Living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (The Metroplex) offers all of the comforts and conveniences of big city American living: the malls, the attractions, restaurants, and an endless variety of people are what keep residents entertained. However, if you have a family of your own, you may sometimes find yourselves lacking in the togetherness that families need to stay close.



These days, like so many Americans struggling to make ends meet, family life and togetherness can suffer for residents of Dallas. Just making the time to eat together as a family can be a huge effort for many, let alone setting aside enough time for chatting, playing board games and just having an old-fashioned good time.

If you find yourself in need of an inexpensive, convenient family getaway idea, try a Broken Bow Lake family vacation. Broken Bow Lake is located next to Beaver's Bend resort park in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The area is less than a 3-hour drive from North Dallas, making it an extremely attractive option for getting your family out of their rut and on the road to adventure. And, you can have an entire weekend of fun even on a very low budget. Many of the activities available to area visitors are free or are very low-cost.

Broken Bow Lake is known as one of Oklahoma's most beautiful lakes. It is an ideal spot for boating and other types of water sports. The lake itself is huge: over 14,000 acres of clear, deep water that makes it ideal for waterskiing, wakeboarding, swimming, and fishing.

Water sports not your thing? No problem! The lake has about 180 miles of shoreline, making it an excellent destination for outdoor enthusiasts who love camping, picnics, hiking, and watching the wildlife. The area of McCurtain County is known for its beauty: the area was voted by LIFE magazine as one of the ?100 Places to See in Your Lifetime? and by The Dallas Observer as the ?Best Getaway from Dallas.?

What else can you do in the Broken Bow Lake area with your family? Here are just a few ideas:

1. Go bird watching

2. Rent a cabin for the weekend and have fun cooking all of your own meals together

3. Take a guided nature hike

4. Visit the nearby town of Idabel on your way to Broken Bow

5. Eat at one of the area's quaint restaurants while you watch the people (and the wildlife!) go by

6. Bring a picnic basket, lay out a blanket and do a whole lot of nothing - together as a family

Whatever you fancy, if it involves some combination of being together as a family, relaxation, and spending time in one of the country's most beautiful destinations, you should definitely give McCurtain County a try. Since the area is so conveniently-located for residents of Dallas, the trip to southeastern Oklahoma is a short one. And, with all of the family-oriented things to do, nobody will return home disappointed.

The lake is located just 12 miles north of the town of Broken Bow in southeastern Oklahoma, just off of Hwy 259.