With the holiday season behind us and at least two months of winter still ahead of us, you might be feeling the winter blues. You put the tree away, said goodbye to family visiting from out of town, and ate all the leftovers from Christmas dinner. What now? 

Getting back to your normal schedule after the holidays can be a bummer. Why not make the fun last a little longer by planning a winter cabin getaway for you and your family? Whether you take a short weekend trip or plan a week-long vacation, some time away with family can give you something to look forward to once the holidays are over and can make the transition back into routine a little bit easier. 

Need a little more convincing? Here are five reasons why we think your family could benefit from a winter cabin getaway in Broken Bow to start off the year! 

1. De-Stress From the Holiday Season 

As fun as the holiday season can be… If we’re honest, it can also be really hectic! Between attending countless holiday parties, hosting at your home, making sure all your Amazon orders come in on time, and baking cookies for your children’s classes… You might need a break after your holiday break! 

Taking a trip together as a family gives you an opportunity to truly unwind from the holiday season and appreciate the things that matter most, such as quality time with people you love. Plus, you’ll all share the experience of traveling somewhere new together, which is a great bonding experience!

We recommend bringing along an activity that the entire family enjoys doing together. Whether it be a board game, a puzzle, or everyone’s favorite movie, having low-stakes relaxation time together makes it easier for everyone to unplug, slow down, and really enjoy your time together. 

2. Enjoy Town During the Off-Season

One of the biggest attractions in Broken Bow is Broken Bow Lake, where people flock in the spring and summer to enjoy warm weather and water sports. For that reason, if you visit Broken Bow during the wintertime, you’ll likely find it to be less crowded than usual! 

Don’t worry about missing out on all of the fun, either! Aside from water sports, there are so many other wonderful things to enjoy about Broken Bow. For example, Broken Bow has a ton of charming small businesses, restaurants, and attractions for your family to discover. Since these places will be less busy in the wintertime, you’ll be able to hit every single place on your itinerary! 

Some of our favorite local businesses include: 

• Abendigo’s Grill and Patio 
• Beavers Bend Brewing Company 
• Grateful Head Pizza Oven and Taproom 
• Mountain Fork Brewery
• The Tasting Room 
• Girls Gone Wine 
• Beavers Bend Train Rides and Depot
• Local 259
• BigFoot Speedway
• The Maze of Hochatown

Additionally, while winter might not be the optimal season for wakeboarding or tubing, it is a great time for fishing! Oklahoma experiences much milder winters than much of the rest of the country, meaning that the fish still bite well into the winter. Cast your line and see what you can reel in! 

3. Stay Cozy and Warm in a Luxury Cabin

We believe that when you go on a trip, your lodging is more than just a place to lay your head at night. Your family deserves to stay somewhere so comfortable that even if you never left your accommodations, you could still have a great time! 

Consider booking a luxury cabin for your trip. These cabins provide all of the modern amenities you need for a fun and comfortable stay while also creating a warm, cozy, cabin-in-the-woods feeling. Cook cozy meals together in your full-sized kitchen, curl up and watch a movie on a smart TV, and sleep at just the right temperature with an AC/heating system.

Additionally, a lot of luxury cabin rentals will have extra amenities to make sure you and your group will have fun on your trip. At Vandell Vacation Rentals, you can find cabins with a hot tub, a fire pit or fireplace, and even a game room for your family to enjoy. 

We bet you’ll love your cabin so much that you’ll want to spend an entire day cozied up indoors. We don’t blame you – in fact, we think that’s a great idea! With just a little bit of forethought and planning, you can create an unforgettable experience without even leaving your cabin. Check out our blog on how to plan the perfect cabin night-in for our tips to getting the most out of your cabin stay! 

4. Get Out to the Great Outdoors 

What greater way to slow down and get yourself in the right mindset than by spending time outdoors? Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can have incredible impacts on your health, physical and mental. According to one 2022 study, spending time outdoors can not only improve a person’s blood pressure and circulation, but it can also reduce stress and anxiety. 

Lucky for you and your family, Broken Bow has plenty of opportunities for you to spend quality time together outside! Broken Bow sits at the foothills of the Kiamichi Mountains and within Ouachita National Forest, which provides plenty of opportunities for taking in some gorgeous scenery. Additionally, you can find Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River in town! 

One activity that you can do with your whole family in Broken Bow is go for a hike. Broken Bow is home to Beavers Bend State Park, which has plenty of gorgeous trails appropriate for anyone of any skill level – even the kiddos! You can take a quick hour-long hike just to get your blood pumping, or you can pack a picnic and spend the day at the state park. For more tips on hiking, check out our post we wrote all about it!

Like we mentioned earlier, wintertime in Broken Bow is also a great time for fishing. To fish in the state of Oklahoma, you’ll need a fishing lisence. However, these are easy to obtain either online. You can go out on your own and see what you can reel in, or you can enlist the help of one of Broken Bow’s many local fishing guides! These guides are professionals and can make sure that you and your family have an unforgettable day of fishing ahead of you. For more information about fishing in Broken Bow, read this post all about it! 

5. Have Something to Look Forward To

It’s easy to feel a sense of sadness or disappointment once the holidays are over. This can make going back to work or school a bit of a bummer, and you might notice your family dealing with irritability or lack of productivity as a result. 

Planning a winter family getaway gives your family something to help ease the transition from the holiday season back into routine. A trip to Broken Bow gives everyone in your family something to anticipate once the holiday hustle and bustle is over, but the quiet, calm beauty of the town provides a much-needed opportunity to settle down and center your mind before heading back to everyday life. 

Try to plan this vacation so that you have an even mix of downtime and exciting activities. This is a great opportunity to show your children the value in slowing down, putting down their devices, and seeing how fun spending time in nature can be! 

6. Spend Quality Time Together

Every year, we look forward to the holiday season – and every year, it goes by so quickly! While we have every intention of making lifelong memories with friends and family, it’s easy to miss out on making deeper connections with so many events, parties, and activities going on. 

In contrast, taking a trip after the holiday season is over provides an opportunity to spend good, quality time with your significant other and kids. Vacation time is more exciting than everyday life but less overwhelming than the holiday season, providing the perfect environment to really connect with one another on a deeper level.

Take an opportunity on your trip to spend some intentional bonding time together! Whether it’s on a hike, playing games at the cabin, or around dinner at a restaurant in town, ask intentional questions to your significant other and kids to help you connect with one another. Who knows – you might learn something new about each other! 

Beat the Winter Blues in Broken Bow!

Instead of letting the holiday blues take over, plan a family vacation in the winter months! You’ll have an opportunity to relax, make special memories together, and discover the fun and the beauty of Broken Bow together – all while missing the summer season’s crowds! 

For an unforgettable stay in Broken Bow, check out our cabins! We are dedicated to providing exceptional service to our guests through providing the best amenities and top-not hospitality. Book your cabin today, and start your year off on the right track with a winter family getaway to Broken Bow, Oklahoma!