Why My Family Loves Broken Bow

Broken Bow…if you haven’t been, you’ve heard about it. If you’ve heard about it, you’re probably wondering what all the hype is about. A short 3.5 hour trip from McKinney, Broken Bow has become THE hot spot for weekend getaways. Nestled in between Hochatown and Idabel, Oklahoma, Broken Bow is home to Beaver’s Bend State Park, Broken Bow Lake, wineries, restaurants, and more. It’s basically all the things you need to feel far away from home. This once tiny town has boomed big in the recent years so, here’s all things my family loves about Broken Bow, in the hope that it makes your travel plans a little less cumbersome.

BROKEN BOW CABIN RENTALS

Hidden Hills Cabins: This company manages cabins that sleep anywhere from two to 10+ people. My husband and I stayed in Summer Brook and have taken the kids to stay in Big Bear Cabin.

Blue Beaver Cabins: This company manages one- to six-bedroom luxury cabins that are spread across some of the best views available. We’ve stayed in the Carson Creek area and Timber Creek Trails South area, both of which exceeded our expectations.

These are by no means an exhaustive list of all the cabin options available! We’ve just personally booked through both of the above companies and had no issues.

THINGS TO DO IN BROKEN BOW

Broken Bow Lake: If you’re booking warm-weather travel, Broken Bow Lake has a private marina (Beaver’s Bend Marina) with all the water sports options. We’ve rented boats and taken the kids tubing for hours. The dock has a small store to stock the cooler before heading out. Full- or half-day rentals are available.

Beaver’s Bend State Park: When the kids were little, we would take night trips through the park looking for deer and wildlife. This was, by far, one of their favorite things to do.  During the day, the park offers plenty of scenery, too. Hiking trails, fishing, canoes, paddle boats, zip lining, horseback riding, and go-karts are a few of the things we’ve tried and loved.

Exploring: In warm or cool weather, some our best memories are exploring the woods and creeks around our cabin. Walkie talkies, forts, campfires, and hot tubs require no travel beyond your cabin.

Petting Zoo: The CUTEST rescue/petting zoo is located right off of the main road leading into Broken Bow.

Escape Room: We’ve escaped and had a blast trying. Our kids are spread out in ages but all went and all had a great time. This escape room is a little past Hochatown and has a couple restaurants nearby if you want to make a night of the adventure.

BROKEN BOW RESTAURANTS

Grateful Head: BY FAR our favorite spot to stop when we’re in town. The best pizza and laid-back environment. We usually get enough to take back to the cabin; it’s just that good.

Mountain Fork Brewery and Restaurant: This is one of the restaurants located next to the escape room with a laid-back environment and good food and drinks.

Abendigo: Might not want to roll in in your swimsuit cover up. This restaurant is a nicer venue, live music some nights, and great food and drinks.

There’s so many more and plenty we haven’t tried. These have been a few of our tried and true go to’s when we visit. If you’ve got more, comment and let others know!

BROKEN BOW WINE TOUR

Girls Gone Wine: Haven’t been but pass it every time and it looks like they’ve got party buses to book, wine tastings, and all things fun. If you’ve been, let us know you’re reviews.

BROKEN BOW TRAVEL TIPS

Most cabins are fully equipped for cooking. We typically pack a couple coolers with our fave snacks and groceries. Meal plan ahead of time and stock up before you go. Once you’ve arrived, stopping for groceries is the last thing you’ll want to do.

There’s a liquor store in town. Listen, maybe I haven’t been to Girls Gone Wine, but a little margarita on the rocks is what I’m talking about.

They sell the CUTEST shirts at the Hochatime in Broken Bow. I mean, SUPER cute stuff. If you’re wanting something to bring back home with you, this is the spot to find it.

And last but not least, there’s an amazing Instagram to follow while you’re prepping for all things Broken Bow. They’ve got great travel tips, cabin recommendations, and are true experts on the area.

Broken Bow has been our go-to last-minute vacation spot; winter, spring, summer, and fall. It’s a one-stop spot that caters to the age gaps in our family (17yo, 14yo, 5yo) and somewhere they all ask to return to.

Summer Butler
Summer was born and raised in the NTX area, went to college in Kansas City, and returned to TX to earn a MA in Counseling. After spending many years managing non profit programs focused on mental health, Summer left her career to be a SAHM after meeting her husband and two bonus boys. From single to stepmom, Dallas to the ‘burbs, career life to PTO prez, having a blended family would later spark a life calling to spread hope and healing. Summer now lives in McKinney TX with her husband, two bonus boys, and son Eli. Traveling, writing, and livin’ life in the crazy fill her days with the most joy.