My Happy Place

Dan Debert

What I enjoy the most about the Lake is the diversity of people you encounter. You meet people from all over the country who enjoy the Lake.

I have been coming down here my entire life. I’ve gone from enjoying weekends with my family as a kid, to working at the Lodge of the Four Seasons as a tennis pro, to bartending at “The Fish” (the best bar at the Lake, in my opinion) to partying with my college buddies, to now bringing my family down whenever I get a chance. My kids are now like I was when I was young. All three love hanging out with their grandparents, aunt, and cousins, going for boat and waverunner rides, and overall the atmosphere… they love absolutely everything about it.

The Lake is family time. When I was a kid, I loved visiting my grandparents down Y Road in Linn Creek. That’s where most of my favorite memories were made, from fishing and barbecuing with my grandpa, to skiing every morning with my dad, to playing baseball in the yard with my grandma. And now I get to come down here and hang out with my parents, sister, and my own family of five. I can spend time with my family all day and then enjoy taking my beautiful wife out on a date at one of our favorite restaurant/bars at night.

The Lake is definitely my happy place. When you are on the boat, all the problems you may have (away from the Lake) magically disappear. Time with my family is the most important thing to me, and the Lake brings us all together.

Miranda Ketcherside

I grew up visiting Lake of the Ozarks with family, and this has remained a tradition over the years. Because it is a central location in Missouri, my family are all within driving distance, which makes scheduling plans much easier and more frequent. I now have relatives permanently residing in the area, so we always gather here for major holidays and family reunions. This has become a source of comfort for me over the years as I have moved from city to city but maintained this familiar gathering place. As I have grown older, I have realized how important it is to have somewhere like this that allows family members to connect and visit with one another. Lake of the Ozarks has done a great job of keeping us close.

When we are all together, we spend the days boating and the evenings going out to explore the local restaurants. Every arm has its own beautiful features, lakeside restaurants, and interesting homes. The unique shape of the Lake with its many arms creates quaint coves to anchor in and relax. So many others are typically enjoying the Lake this same way, and making new friends and tying boats together is not uncommon. I have actually made several close friends this way, and we have remained in contact for years. In the evenings, I enjoy exploring the different restaurants the Lake has to offer, each with its own interesting food selection and atmosphere. Even in the off-season when everything slows down, many bars and restaurants stay lively and fun to visit. For me, Lake of the Ozarks has been a place of comfort to connect with family, enjoy fun times together, and meet new people.