Oklahoma's Master-Planned Lakeside Town Is A Walkable Haven With Cute Cafés, Lake Activities, And Bike Paths

Lakeside vacations can offer a great escape from the everyday, with boating, swimming, and general relaxation. However, if you're also looking to avoid an overly busy area, you may want to skip places like crowded Lake Tahoe or Lake Champlain and look for a quieter spot. One town in Oklahoma fits the bill splendidly, with a master-planned layout that has walking, lots of lakeside activities, cute cafés, and bike paths to explore. Carlton Landing sits right on Lake Eufaula, and it's the perfect quiet escape.

Carlton Landing is around 3.5 hours from Dallas, Texas, and around 1.5 hours from Tulsa, so you're really not far from major urban areas. It's around 86 miles from Tulsa International Airport, where you may spot adorable airport therapy animals comforting passengers, and around 201 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. While you'll need a car to get to Carlton Landing from the airport, you may want to find long-term parking, as this town was designed to be very walkable.

Carlton Landing was established in 2013, planned and designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk, a company that also designed the towns of Seaside and Rosemary Beach, Florida. It was planned around the idea of community, giving residents accessibility to numerous green spaces from their nearby homes. The town's is designed so that there is a clear center of town, and the goal is for cars not to always be necessary. While you're there, make sure to hit The Overlook park for the pretty sunrise, or the secluded Pistache Park to relax in one of their hammocks. 

If you're looking for food to fuel your exploration, check out Mama Tig's Wood Fired Pizza. There are several locations, including one right in town and one in nearby Eufaula. You can build your own pizza — with gluten-free and cauliflower crust options — grab a sub or calzone, or order one of their scrumptious specialty pies. If you're craving burgers, sandwiches, or salads, The Meeting House has what you're looking for. They also have breakfast during morning hours, a kids menu, and adult beverages on offer. You can even stay there overnight in one of their suites. In the summer, you can satisfy your sweet tooth at the Bud's Frozen Treats Airstream trailer.

The best part of Carlton Landing, however, is the outdoor activities. You can have a stroll or ride a bicycle on the interconnected paths around town. There are 5 miles of gravel paths along the lake to explore. There is also a map of bike paths in the area that you can download here.

You're right on the largest lake in Oklahoma, so water sports are plentiful. Visitors can do some boating and fishing, with boat rentals available at Carlton Landing Marina. You can pick up snacks, sunscreen, and supplies right at their store. Once you cast your line, you may score catches like bass, crappie, and catfish. If you live in the area, you can also join Carlton Landing Boat Club for access to all types of watercrafts. 

There is a swimming beach right on the lake with a sandy shoreline to sunbathe on. In addition, you'll find Lake Days Aqua Park, with inflatable slides, trampolines, and more, for both kids and adults. (Before you go, check out our guide to the safest colors for bathing suits.) However, the lake isn't the only place in Carlton Landing where you can enjoy the water. The town has three pools, with one, the Boardwalk Pool, open all year. Another, the Lakeside Pool, is right next to the lake, as the name suggests. You can rent kayaks, paddle boards, and floating cabanas, as well as pick up some Aqua Park passes from Carlton Landing Lake Days. Finally, if you want to extend your Eufaula Lake vacation, or you're looking for more to do, you're less than 10 miles away from the cozy waterfront town of Eufaula, which is worth a visit.