Carlton Landing at Lake Eufaula Oklahoma 

Looking for a low-key vacay destination for the whole family? Carlton Landing, Oklahoma, a quaint little community on Lake Eufaula, is exactly that. With something for every member of your family, regardless of age, you can count on a fun and relaxing time.

The Community 

This master planned lake community, designed by the same group credited with Seaside, FL, consists of mostly homes to rent, neighborhood amenities and lake activities. 

When you see the row of white rockers on the ridge above Lake Eufaula, you’ll know you are here. 

Carlton Landing Homes

The homes are beautiful, yet charming with inviting front porches. They are situated in close proximity to each other, sidewalks, common spaces and streets to promote the friendly family atmosphere that you will experience here. Only about a quarter of the homeowners are full time residents. Some of the homes are private 2nd homes for weekend getaways. So, many of the homes are available as short term vacation rentals. 

Neighborhood Amenities 

Fire Pits/Arbors

Scattered throughout the neighborhood, you’ll find several fire pits and pavilions. These are great spaces for gathering with friends, family and neighbors. I love the Adirondack chairs surrounding the fire pits. That screams Fall s’mores to me! 

Play Ball

There are a couple of ping pong tables available, including one at Bocce Ball Park. Yes, one of the many parks has three  Bocce Ball Courts. Firefly Park is an open area large enough for flag football, croquet, etc. 

Other Parks 

There are many common spaces that guests have access to in Carlton Landing. A few more of the parks include Redbud Park, which is a nice shady park with larger trees. Think hammock, picnic or dog walking. Nature Center, which has playground equipment and walking trails. Pistache Park, this one is more hidden with a couple of hammocks, balance beam, etc. Pavilion Park, of course has a covered pavilion for events. There is not a shortage of designated ‘park’ areas for various activities. 

Food Options

Yet another park…Food Truck Park has several airstreams offering food and treats. You will find picnic tables and another Adirondack Chair surrounded fire pit here also. 

Mama Tig’s

Mama Tig’s is where you will find wood fired pizza, subs, calzones and gelato. The pizza is good, but the gelato is my fav!

Take out is popular, although there are some tables on the screened in porch and some picnic tables outside if you wish to eat here. Warning-the gelato is ridiculously messy outside in the heat. Ask me how I know. Haha

The Meeting House

For breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks or snacks to go, head to The Meeting House. There are tables inside and out, as well as some cozy seating vignettes-one adjacent to an outdoor fireplace. We ate here several times. 

Live Music

There are stages and seating at The Meeting House and behind Mama Tig’s where maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to enjoy some live music during your stay. 

Lake Activities 

Carlton Landing is a lake community so you will have access to swimming, and kayak/paddle board/canoe rentals during season. The boat rentals are for club members only. 

Swimming Pools

Besides the member pool, at which we accidentally enjoyed and met some very nice residents, there are two guests pools. Tower Court Pool and Boardwalk Pool each have covered areas, kiddie pools and none are diving pools. Family friendly pools and perfect for relaxing with a book and cooling off periodically. 

Where To Stay

As mentioned, there are short term vacation homes available to rent. Many of these homes will accommodate larger groups or families. We actually stayed in one of the three rooms available above The Meeting House since it was a last minute trip for just the two of us. There aren’t any hotels in Carlton Landing, but this was similar to a hotel room and we had access to all of the amenities in Carlton Landing. 

Getting Around

It was hot, but we still managed to walk everywhere. Our location at The Meeting House helped. The most ideal method of transportation is to rent a golf cart. Plan to reserve one ahead of time and maybe even have it waiting for you when you arrive. That’s my plan next time. 

Shopping

This is more of a relaxing neighborhood, so there aren’t a lot of shops or restaurants (other than the ones mentioned). As far as shops, on Saturdays, the pop-up shops open for tea shirts, towels, bags, hats etc. Be sure to check them out.

Other Community Amenities 

Church 

Carlton Landing Community Church has moved into a beautiful new building as of September 2021. We attended service there the weekend we visited. It was a nice service with a really good sermon, praise music and friendly people. 

School

Carlton Landing Academy is a charter school, not only for Carlton Landing residents, but other nearby students. 

Fitness Center

There is a fitness center that guests, as well as residents, have access to. We peeked in, but opted for outdoor activities during our visit.

Community Garden

Raised beds of beautiful flowers and veggies will draw you in. Check out the chicken coupe while you are there. The kids will love seeing the chickens. There is also a table with seating and a grill if you want to cook out in this setting. 

Nearby Eufaula

For additional dining options, shopping, etc. the town of Eufaula is about 10 minutes away. We had several nice meals there and took some pics of some interesting buildings on Main Street. 

Boom-a-rang Diner 

With a huge Elvis statue, checkered floor and nostalgic prints covering the walls, you know you can get a burger here. You can also get chicken fried steak, fried pickles, breakfast and more. This is a great little chain diner with friendly staff and a clean well kept dining room. 

La Finca Mexican Grill

This Mexican restaurant is so popular that it is running out of room. La Finca Mexican Grill is about to move up the street on the opposite side into a larger space. We had dinner here one night and would recommend it. 

Captain Johns Eufaula 

Several people, including one of the Carlton Landing homeowners, mentioned Captain Johns to us. We were all set to eat there and they closed early that evening, so we will have to try this restaurant another time. 

Lake Eufaula State Park

About 30 minutes from Carlton Landing is Lake Eufaula State Park. We drove through the park after stopping at the visitor center. There is a nice RV park, camping, swimming picnic area and a playground. Looks like you can stay in a yurt and ride horses too. There is also a golf course here. Check out their website for more info and reviews. 

We had a nice long weekend visit to Carlton Landing and hope to visit again soon. The quiet, quaint community was not at a loss for outdoor activities. It was pristine and felt very safe. The people who lived there and who were visiting there were very sociable. We loved the live music, food, walkability and all of the amenities Carlton Landing had to offer.