Last Friday night as we were headed to the Chickasaw Retreat and Conference Center near Sulphur, Oklahoma, I wondered where my wife had booked us to stay for the weekend. I didn’t know anything about the hotel. We were out in the middle of nowhere, and I thought maybe we were going to a shack in the woods.
I was pleasantly surprised when we drove up to the conference center and it was all lit up. “This place looks pretty nice,” I thought. The empty parking lot made the place look deserted. There were hardly any other cars around. We had the place virtually to ourselves.
The hotel was very stylish and modern. There was even Bedre chocolate waiting for us in our rooms. We went swimming in the pool after checking in. There we saw a few other guests already in the pool. The water was warm, and the pool was 3 to 4 feet deep. The kids had a great time in the water. After swimming, we went back to the room and watched the Brewers beat the Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS.
The next morning, after eating breakfast, we drove to the Chickasaw Cultural Center, which was hosting a pumpkin patch for the kids along with crafts. We also enjoyed free corn on the cob. It was perfect, fall weather—sunny and mild. We went across the sky bridge and looked out over a recreated Chickasaw village. Then we went down the stairs and walked through the town and over the Ikana suspension bridge.
We spent the afternoon exploring the Chickasaw National Recreational Area. First, we drove to Little Niagara. We walked across the rocks of the falls and enjoyed the serene sound of the running water. A word of caution—the rocks are slick, and if you have kids be careful because they could easily slip and fall into the rushing water. Next, we hiked a mile or two to Buffalo Springs. It was a peaceful, secluded spot that included a fresh-water spring surrounded by a circular rock enclosure. The Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the rock structures in the park during the Great Depression. I dipped my hand in the cool water. The water was clear, but the algae and moss made it look green when you looked at it from a distance. Leaves gently fell around us as we walked back through the woods; it was an idyllic, peaceful scene. I breathed in deeply the fresh air, and I thanked God for time with family, beautiful weather, and the wonderful scenery.
We hiked back the way we had come…to Travertine Island. Then we spent a few more moments at Little Niagara, enjoying the relaxing ambience before heading to downtown Sulphur to see the Artesian Hotel. We walked through several shops around the Artesian. We really enjoyed Sweet Swirlz, a candy store. I don’t know who was more excited—the kids or me. We walked out of there with five or six bags of candy. We were hungry and tired, so we called it a day and went to eat dinner at Las Abuelitas. On Saturday night, we spent the night in and around the hotel—walking the grounds, swimming, watching more baseball, and reading.
We took our time getting around on Sunday morning. My wife wanted to go see the Lake of the Arbuckles. Because of all the recent rains, the water was high enough to partially cover picnic tables and trees. After standing on the edge of the lake for a few minutes, we headed back home. After getting a treat in Davis at Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies, we drove to Sonny’s Café in Purcell to eat lunch. We enjoyed it very much. My wife got a huge chicken fried steak, and I had the Western Hamburger Steak covered in green chilies, tomatoes, cheese, and bacon. The kids had chicken tenders and fries. The fries were extra tasty as well. It was a great way to wrap up the trip.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Sulphur and the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Surprisingly, even though I was born and raised in Oklahoma, I had never been to Sulphur that I can recall. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it ended up being a wonderful weekend getaway. We got to enjoy nature and relax. The kids had a fun time, too. I would recommend it to others who haven’t been.
Wesley’s Writings 