Visiting the Pioneer Woman’s Lodge – What to Expect

I was thrilled when The Pioneer Woman announced the Drummond Ranch would be open to the public on select days this summer. I didn’t have much time to plan this somewhat last minute trip to Pawhuska, Oklahoma, but everything worked out perfectly.

Accomidations are limited in Pawhuska but I lucked out and booked the last available room at The Grandview Inn Bed and Breakfast. Staying at the Grandview was a wonderful experience that can be found here. (link coming soon)

After getting up Monday morning, I drove the mile from the Grandview Inn to The Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile to secure tickets to the ranch. I drove up to find, not to my suprise, the breakfast line was already half way around the building. Despite the crowds, parking was a breeze thanks to there not being much else happening in the sleepy little town.

I didn’t spend much time at the Mercantile that morning but I did give myself a quick tour and took some photos. The Mercantile consists of a restaurant, grab-and-go counter, coffee shop, bakery, candy bar, and, of course, plenty of shopping.

After the brief self guided tour and some picture taking, I stopped by the checkout counter to inquire about tickets to visit the lodge. The tickets were nothing more than printed directions to the lodge written in typical PW fashion which made me giggle.

When I arrived back at the Grandview just minutes later, my mom and I planned our day over a delicious homemade breakfast, courtesy of Paige. We decided to head straight over to the ranch and then circle around to the Tallgrass Prairie Reserve before returning to The Mercantile for a late lunch. This route provided a way to see the lodge and the prairie with the least amount of driving time which is important factor to consider when the toddler doesn’t want to spend more time restrained in her car seat than necessary.

The drive out to the ranch was beautiful! It took about half an hour but felt shorter due to the amazing views and the wild horses along the way. Eleanor entertained herself with books and small toys in the backseat. The directions were easy to follow and we found the ranch without issue.

The ranch sits atop a hill and the first thing I noticed was the spectacular view. There were miles and miles of luscious green farmland as far as I could see. A small heard of cows was gathering at the bottom of the hill. We spent several minutes admiring the view from the lodge’s large porch while Eleanor visited with the sleepy ranch dogs that were relaxing among the guests.

We finally made our way into the house to see where Ree films her Food Network episodes. I was blown away by the size of the kitchen. It was much bigger than I had expected based on photographs and shows. This kitchen would not get crowded if there are multiple cooks unlike most home kitchens.

The lodge was not too busy so we didn’t have to wait long to get some photos without lots of people in them. Of course, the most popular photo spot was at the stove top in the kitchen where most of Ree’s cooking is filmed.

And then there was the pantry. Just look at it. It’s a dream!

The remainder of the lodge did not disappoint. There was a beverage bar, two cozy sitting areas, a large stone fireplace, 4 large bedrooms, and a commercial kitchen at the far end of the building. Each bedroom had its own pinterest worthy, spa like bathroom that I would love to recreate in my house.

Leaving the lodge and the ranch was sad, but we thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I would do it again in a heartbeat. To see the dates that the lodge will be open to visitors, click here. Keep checking back because she may add more!

A few tips for your visit to the lodge:

• There is nothing between Pawhuska and the ranch. Fill up on gas, bring some entertainment for the littles, and pack a cooler with drinks and snacks for your group.
• If you are staying at a B&B, ask if they have a cooler and ice you can borrow for the day.
• Cell service was sometimes in and out, but I was pleased to find that I mostly had service.
• There are several restrooms at the lodge for guests to use.
• Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

To read about the rest of our trip to Oklahoma, please see the following posts:

The Tallgrass Prairie Reserve

A Morning at the Tulsa Zoo

The Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile (coming soon)