I was just there last week. Awesome place. I can not concur enough with the comments about traffic on a holliday/weekend. TONS of 40+ft cruisers running around and the lake gets rough. Before 9am and after 7 is best time to travel the main channel. Like others have said, once you go you will want a bigger boat haha. TONS of bars and places to eat. We tried something different every day. All the ones mentioned are great fun. Check schedules for bands and themes and specials. My wife and I had a blast.

Only comment I have is for some reason I was rejected from joining a boat chain in party cove :( guess he didn't like Stingrays haha. Cause several boats were added as the day went on. Oh well. Still had a blast.

Enjoy!

Went to Tirebiters last night for a beer and some peanuts. They no longer have peanuts! She said that the owner cut them out several months ago and they hear many complaints. Might have been a bad decision. The gals are as nice as always.

If this is your first time to LOTO there is a couple things worth mentioning. The mile markers are counted from Bagnell Dam (0) to Truman Dam (90 whatever) on the main (osage) channel, the other arms number from where they leave main channel to there ends of navigable water. These MM are marked on shore by a green or orange sign stating the mile and arm of lake, for example the sign nearest my house reads 50 OSAGE , and a sign on the Niangua might show 4 NIANGUA. These signs are on both sides of the channel every mile. Observe the no wake zones, have PFD's and all the safety stuff in order, a sober captain, plenty of fenders if you want to raft up or for GAS/ bar/restaurant stops. The state park off 54 just a mile or 2 west of Grand Glaize bridge has the best ramp and parking for the biggest boats that are trailer launched. There are so many great places to eat it is hard to say whats best, but places that stay open year after year that don't have a gimmick about duck pirate dick's dirty sanchez liquer must be doing the other stuff right. My Best burger and fries so far this year has been at a little place on the end of Red Oak Resort dock called I think Cafe 32 (32 MM) kind of west of Bulldogs a 100 yds or so. Also The Red Fox at the 50 has been very good with a loyal local following (self included). Also have had EXCELLENT Fried Gulf Shrimp at Shrimpdaddies on hwy 5 Sunrise Beach area.

There are very few, if any MM signs on the main Osage arm, at least in the 0-38mm range. It is pretty easy to tell what MM you are at if you have a small lake map.

Griff, I've definitely seen a few, they just make them d*mn difficult to see.

I really meant to mention that the signs are small and hard to spot, they are only about 2 feet square or so so they are not really any bigger than the ameren required dock signs. I agree that even a free placemat map can get you to most of the places you want to go, and until you are familiar with the lake you don't want to be without one. The first time I went out on LOTO I had rented a house and knew the MM and what it looked like but don't have GPS ##s , Anyway I had always heard things referred to by MM and had the mistaken idea that I would be able easily spot a promenent sign and got lost as a bastard because I didn't see any signs at all. Later I was able to figure out were they were and only 1 on each side not at all easy to find, That was what I was trying to say, but it got lost in a void between my keyboard and Budweiser addled brain.

Might of been waiting for some friends to tie up first. Only time we do that is when the boat is "tin" of full of water ballon launching, beer bong guys and we know we could be looking at problems in a few hours.

Kathy and I like Baxters on land for sit down.

My boat may have also been a little small to tie up next to him as well. My boat sits pretty low on the water. I know a little better what to look for now.

Baha- we think alike. Surprised I dont run into you guys more often at these places.

Yep- Kim still there and she still has her twins. :) every booth has a tv in it and no more peanuts. :(