The Great Dam Tour
Ready for an adventure? Here’s how to see all four dams in the Lake area, from easiest to hardest. by Amiyah Fitzsimmons & Nathan Bechtold The Lake of the Ozarks is bookended by two dams, each contributing uniquely to the area's development and landscape over the...
Editor’s Note: Building A Legacy
Sometime around 1940, Grandpa bought a couple hundred acres from Great-Grandpa Brown, just a stone’s throw from the Osage River. He and Grandma built a house, raised four boys, tilled the rocky land for a garden and ran pigs and cows in the fields and forests. They’re...
The Lake’s Most Desirable Neighborhood Is Growing… Again
The Villages at Shawnee Bend began as a vast, nearly inaccessible woodland on the west side of Lake of the Ozarks. Tom Biggs, along with the help of Dale and Lorraine Perkinson, began the development in the 1990s. “I vividly remember surveying the property with my dad...
What’s New On The Water
Shopping for a boat in 2026? Here’s what to look for. by Tegan Pasley There is always something new on the horizon, and boaters at Lake of the Ozarks have lots to look forward to with the latest line-up in 2026. Whether it’s a luxury yacht, sleek tritoon, or fast...
On The Horizon
by Nathan Bechtold The Lake’s skyline is changing. Among the abundant, rolling hills and sheer cliffs, several prominent developments are rising, as crews labor on some of the biggest projects this place has ever seen. Here’s what’s on the horizon for 2026 and beyond…...
Boat Gas 24/7/365
Need boat gas after hours (or in the winter)? We found three spots to get it. From October to April, cold weather imposes the “offseason” at Lake of the Ozarks. And as fall turns to winter, many marinas close or operate with reduced hours until the spring. ...
The Newest, Fastest Electric Boat
In the quest for electric-powered speed on the water, a group of college students thinks they may have discovered the secret formula. by Janet Dabbs A collegiate team is attempting to design and engineer the fastest electric boat the world has ever seen. The...
Vintage Boat Tales
by Tegan Shockley Every summer weekend, the Lake of the Ozarks shines with flashy new boats, from catamarans to cruisers. But on the quieter days, a rarer breed of boater comes out to play: vintage boat owners. The 1956 Larson Falls Flyer - Ernie Lierman Ernie...
The Amazing Amphicar
The rare, amphibious car that cruises the Lake’s shorelines sports a fascinating back-story. by Tegan Shockley Is it a car? Is it a boat? Yes! The Amphicar is the only civilian amphibious automobile to be mass-produced, and one resides right here at Lake of the...
The Great Loop
Boaters Tommy and Tina Osborne complete a year-long journey through salt and fresh water. by Annika Bringman & Nathan Bechtold In a spur-of-the-moment decision in the fall of 2021, boaters Tommy and Tina Osborne decided to fulfill their decade-long dream of...
Embrace The Reputation, It’s Not Going Anywhere
Lake of the Ozarks has a reputation. Rough water, pool bars, party coves and hot nights: it’s a party lake. Water like glass, kayaking, paddleboarding, wakesurfing, morning Waverunner rides: it’s a watersports lake. Boat races, poker runs and a powerboat scene...
Boatloads Of Memories
From the heyday of excursion boats on Lake of the Ozarks, these four may be the most beloved and nostalgic. by Nathan Bechtold; Tom Sawyer reporting by Vicki Wood; Governor McClurg story from Damming The Osage, Lens & Pen Press. Available at...
The Blob!
These strange, jelly-donut-looking blobs are some of the Lake’s most curious critters. And when you spot one, it’s a good sign. by Nathan Bechtold "What is that blob floating in the Lake?” It's a common question every summer, and it has an easy answer. While Lake of...
Secret Caves
Cruise into the Lake’s caves you can only access by water… if you dare. by Nathan Bechtold, with photos by Tegan Shockley As water dissolves rock, the voids left behind seem carved into the subterranean landscape by a mysterious and whimsical hand: springs,...
Wine With A View
At Shawnee Bluff Winery, sip and stay all day… or all weekend! Shawnee Bluff Winery on Bagnell Dam Boulevard, in Lake Ozark, offers a range of wine and food deliciously inspired by Northern Italy, while the amazing view of Lake of the Ozarks seals the deal as a...
Best Wake Lake!
The Lake of the Ozarks is a beloved summer hotspot for residents and visitors, and in 2023 it was voted the best lake for water sports in the country, by a USA Today readers poll. The Lake was among 20 destinations across the U.S. selected by a panel of travel experts...
Turn On The Blower!
Boat explosions after refueling happen every summer on Lake of the Ozarks. Here’s a guide for refueling safely. by Scott "Sky" Smith, republished courtesy of LakeExpo.com Safe boat refueling isn’t a no-brainer: boaters have to consider what’s unseen and take...
Papa Chubby’s!
This lakeside resort serving up Chicago-style food is a must-go and must-stay this season! by Kate Robbins/LakeExpo Staff Chicago-style cuisine on Lake of the Ozarks? Boaters can find the best of the Windy City at Papa Chubby’s Lakeside Resort. With their lakeside...
The Family Resort Revival
Something remarkable is happening to the Lake’s lodging scene: old family resorts are coming alive again. by Tegan Shockley, Deborah Wolfe, and Nathan Bechtold In the first few decades after Bagnell Dam was completed (in 1931), the Lake mostly drew anglers, coming to...
A Nauti Makeover
Nauti Renovations transforms boats with flooring that looks downright amazing. by Kate Robbins Since 2018, Nauti Renovations has been the exclusive dealer of AquaTraction in Missouri and the surrounding areas. During that time, Erica and Rick Butkovich have...
The Ceramic Difference
Midwest Coating Solutions helps boats shine like never before. by Adrienne Brown It’s a growing trend at the Lake: the application of a ceramic coating to boat surfaces, including the paint job, glass, and lights. Midwest Coating Solutions owner Alex Baum explains the...
$100,000 From Grandpa’s Honey Hole
Brock Boyher’s Big Bass Bash story has it all: underdog, nostalgia, drama, a hailstorm, and in the end: victory. by Kate Robbins You’ve never heard a fish story like this one. On his very first cast at his very first tournament, Brock Boyher won the 2023 Spring Big...
(Extremely) High Performance Marine
Johnny Alles knows boats that go zoom. And he helped build some of the most legendary ones of all. “I think I might have been conceived in a boat.” Whether a boat is truly where Johnny Alles first sparked to life or not (surely he wouldn’t be the first!), he’s been...
Katie Angles
She started fishing Lake of the Ozarks during Covid lockdowns. Now Katie angles like a pro. by Kate Robbins Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 disrupted the lives of people across the country, and being stuck at home is a time that few look back fondly on. But for one woman,...
A Trail To Connect The Lake
The gloriously ambitious Magic Dragon Trail System is happening, and it could expand the Lake’s tourism profile in a groundbreaking way. by Kate Robbins & Nathan Bechtold It’s an enormously ambitious undertaking, and one that could play a major role in the Lake of...
The Gamble
The race to build a casino at the Lake resembles a well-known card game. by Nathan Bechtold The Deal In 2020, a group of local investors called Osage River Gaming pulled up to the table, announcing their intent to bring a casino the region. And then in October of...
Grand Welcome!
This new franchise is bringing national brand power to Lake of the Ozarks vacation rentals “Local heart, national reach.” That’s the tagline for Grand Welcome Lake of the Ozarks, a new vacation rental franchise making a major splash in the Lake area’s vacation rental...
