Disc Golf

Lake of the Ozarks on a budget

            So many articles don’t say enough about what you can do in Lake of the Ozarks. This article will provide you detail’s on how to plan your vacation for optimal fun and relaxation. Even if you don’t have tons of money you can still enjoy the sites If you don’t have a boat you can still get on the lake.

            Lake of the Ozarks is a city set up with plenty of beaches and the most fun you are going to have is in Osage Beach. This area is set up with plenty of fun things to do and places to stay and eat. It’s always a good idea to plan where you’re going to stay ahead of time. Most of the lake is set up for summer fun therefore; you should plan your trip sometime between Memorial and Labor Day weekends. July is one of the hottest months at the lake and it’s packed during the fourth of July. This means to plan for heavy traffic on the main highway 54.

            There are several inexpensive places to stay. Such as a chain hotel/motel that will provide a free breakfast for it’s guest. If you like to help support families and mom and pop facilities that are becoming scarce around the lake with so many new tourist going towards luxury you can stay at a small resort. I recommend this since it’s these folks who paved the way for what the lake is today.  Some of the most expensive and luxurious places to stay in Lake of the Ozarks would be Lodge of the Four Season and Tan-Tara resort (very family orientated). So if you are interested in splurging on your accommodations I recommend these places. They’ve been around long enough that they know what you need. And they have lake access.

            Sight seeing at the Lake of the Ozarks on dime isn’t really all that hard to do. For fun in the lake you can go to one of the two public beaches and bring a cooler with you. Plenty of people enjoy these well kept beaches all year and its fun for all ages. The water is always so clean and clear at the lake kids have fun searching for rocks and playing in the clean sand.

            If you want to get on the water you can rent a boat, wave runner or take a touring boat. Tan-Tara has a giant touring boat for little cost and you don’t have to be staying there to get a ticket. They take you for a wonderful ride and give you some history while enjoying cocktails or other beverages. You are free to walk about the large boat with other passengers while enjoying the sun, water and glorious real estate on the lake. If you’re lucky you can catch a glimpse at some native birds on shore.

   For some on foot sight seeing visit the state park Ha-Ha Tonka. It’s a great hike to the top or bottom of the park and you will learn some history along the way. There’s an amazing view from the top where you can look out at beautiful forest and amazing blue water. The history of the park is a wonderful story about the mansion’s remains that are still there today and locally referred to as “the castle”. This is an attraction that is free and great fun for people of any age.

            For more family orientated fun you can find yourself several different places. One thing that you as a visitor will learn quickly is the lake people love to play mini-golf and go, go-carting. There are quite a few different locations for this but I will narrow it down to personal experience. That being said you will have the most fun at Putt-N-Stuff located on HWY 52 in Osage Beach. This location for mini-golf is a very unique experience since the 18 holes get very creative with lots of water and enclosures to make you experience more fun. Next door to Putt-N-Stuff or just around the bend you’ll find Grand Rally go-carting. This track is one of the safest for drivers to be able to keep control of their cart. They do have a height restriction but most adolescents should be able to drive without an adult.

            For the people who love to look at unique items or just find good deals you would have to visit the outlet mall again located just next to the Grand Glaize Bridge on HWY52. There you will find more than 100 familiar shops that give great deals on your favorite items. You will also find places where you can stop shopping for a moment and grab a bite to each. If you have kids with you don’t worry, there are shops for them also or they can go across the street to Miner Mikes and play at the arcade and more mini-golf fun.

            If you do enjoy finding local shops, stop at the strip which is a long street full of unique gift and souvenir shops. There you will find anything you want with The Lake of the Ozarks on it, even cheap T-shirts which we all love to bring back for the people left at home or for ourselves. The strip is a fun place to be anytime of the day they even have an arcade and batting cages and don’t forget to put in some time playing 10 cent skeet-ball.

            For time spent with just adults you can certainly find plenty of it. If you’re looking to listen to a band, disc jockey or just have a few cocktails while on vacation. Some of the best places to go are The Salty Dog just off the Grand Glaize Bridge. Or Horny Toad which is a little further out. Of course you can always ask whom ever local you run into where the party is and trust they will point you to a night club or  the Party Cove (for the extreme only).

            Finding a restaurant isn’t that hard either, most of what you will find in your own community has made its way to Lake of the Ozarks too. If you are looking for a unique lake experience try asking your hotel concierge what they recommend or venture out on HWY 52 and see what you might like. Restaurants in any area can always change but you can still find ones that have been around for over 20 years. These are the ones you would want to go to for a true lake experience.  When dinner is over you go catch an old Opry show like Mainstreet Opry although tickets can be pricy it worth seeing once. These kinds of thing are a little more popular in Brandson Missouri and seem to be a dying breed in Lake Ozark.

            Making your vacation your own is what is most important. Making sure you still have cash when you come home to some may be equally important. If you follow my advice you should have a really great time and make some great memories along the way.  If you search hard enough you can find some spots that still have that old lake feel.

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Disc Golf Monthly Show 31 Clip One