Winter Offers Cozy Fun
at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. – Summer may be the prime season for visiting the Lake of the Ozarks, but there's a lot going on in winter, indoors and out.
From mid-November through year's end, the Lake area glows with Holiday Magic. Centerpiece of the festivities is the Holiday Magic drive-through light park, brand-new in 2005. The two-mile drive features more than 80 lighted, animated displays, just below Bagnell Dam. Holiday Magic also is the “umbrella” theme for all the Lake's ongoing, family-oriented festivities. Details on all the fun are online at www.lakeholidaymagic.com.
After the hectic holiday season, the Lake is the place for romantic nights nestled by a fire … a relaxing treatment at a spa …outlet, antique and specialty shopping … or a brisk walk through the serene landscape. And kids of all ages will enjoy a show cave, bowling, indoor waterpark or arcade. For a day or two or more, a getaway to the Lake of the Ozarks is a great escape from the winter blahs.
But what about the weather? Well, you know what they say about the weather in Missouri: “Just wait (a day/an hour) and it will change.” That's certainly true at the Lake of the Ozarks, where it's not unusual to fish or even to play golf in January and February. Daytime temperatures sometimes warm into the 50-60 degree range. In fact, there are many days throughout the off-season when the weather is downright balmy. Best of all, rates on lodging and golf are lower in the winter than any other time of the year.
# Lodging for less
When the fall foliage starts to fade, the Lake area gears up for the holidays. That means it's officially winter and the Lake comes alive with more than one million lights to celebrate the season. Then, in the quiet, renewing months of January and February, the Lake seems to rest and the stillness is soothing – perfect for a serene interlude at one of the Lake's nearly two dozen bed-and-breakfasts.
Gary Brooks, innkeeper at the Cliff House Inn in Osage Beach, says, “We're fortunate that we're in a scenic location with the sunset right across the Lake. It sets 365 days a year so we benefit from that.” Brooks notes each of the inn's three suites has its own entrance and deck access, and two have cozy fireplaces. “We get a lot of honeymooners and couples who like to celebrate their anniversaries here,” he says. “It's a romantic, laid-back setting. You can have all the privacy you want.”
Brooks adds a lot of guests come for a long weekend, “and in the winter we get a lot of mid-week visitors. Mainly people come for the quieter atmosphere, the great shopping and dining at the Lake and to watch the eagles.” (More on that later.)
The Lake's full-service resorts also offer getaway packages and other specials in the winter. For example, you don't need to wait for Valentine's Day to enjoy the “Romance at the Lodge” package at The Lodge of Four Seasons. The package includes two nights lodging, dinner for two one night, breakfast for two both mornings, a couples massage at Spa Shiki and souvenir bathrobes for $572 (vs. $700-plus in the summer).
Winter is a great time to visit Spa Shiki, says Spa Director Ann Brown. “Without as much activity going on at the Lake during the winter, it's easier for guests to relax, take their time and get all they need out of their spa visit.” The Girlfriends' Getaway package attracts groups of women during the winter. The package combines lodging and spa treatments. “During February, couples visiting the spa are also on the rise, thanks to the Couples Massage,” Brown says. Several Spa Shiki treatments are particularly beneficial during the winter months, she says, such as the Four Seasons Exfoliation and Seaweed Detox Body Mask and the Cranberry Facial. Specials are offered throughout the winter.
At Tan-Tar-A Resort, you can book an attractive standard room for as little as $80 in the winter, compared to $134 for the same room during peak season, and a two-bedroom unit is just $200, a $109 savings over summertime. The “Winter Weekend Special” is just $90 per night through the end of February.
But while room rates are low, the fun quotient remains high, especially if your visit includes a stop at Tan-Tar-A's Timber Falls Indoor Waterpark. This water wonderland features a three-story tree house complete with suspension bridges, web crawls and water blasters – topped with a six-foot-wide wooden bucket that regularly tips over and spills out 700 gallons of water. Kids also get a kick out of the 600-plus feet of water slides, including two that actually wind outside the building. There's also an activity pool with water basketball and other games, a 21-seat whirlpool and a Lazy River for relaxing tube floating. Admission fees are $15 per person for hotel guests, $20 per person for non-guests.
Winter indoor fun at Tan-Tar-A includes the Bears Den Arcade with a wide array of state-of-the-art video games and electronic simulators, and the colorful Tan-Tar-A Lanes bowling alley.
Rental condos also attract winter visitors to the Lake. Glenda Hammerstone, rental manager at The Knolls condominiums, says a lot of guests come during January and February “just to get away after the holiday chaos.” They relax in the steam room, sauna, hot tub and indoor heated pool. Couples come for romantic getaways. “Every unit has a fireplace and we provide the firewood,” Hammerstone says. “We also have units with hot tubs and those are popular during the winter too.” Best of all, she says, the rates are a great value compared to summer. A three-bedroom unit in the winter is just $169 per night, compared to $389 in the summer. “It's a huge savings,” Hammerstone says. “The whole family can enjoy a getaway for a very reasonable price.”
Russell Burdett, director of property management at Al Elam Company, says January and February “are perfect for enjoying the quieter time at the Lake.” Plus, condo and home rental rates are 20 to 40 percent lower than summer rates, “and you're sure to get exactly the house or condo you want,” he adds. “Here you can rent a condo that sleeps eight for $155 a night. That's less than $20 per person. Plus you have private baths, a full kitchen, a fireplace and a fabulous view. It's a great value.”
# Shop and Play
Shopping is a treat at the Lake of the Ozarks in the winter: Stores are less crowded and great bargains abound. The area's major retail destination is the 110-store Osage Beach Premium Outlets on Highway 54, covering 400,000 square feet on 60 acres. It's Missouri's largest brand-name factory outlet center, featuring 25-65 percent savings every day. Premium Outlets offers frequent special promotions, and members of its VIP and 50-Plus Shopper Clubs receive additional discounts. The center is also home to several restaurants and a five-screen cinema.
Another popular Lake-area shopping center is The Landing on Main Street. It recreates a quaint Victorian village and offers 20-plus shops. Bargain seekers also can find antiques, collectibles and other treasures at the Lake's 50-plus antique shops and flea markets. The area also offers a wide array of specialty shops for items from European and Mexican imports to cards and stationery, wine and liquor to outdoors and sports equipment and more.
And don't forget the major national retailers who have located at the Lake, plus the famous Bagnell Dam “Strip” on Business Highway 54, a mile-long stretch of attractions and shops that have lured tourists to the Lake for generations. The famed Dogpatch store and several others remain open as long as it's not freezing outside.
Across the street from Premium Outlets is the popular family destination Miner Mike's and Buster's. This 75,000-square-foot indoor arcade/amusement park offers rides including a Ferris wheel, runaway mine train and bumper cars geared toward kids from 2½ to 12 years old. The arcade features about 80 games and simulators including NASCAR and powerboat racing, basketball and boxing and more. It's open on weekends only through Christmas, then reopens the first weekend in March. “There's no other attraction that has our indoor capacity,” says Eric Faes, assistant manager. “When it rains we are really busy because there's not a whole lot else you can do!”
One thing you can do rain or shine, all year long, is tour Bridal Cave, which held its 2,000th underground wedding in August. “We get quite a few folks visiting in the winter,” says spokesperson Terry Welch. “A lot of seniors come who don't want to fight the summer crowds, and school groups start coming too in January and February. It's much less crowded and you get to see more that way.” Guided tours take visitors past giant columns, delicate soda straws and massive draperies, all made of mineral deposits, of course. Welch adds, “It's one of the most scenic caves you'll ever want to visit. And the view from our deck really is beautiful.”
# Winter Fishing, Hiking, Eagle-Watching and Golf
A lot of anglers come to the Lake of the Ozarks in winter specifically to enjoy cold-weather fishing. Some resorts even offer heated fishing docks. They range from the luxurious (complete with crappie beds, windows, a fireplace, comfortable seating and cable TV) to “nothing fancy,” according to Melissa Ray, assistant manager at Lakeview Resort. “We have a nice covered dock with a hole in the middle, a wood burning stove and a few built-in benches,” she says. “It's been there well over 30 years.” Most of Lakeview's off-season customers come to fish or shop, “or just to have some peace and quiet,” Ray says. “They enjoy the cabins with fireplaces and the relaxing atmosphere. There are not a lot of resorts like ours around here anymore.”
If you're willing to brave the elements out on the Lake, the experts recommend going after crappie using small jigs or minnows fished slowly around structures in deep water along steep banks or bluffs. In addition, the combination of clear, deep water and variety of habitat add up to good black bass fishing. In fact, the pros say in February and March you could easily catch a trophy. It's the same story with walleyes in January. That's when they cruise main-lake points following schools of shad and often weigh up to 10 pounds or more.
The Lake area has two popular state parks that offer plenty of outdoor fun in the winter. Larry Webb, park naturalist at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, says the main events of the season are the monthly tours of the River Cave. “It houses a federally endangered bat species that's hibernating,” he says. “Also a lot of folks like to come for the views. When the leaves are off the trees it gives a different perspective.” The park also attracts birdwatchers in the winter. “It's a good time to see the winter songbirds like juncos, sparrows and cardinals,” Webb adds. Birders can pick up a bird list and map at the park office, he notes. “And it's a good time of year to hike. In fact it's my favorite time of year,” he says. The park features 12 trails including some that wander through a savannah, a glade and several areas of karst topography. And it's always fun to hike around the castle ruins – the remains of a mansion built in the early 20th century.
The 17,441-acre Lake of the Ozarks State Park – Missouri's largest state park – also stays busy with visitors throughout the winter. On a winter hike, hardy walkers can spot deer, turkey, squirrels, rabbits, a variety of birds and even an occasional armadillo. The park offers 35 miles of trails and an interesting visitor center that's open year-round.
Another winter highlight at the Lake is the arrival of the bald eagles from the Great Lakes and Canada. They start gathering in late October and typically stay until mid-March. The largest concentration is just below Bagnell Dam on the Osage River. A good viewing spot is the Conservation Access, about 300 yards downstream from the dam. “The eagles put on quite a show during the winter,” says Brooks of Cliff House Inn. “I've watched them for years. Guests who have seen them once come back again and again.” The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the annual Eagle Days program at Willmore Lodge, Jan. 7-8.
And then there is winter golf. The Lake area's 17 courses remain open year-round, weather permitting. “It's hard to plan far in advance, so check the forecast or call ahead,” advises Paul Leahy, PGA, director of golf at Tan-Tar-A Resort. He says a lot of players enjoy winter golf because, “99 percent of the time there are no groups and the tee-time you want will probably be available. And the rates are really good.” For example, a round that costs $75 in the summer will cost $29 in the winter. “The rates are cheap enough that even if you only got in 12 or 13 holes before dark it's worthwhile,” Leahy says. “For most players the limit is about 45 degrees. But I've seen guys out here with snow falling.” Windshields on the carts help a lot, he notes. “The only day we close is Christmas Day,” he says. “We had about 60 players on Thanksgiving and on New Year's Day last year.”
# Want to know more about winter at the Lake?
For more information about wonderful wintertime getaways at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks – including lodging, dining, events, attractions, entertainment and more – contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE or visit www.funlake.com .
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