Our family has enjoyed traveling through the past years to many different locations around the world, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Bahamas and more, but some of our most memorable moments are made right here in our own country, the good ole USA. We have found it to be quite the adventure to load up our RV and take a road trip out to different states to explore places we never even thought about.
This year my family decided that we would do a couple trips this summer, one to Florida, Missouri (the birthplace of Mark Twain), and out to see the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile and Lodge in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
When the girls were 7 they LOVED Ree Drummond. I would catch them pulling up a chair to watch The Pioneer Woman on Food Network. She came to our town about 7 years ago to launch her book and do a book signing for Little Ree. This was where the girls met her for the first time in person. They were so excited, as were we. The best memory from that was her comment she made, “these are girls after my own heart.” Truly made my day to hear that. Ree Drummond truly is a sweet-natured lady, as I can see why so many love her.
I am currently sitting at the Osage Hills State Park in Osage, Ok. This sits about 20 minutes away from the famous Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile. This park is a quiet and quaint spot for those who like to take an RV. Here are some things to know about this park if you plan on staying here for a little while.
1) They have quite a few pull-through spots, and most are cement slabs.
2) Hook-ups available for 30/50 AMPs, water included. However, there are no hook-ups for gray or black tanks. They do have a dump station available as needed.
3) Very clean park and RV sites. They had a black fly bag hanging to catch those pesky annoyances, which did make it nicer to read or eat outside.
4) Fire pits are available, but it was way too hot, so we chose not to use ours.
5) Swimming is available. NOTE: It does not make it clear on the website that there is a fee of $4 per person aged 7 and up, and they ONLY TAKE CASH. Fortunately, our daughter brought her wallet as we don’t usually carry cash on us. You must bring everything with you at once into the pool area; you can’t go back to your car if you forgot something, or you will have to pay again. The swimming pool was clean and well-maintained and had a small rock-climbing wall at the deep end of the pool.
6) Bathrooms and Shower houses are available. We didn’t use these, so I can’t attest to the conditions, but I am assuming they were well kept, as the rest of the park was.
We stayed for two full days to ensure we got in everything we wanted to do. I would say that if you had to, you could get most of the shopping and sightseeing done in one day, it would be a little rushed, but it is possible.
On our first full day, we left around 8 am to get to the Mercantile by 8:30. According to all the articles I read, it would be packed and can often have lines out the door. I was a little concerned about whether there would be parking when we got there. To my surprise, it was hardly packed. We parked a few parking spots away from the door, with many other parking spots were available.
We took our time walking around the store, which reminded me of a high-end Cracker Barrel. There were all kinds of Pioneer Woman-branded items and a lot of trinkets that were added to complement her style of shop. My girls LOVED the stickers and earrings. I loved all the different types of dishes and glassware. The Merc started to get busy around 10:00 AM as people were arriving for a little shopping and brunch.
At the checkout, we asked for a ticket to see the lodge where Ree Drummond does her Food Network filming. This ticket was free and gave directions to the lodge, which is about 30 minutes on the other side of Pawhuska, but before we left the Merc, we decided to go and check out the bakery on the top floor. It was so stylish and beautiful. I just loved how she tied everything together with her signature colors, tweeds, and textures. It was a cozy place and made for an enjoyable time with my family as we sipped from our cups of coffee, lemonade, and sweet tea.
Around 10:30 AM, we headed to the Lodge. There were thousands of beautiful acres you could look at on your drive, most of which belonged to the Drummond family. However, you must follow the directions on the ticket well; otherwise, it may take you to a different place.
Arriving closer to the Lodge the road turns to gravel and there are spots where it is rutted out due to rain. Cars, vans, and trucks can still drive it, but slowly and with caution. We pulled into the front where there was parking, again, it wasn’t packed at all. There were maybe 10 people there and it was a free roam tour, so you could walk around all 7,000 square feet by yourself. Also, you can use any of the bathrooms in the Lodge. I had a little of a jump scare when I saw the rubber snake in the shower, the one that Ree talks about on her Food Network show.
After finishing our tour and asking the guide at the front some questions, we took some pictures and then headed back to our RV spot which was now about an hour away. It didn’t seem that far, especially with the Mercantile in between, but totally worth the drive.
The next morning, the second day, we got up and drove back into Pawhuska to eat breakfast at the Mercantile. We were told that breakfast would be the easiest to get in, and they were right, we didn’t even have to wait. The Deli Menu had many great options, but what made it so great and memorable for us was the waitress, Destiny. She was so happy and loved her job so much. She made sure our experience was the best one while we were there. She made sure that all our needs were met, and if we had any questions, she was there in a heartbeat to answer them. I ordered a latte coffee with almond milk and Mexican Chile syrup, which Pink House Alchemy supplies. It was AMAZING. It wasn’t too sweet and had a kick of spice. I would say it was close to the taste and heat of a spiced chai. It has inspired me to try and make it when I get home. This yummy coffee came in a signature Pioneer Woman’s Mug with the perfect amount of cinnamon sprinkled on top.
After a memorable breakfast, we took a little time to visit the nearby shops. Many shops were more of a boutique style, but my favorite was the Sister’s Attic. This was kind of like an antique shop. I ended up finding a cute little purse there from the 1950s that will be very loved by me. The town also has Charlie’s Sweet shop, for those that would like an afternoon or evening ice cream. We had to pass on this one as none of my family eats dairy. I don’t know if they had diary free options, but we weren’t in the mood for ice cream at that time.
Now as the rain comes in and thunder rolls, I reflect on this time I had with my family. It has been an overall relaxing trip and one I would recommend for others to do at least once, especially if you are a Pioneer Woman fan. It has given us some laughs and treasured moments together as we took the time to just be. This was another check off our list and one to go down into our book of memories.
