the storm that is different than where you live. As someone who used to travel more days than she was home, this has been HARD. I went from Vegas to Mexico back to Vegas at the end of February and beginning of March. Now I’ve been self-self-quarantined in Dallas for 30 days as of yesterday. I’m itching to explore and get outta here. So for now, I’ll dream about travel and give you the scoop on one of my favorite local getaways.
If you missed my first experience of Hochatown, check out the blog here. I can't recommend Lake Life Cabins enough. I always have such an incredible experience at their cabins. Hochatown is the best mix of secluded mountain town vibes and gorgeous natural outdoor activities with the most inviting community.
Whether you’re looking for a place to quarantine for a few weeks or you’re planning future travel plans, here’s my recommendations on all things Hochatown and my experience from the various times I've been there.
Where to eat & drink
Mountain Fork brewery A great, quick, casual atmosphere with great beers on tap
Tasting Room This is a great spot to unwind with a drink after dinner. It features cozy seating with a relaxing fireplace. Their staff is interactive and laid back. Fun to sit at the bar. It's a short drive from the cabins.
Rollin Fork Takery Whether you want to snag takeout back to the cabin, to the lake for a picnic or eat at on the back patio, Rollin Fork Takery has some of the best food with the freshest ingredients.
Abendigo's Grill & Patio We sat on the patio under the stars. It looks like during the weekend they often have a band playing but with it being a weekday, there wasn’t as much going on. The food and wine was great. I had their filet and a glass of red wine.
Girls Gone Wine I cannot say enough about this winery. First of all, they have THE CUTEST, sassiest gift shop. And their staff is exceptional. They were so sweet and friendly. We made our way through the gift store to the tasting area and sampled all of the great wines. They have cute names, fun branding and so many wines that benefit a great cause like cancer and animal rescue. We tasted and had a great time. We each left with a couple of bottles. My favorite was the dry red, Spicy Sheila.
Beaver’s Bend Brewery We shared flights and sat on the top deck. It was the perfect September day with sunshine and a breeze. There are TVs available and at the time there was great classic rock piping through the speakers. They have great year-round and seasonal options. I loved their citrus and raspberry options. The Fleucy Creek was great, too. I was really impressed with their fantastic customer service team. When we were there it was a mother-son duo and they were so kind, welcoming and helpful. It was the perfect afternoon.
Where to play
Broken Bow Lake As an avid lake-goer, this is arguably one of the prettiest lakes in Oklahoma. It is an expansive and deep lake with a rock-covered floor that makes the water super clean and clear. It's ideal for boating, water sports, swimming, fishing and more. You can rent boats, house boats, jet skis, kayaks and SUP's all within the park. They allow hardly any building on the shoreline so you'll be delighted to enjoy almost 180 miles of natural beautiful shoreline.
Broken Bow Marina The only place on the water to rent boats. They rent speed boats, pontoon boats, house boats and jet skis. You need to reserve ahead online - especially on weekends. Arrive early - parking gets full on weekends too - and know that you may have to wait a bit.
Beaver’s Bend River Floats After an hour of trying to find a place to kayak, we got ahold of Beaver’s Bend River Floats, which is just down the road from the cabins in Hochatown. The winding drive through the trees and across the lake was gorgeous. We got out to the lake about 2:45 and quickly got set up and on the lake. The young man running the shop was very helpful and it turns out we had both spent some time at Northeastern State University. The lake was smooth and there was almost no one else on the water. It was tranquil and relaxing. The sun was beaming and it ended up being a pretty warm day. We sipped on our drinks we brought and slowly paddled along taking in the scenery. Kayaks are about $12 and canoes are $23.
Rugaru Adventures - Zip-lining The owner came to our rescue when we got the jeep stuck on our first trip to Hochatown. He is the sweetest man and offers some of the best zip-lining in the area. It's a tour of 6 different ziplines through the forest, including one that goes over the lake.
Beavers Bend Fly Fishing Guide Service Great local guides with all of the equipment and lay of the land you need. Starting off the morning, in the water, fly fishing rod in hand is a pretty fool-proof way to melt your worries away & start your day.
The Friends Trail - New Hiking Trail! Friends Trail is the first new trail to be added to Beavers Bend State Park in 15 years. This intermediate trail begins at Spillway Creek below the dam and makes a 1.5 mile loop. Expect rugged terrain with rocky outcroppings and a steep incline. Enjoy panoramic views of the spillway from the top of a ridge. Be sure to take water with you. The round trip hike should take 1.5 to 2 hours max. Keep an eye out for trail markers - there are arrows, plus orange ties on trees.
Riverman Trail Rides They're located about 10 miles west of downtown Broken Bow, so it's about 30 minutes from the Lake Life Cabins. Reservations are required.
Captain's Hideaway Powersports Rentals This fun new Hochatown business rents UTV's and Jeeps. Rentals are self guided, and the owners will give you ideas and directions for off road trails. They provide trailers and helmets for the 4-6 seater UTV's, but you need to be able to tow it to the trails just north of Hochatown. They have Polaris Ranger 900's and a Kawasaki Teryx LE.The Jeeps can be used both on and off road, and there's lots of great scenic roads in the area that are fun to drive in a Jeep.
Hochatime Store The best place to get tshirts, hats, stickers, etc. They capture the vibe of Hochatown - "Living on Hochatime" - and their new slogan "Unwind in the Pines".I met their super cool owners on my last trip. She even snapped a quick pic of me after I purchased a Hochatown mug.
The 259A Loop Drive One of the prettiest drives you can take in Hochatown or Broken Bow. This road winds you through Beavers Bend State Park. While it's beautiful all times of year, it is especially in the fall when the trees are changing. I've been twice and the second time was during the fall. The views were spectacular. There are sweeping views of the river and lake that you might even want to pull over and capture.
Where to stay
If you only need one a one bedroom cabin in Broken Bow, I only have one recommendation:
Lake Life Cabins Sleeping 1-3 Again, check out my past blog post on the dreamiest cabins ever. They are one bedroom and sleep about 1-3. These are perfect for solo trips, romantic getaways, small family, or girls trips. They are the perfect modern mix of cabin getaway with modern luxuries.
If you are going with more than 3 people or need 2+ bedrooms, here is a list of recommended places to stay. These cabin groups come highly recommended by previous guests and the owners of Lake Life Cabins.
Cabin California Dreaming 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sleeps 10 California vibes and Oklahoma location
Rustic Luxury Cabins 2 & 4 bedroom options A more traditional rustic look with modern luxuries intertwined.
Glamcations Sleeps 10, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms The ultimate luxury, glamcation option for a large group.
I hope you soon get a chance to be living on Hochatime. It is such an experiential retreat, especially for those living in the concrete jungle.