I took my mother and son to Palestine, TX last year so that we could ride the Polar Express (Texas…read moreState Railroad). We stayed in a Fox Meadows guest home which was off the beaten path, by far, but that just added to its charm. Beautiful land with wildlife surrounded us. Our cozy guest home had a large bedroom (where my mom slept), bathroom, adorable kitchen stocked with everything including a huge basket of goodies for breakfast and a living room with a couch that had a fold out bed that me and my son slept on. The living room was decked out with Christmas tree and decorations. The fireplace in the living room was wonderful to have. There were many books and knicknacks for my son to explore and in the living room we had a tv with DVD and VHS player, along with a huge selection of DVDs and VHS. Their policy is that you can take a movie or book with you when you leave if you leave another one behind. There are trails to explore right out of the back door. The owners are a delight. I hope to have a chance to stay here again soon.

My wife and I stayed for three days and slept better than we have in years…read more Kind of like staying at your grandmother's country house this was nice and rustic and incredibly peaceful. Five stars for everything including perfect, honest descriptions on the website. Helped me find exactly what I was looking for. Full kitchen and nice A/C. Updated bathroom with nice shower. There is a TV with digital broadcast and a dvd player. New where it needs to be and antique where it should be. Our stay was serene amongst old farm buildings, a creek, small ponds and lots of wildlife. Nearest neighbors are acres away including a local cop (we heard) and a couple of farmers. Mineola is about 10 minutes away and filled our weekend with restaurants and small town shopping. We also hit Winnsboro, TX about 30 minutes away to view some of our old family's residences from back in the day. Being in the event business, I could appreciate how the proprietor took one of the large barns and turned it into an open air special event facility with lighting, small stage, bar, picnic area and a clean smooth new floor for catering, weddings, concerts and reunions. If I lived in that area, I would use the heck out of it. The coordinator or the guest of honor and family could stay on site in the cottage while the rest of the party could stay in town at the ever expanding group of hotels. I think it would be cool to tent camp with some other couples out here with the cottage as home base. (haven't asked the owner yet.)

From the owner: Located on 58 private acres in Mineola just north of town, This restored farm home sleeps up to 4…read more Furnished with a close attention to details, the artifacts, furniture and art will send you back to earlier days in East Texas, but with modern conveniences like full electric kitchen, central Heat and Air and flat panel TV's. Mineola offers great restaurants and over 100 antique dealers throughout many shops and malls. Close to Canton First Mondays and Lake Fork. Multiple original farm buildings make up "Homestead Farms", including a large party barn available for weddings, family picnics and other events. Several small farm ponds for catch and release fishing. Cattle roam the surrounding pastures.

My boyfriend and I booked a cabin for a fun get away and were more than pleased with our time…read morespent! The cabin came with all the amenities for a comfortable stay and we couldn't think of any complaints come the end of the trip. Come Sunday when it was time for us to check out, the owners let us stay several hours later than we were supposed to! They were very accommodating. We'll definietely be visiting again.

This was far the worse place I have been to. The owners only care about the money. If you use…read moreanything they'll charge you and lie about things without showing you pictures of the damages. Please be careful before wasting your money here. We cleaned, washed dishes, etc, and we were charged extra for "damages" That weren't shown to us. I will make sure this place is known for their false accusations. Please be careful people, and if you do give it a try, please record and take pictures of every wall, kitchen, floor, corner, doors, outside, etc... Just to be in the safe side. Do a before and after just in case. Never coming here again! Forgot to mention, there was a $50 cleaning fee a night, included at the Lodge cabin that we stayed at for 2 nights. The $100 extra "damage" fee was not necessary. When we emailed them back for pictures of the countertop stains, she just said the maid had already "cleaned everything". No proof whatsoever. Be on the safe side and take a video of before and after.

I hate that I'm just now getting to post this review because this place, by far, deserves a good…read morereview! My husband and I decided that this would be the year that we took our first family vacation with our son. We came here from Aug. 2nd (Thursday) through the 5th (Sunday evening). Our son would be heading back to school on the 16th, so this was a nice end-of-the-summer getaway before starting a new year. First, I'll start with the area itself that the retreat is located: Jacksonville is what I'd call "simple." It has lots of trees and country roads - a beautiful scenic place. The town itself has a Walmart and a decent amount of restaurants to satisfy your inner-city needs. The farm (Elijah's Retreat) is located on a large piece of land and owns horses/ponies, goats, donkeys, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and an awesome little kitty named Lucky. There are 3 cabins. My family occupied Cabin No.1 directly located across from the playground. It was a perfect little piece of seclusion that we'd been yearning for since living in a big city. I have no complaints whatsoever about the cabin. It was spacious, clean, and had plenty of donated items to keep you comfortable (i.e. sheets, towels, dishes, etc.). The air conditioning functioned perfectly in the sweltering summer. The quietness of sleeping in the country was amazing.​ Each morning around 9:30, Jason would drive by on his tractor and start the day off by feeding the animals, which the children were encouraged to help with. By the time the feeding would end, the kids would be at the main barn where most of the toys are kept. My son spent most of his time playing with the train sets. There is a sensory room (air-conditioned​) in the corner of the barn as well. The thing I liked the most about this place was that the expense did not run us into the ground like some other places I won't mention. I know that can be an extra worry for families with autistic kids. This place was safe and was worth every penny. Our little family enjoyed ourselves immensely and can't wait to come back for another getaway. I'll end this review by praising Cheryll and Jason for what they're doing. Thank you both SO MUCH for making this place available. We had an awesome time :)

Fantastic retreat for families facing autism. Our son is on the spectrum and loved being able to…read morerelax and do what he wanted here. His little sister had a blast as well! There's lots to do (animals, playground, sensory room, sound room, activity barn, clubhouse, etc.) and the rates are very affordable considering you get an entire cabin to yourself. The staff is great and you're treated like family. We only spent one night, but we'll definitely be back and hope to become regulars.

Off the beaten path, but a little surprise in the country. A family member brought us here for a…read moreSunday lunch and we were delighted. It looks like a bed and breakfast with a pool and pool house. There is a garden and shabby chic decor throughout. Inside there are many tables and what looked to be a stage for music, although we didn't see that when we visited. The owner was so friendly. We had a reservation. The buffet changes based on what they have available and you are to take what you can eat to not waste. That day, my favorite items were the salad, dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, and fruit. I appreciate the pride they take in serving their food. If ever I'm in the area again, I'll surely stop back in.

Best place to eat if you like home-grown, delicious food in a uniquely great atmosphere. The…read morefriendliest owners are a Christian couple who provide friendly service and live music. Pretty sure their only open on Sundays, so plan your visit and reserve a spot at their home away from home tables.

Really enjoyed my stay at the Caddo Cabin. If you're looking for a quiet getaway off the beaten…read morepath, then this is your place. A friend and I spent three nights here over the 4th Of July weekend and we had a blast. The cabin was perfectly fine for two people, with a king bed in the bedroom and a pull out sleeper sofa in the living area. There was a tv with a few satellite channels and a DVD player with a few dvds. The tv is not a smart tv so you'll need to bring your own device like a fire stick if you'd like to stream Netflix etc... No issues with the internet. The kitchen is well stocked with everything necessary for cooking. There were a few basic spices and coffee was provided with various creamers and sweeteners. Large charcoal grill outside with the necessary tools, including a charcoal chimney. Bring your own charcoal. The water pressure was good and the a/c worked like a charm in the 100 degree heat. Spent a lot of time on the mosquito-free screened in porch, which had several seats and a powerful fan to keep us cool. Having access to Kayaks, and a dock to launch them from was a huge plus. We spent most of our time kayaking around Caddo Lake. The kayaks/dock are a short 3-4 minute walk to another home located directly on the water, which is also owned by the same owners of the Caddo Cabin. All of the kayaking equipment was in good working condition. A golf cart is provided, which is shared with a neighboring cabin. It was nice to have for going to the local stores / restaurants. Made several trips to Johnson's Ranch Marina, Caddo Outpost, and the Shady Glade restaurant. All of which I highly recommend. Very nice people. If you're looking for some good souvenirs, MeMaw's t-shirts is a great option with custom shirts and other souvenirs. Definitely hit up the Uncertain Flea Market, which is open on the 1st and 3rd weekends of every month. The only slight downside to the cabin is its proximity to the other cabin on the property. It is not very private if the other cabin is occupied. If you're looking for something more private, I'd recommend going with one of the other homes that the owners have available. For the price, though, this place can't be beat, and I was perfectly fine with the proximity to the other cabin given how much money we saved. The owners are very kind, and promptly responded to any questions we had during our stay. I fully plan on returning for another stay in the near future. This place really is a hidden gem.

Nice quiet time and was able to embrace Mother Nature. We spotted a woodpecker tree that was…read moreattached by several woodpeckers. We rode the four wheelers thru some woods that has a Walk path and it was so much fun. I enjoy ted staring fir a long time at the lily pads and lagoons it was such a nice time. Also enjoyed yes camping and fire pits. Lots of food and great time.

Very cute house with attention to details in the decor. Stayed here with a group of friends for a…read more4 day weekend. Plenty of room for us all-there are 6 tables set up for each person to work on projects. TV if you just want to hang out-Well stocked kitchen (bring your own food) but everything else you need is there. Had a great time-the scrapbook store is across the street and we all made several visits there during our visit. Recommend this place for sure!