Missouri is definitely not the obvious choice for a summer road trip with kids- at least not from Dallas/Fort Worth! There are closer lakes, closer beaches, closer family-friendly destinations.
But if you've never been to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, in the south central part of the state, it is worth considering the next time you decide to hit the road, with or without kiddos. The Lake of the Ozarks actually features more than 1,000 miles of shoreline- more than the state of California! Lake-goers can fish, water ski, jet ski, boat, play in the sand and so much more! Do I have you dreaming of a lake vacation yet?
Fun fact: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, is consistently rated one of the top party lakes in the nation, but, trust me here, it's as fun with kids as without kids! Can you name the top party lake in the country? Hint: it's right here in Texas! (Scroll to the end for the answer)
I hadn't actually been to the lake since my college days, back when the lake was the place for Mizzou students to party on long weekends. It looks a bit different when you've got kids in tow, but it's such a fun spot all the same!
A simple search of AirBnB pulls up lots of spots to rent, from condos to houses and apartments. There are also plenty of hotels around the lake- the The Lodge of Four Seasons was one that was often recommended to us and looks fabulous! We lucked out and were able to stay at a friend's lake house.
Lake of the Ozarks is about an 8.5 hour drive from Arlington. For those of you that think that's simply too far- Galveston is 6 hours, Orange Beach is 9 and Destin is 11. So it's not any further than lots of common Texas road trips. The drive takes your north through Oklahoma and then east through Missouri. The drive allows you to see some fun Oklahoma spots (casino, anyone?) as well as Springfield and Branson, Missouri! If your kids are anything like mine, they will start asking "are we there yet?" by the time you hit Durant.
The Lake of Ozarks website has lots of great information on what to do when you reach the water. We were able to jet ski daily thanks to my friends, but jet skis and boats are easily rentable from many spots and retailers on the lake. It's a busy lake! While we were able to zip around easily on Thursday and Friday, Saturday and Sunday brought choppy waters and boaters galore. Something to keep in mind if you are a novice boater. My girls absolutely loved jet skiing- it was such a fun way to see the lake! The lake is huge, and there are gorgeous homes and hotels and restaurants to observe. We enjoyed looking around from our jet skis the same way we love looking at different houses and neighborhoods from our cars!
My girls really loved pulling up to waterfront restaurants around the lake and eating and enjoying the ambiance. Our favorite spot is called Franky & Louie's. This waterfront spot was a place we could have hung at all day. There is ample outdoor seating, but get there early! F & L's has a beach with a small, shallow swimming area safe for kiddos to play in (there is a dock surrounding it on three sides). Kids can build sandcastles, play in the water, play sand volleyball, play Jenga or so many more activities. Parents can enjoy adult beverages and a full menu. And there is an ice cream stand (bring your cash, no cards at the ice cream shack!). You can access the restaurant from the water or land. Bring your beach towels and sand toys and lots and LOTS of sunscreen (there is no shade on the beach or water area, save for a few sparse umbrellas). But this is a spot where you can spend an afternoon kicking back and soaking up lake life!
A few other spots we loved: Dog Days Bar & Grill (two separate pools, one for adults, one for kids, plus live entertainment and dogs are welcome!); Nautifish Rum Bar (bring quarters for fish food so kids can feed the massive fish that hang out by the dock, play ping pong and shuffleboard plus catch live music); Backwater Jack's (pool for ages 10 and over, so keep this in mind, great food prices, fun ambiance).
When you tire of the water, there is plenty to do on land! There are several spots to mini golf (check out Sugar Creek Mini Golf), multiple indoor arcades (Miner Mike's comes highly recommended to us!), lots of great shopping spots (hello Osage Beach Premium Outlets) and so much more! The Visit Missouri Website has so many great resources for planning an unforgettable trip! And, if you've never been to Branson, it is totally worth a stop for kids and adults alike!
Let the EA crew know if you've been to Missouri lately and what we missed in terms of fun things to do with kids! We are pretty partial to the Show Me State (I met my husband at the University of Missouri- Go Tigers!), but we genuinely think that the Lake of the Ozarks (and Branson) is worth a trip.
The number one party lake in the nation is Lake Travis in Austin.
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