Grand Lake Getaway

Weekend getaway- Grand Lake NE Oklahoma
Adam and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary in January 2009. We had planned to take a weekend and stay at a bed and breakfast near Edmond in January but decided to wait for warmer weather so we could enjoy some outdoor activities. Adam received an email in March about a unique opportunity to stay at a bed and breakfast on Grand Lake for an affordable rate. Our budget was tight and Adam dismissed the email at the time. However, a second email arrived two weeks later advertising a free stay at that same bed and breakfast; Adam jumped at the opportunity. I did not know about the emails and Adams communications with the owners. Adam worked out all the details and my only input was the dates of our getaway. I knew when we were going but I had no clue where.
We decided to leave on Wednesday, June 17 after dropping Audrey with her sitter for the weekend. We drove about 3 1/2 hours to Grand Lake in NE Oklahoma. We arrive at 10pm and pull up to large home and I thought maybe we were staying at a cabin or something and had to get the key from someone but instead we walk in an we are introduced to the owners of Panoramic Symphony a new bed and breakfast in the woodland shores area of Grand Lake. All the rooms are themed and we had a suite with a King sized bed, a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub, and the hot tub was just outside our room on the deck. We had access to a gas grill under the deck and a small fridge in the room. The room we stayed in is called the De lovely suite.
After being shown our room, Adam informed me that we staying there free of charge. Daniel and Marsha Clarkson, the couple that owns the bed and breakfast, are letting full time church workers stay free of charge. They ask for a free will donation at the end of your stay but otherwise the accommodations are free. Marsha even serves you breakfast in the morning.
We settled into our room and started to enjoy the amenities that the Bed and Breakfast offered. After a good nights rest we woke up to the beautiful view of the Lake and a delicious breakfast. For our first day, we took a bike ride around the neighborhood to see more of the lake. The weather was wonderful, a little on the hot side, but perfect for our dip in the lake. Panoramic Symphony has a pebble beach, one of the only ones on Grand Lake. The bed and breakfast has beach chairs and floats available for use. We loved being able to just relax in the lake. After our swim we took a boat ride with one of Daniels friends. It was a little disappointing because the boat started to smell like gas and we had to turn back early. Since the boat ride ended early, we decided to use our extra time to “read” in the hammocks. Adam read his book Rachel read the backs of her eyelids. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we lost track of time and quickly had to make diner at the B & B in order to make it to our evening plans. Adam had arranged for us to take a wine tasting and wine pairing class at Summerside Winery in Vinita.
Summer side Winery gave us a quick tour of their site and then we headed into the dining room to have our class. We learned how to taste wine and what wines to serve with certain foods. It was very educational. They allowed us to sample most of the wines they produce. We stayed a little while after the class was over and sampled some of the cheeses they sell there as well. The owner was nice and was glad we had made the trip to visit them. We enjoyed ourselves and decided to purchase some wine and cheese to enjoy during our getaway.
After returning from the winery, we decided to head to bed and prepare for the next day. We had plans to take a tour of the lake by way of the Cherokee Queen, an old fashion paddleboat. We bought our tickets, ate our picnic lunch, and boarded the boat. The weather was not cooperating and the wind cancelled our boat ride. They offered us a dinner cruise later that evening but we had already made plans to have a romantic dinner back at the B & B. Since the cruise was cancelled, we decided to drive to a nearby garden to finish our lunch. The garden had some flowers blooming and had a pond with coy fish. We enjoyed walking around in the garden and taking photos of the beautiful flowers including the lilies and the hydrangeas. We finished our lunch in the Japanese tea pavilion and then fed the coy fish in the pond.
After visiting the garden, we went to Har-ber Village to see one of the largest collections of antiques. The village is made of many old log buildings that were once in working condition back in the day. They recreated what an old village would have looked like. There was a jail, dentist office, school, church, and many other buildings. They had enormous collections of old cooking equipment, farm equipment, furniture, dishes, and so much more. It was interesting and educational walking around in the old village and imagining how the people of that era would live. After the walk through the village, we decided to go to the local Braum’s. Adam had a sundae and I had a single scoop of the birthday cake ice cream because it was indeed my birthday. I turned 25 on the June 19th. After the birthday treat we had a boat ride with Daniel.
Daniel took us to a cove where people jump off the cliff into the lake. The top jump is 45-50 feet and the lower jump is 20-25 feet. Adam was the brave one and jumped off the bottom and then the top jump. He seemed to have a good time. I was not that brave and I stayed in the boat to cheered him on and capture it all on video. After the boat ride, we headed back to the B&B to make dinner.
We made filet mignon and potato packets on the grill and had a glass of wine with our dinner. It was relaxing and a joy to be able to eat a quiet meal together. We did not go out for any of our meals while we were staying at Grand Lake. It really made the trip extra affordable. I had a great birthday and we enjoyed our last night at the B&B.
Saturday started with a yummy breakfast, and packing our bags. After breakfast, we went for a dip in the Lake. We wanted to enjoy the lake one more time before we headed home. After realizing how late it was getting we decided to head inside to gather our things and pack the car. We had a little drive ahead of us 3.5 hours or so. We needed to be back home by 5:30 to get Audrey from her wonderful sitters.
This short trip was wonderful and every detail about the trip fell into place. God blessed us with awesome hosts, scenery, and time together. Audrey was well taken care of while we were gone. The couples who cared for her were so willing to give us an opportunity to get away. We were truly blessed to have their help and support.