Family Fun Can Be Found All Around Muskogee This Winter

Even though 2020 may not be what we envisioned, the magic of Christmas is still all around us. That's especially true this year in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

"The park is beautiful. Million plus lights out there," said Castle of Muskogee owner Matt Hiller.

For an entire fun-filled day, you can shop for gifts downtown, visit Christmas displays, and eat, a lot.

"Our pies will change daily, we have a bread pudding that we do daily," Harmony House owner Mandy Scott said.

Harmony House is a bakery and tea room inside of a mansion built in 1914. At Christmas time, they go all out with the decorations.

"We try to make it real festive here for the holidays," said Scott. "A lot of families come into town, and this is where they want to come for lunch."

Scott designed the festive ceiling all on her own. People can walk in for lunch or stay for tea with some friends. Scott promises the bakery is full of tasty treats. Trust us, we sampled it just to make sure. 

When your belly is full, you can walk off some of those calories along Main Street in Muskogee which offers both boutiques and cute shops decorated for the holidays.

"These are locally made," said Stacey Burns.

She owns Hattie's House & Vintage Market.

"I think it just brightens it up and adds some cheer to the shopping experience," Burns said.

The store offers both new and old. It features a wide section dedicated to Christmas decorations, even 2020 themed ornaments. The store is also connected to four other shops. Burns told us the owners keep their doors open, so shoppers can walk from one to the other with ease.

"It's just available for them to just walk back and forth and not have to be out in the cold," said Burns.

When you're finally shopped out, just wait until the sun goes down, because in Muskogee, there is no shortage of light displays.

The Castle of Muskogee is famous for its Renaissance Fair, but at Christmastime, the castle transforms into a Winter Wonderland.

"From the day we quit the Halloween festival, we started putting up Christmas stuff," Hiller said.

Visitors can drive through a more than half mile light display that takes weeks to set up. Inside people will find vendors, Santa's workshop and, according to 7-year-old Presleigh Doublehead, hot chocolate!

Back Outside, there's a hay ride and a train with even more lights, and even camel and pony rides.

"Kids love it. I ride quite a few moms, a few dads," said Balinda Gaultney with Happy Trails Pony Rides.

Less than a mile away from the Castle is Honor Heights Park. There your full day of Holiday adventures can come to an end by driving through the Garden of Lights.

It's 130 acres of trees, bushes and ponds decorated for the holiday season.

It's a season that may be a little different this year, but for visitors to Muskogee, it's still a whole lot of fun.