Osage National, left, and The Cove, above, are two great choices at Lake of the Ozarks.
Oaks. “Parents don’t have to entertain the kids - we have a great enclosed environment with top security where kids can do several activities, like bowling and swimming. The water park has been a great addition.” With all of the new courses and hotels built in the last 20 years or so, Tan-Tar-A understandably doesn’t have the same market share it once had, but is still is going strong. The resort offers a main hotel by the lake, and several cottages that provide a more secluded experience. “With the economy the last couple of years there is more shopping for value with people using coupons, and the corporate groups aren’t as large, but people are still coming to play, and the hotel is doing well,” said Leahy. The Club at Porto Cima is a Jack Nicklaus design located along the Lake of the Ozarks. The highly acclaimed layout is owned by the Lodge of Four Seasons, but it a private
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course. Also owned by the Lodge of Four Seasons are two courses, The Ridge and The Cove, which are both comparable in quality to Old Kinderhook, Osage National, and Tan-Tar-A’s courses. Elevations changes and spectacular views abound for both the Ridge, opened in 1991, and the Cove, a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course opened in 1971. The Cove, formerly known at Witches Cove, was originally a private course but recently made the change to being opened to the public. With not a bad course in the area, other courses in the Lake of the Ozarks area include Bay View Golf Course, Bear Creek Valley Golf Club, The Golf Club at Deer Chase, Dogwood Hills Golf Club, Eldon Golf and Country Club, Indian Rock Golf Club, Lake Valley Country Club, Rolling Hills Country Club, and Sycamore Creek Golf Club. Attractions for the Lake of the Ozarks
area include the Bagnell Dam, which made possible the filling of the Lake of the Ozarks. The Dam was built to provide hydroelectric power for Missouri. The Lake of the Ozarks area includes 22 hiking trails, more than 100 restaurants with about half overlooking the water, 30 marinas and boat rental businesses, wineries, excursion yachts, helicopter rides, airplane rides, indoor and outdoor water parks, three show caves, the largest premium outlet mall in Missouri, one of the top three fisheries in the country, and over 500 fishing tournaments annually. “Our central location has actually helped us in the down economy, and we’ve held our own in 2009 compared to previous years, and we’ve substantially outperformed our competitive set compared to other tourist destinations in the state and in our region,” said Jim Divincen, who title is Administrator, Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association. Divincen lists Branson as the area’s biggest competition. Both locations offer great golf along with fishing and lake activities. “We have an outstanding variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy, wonderful accommodation units and campgrounds, all with the scenic backdrop of Missouri’s beautiful Lake of the Ozarks,” said Divincen.
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