Family vacation awaits in the Lake of the Ozarks

Holiday Shores Resort, www.HolidayShoresResort.com, 800-639-4207. Roomy condos with furnished kitchens, private lake-view decks, Wi-Fi, fireplaces; boat slips, game room, fire pit area, outdoor swimming pool; paddle boats and boat rentals.

Tan-Tar-A Resort Golf Club, Marina and Indoor Waterpark, www.Tan-Tar-A.com, 800-826-8272. Variety of accommodations; onsite waterpark, marina, golf, dining; Windjammer Spa and Salon.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — There are the green, rolling hills of Ozark Mountain Country; cutaways layered thickly with sandstone and limestone; two superlative state parks; and that lake — the jewel of mid-Missouri: the massive, 54,000-acre Lake of the Ozarks, stretching out more than 90 miles from end to end in sun-shimmering splendor.

Here is a laid-back, lake-front family vacation destination that checks all the boxes for a memorable, scenic and affordable getaway with more than enough to see and do.

With 1,150 miles of meandering shoreline surrounded by a dozen pretty communities, the lake is the focal point, and area accommodations — from cottages, condos and camping sites to full-service hotels and full-on resorts — take full advantage to showcase the view. For example, Tan-Tar-A Resort Golf Club, Marina and Indoor Waterpark, an amenities-rich wilderness retreat, spreads over 400 acres on the banks of the Lake of the Ozarks. The comfy and more intimate mom-and-pop Holiday Shores Resort offers thoughtfully-designed three-bedroom cottages tucked into the trees and lining the lakefront.

A STORIED LAKE

To get an idea of the sheer size and scope of the Lake of the Ozarks and learn how one of the world’s largest manmade lakes came into being, stop by the sprawling circa 1930 Willmore Lodge, a visitor center and free-admission museum operated by the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. You can read up on the area’s pre-lake history and towns submerged to make way for the construction of Bagnell Dam, which began in 1929, and follow the progression of the lake’s development. Stoll along the front deck for a lake views that bring photographers to their knees.

Follow this up with a narrated lake cruise everyone in the family will love: Captain Omer Clark and Tropic Island Cruises offer 90-minute excursions aboard a 150-passenger motor yacht. Departing from the dock at Tan-Tar-a Resort, the new Tropic Island II glides past rugged bluffs and multimillion dollar homes as the captain shares lake history and highlights. Order a cocktail from the bar to enjoy on the sundeck or inside in the air conditioning.

Of course, with a lake the size of this one, there is opportunity aplenty to dip your toes into the water — swimming, fishing, boating and all sorts of watersports adventures.

NATURAL BEAUTIES

A full 85 miles of the lake’s shoreline is within ruggedly beautiful Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri’s largest at a whopping 17,441 acres. Stretch out on two free sand beaches, swim, share a picnic, go hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding or take a boat out in this National Register of Historic Places marked by soaring bluffs, woodlands and ravines, historic log buildings, rustic bridges and stone ditch-dams built by the Civilian Conservation Corps of the Great Depression era.

Head underground into Bridal Cave, one of four area show caves as well as one of the largest caves in Missouri. Sitting adjacent to the lake, Bridal Cave legendarily hosted a Native American wedding ceremony in this pristine wonderland in the early 1800s. Today, more than 3,000 couples have been married or renewed their wedding vows in the same spot, now called Bridal Chapel.

Follow your tour guide over concrete pathways for a one-hour journey into this national treasure, whose chambers are marked by mineral deposits, giant columns, delicate soda straws and massive draperies. The cave boasts more onyx formations than any other known cave or cavern and Mystery Lake, a pure-water lake you can see on your tour that leads to the second, unseen Spirit Lake.

Nearby is Ha Ha Tonka State Park, a magnet with its 70-foot wide natural bridge that stretches upwards more than 100 feet; steep-sided sinkhole called the Colosseum; and Counterfeiter’s Cave and Robber’s Cave, both used as hide-outs by 1830s bad guys. Native Americans explored the area, Daniel Boone fur trapped here and a wealthy Kansas businessman built a European-style stone castle on its grounds. Trek the trails and boardwalks to see the park’s caves, sinkholes and castle remains.

SUPERB STOP-BYS

Let yourself be lured away from the lake — at least briefly — for these roadworthy stops.

It’s easy to get caught up in the savings-and-specials frenzy at the Osage Beach Premium Outlets, but great bargains really can be found. This is one of the largest outlet shopping centers in the U.S., so everyone’s favorites are among the more than 110 top-name manufacturer outlets represented.

With a sweeping garden-and-gazebo view against a forested backdrop, the Seven Springs Winery and Vineyards makes for a gorgeous afternoon interlude. Order crusty French baguette to dunk into a piquant blend of parmesan cracked black pepper olive oil and sweet-cream butter — a perfect accompaniment to any of Seven Springs’ delicious wines.

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(Author and travel and lifestyle writer Kathy Witt feels you should never get to the end of your bucket list; there's just too much to see and do in the world. Contact her at KathyWitt24@gmail.com, @KathyWitt.)