(Photo: Courtesy of Evan Lampe, Lake of the Ozarks CVB)Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
Feeling like you might need a vacation from the heat? The Lake of the Ozarks is encircled by more than 1,000 miles of shoreline, and the crisp, cold water begs you to dive in for the expected activities of wake boarding, skiing, swimming and boating. The region is also home to another way to cool down, however. The natural grottos inside of the areas cave formations stay an average 58 degrees year round and tours run in most of them daily. There’s Bridal Cave – once believed to be the site of an ancient Indian wedding – where you can actually get married inside. Already hitched? Check out Ozark Caverns, where a dramatic, indoor waterfall pours out of seemingly solid, black rock. The region is also home to Ha Ha Tonka, a 2,500-acre park built around the ruins of a castle that burned in 1942. There are more caves to explore here, as well as underground streams, natural bridges, karst rock formations and the 12th largest spring in the state.
HINT: The area is prime of golfing. The Osage National course features 27 holes, 18 of which were designed by legendary pro, Arnold Palmer, and the neighboring Old Kinderhook course is a Tom Weiskopf Signature Course.
