FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 4, 2018
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CAMDENTON NAMED ONE OF THE TOP DESTINATIONS TO VISIT IN AMERICA
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. - In a recent poll conducted by Expedia.com, Camdenton, Mo. was listed in the top 25 destinations to visit in America.
The poll, whose results were published in March 2018, asked over a thousand travelers which small to medium cities were their favorites to visit. Camdenton,
known as "the crossroads of the Lake of the Ozarks," was named among the best.
"We are thrilled to be named in the top 25 vacation destinations in America to visit," says Trish Creach, executive director of the Camdenton Chamber of Commerce. "Camdenton is a complete package for play and leisure and we're delighted that so many people recognize that. We are so blessed to call Camdenton home and to have the opportunity to share the very best of the region with our visitors."
This city of just under 4,000 residents boasts several popular natural attractions, great restaurants, two championship golf courses, lakeside resorts, fun festivals and more, contributing to the Lake of the Ozarks area bringing in nearly five million visitors each year.
According to the story that ran on Expedia's Viewfinder Travel Blog, visitors will be "enthralled with the masterpieces that Mother Nature whipped up in this region, but the manmade creations ... are equally compelling."
Of the natural attractions, Bridal Cave and Ha Ha Tonka State Park were listed as must-sees.
Bridal Cave,
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Take a tour of the area's underground beauty at Bridal Cave.
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526 Bridal Cave Road, has a history steeped in Native American legend and lore, including a storied wedding within its walls which gives the cave its name. Bridal Cave was formed around 42-46 million years ago and features massive columns, stalagmites, large draperies, a lake whose origins are a mystery and the most onyx formations of any known cave or cavern. And, there's the stalactite adorned Bridal Chapel, where over 3,300 couples from around the world have exchanged or renewed their vows.
Bridal Cave received national attention when Glamour magazine recently named it as one of the top-10 "craziest, most-awesome places to get married." Guided tours are available year around. For more information on the history of Bridal Cave, wedding arrangements, tour schedules and admission prices, visit www.BridalCave.com.
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Visitors overlook Ha Ha Tonka Spring_ the 12th largest spring in the state.
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Ha Ha Tonka State Park, 1491 State Road D, was recently voted the fourth-best state park in the nation by readers of USA Today and named one of the most romantic spots in Missouri by MSN Today. According to Ozark folklore, the curious name of this Ozark beauty, Ha Ha Tonka, is derived from an Osage Indian phrase believed to mean "laughing waters," in reference to the park's large natural spring. The spring is just one of many features that attracts roughly 520,000 visitors to the park each year.
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The "castle" ruins perched atop a tall limestone bluff at Ha Ha Tonka State Park offer an expansive view of the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.
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This state park features 3,751 acres to explore and is home to one of the most fascinating sites and stories in Missouri --the ruins of a European-style "castle," perched high atop a bluff overlooking the Lake.
A paved walking trail leads visitors from a nearby parking lot to the bluff-top ruins and some spectacular views of the Lake. Robert M. Snyder, an affluent Kansas City businessman, envisioned the unique edifice at the turn of the 20th century. Snyder began construction on the castle in 1905, but before it was completed, he died in one of Missouri's first automobile accidents. Snyder's adult children finished construction on the castle in 1922 and in later years it was operated as a hotel. In 1942, the interior of the property was destroyed by fire and the castle was never restored. Today, only the ruins remain.
Nature shares the spotlight with the castle ruins at Ha Ha Tonka. The park features eight caves, some of which were used as hideouts by bandits and others were Native American sacred places. Other natural wonders at Ha Ha Tonka include a 500-foot by 300-foot sinkhole called the Colosseum, a natural bridge 60 feet long and 70 feet wide, a glade and a woodland area with over 400 species of animal and plant life. Ha Ha Tonka is also home to Missouri's 12th largest spring, which discharges approximately 58 million gallons of water daily into the Niangua arm of the Lake. Additional information on Ha Ha Tonka State Park can be found at mostateparks.com/park/ha-ha-tonka-state-park.
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The recently reopened Ozarks Amphitheater seats as many as 10,000 spectators. |
Of the man-made attractions,
Ozarks Amphitheater, a popular venue that hosts many legendary musical acts throughout the summer months,
made the list. The amphitheater, located at 2629 North Business Route 5, is an impressive, open-air venue that seats over 10,000 spectators. The owners and operators of Ozarks Amphitheater, who
previously worked at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver, Co., renovated and reopened the Ozarks Amphitheater in 2015.
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The amphitheater hosts many legendary musical acts during its summer concert series.
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The 2018 summer concert series features an array of artists including Alabama, Montgomery Gentry, Primus, Mastadon, Jamey Johnson, and two tributes shows: One honoring Tom Petty and another celebrating Led Zeppelin, with more acts for the summer to be announced soon. Past musical guests have included The Guess Who, Warrant, Molly Hatchet, the Ozark Daredevils, Ted Nugent and more.
For more information on the Ozarks Amphitheater, or to order tickets for the upcoming concert series, please visit
www.OzarksAmphitheater.com
.
Other highlights of the Camdenton area include two celebrated golf courses, Lake Valley Golf Club and Old Kinderhook, both located on the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail. Lake Valley, located at 367 Blair Avenue, features a unique mix of six par threes, six par fours and six par fives. Lake Valley celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
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Old Kinderhook in Camdenton has been consecutively voted the second-best course by readers of GOLF magazine.
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The Tom Wieskopf-designed course at Old Kinderhook, 678 Old Kinderhook Drive, has been consecutively named the second-best course in Missouri by GOLF magazine. Old Kinderhook also boasts an 84-room lodge, spa, the award-winning Trophy Room restaurant and the area's only outdoor ice arena which transforms into a sand volleyball court in the warmer months.
Two Camdenton-based wineries serve expertly-crafted wines and made-in-house meals. Golden Rock Winery, 955 North Business Route 5,
offers 30 varieties of red, white, fruit and specialty wines, including "Cab Syrah Zin" and "Bella Bianco." An onsite restaurant prepares delicacies in a "green" kitchen. Wine tastings are available and Golden Rock also will custom label bottles of wine in a matter of minutes to make the perfect gift for any occasion.
SugarLoaf Vineyard,
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Visitors to SugarLoaf Vineyard can choose from eight different locally-made wines produced from grapes grown on the property.
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66 Feline Lane, features a rustic outdoor tasting room and serves made-from-scratch barbecue and pizzas. SugarLoaf offers eight varieties of wine made from grapes grown on the property. Visitors can eat and drink in the outdoor tasting pavilion or enjoy the waterfront picnic grounds. Sugarloaf borders about 1,200 feet of Lake of the Ozarks shoreline and also offers kayak rentals for those looking to enjoy a leisurely day paddling around on the water.
For visitors looking to plan a weekend of exploring all that Camdenton has to offer, there are many lodging options available. Accommodations range from full-service resorts to smaller, family-owned resorts; quaint bed and breakfasts to fully-equipped vacation rental homes and condominiums; rustic cabins and comfortable campgrounds and RV parks and familiar hotels and motels. For a complete listing of lodging options available around the Camdenton area, or the Lake area as a whole, visit the accommodations page at www.FunLake.com.
To find out more about all the attractions, fun
events
as well as
dining
options available
at the "Best Recreational Lake" in the nation, call the
Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau
(CVB) at
800-FUN-LAKE
, or visit the CVB's award-winning website at
www.FunLake.com
.
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LAKE OF THE OZARKS TRI-COUNTY LODGING ASSOCIATION
& CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU
Phone: 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) Fax: 573-348-2293
P.O. Box 1498 Osage Beach, MO 65065
Website: www.FunLake.com Email: [email protected]
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