Hotel at a Glance: Candlewyck Cove Resort

This family-friendly resort is set on 7 wooded acres along Grand Lake, making it a convenient home base for exploring the region's scenic shoreline. Guests can dock their own boats in the resort's docks.

• Whip up a meal: Cabins and townhouses have full kitchens, while deluxe hotel rooms and suites have kitchenettes.
• Bring Fido: Resort offers pet-friendly accommodations for an additional fee (the dog has to be approved by the resort).
• Recent award: 2017 and 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Oklahoma’s Grand Lake Region: World-Class Bass Fishing, State Parks, and Antique Shops

Grand Lake, known to some as the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, sits in the foothills of the Ozark Plateau in northeastern Oklahoma. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, it's especially known for its fishing—there’s a plethora of bass and catfish to be found in the lake. One of the five state parks in the area, Cherokee State Park, has a nine-hole lakefront golf course.

The city of Grove is one of the largest in the Grand Lake region—it has several restaurants, antique shops, and even a casino. The town’s Har-Ber Village, an outdoor museum, showcases thousands of artifacts in a reconstructed 1800s-era village. Among the more than 100 buildings are a stagecoach station and a hanging gallows. The collection also includes antique guns, newspapers, and farm machinery.