Home away from home: Some people choose new way to vacation

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – As the summer season kicks off, some families may be looking for a different kind of vacation.

Staycations, or extended vacations, are gaining popularity.

What once started off as a burger shack on the banks of a fishing hole, evolved into a nationally known vacation spot for travelers across the country. The Lake Tiak-O’Khata resort now offers 85 rooms, three RV parks, seven lakefront cabins, Airbnb’s, a full-service restaurant, a multipurpose event building, and more.

Co-owner, Carmen White, said the business being family owned for almost 70 years adds a personal touch that visitors love.

“I think the fact that the same family owned it for all these years, sets us apart a little bit because hospitality and service are number one to us,” said Carmen White. “The employees do what they know is expected of them and they do it because they want to. They know the people before they come in. They can’t wait to see the Carr Family that’s gonna be here in two weeks. They’ve come every year as long as they’ve worked here. They can’t wait to see some people like that.”

Many local businesses didn’t survive the coronavirus outbreak but this one actually thrived.

Carmen White’s son, Luke White, is also a co-owner and said the people preferred Lake Tiak-O’Khata even during the pandemic because of the coziness and affordability.

“Everybody loves going to the Gulf Coast, but we are closer to home and much more affordable and budgetary friendly for a lot of those people,” said Luke White. “And a lot of them have been staying in the same cabins for years so they’ve come to feel like that is their home.”

Luke White said familiar faces and hard work are additional amenities.

“We’re here every single day on staff,” he said. We’re working hard just like everybody else. So we kinda give that extra layer of homeliness that you really wouldn’t see at a lot of bigger resorts.”

As travel preferences continue to evolve, it’s fair to say that staycations are here to stay.

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