Broken Bow :: Short 6 Hour Drive From Baton Rouge
If you’re in any sort of mom group on social, you’ve likely seen the question, “Where can we go on vacation? I’m tired of X, and don’t want to drive far!” Well, I’ve got the place for you!
Just a short six hours from Baton Rouge is a beautiful, stunning area called Broken Bow, OK. I know that when someone says Oklahoma, outside of singing the song, beauty may not be the first thought that comes to your head — so let me paint a picture. When you drive in, it will seem you’re driving into the flatlands, much of what you visualize Oklahoma from the tales of yore. As you get closer to Broken Bow, the horizon starts to change, it gets rocky and mountainous. It’s like driving back in time, to a small town on the verge of breaking into the tourism field. It’s nestled in next to Beavers Bend State Park offering access to hiking trails, rivers, and a beautiful rock-bottom lake!
If the beauty alone isn’t enough to convince you to travel there, here’s a list of things to do from Hochatown to Broken Bow.
Summer is their busy season offering boat life, canoeing the river, and so much more! Our family went during their “off-season” the week after Thanksgiving, and we still had such an amazing time! We just had to double check hours for some of the things we wanted to do. That being said, we’re returning this year (same time) so it’s safe to say we had a great time! A quick search on AirBNB or VRBO will give you a ton of cabin rentals to choose from! You’ll get an even better deal if you can find a local rental company! If you have a smaller crew you can even check Beavers Bend State Park for cabins.
• Donut Theory – local donut shop offering unique and delicious donuts! Even a smattering of kolaches and “breakfast on a donut!”
• Mountain Fork Brewery – Some of the best beers I’ve tasted. Their stout was worth the stop all on its own. Their pizza is AMAZING and their burgers are delicious. We had a party of twelve and no one left disappointed! They even had live music the night we went.
• Girls Gone Wine – A fun boutique winery, a funky, sassy gift shop, and a great place to kick back with your friends. Don’t look for a vineyard; all their wine IS fermented and produced on site. Their tastings are fantastic. But I can assure you, you won’t regret making a reservation for a VIP Tasting in the G Spot!
• Sasquatch Candy Den – This shop is what every kid’s dreams are made of! Endless candy options. Pay by weight candy wall, retro candy, truffles, you name it! If you have a sweet tooth, don’t skip the Sasquatch Candy Den.
• Abendigos – If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, look no further! Abendigos offers a menu full of delicious items you won’t want to miss!
• Okie Girls Coffee & Ice Cream – This is a must do! Their ice cream is amazing! The coffee delicious, and they’re even dog-friendly. Escape for a date night or take the kids!
• Friends Trail Loop – A short, relatively easy 1.5-mile loop trail. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 43 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking and running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while out hiking. Check the All Trails App for more trails to explore! (Deer Crossing Trail, Beaver Lodge Nature Trail, David L Bowen Trail Head, to name a few.)
• Holly Mountain Trail – This trail requires an all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD). Don’t worry! You can rent a Jeep in town. That being said, some of my friends drove their Jeep up for an early morning viewing and her husband said it should be named “Holy H*ll Mountain Trail” as the pre-dawn light and steep drive made the drive a bit more intense.
• If you have an AWD, stop at Janet’s Treasure Chest for a trail map of all the cool places in town, including a Jeep Playground.
• Kayak the river or the lake. There are multiple rental places in town; make sure you check for your skill level as some of the areas are less “floating the river” than we’re used to in Louisiana.
• Eagle Drive – If you love a good sunrise, Broken Bow does not disappoint! Eagle Drive is off the Stevens Gap Park Entrance, there’s a dip (beach area) then further down is Sunrise Point which is appropriately named! Be sure to check the weather and sunrise times while you’re in town. You’ll want to head out at LEAST half an hour before estimated sunrise.
• The Maze of Hochatown – A fun experience full of teamwork! Not too challenging, you’re crew will work your way through the maze, collecting stamps from each tower & celebrating your success at the end!
• The Broken Tiki – View the beautiful scenery of Broken Bow from a unique vantage point– directly from the water! Broken Tiki offers cruises on Broken Bow Lake while also sharing the history of the area.
• Bigfoot She-nanigans – Bigfoot is the mascot of Broken Bow! What better way to embrace the fun than to secure your own Bigfoot sighting! There’s nothing quite like a donut delivery from Bigfoot herself!
Lagniappe:
We went to Broken Bow to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary surprise. My sister-in-law and I planned a surprise cake delivery, family photos, and even a private chef experience! I realize those things aren’t an “every visit” expenditure, but in case you’re interested in doing any of those things, here are the businesses we used and had great experiences with!
We used M+R Photography for our family/cake photos. You can find her on Facebook or Instagram (@mplusrphotography). She came to our cabin but also does STUNNING work at the State Park too! We had 3 families and a total of 12 people and a dog. She was great with the kids. She got through our crew in great time, even with our shivering as it was like 29* that day!
We ordered a cake from The 3 Cupcateers. They were incredibly helpful in the long distance planning — even suggesting flower shops in the area to help us create the perfect atmosphere. They delivered the cake and it was enjoyed by everyone!
Cheffrey On the Run – (His IG is @cheffreyloving) Our private chef experience is still talked about! He was FULL of personality and his food delicious! He came in with a charcuterie board for us to devour while he cooked. He prepared a meal specific to our younger crew first, I wasn’t sure there could be a more divine meal coming — then we sent them upstairs to watch a movie. He then prepared a course meal for the adults. I still dream about that meal, y’all.
There’s so much more we haven’t even touched yet! There’s ziplining, horseback riding, even fly-fishing experiences. There’s so much to do in this little town! Pick the right cabin & you could be just as cozy and full of fun just hanging around the cabin with your people!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I just moved to Baton Rouge and we bought a total fixer upper. It’s been a long time coming but after months of hard work, we are officially done. I can’t believe we were finally able to return our dumpster rental and our driveway can actually be used for parking now haha Anyway, we want to do something fun to celebrate being done, and taking the 6 hour trip to Broken Bow honestly sounds perfect! We’re going to be heading up there this weekend.