The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Playcation spot
Lake of the Ozarks extends summer on the water
The Lake of the Ozarks had been on my radar as a potential vacation spot for several years before my husband suggested we watch “Ozark,” the Netflix television show set in the central Missouri resort area.
The program that centers on a shady financial planner, portrayed by Jason Bateman, trying to launder millions of dollars in drug money in the vacation destination further intrigued me. The region, with its miles of shoreline, bustling marinas and lush woods, plays a central role in “Ozark.” And, despite the show’s dark nature, seemed like a fun place for an active family to explore.
It wasn’t until after I booked our stay at the Alhonna Resort & Marina — the mom-and-pop operation where the show’s writer worked in the ’80s — that I realized the series is filmed in Georgia. Still, Bateman and many others from the show visited Alhonna before constructing the set for its fictional counterpart, the Blue Cat Lodge.
We built our trip around spending as much time in and on the lake as possible. On our first full day, we rented a pontoon boat from Alhonna and spent hours exploring the 54,000-acre lake, which was formed in 1931 when the Osage River was dammed to create a hydroelectric power plant.
It was early in the week, so we didn’t encounter much boat traffic as we puttered along, investigating the many coves of the lake’s winding shoreline, stopping often to drop anchor and swim. The lake boasts more miles of shoreline than the California coast. Driving the boat up to a lakeside restaurant and docking it so we could eat lunch was a highlight for our boys, aged 12 and 13. They also loved fishing, catching many bluegill we later cleaned and ate. We all enjoyed ogling the beautiful homes lining the lake.
The next day, we decided to continue our lake explorations at an even more laid-back pace — on paddleboards. Because only two of us had tried the activity — which requires you to stand, balance and paddle Bridal Cave, with its stalactiteadorned Bridal Chapel, and Jacob’s Cave, a large cave accessible for people with disabilities and featuring reflective pools and interesting cave formations, are two of the most popular.