For Immediate Release         Media Contact:  Pam Jones or Marjorie Beenders
October 16, 2009                                           Phone: 573-636-8282 « Email: pam@tbmg.net

Make The Holiday Season Special—and Save Money, Too-- at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks

Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. – For a different and memorable holiday season, make 2009 the year your family will spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks.  There’s so much to see and do—including spectacular shopping, delectable dining, outstanding seasonal activities like holiday light parks and a Christmas music show and much, much more. Best of all, whether you stay at a full-service resort, a friendly hotel or motel, a “home-away-from-home” vacation condo or home, or a cozy bed-and-breakfast, you’re sure to save with special holiday rates.  Gather everyone together at our centrally located destination and leave all the fuss to others--while you just spend time together and enjoy the holidays, Lake of the Ozarks-style.

Wondrous Holiday Shopping

Lake-area shopping is supreme, with malls, boutiques, antique shops, national retailers, and the 110-store Osage Beach Premium Outlets. In fact, several Lake-area lodging properties partner with the outlet center to offer value-packed Shop & Stay packages including outlet-center gift cards that are sure to come in handy during the center’s legendary After-Thanksgiving Sale featuring Midnight Madness, when the center opens at midnight, Nov. 27 and continues through Sunday, Nov. 29. The center also will offer extended hours throughout the season including the week after Christmas.  For a list of lodging partners and more details see www.premiumoutlets.com.  Stonecrest Mall and The Landing On Main Street, both on Highway 54, also will offer festive decorations and fabulous shopping.

To keep shopping spirits high, The Resort & Yacht Club at the Horny Toad in Lake Ozark will offer a Shop & Stay package with special room rates, gift cards, free transportation to the outlet center, plus energy drinks and power bars! 
The Inn at Harbour Ridge bed-and-breakfast in Osage Beach will help guests maximize Midnight Madness with mall maps, a thermos of owner Sue Westenhaver's "special" coffee, a bag of her famous oatmeal raisin cookies and a $100 gift card.  The next day, you’ll enjoy a late breakfast, then spend some time at the Inn’s gift-wrapping station with everything you need to wrap up your bargains. Two-night Thanksgiving weekend packages will begin at $425, weekday packages at $385.  “Santa Sue” also invites guests to luxuriate at The Inn Dec. 1-24, starting at just $325 for a 2-night weekend stay.  And on New Year’s Eve, all guests will receive a bottle of bubbly plus hats and horns to ring in 2010.

Remarkable Resort Savings

The area’s major resorts—such as Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach—will offer enticing holiday savings and specials.  From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, your family can enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving Holiday Buffet served in the Grand Ballroom, for $25.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors, $13.95 for kids 4-11, kids 3 and under free.  When you’re done eating, enjoy hot apple cider and cookies at a cozy bonfire while you await the arrival of Santa Claus, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks show and the “switching-on” of Tan-Tar-A’s glorious holiday lights.  Live entertainment will play while the kids have their photos taken with Santa.  Then spend the night or the weekend at Tan-Tar-A for a special rate, and enjoy the resort’s Timber Falls Indoor Waterpark, Bears Den Arcade, bowling, indoor pool, fitness center and spa.

Tan-Tar-A also will offer two New Year’s Eve celebrations.  For adults, the Mardi Gras-themed New Year’s Eve Celebration package will include a deluxe guest room, a lavish dinner buffet, open bar, party favors, champagne toast and music by the 10-piece Butch Wax & The Hollywoods orchestra.  For families, the Family Fun Waterpark New Year’s Eve Package will include a deluxe room, a pizza party and passes to the indoor waterpark.

Spend the Holidays at the Lake of the Ozarks

The Lodge of Four Seasons in Lake Ozark will pull out the stops with a bountiful Thanksgiving Day buffet, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at HK’s, for just $26.95 per person, $13.95 for children.  Afterwards, relax in a lovely guest room, starting at just $79, Nov. 25-30.  On Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, kids will enjoy Breakfast with Santa, complete with photos and cookie-decorating for just $13 for adults, $7 for kids age 6-12, free age 5 and under.  And on New Year’s Eve, The Lodge will offer a gala celebration with rooms starting at just $109 plus a $6 resort fee.  Ring in the new for just $249 per person with a Room/Dinner/Entertainment package.  A special Party Package in the Marbella Ballroom will be just $29 per person, and an unforgettable 3-course dinner at HK’s will be just $149 per couple, including a scrumptious dessert buffet. 

The Country Club Hotel in Lake Ozark will feature a magnificent Thanksgiving Buffet, 11 a.m. –3 p.m.  To ring in the New Year, the hotel will offer a lavish dinner menu and celebration featuring live entertainment by award-winning jazz musician D’Vaughan Pershing and his band, with midnight champagne, party favors and a buffet breakfast on New Year’s Day.  For details and prices please contact The Country Club Hotel at (800) 964-6698 or visit www.countryclubhotel.com.

The Resort at Port Arrowhead in Lake Ozark will offer a fantastic Thanksgiving Day Feast, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Portside Restaurant, for just $18.95 for adults, $17.95 seniors, $9.50 kids 6-12, free for 5 and under.  On New Year’s Eve, The Resort will offer a gala Park & Party package, featuring a deluxe room with early check-in and late check-out, a fabulous dinner buffet, entertainment, dancing, party favors and a midnight champagne toast for just $99.95 including tax and gratuity.  Additional nights will start at just $59.95 (plus tax and fees).

More Holiday Values

Many families enjoy the “home-away-from home” comfort of a Lake condo or vacation house during the holidays.  Now through the end of the year—including the holiday season—Lake Ozark Vacations/a PMG company will offer its Shop, Wine and Dine package starting at $59 per person, per night (plus taxes, quad occupancy) in a fully appointed 2-bedroom condo, including a $25 OBPO gift card and a $50 certificate for dinner at Seven Springs Winery.  Also, now through Dec. 31, the Al Elam Co. offers one free night when you pay for two nights in a 1-BR condo up to a 5-BR house.

The Club at Old Kinderhook will present a festive Thanksgiving Grand Buffet in its award-winning Trophy Room, for just $19.99 for adults, $8.95 for children 8 and under.  And you can greet the New Year at Old Kinderhook with a special package including a fabulous buffet at the Trophy Room, champagne toasts and live entertainment, plus a cozy condo for two people for just $199 per couple.  The buffet and party, without lodging, will be $99 per couple, $50 for singles.  If the weather’s manageable, you can even golf on the stunning course designed by Tom Weiskopf.

Festive & Fun

Small, family-owned resorts also will offer holiday specials.  For example, at Eagle’s Nest Resort in Sunrise Beach, you can stay in the Twin Island Retreat, a 5-BR/4-BA house for just $350 per night; it rents for $525 in the summer, says owner Bill Johnson. His wife, Sky, was born on Christmas day, “so it’s a big deal around here,” he says. “We have tons of decorations and our guests enjoy decorating the trees. Some even bring their own ornaments!”  Lovers’ weekends with champagne and a free dinner out start at $135 per night.

Eagles Nest guests also will receive free tickets to the Lake of the Ozarks Holiday Light Park located at the Osage Beach City Park.  With 80-plus giant animated displays, it’s the biggest and brightest light park at the Lake, open Nov. 21-Jan. 2.   Admission will be just $10 per car.  Other light parks will include St. Patrick’s Festival of Lights in Laurie, open Nov. 26 through Jan. 1; admission is free to this charming light park that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas.  Laurie’s city park lights transforms into the Enchanted Village of Lights, Nov. 27-Jan.1, featuring a mile of lighted displays; admission is free.  Visitors also will want to see the Versailles Unity Circle of Lights in its city park.  Other communities all around the Lake also will offer fun and festive holiday events and activities.

And of course a holiday getaway to the Lake of the Ozarks is not complete without taking in the memorable Christmas show at the Main Street Music Hall, presented Nov. 14, 20-21; Dec. 1-5, 8-12, 15-19. You can even watch spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks around the Lake aboard the Celebration yacht!  Cruise from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. and enjoy a delicious buffet, open bar, champagne toast and party favors, starting at $75 per person.

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