Happy New Year!
I look forward every month to writing about Hochatown and giving you ideas of how to spend time and make memories with your families each and every month! But I’m always shocked when I’m writing for “the last time” of the year.
Have you seen “the last time” trending on social media?
People holding their half grown kids again because they didn’t know years before, that was going to be “the last time”.
It really does make you stop and think about, that was the last time you saw a loved one, or the last phone call with your best friend, or the last vacation you took together, without knowing it would be the last.
So here we are in 2026. There is no telling what will be trending this year on social media, but don’t let this year be the “last time” for things that you truly want to focus on.
If it’s creating more family togetherness, making core memories, or simply making more time for people, this is the new month, a new year and it can be the new you!
So how will you start the new year?
January is full of opportunities to start fresh and renew. Most of us don’t need any more noise, excitement, or any holidays right now. We are ready for space to breathe, time to reflect, and maybe some extra rest. And where better to do that in the new year but in Hochatown?
January brings calm. The trails in Beavers Bend State Park are quieter, the overlooks along the way are uninterrupted, and the crisp, pine tree filled mornings feel unhurried. It’s the kind of month where you notice details you might otherwise miss. Stopping to listen to the sound of the wind through the trees (and yes, I’ve heard it out in the woods, don’t miss it). The fog that is hoovering and then lifting off Broken Bow Lake, the stillness that invites you to linger just a little longer.
With cooler temperatures in January, it is the perfect time to enjoy a scenic drive through the Ouaitcha Mountains and then sip coffee by the fireplace in your cabin, without a schedule to keep. That sounds like a pretty great way to start the new year!
January in Hochatown is cabin season at its finest. Fireplaces are all a glow, hot tubs steam under crisp winter skies, and evenings are long and naturally slow down. This is the time to pull out the board games in the cabin, read the books you’ve been meaning to finish, or have some long conversations with the friends you brought along, and don’t forget afternoon naps without guilt.
Cabins become more than a place to stay, they become a retreat. Whether it’s cooking a simple meal together, watching the fire crackle, or stepping outside to see the stars without distraction, January reminds us that rest doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. In Hochatown, doing less often means enjoying more.
January is also an ideal time for reflection, planning for the future, journaling about the year behind you and what you want to do differently in the new one. Or it may be as simple as sitting in silence with nature as your backdrop. With no pressure of packed itineraries, this season allows space to reconnect with yourself, with loved ones, and with what matters most. So the return home of feeling restored rather than exhausted.
So this January in Hochatown we may not know what will be trending. This year, we know it’s a season for slowing down and warming up, perfect for couples, families, and friends. This quiet season offers something truly valuable, time. And time is something we have right now. Don’t wait to come till it’s, “the last time”.
If you would like a comfortable place to stay while in Hochatown, check out our cabin that sleeps 16!
Clarie
