Central location and fun atmosphere make the Lake of the Ozarks Missouri's premiere vacation and conference destination. The 54,000-acre lake has room for recreational boating, houseboating, and water sports. The 1,150-mile shoreline is curvy with enough inlets and coves to provide quiet space for fishing and sightseeing cruises. The shoreline is dotted with resorts, marinas, restaurants, campgrounds, condos and homes. The towns around the lake offer some of the best shopping in central Missouri and multiple dining and entertainment options.
Lake of the Ozarks is filled with water sports enthusiasts spring through fall. Boating is the primary activity. Marinas cater to the boating crowd with boat, houseboat, personal watercraft, pontoon and slip rentals. Sailing, parasailing, waterskiing and wakeboarding are also popular. Houseboat and dinner cruises offer more relaxing views of all the lake's activities. Fishing is a year-round activity and the lake host several fishing tournaments including the Bass Masters. Along with bass, the main catches are crappie and catfish.
Shopping opportunities around the lake are extensive. The centerpiece is a factory outlet mall, Osage Beach Premium Outlets. The towns around the lake, Camdenton, Osage Beach, Lake Ozark and Warsaw have many antique and specialty shops and hold art festivals throughout the year. The road leading up to Bagnell Dam is a busy, mile-long strip of souvenir and craft shops. Live music shows and family entertainment venues, like Big Surf Waterpark and Timber Falls Indoor Waterpark, provide an alternative to lake-based entertainment. There are several car shows during the summer and craft shows in fall.
More outdoor activities are available around the lake. The lake area has 17 golf courses. Resorts, campgrounds and parks offer public beaches, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, tennis and racquetball. Two state parks in the area provide scenic views of the lake. At Ha Ha Tonka State Park the remains of a castle stand on cliffs overlooking the lake. There are three nearby show caves, Bridal Cave, Jacob's Cave and Ozark Caverns.
Lake of the Ozarks is located in central Missouri. It is 165 miles southeast of Kansas City and 175 miles southwest of St. Louis. It is accessible via U.S. Highway 54 and State Highways 5, 7, 42 and 135. There are many lodging choices: resorts, hotels, condos, houseboats, campgrounds, and bed and breakfasts.
