Top 5 Amazing Things to do in Broken Bow
So, you are planning your quick getaway and looking for things to do in Broken Bow? Or perhaps, you are already in Broken Bow and wondering where you can go exploring next? Either way, you are at the right place.
Broken Bow is a town in the southeast corner of Oklahoma. The actual town is rather small with small population. Usually when people talk about Broken Bow, they are talking about the area near Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake. This area is approximately 10 miles north of the town of Broken Bow. A lot of the attractions near the lake and Beavers Bend State Park is in a small community called Hochatown. The community itself has an interesting history, but that’s not what you are here for! So, without much further ado, let me get to some of the things to do in Broken Bow.
Do note that below attractions are not really ranked in any particular order. For different folks, different things may appeal. My goal is to simply highlight what Broken Bow area has to offer.
#1 Spend some quality time in the Cabin itself
Most people travel to Broken Bow for a quick getaway. They want to break free from the daily hustle and bustle, and relax and unwind. And what better way to do that than to spend some quality time with family, friends and nature! Broken Bow is unique in the sense that it has a wide variety of cabins to appeal to various tastes, whether you like rustic or modern, you’ll find it all. Majority of the cabins are on an acre of land or more and secluded, so you have plenty of privacy. A big portion of Hochatown area is nestled inside the Ouachita National forest, which means the cabins are in heavily wooded areas, and plenty to do for nature lovers right around their backyard!
You can begin your day by waking up to the singing of various species of birds, and depending on the time of the year, you can actually see some exotic species. Being in the forest, you do get to see some wildlife too, including everyone’s favorite, deer! The birthing season for deer in Oklahoma is in spring, so if you plan your trip around that time, you may even be able to see some fawns.
To me, the best part is spending time with your family and friends. You can go hiking together, catch up on things, play games, maybe watch a movie right by the fire place, or even enjoy the hot tub. Depending on the cabin you are staying (by the way, we really hope you stay at our cabin!), they may offer some outdoor games and activities such as corn toss game, horse shoe game, outdoor play area etc. No matter what you decide to do during the day, the best part always is to unwind sitting with family and friends together next to a bonfire with a glass of wine or roasting some marshmallows!
#2 Boat ride in Broken Bow lake
What better way to spend your day then to spend it in the lake boating. You are right next to a big lake after all! In case you didn’t know, Broken Bow lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the state of Oklahoma. The lake goes 22 miles deep into the Ouachita mountain country where its beauty and scenery are second to none! You can bring your own boat and water toys, and if you are staying at our cabin, you’ll find plenty of parking spots. Even if you don’t bring your own boat, there are plenty of rental options including a boat tour. There are quite a few companies offering the tour, including Broken Bow Lake Tiki Boat Tour, Beavers Bend river floats etc.
Fancy kayaking instead of a big boat? Broken Bow lake has that option too! Either you can bring your own Kayak or book a tour from Yippie Kayo Kayaks, Tippa Canoe or plenty of other options in town.
Whatever you decide, it’s hard to beat floating in the lake in a nice weather enjoying nature and scenic beauty!
#3 Fishing
Whether you are a seasoned fishing expert or a beginner, Broken Bow is a perfect destination for fishing. Broken Bow lake is perfect for fishing due to its deep, clear waters and rock bluffs. Fishing in the river channels and a little patience can land you a Largemouth bass. Besides that, you can also find Smallmouth and Spotted bass. Another good spot for fishing is upper Mountain Fork River. Here you can definitely find Smallmouth, and also has good number of spotted and Largemouth. If you are here during spring months, you can find White bass and Walleye too – giving you an opportunity to fish for five different species! If trout is your game, then you can fish around the lower mountain fork river near the dam. Here you can find both Rainbow and Brown trout.
Not a seasoned angler, but want to try your hand at fishing? Or perhaps you simply want someone to show you nice fishing spots? No problem! Broken Bow area has plenty of fishing tours and guides available, such as Rudy’s Guide service, Broken Bow Lake Guide Service, On the river fly fishing just to name a few. Don’t forget to end your day by grilling your fresh catch, and trading stories with your family and friends!
#4 Enjoy Dining options
Broken Bow and Hochatown area is a small town and considered a rural area in Oklahoma, however, it has quite a few dining options and some of them are excellent. Here you can easily find all kinds of food, whether you are craving for some BBQ, or home cooked country food, Steaks, Bar food, Pizzas, just to name a few. It not only has its own brewery, which makes excellent beer and is quite famous outside the area too, but has couple wineries and a distillery as well! Here are some notable mentions and my personal favorites. For more details check out our things to do section.
- Grateful Head Pizza and Tap room – Excellent pizza choices, you can’t go wrong with anything in the menu. This place does get busy, so arrive early.
- Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen – This place serves country food which is pretty darn good. They are located inside the Beaver’s Bend park, right by the river, so you can’t beat the location and ambience. They have excellent breakfast choices too.
- Adam & Eve Coffee & Rock Bottom BBQ – this is two in one place, it’s a coffee shop as well as a BBQ joint. Both their coffee drinks and food options are very good.
- Mountain Fork Brewery – If you like beer, then you have to try this place. They have a varied selection of beers, which they brew locally, with a nice bar setting. Their food options are top notch!
- Hochatown Saloon – You have to try this place! They make mean drinks, and their food is pretty good. What’s unique about this place is that at nights they have live music and line dancing during weekends. During weeknights, they have some sort of performances going on.
#5 Casinos
You cannot go to Oklahoma and not go to a Casino, especially, if you are from Texas! Well, my friends you are in luck, because Broken Bow has not one but two Casinos in the area. Both Casinos are short drive from the Cabin area in Broken Bow. The one closest to town has slots and table games, and the one in Idabel only has slots, but they do have a bowling alley and an arcade – so something to do for all family members. Please check out the detailed article I wrote about Casinos in Broken Bow.
Bonus #6 Explore Hochatown
Here is a bonus “Things to do in Broken Bow”!
What better way to spend the day than to visit the local town itself. As mentioned earlier, Hochatown is a very small community within the Choctaw nation. It is located one mile west of the Broken Bow lake along Highway 259. While Hochatown is not very big, it does offer some family friendly activities. Below are some just to name a few:
- Hochatown Petting Zoo – If you have small Kids or an animal lover, you can head to the Hochatown petting zoo. This place is a unique combination of petting zoo and a certified wildlife rehabilitation center. They often take orphaned/injured animals and care for them until they are self-sufficient and can be released in the wild. As such, some of the animals they have can keep changing. For more details, check out our page on Hochatown Petting Zoo.
- Mini Golf – Right next to the petting zoo is Old West Town mini-golf. As the name suggests, this is an old west themed miniature golf, which is quite entertaining and interactive.
- Beavers Bend Gem Mining Company – In the same area is a fun place for kids to find treasures! They offer pre-seeded bags for mining fossils, gemstones and arrowheads. They offer other fun activities such as dinosaur dig, creating wax hands and pirate cove play area.
- Uncle Charlie’s Old Time Photos – This is a fun place where you can dress up in old western attire and get your pictures taken.
Above are some examples of things to do in Broken Bow, but the possibilities are endless. I’ll be updating this list frequently, so do check back often. If you have any suggestions, then do leave a comment below.
