Missourians looking to buy a vacation property will likely find their home away from home amid the lush waterfront ambience of Lake of the Ozarks, and meeting planners seeking a quiet Midwest retreat with all the outdoor trimmings for their group will likely do the same.
“More than 69 percent of the people in Missouri who own second homes own them at Lake of the Ozarks,” says Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks CVB. “We have 1,150 miles of shoreline, and the lake itself is our largest attraction for vacationing visitors and group attendees, whether it’s a beautiful resort setting that overlooks the lake or all of the outdoor activities that go along with it—boating, parasailing, fishing, swimming or taking a cocktail cruise.”
Tucked into the verdant forests of central Missouri about 90 miles north of Springfield, Mo., Lake of the Ozarks is a man-made lake that was created in the 1930s and over the decades became a hot resort destination. Nowadays, the region accommodates groups with several meetings-ready properties—Tan-Tar-A Resort, The Lodge of Four Seasons, Inn at Grand Glaize, Resort at Port Arrowhead and the Resort & Yacht Club at Toad Cove, to name a few—not to mention plenty of post-session diversions.
“The lake and the outdoor activities incorporating the lake are big attractions, but we also have 17 golf courses with 261 holes of golf, which is a huge draw for us, as well as shopping, with the largest factory outlet mall in the state [Osage Beach Premium Outlets], Stone Crest Mall and The Landing on Main Street, which has a great music show that’s ideal for groups. There are also more than 100 antique stores within 50 miles, four wineries that are very attractive to groups and 200 restaurants, 60 of which are accessible by water,” Jacobsen says.
Meanwhile, the region’s family lures, including fun parks, go-cart tracks, water sports and land-based adventures like horseback riding and biking, encourage attendees to bring the kids along, and many groups plan their stay around the different events held in Lake of the Ozarks, including Eagle Days, an annual program that takes place over a weekend in January.
“There are a lot of eagles that migrate here for the winter, and Eagle Days allows visitors to view them with activities such as boat rides, and there are telescopes set up at various places,” he says.
While Lake of the Ozarks is already a standout Midwest resort area, the destination continues to enhance its offerings, with additional properties featuring group facilities on the drawing board, ongoing retail development and plans to revitalize the destination’s Bagnell Dam Strip, a historic district that dates back to the 1930s.
