Ree Drummond Had 1 Concern When Her Husband Ladd Suggested Lodge Tours
TL; DR:
- Ree Drummond’s husband, Ladd, first suggested tours of the “Lodge” where The Pioneer Woman is filmed.
- The Food Network star admitted she wasn’t so sure about the idea because the Lodge, located on the Drummond ranch, is miles out of town.
- Ree Drummond’s Lodge originally served as a guesthouse. It’s now where The Pioneer Woman crew stays during filming.
Fans of Ree Drummond’s Food Network series, The Pioneer Woman, know the “Lodge.” It’s where the cookbook author films episodes of her cooking show. And, all because of Drummond’s husband, Ladd Drummond, people can see it for themselves. Ladd had the idea to open it to visitors. However, the blogger-turned-TV-star wasn’t immediately sold on her husband’s idea.
‘The Pioneer Woman’ set is periodically open for tours
Good news for Pioneer Woman fans — the Lodge doors are occasionally open to guests. That means viewers can step inside and get an up-close look at where Drummond films her show.
The Food Network star said on her official Pioneer Woman site she even encourages visitors “to poke around and open drawers. Although sometimes I wish I had them organized a little more!”
Located on the expansive Drummond ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, the Lodge is all part of the Pioneer Woman experience. Fans can visit The Mercantile, or The Merc, Drummond’s restaurant, bakery, and home goods store. They can also extend the experience with a stay at Drummond’s Boarding House hotel.
At the time of writing, Lodge summer 2022 tours are available in June and July.
Ree Drummond wasn’t sure people would drive to the Lodge when her husband suggested tours
Drummond confessed she didn’t initially jump onboard when Ladd suggested opening the Lodge for tours. She hesitated because of the drive from the center of town to the Lodge.
“The Lodge is 18 miles out of town on an unpaved road. I thought somebody would get a flat tire,” she admitted.
Drummond continued, saying Ladd explained his idea. “Ladd pointed out that people are coming all the way to Pawhuska to visit our store and restaurant,” she said. “He wanted to expand their experience.”
According to the site, Ladd’s idea to open the Lodge was spot on because it gets hundreds of visits every month. Now Pioneer Woman fans have the option to stop by P-Town Pizza, The Merc, or Charlie’s Sweet Shop before checking out the Lodge.
The Lodge was originally a guest house
Drummond’s Lodge has served as The Pioneer Woman set since 2011. “I decided to do it there because I often used the Lodge kitchen for events and gatherings,” she said. “And because my house was full of kids at the time!”
Prior to becoming the de facto show headquarters, it served as a guesthouse. The Super Easy! cookbook author and her husband renovated it in 2008. Drummond documented much of the process on her blog.
Today, the Lodge’s four “full-bedroom suites” are used to house The Pioneer Woman crew during filming.
