Finding Budget Friendly, Fun and Quirky Accommodations - Little Cabin at the Donkey Ranch in Lawton, Oklahoma

Road tripping doesn’t have to be expensive. With a willingness to embrace adventure and step outside the box, it’s possible to find accommodations that are budget-friendly and that will give you memories of a lifetime.

This is exactly what you will find at the Little Cabin at the Donkey Ranch just outside Lawton, Oklahoma. I found this gem when searching for accommodations for a road trip through Oklahoma a couple of years ago.

First, let’s be real. This is not luxury accommodations and it doesn’t pretend to be. If you’re not an animal lover, aren’t willing to embrace adventure, and you’re more interested in luxury than quirky fun, this probably isn’t the place for you.

I booked a night at the Little Cabin at the Donkey Ranch for about $50 when traveling in June. Recent searches show that prices may have increased slightly since then, but you can probably still book it for under $100.

When you first arrive at the Donkey Ranch, you will be greeted by a sign at the gate advising you not to let the donkeys out no matter what they may tell you. Glancing out across the pasture, you will see an assortment of old cars and junk. Yes, seriously. The cabin is situated in the host’s donkey pasture. If that sounds off-putting to you, this probably isn’t the place for you. I grew up in the country, so we found this amusing.

The cabin itself is small. Basically, it’s a shed the host has converted into an accommodation. With that said, it does have everything you need, including electricity, air conditioning, a double bed, mini fridge, TV, coffee maker, and bathroom with a shower. Could you pay the same amount for a room at a budget motel? Yes. Does a budget motel stock carrots in the mini fridge to feed the four-legged babies that come right up to your porch to be fed by hand? No, and that’s the charm of this place.

When booking the cabin, I noted one reviewer had commented the donkeys and horses were aggressive. We did not find that to be the case at all. They are friendly, they are definitely interested in munching down on those carrots, might even sniff your pockets hoping to find more and will definitely walk right up on the cabin’s porch. But, aggressive? No. I only wished we had more carrots for them.

A few disclaimers about the cabin. We traveled in June. During the summer in Oklahoma, it’s often hot. Even after the sun goes down. The cabin does have an air conditioner and the host also provided an extra box fan. Even so, it was still somewhat warm. If you do plan to stay here, you may wish to bring along an extra fan. We always make a habit to bring a couple of small tabletop fans when traveling, so we weren’t particularly bothered. If you are especially hot-natured, keep this in mind. The bed is more of a double or a full rather than a queen, so be prepared for cozy sleeping with your travel companion.

As I mentioned, the Little Cabin at Donkey Ranch doesn’t make any pretenses of luxury accommodations. If that’s what you’re looking for and don’t mind paying the price for it, there are plenty of options. However, if you’re interested in budget accommodations for less than a $100 per night and you’re intrigued by the idea of staying on a donkey ranch, this option is one that will certainly be memorable.

Sitting out on the cabin’s porch as the sun descended behind the mountains in the distance, listening to the wind rustle through the light-strung trees and watching the fireflies flitter across the pasture is a memory I will carry with me for a long time.

The Wandering Grammy