Need Some Input On A Missouri Cabin

DS and I need a long weekend of father/son time. He's in Columbus, OH now and I'm still in Nebraska. The Ozarks are pretty and about in the middle. Thinking I'd like to rent a cabin on a lake, preferably a small lake without giant powerboat flotillas. The more rustic the better. Thought about Meramec State Park. Pretty, but too crowded for us. Something up in the middle of the state, Columbia area, would be great since it would mean less driving, but we're not stuck on that. Any of you show-me folks know of such a place?

I'm in Branson, lots of great little resorts and cabins around TableRock Lake and it's clean water and wonderful quiet coves and not the huge power boats like at Lake of the Ozarks where the water is more dirty. Mark Twain Lake is a smaller lake and that is north and east of Columbia (easy access to Hannibal). I could find out from my dad if he knows of cabins around that area. Water is darker up there (lots of farming). The further south you go in the state the clearer the water is. Streams down here are rock based not mud based. Other small lakes you might look at Stockton, Truman Lake is nice too. I can come up with more.....give me time.

This is my area and yes it is very pretty. Unfortunately the big lakes are crowded, but lake of the Ozarks is a very big lake with something like 1,500 miles of shoreline, so I think you could find a private cove or two. Another fun thing to do if you aren't set on a lake vacation is a winery tour. Missouri has some wonderful wines and was once (before prohibition) a huge wine producing area. They are starting to come back and making some waves in the wine world. Another fun thing would be a float trip down current or black river. Crystal clear water and not too crowded. There are camp sites along the rivers where you pitch your tent, then hop in the river for a relaxing float. The camp folks will pick you up and bring you back to camp.
Or, if you guys are into music, Columbia has the Roots & Blues festival in September. We saw Johnny Winters last year, rest his soul, and had a blast. (It was obvious he wasn't doing so well then, but it didn't matter to us. We were just trilled)

Look on line, maybe google lake/river camps of Missouri or something. At times the entire state seems rural, I'm sure you can find something to your liking.:)

Thanks guys, I'll start checking around.

I worked as a Rockette in Branson many many years ago. (I think it's been seventeen years.) It was a lot of fun. We got to go on Andy Williams show. The mountains are gorgeous. I remember taking a day trip to a place called Virginia City? (That might not be the name...my memory is failing me.) It was an artsy place. I really liked it. I also heard that the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum was nice. I wish I'd seen it. I love her books and her daughter Rose's books, too. Hope you find a nice spot.

I've vacationed at Table Rock a couple of times. It doesn't quite meet your requirements, but not a bad place. Seems like the building restrictions keep the housing back in the woods away from the shoreline and out of sight, so it has a relatively natural look to it. It's a huge reservoir, but many of the quiet coves seem isolated and much smaller. And I don't recall any huge flotilla of boat traffic. We have stayed at some cabins around a place called Shell Knob which is a little town and few resorts and not terribly touristy. Fishing is decent and we rented a nice bass boat for a couple of days for what didn't seem like a huge amoun of money and the cabins were very reasonable. I doubt if I could remember the name of them. I just imagine there are smaller and less visited places, but maybe that helps.

The Rockettes Christmas Show was mainly at the Grand Palace which sadly hasn't had a show in it in years now. I think the Rockettes did 3 or 5 years. So I probably saw you a time or two awakendsoul, my friend Noel was assistant to the scheduler that booked all the acts when the GP was first built and in it's prime. No Virginia City near here. If it was a town it was probably Eureka Springs in AR. Or did you take a day trip to Silver Dollar City the theme park with craftsmen?

I would agree with Rogar that Shell Knob is a great quiet area, we go over there about once a month to visit friends who used to own a resort (sadly, they sold it a couple years back or I'd hook you up with one of their little cabins) also Kimberling City area.

That's it...Eureka Springs. I loved that place...thanks Float On. I think Virginia City is near Reno. My memory was failing me.

I was in Branson the first year the Rockettes performed at the Grand Palace. It's been a long time.

Hope you find something rustic and to your liking. It's a beautiful area.

My friend has a cute log cabin cabin that is very secluded near Farmington, MO. It is off a gravel road, that's off a highway.

It has a little pond that has bass and crappie. She doesn't normally rent it, but I told her about your query and she would be willing to rent it to you since she has talked about renting it out. It is in "wine country" of Missouri which means there are wineries within 20 miles. I've stayed there several times. If interested pm me. My friend will email you photos.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by awakenedsoul

That's it...Eureka Springs. I loved that place...thanks Float On.

---

Eureka Springs is wonderful due to the Victorian Architecture and the Victorian village. It's one of my regular stops on Realtor.com