My Happy Place: Carlton Landing

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 I shared last week that we were on family vacation at one of my favorite places ever . . . Carlton Landing.  We have been there 5 times in the last 9 months (this last visit was 10 days) and I am already planning our next trip.  It is seriously my happy place.  I got lots of questions about our trip so today I am recapping all of the details (including where we rented & how to rent a house)! Warning . . . lots of photos!

I discovered Carlton Landing a few years ago when I read about it in Country Living Magazine.  It looked really cute and someplace I wanted to visit, but honestly we got busy and just never went.  About a year later, my friend Vanessa who I met a couple of years ago at the Reward Style conference, shared the cutest place she and her family were staying on IG stories and it was Carlton Landing!  I couldn’t belive it.  I asked her all about it and fell in love with it through her stories.  (Side note . . . Vanessa is the owner of Sunflower Steals on Facebook.  She shares amazing deals.  If you aren’t following her you totally should!)  I told Geoff we had to go check this place out and when Covid hit last year and all of our vacations were cancelled it seemed like the perfect time.

The first time we went was in October 2020 with our friends the Tuckers, we loved it so much we stayed an extra day.  Next trip was November over Thanksgiving break and we brought our friends the Morgans.  All 3 families came back in January to kick off 2021 and then for Spring Break we came back for a few days with the Tuckers.  This last trip we took was for 10 days and it was incredible.  I really wanted to come down for a month, but that was just too hard to swing while building a house and keeping up with kids activities.  The 1st 4 days of our trip was just our family, then the Tuckers came and stayed with us for a few days over the Fourth of July and after they headed home the Morgans came up and rented their own house just a few down from us.  

WHERE IS CARLTON LANDING?:

Carlton Landing is a town in Oklahoma located on Lake Eufaula .  It is tucked away off highway 9A.  You take a gorgeous 2 mile scenic drive into an exclusive little town that is surrounded by the lake.  There is 1 way in and out.  It is so private and tucked away you feel like you are in a different world.

WHAT IS CARLTON LANDING?: 

It is a little town consisting of about 250 homes.  85% of the homeowners are vacation home owners and use their lake homes during the year.  Many of them rent out their homes.

WHY DO I LOVE CARLTON LANDING?:

WOW, there are so many things. 

  • IT’S BEAUTIFUL:  What initially attracted me to CL was how gorgeous it is.  The moment you drive in you will be blown away.  You come down this incredible treed drive and then dead end into the most gorgeous view ever over looking the lake with 5 white rocking chairs.  It looks like a post card.  Then as you enter the town the homes are incredible.  The town was designed by the same people who designed Seaside in Florida.  Every home is stunning.  There are these tiny pocket “neighborhoods” each designed with something unique.  Most are built around a park or courtyard and have a specific look to them.  Think front porches, wrap around porches, common fire pits, neighborhood gardens, boardwalks, etc.  Some areas look more European and are all brick , some are more modern farmhouse, some more coastal, etc.  I love just going on walks there because every home is more beautiful than the next.  

  • THE COMMUNITY: From the very first visit I couldn’t believe how friendly everyone was.  People are out of their homes walking around, sitting on porches, etc and everyone says hello.  I felt like I was transported back to the 1950s and Mayberry or something.  We made friends our very first visit and were even invited to a house party.  Everyone was welcoming and we had the best time.  I seriously LOVE the people.  This last visit we got to spend more time with the friends we met on previous trips and they are amazing.  They are people I truly consider friends now and I cannot wait to go back to visit them!

  • FAMILY: Kids run Carlton Landing.  I cannot explain it.  Again, I feel like I am transported to another time.  Most people ride golf carts and there is only 1 way in and out of the town so it feels so safe.  Most people don’t have large yards, but share common space so kids are always outside playing together, riding bikes, using the amenities and just having the freedom to be free and be kids.  I feel like you don’t see as much of that anymore.  That is probably my favorite part of CL.  My kids are making all kinds of memories outside, off of electronics, meeting new people and having the best time!
  • EVENTS: There are tons of fun events throughout the year.  I honestly don’t know my favorite time to visit.  During the warm months the pools/lakes are fun, but Halloween is supposed to be straight out of Hocus Pocus. We went in October and it was absolutely beautiful.  I really want to visit around Christmas this year. When we went in March they had Porch Fest with live concerts on people’s porches which was really cool. . . basically there is not a bad time to visit. We had a blast celebrating 4th of July there this year.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO?:

  • POOLS:There are 3 pools in CL.  Tower Pool, Boardwalk Pool and the Residence Club Pool
  • BEACH:  There is a beach area where you can swim, play, etc  There is a rental place that you can rent kayaks, bikes, paddle boards, lily pads, etc

  • PARKS:  There are tons of green spaces around the community to play.  Lots of open fields, gardens, overlooks, hiking trails, etc.  Plenty of space to enjoy around town
  • PLAYGROUND:  There is a cute little playground my kids love
  • FITNESS CENTER: There is a fitness center in town that you can use a a guest if you book through LakeStay.  More details on that below.
  • ACTIVITIES:PING PONG
    • BOCCEE
    • BOAT RENTAL
    • COMMUNITY CHURCH
    • POP UP SHOPS: These shops open up every Saturday with a wide variety of fun items
    • ORGANIZED EVENTS:  Lots of fun events planned around town from Yoga, Crossfit, flower arranging classes, potlucks, etc
  • FOOD:MEETING HOUSE: This is located in CL and open mostly on the weekends.  During summer seasons it is open a few extra days.  They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and very yummy adult drinks as well as milkshakes. This was from our October visit to CL
    • MAMA TIGS: Delicious pizza!  They have a location in CL open during the weekends during “ON SEASON”.  They have a permanent location in the town of Eufaula about 20 minutes away
    • BUDS: Airstream food truck with yummy treats during the summer
    • FOOD TRUCKS: Occasionally different food trucks will come to town with extra food options
  • IN TOWN:GROCERY STORE: We like Nichols the best
    • RESTAURANTS: Mama Tigs and Boomerangs are our favorites.
      At Boomerangs kids meals come in these cars. My kids thought that was the coolest!
    • DISC GOLF: We have not done this, but I know there are locations near by.
    • GOLF: Again we have not done this, but if you like to golf I know there are some options near by.
    • BOAT RENTALS: If you want to rent a boat you can do that in Eufaula.  We have done it several times and it works great!  If you have your own boat and rent through LakeStay you can bring it down and use the CL boat slip.  More details below.
    • MORE AREA DETAILS HERE

HOW DO I BOOK A VACATION THERE?:

When we go to CL we only book through The LakeStay.  They are a vacation rental partner for Carlton Landing.  They offer the largest and most amazing assortment of homes.  Currently they have over 40 in their program and are adding more monthly!  LakeStay has the most incredible customer service and rental home standards.  We wouldn’t book through anyone else.  When you book through LakeStay you have the comfort of knowing if you need anything they are on property with a staff to take care of your needs.  That is not the case for the other rental options.  

We are the exclusive vacation rental service for Carlton Landing, Oklahoma, offering the finest collection of Lake Eufaula vacation home rentals. Our passionate team provides specialized service to both our guests and homeowners, ensuring our guests the best possible vacation experience, while extending this same level of dedication to our homeowners.  Our team is dedicated to ensuring our guests receive first-class service. Our team is local. We live, eat, and play right here in Carlton Landing. We love sharing our local expertise with guests. Not only can we provide you with the perfect Lake Eufaula vacation rental, but we can make recommendations on where to dine, what events to attend and what activities to enjoy while you are here.

-via LakeStay website

  • OTHER REASONS TO BOOK THROUGH THE LAKESTAYYou have access to the Carlton Landing fitness center
    • They offer sponsored yoga and other activities
    • They have an exclusive boat slip in Carlton Landing that can be used when you visit.  If you have a boat this is a wonderful option
    • They offer rental gear should you need extra items in your rental HERE
    • The Pantry is a new program that will be offering groceries delivered to your rental.  Currently they are offering amazing breakfast bags so you can cross one thing off your list and enjoy an amazing breakfast
    • They are working on some exciting new offerings that will hopefully be coming soon . . . stay tuned!

WHERE DID WE STAY THIS TIME?:

We have stayed in 3 homes so far in CL.  They truly have a place to meet all your needs.  They have small homes around 800 sq ft all the way up to 5000 sq feet.  Something for everyone!  This time we stayed at The Verana on Redbud park.  We absolutely loved it and will be back.  It is a great location and a beautiful home.  I love the double front porches with string lights, huge porch swing and table for games, etc.  The layout was incredible.  3 bed 2.5 bath with bonus areas.  It had a large open concept downstairs with a primary bedroom and 1/2 bath.  Upstairs there were 2 guest rooms (one king, one queen) with an adjoining bathroom, a landing area with a queen daybed and TV plus a super cool 3rd floor loft area with 5 twin beds.  The kids loved this.  The decor was absolutely beautiful, they had wonderful games/movies and the home was stocked with plenty of blankets, etc and everything you would need in the kitchen!  It is on a great little park where the kids have the freedom to just run outside and play.  I LOVE THIS!  They made lots of new friends on the park during our visit.

 

EXTRA THINGS I LIKE TO BRING WHEN WE GO:

There is a grocery store in town you can buy these items, but I like to bring somethings with us when we go because there is a larger selection from home.

  • bikes
  • scooters
  • bug spray
  • candle/lighter (I like it to smell like home)
  • plastic cups/sharpie marker
  • paper plates
  • ziplocks
  • tupperware
  • glow sticks for the kids

This post is making me ready to book our next house STAT!  One question I get asked a lot is will we buy a home in CL.  Maybe?!  I would love too.  Since we are currently building our new home the timing is terrible and the market is insane right now.  Who knows what the future holds.  We love the flexibility of renting a home that meets the needs of our visit and not being tied to one home, but you never know.  If we do buy one in the future you will be among the first to know and we will join The LakeStay rental program and you can rent our home for your visit.  I will keep you posted.

Ok, I think that about covers it.  If you have questions let me know.  If you end up going to CL let me know!  I love hearing other people fall in love with the town we have fallen in love with!

More photos because you need to take in how beautiful it is in Carlton Landing.  I can’t help but take a million photos while there!  Everything looks like a postcard!