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- TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO AT THE LAKE! -
Lake of the Ozarks is open all year for a quick get-away, shopping, meetings and events. Our staff will help you plan the details for your time at the Lake. On property or off, we'll do our best to make every minute of your stay memorable. To start with, we have picked 10 free things that we think you should do.


Top 10 Free Things To Do At The Lake
Window Shopping & People Watching at the Bagnell Dam Strip
The historic Bagnell Dam "Strip" is 3/4 of a mile of shops and entertainment. Summer weekends are the best days for the greater form of entertainment, people watching. From T-shirt shops to beach ware and antique stores to tatoo parlors. You can play 10 cent skee-ball, ride go-carts, take a scenic dinner cruise, and para-sail and never leave the Strip.
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Historical Willmore Lodge & Museum
Willmore Lodge is the home of Lake Area Chamber of Commerce as well as Bagnell Dam History Museum. Stop by for visitor information and to hear sites and sounds from Lake of the Ozarks since passed.

The Swinging Bridges 
The Swinging Bridges is named for a wood-planked suspension bridges that crosses the Auglaize Creek. Swinging Bridges is located about 10 miles on Hwy 42 to Hwy 42-18, then a pleasant country drive along and across Mill Creek to the area. It¹s a great place for picnicking and swimming, tubing, wading or fishing.
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Ha Ha Tonka State Park
It contains over 3,600 acres on the Niangua Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks and is located five miles southwest of Camdenton on State Road D.  There are 12 hiking trails (16 miles total) of various lengths and there are 8 known caves. The park has numerous picnic areas, two of which are shelters that can be rented for events and a playground. A Trail and Natural Area Guide is available at the visitor's center at the park entrance, along with outside exhibits. Visitors for the day can easily arrive by boat or car.

Art & Ambiance Trail
This trail provides over 95 miles of country roads and highways winding through the Lake of the Ozarks region featuring individual Artist & Craft studios, Art Galleries, Upscale Gift Shops, Museums, Theatres, Wineries and Unique Local Eateries.
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Lake of the Ozarks State Park
Many lake area visitors don't realize a 17,441 acre playground lies just to the south of Osage Beach. Lake of the Ozarks State Park is Missouri's largest and can provide a pleasant diversion while vacationing in the Lake area. The park has 85 miles of shoreline,  two public beaches, boat launching areas and the Osage Beach Lee C. Fine Memorial Airport.

A Scenic Drive all the way around the Lake
A 90 mile Scenic Drive around the Lake will not show you all of the 1,100 miles of shoreline, but you will see lots of lake.  From blackened limestone bluffs overlooking the lake to heavily forested hills and everything in between.  There are restaurants to have lunch or you can you can take a picnic to eat along the way.  You’ve got the whole outdoors and dozens of beautiful panoramic scenes to be part of..
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St Mary’s Mother Shrine
The Shrine is known as the Mothers' Shrine and is probably the most meaningful shrine in the country, featuring the Mothers' Wall of Life with names of mothers engraved in the black granite, regardless of race, color or creed

Bagnell Dam Scenic Overlook
You will not only have a view of Bagnell Dam and the city of Lake Ozark, but also see the difference in elevation between the impounded Lake of the Ozarks and the Osage River.  The overlook has several areas explaining various historical facts along with a turbine that was recently retired after seventy plus years of use.  Don't forget to drive down to the base of the dam to look for Bald Eagles!     
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Tunnel Dam and Lake Niangua
Lake Niangua at Tunnel Dam is 3 miles long and was built by Sho-Me Power Cooperative Electric in 1929. If you¹d like a lovely drive through the Ozark backwoods to enjoy a gorgeous panoramic view, a lake dotted with gravel bars and shallow water to wade and tube in, take a picnic lunch and take a minitrip off the beaten path.

- TOP 10 THINGS THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY TO DO! -

Tom Sawyer Cruise
Welcome aboard! Your turn of-the-century style cruise has begun! Journey back to the days when grand old riverboats carried adventurous souls from town to town along the river.

Sugar Creek Mini Golf
gives you a special flavor of the Ozarks. Nestled in tree shaded Ozark terrain, Sugar Creek offers 36 holes woven through scenes from the 1880's.

Main Street Music Hall
The Main Street Opry offers two hours of current and classic country, gospel, patriotic songs, and comedy of Gabby Gumm and Matt "Bubba" Gumm.

Join Miner Mike
and his mule Buster, at our indoor 35,000 square foot family fun center featuring the Midwest's largest soft-play area, exciting rides, challenging games, simulators and great food.

Bridgeport Boat Rentals
Located on Highway 54 at the Glaize Bridge in Osage Beach, or by water at the 1 mile mark on the Glaize Arm. Featuring boat rentals, pontoons, jet skis and para-sailing.  Only minutes from party cove in Lake of the Ozarks State Park.

Bridal Cave
Rated as one of the most scenic caves in America. Includes Bridal Cave, Bear Cave, Lookout Towers, the Thunder Mountain Nature Trail, the Ozark's Largest Lakeside Gift Shop and Thunder Mountain Mining Company, and a unique rock and mineral shop.

Big Surf Water Park
From your first splash into the wave pool, to your thrilling trips down the space bowl, the raging rapids and flumes, to your easy float down the lazy river ... you'll be smiling.

Golfing
Lake of the Ozarks features golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Bruce Devlon & Robert Hagge, the Lake offers 261 holes of premier golf, with water and elevations carved into the rolling hills that will challenge any game, from weekend duffer to pro.

Celebration Cruises
The Celebration is the largest passenger luxury yacht at Lake of the Ozarks. The cabins and interior salon is fully climate controlled for complete cruising comfort. Join us for day time sightseeing trip, a sunset cruise, or a full dinner cruise. Consider the Celebration for chartering your next corporate event or family affair.

Shopping
Home to the largest premium outlet mall in the state with over 110 stores, Lake of the Ozarks is one of Missouri’s major year ’round retail centers. From business, evening and resortwear, to art galleries, to over 50 antique stores within 50 miles, Lake of the Ozarks is a must see for serious shoppers.

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