GREAT LAKE ESCAPES

The Perfect Summer Getaway

Is Just A Drive Away

NOTHING IS QUITE AS RELAXING AS A DAY AT THE LAKE. FISHING, BOATING, HIKING, OFF-ROADING, OR JUST PLAIN LOUNGING ON A DOCK IN THE SUNSHINE — SPENDING TIME LAKESIDE IS A WAY TO DECOMPRESS, DESTRESS, AND CHILL DURING SUMMER.

othing is quite as relaxing as a day at the lake. Fishing, boating, hiking, off-roading, or just plain lounging on a dock in the sunshine—spending time lakeside is a way to decompress, destress, and chill during summer. Whether you’re looking at a weekend getaway or a longer stay, these five lakes provide the back-to-nature experiences that define this time of year. Best part? They’re all within easy driving distance, so pack up your Onyx vehicle—and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Lake Mcconaughy

Affectionately known as “Big Mac” or more simply “Lake Mac,” this lake is as mighty as they come. At 30,000 surface acres, Lake McConaughy is Nebraska’s largest reservoir. Just eight miles northeast of Ogallala, there is plenty to do. Water recreation runs the gamut and includes boating, water skiing, jet skiing, tubing, scuba diving, parasailing, paddle boarding, wind surfing, and, of course, swimming. (The white sand beaches make dipping your toes in particularly popular.) Boating options abound. You can bring your own, with boat ramps available around the lake, or rent a watercraft from a local outfitter.

If getting wet isn’t your thing, there’s more to enjoy in the great outdoors such as camping, hiking, stargazing, birdwatching, hunting, and fishing and angling. Walleye, catfish, Northern pike, wiper, smallmouth bass, and white bass, among other game species, are just waiting for the right lure or fly. Fishcleaning stations are open at Martin Bay, Otter Creek, and Cedar View. Note that camping is by reservation only during peak times, which run May 20 through September 10. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance. Numerous cabin rentals are also on offer on and around this vast lake.

Get started at:

Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area

1475 Highway 61N | Ogallala, Nebraska ilovelakemac.com or outdoornebraska. gov/location/lake-mcconaughy

Lewis And Clark Lake

Just behind Lake Mac is Lewis and Clark Lake, Nebraska’s second largest reservoir. The body of water has a venerable history. Situated between the state’s northeast border with South Dakota, the lake is named for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which stopped nearby during its exploration of the Louisiana Purchase territories. The lake boasts scenic panoramas perfect for hunting, bird watching, cycling, horseback riding, and hiking. Fishing is a major draw with species like large-and smallmouth bass, crappie, sauger, walleye, catfish, and bluegill, which can all be found around the jetties at the Weigand-Burbach area, which improves and promotes habitat and fishing opportunities and has a fishcleaning station.

With access to the Missouri River, boating is a main draw. Speedboats, sailboats, and personal watercraft are allowed with fuel for sale at the Weigand Marina. Both seasonal and daily rental docs are options and can be reserved in advance. Camping is also a consistently favorite pastime at the lake with over 150 campsites offering electricity and another 100 listed as basic sites. (Camping is allowed throughout the year, but electricity and modern showers and bathroom facilities are available April through October, depending on weather conditions.) If you’d prefer not to pitch a tent, 10 fully equipped two-bedroom cabins, which sleep seven people, are also available for $160 a night.

Begin planning via:

Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area

54731 897 Rd. | Crofton, Nebraska outdoornebraska.gov/location/lewisand-clark

Tuttle Creek Lake

This quaint name belies a reservoir that totals some 5,000 hectares. That’s over 12,000 acres of water, plus 100 miles of pristine wooded shoreline. Situated along the Big Blue River in northeastern Kansas’s beautiful Flint Hills, this lake was originally intended for flood control during the mid-20th century, but it’s since emerged as a popular area for outdoor recreation. It boasts 11 parks: four managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, six by the Corps of Engineers, and one by Pottawatomie County.

A whopping 16,000 acres of land ring the lake and offer overnight camping pads, modern log cabins, picnic shelters, a volleyball court, disc golf, utility hookups, beaches, boat ramps, and a full-service marina. Visitors will also find nature, hiking, equestrian, and off-road vehicle trails along with a shooting range. The land is teeming with wildlife and offers premier hunting opportunities, which include pheasant, white-tailed deer, quail, waterfowl, and turkey. Fishing includes the chance to catch crappie, catfish, and white bass, among other species.

Lake information can be found at:

Tuttle Creek State Park

5800 A River Pond Rd. | Manhattan, Kansas manhattancvb.org or stateparks.com/ tuttle_creek_state_park_in_kansas

Lake Of The Ozarks

One of the most popular lake destinations in the entire Midwest, Lake of the Ozarks was famous long before the acclaimed Netflix series Ozark. Located in central Missouri, this lake offers sleeping rough or luxury resort living—and everything in between. Recreation possibilities are practically endless from adventurous outdoor pursuits like boating, fishing, and hiking to more refined escapes like fine dining, shopping, and spa visits. There are even helicopter and airplane tours. So much is possible because of the sheer size; at a mammoth 54,000 surface acres with 1,150 miles of shoreline, it’s one of the largest manmade lakes on the globe.

Not surprisingly, this outdoor attraction includes not one but two state parks: the Lake of the Ozarks State Park and the Ha Ha Tonka State Park. (The former is home to the infamous Party Cove, which The New York Times labeled the “oldest established permanent floating bacchanal in the country” in 2005. Events are an enormous tourist draw. Water lovers congregate on rafts and tubes and boats link up to one another while live music plays during the annual AquaPolooza, scheduled July 15 this year. On August 19, the “Shootout,” or “the largest unsanctioned boat race in the US, and maybe the world” held every year takes place. The powerboat race surges over a three-mile course and benefits various charities. These events are just the beginning of what visitors can indulge in at this lake destination.

Plan your visit:

Lake of the Ozarks

1000 Bagnell Dam Blvd.

Lake Ozark, Missouri funlake.com and mostateparks.com/ park/lake-ozarks-state-park

LAKE OKOBOJI

Generations have flocked to this beloved glacier-carved, spring-fed lake, technically West Lake Okoboji, known for its clean, clear blue water. The crowning centerpiece of Iowa’s Great Lakes chain, this body of water totals 3,850 acres, spans two miles across, and plummets 136 feet at its deepest. Outdoor recreation is for all ages: pickleball, yoga, disc golf, biking, hiking, golf, beach volleyball, kayaking, paddle boarding, wake boarding, sailing, and much more. Arnolds Park Amusement Park, situated on the lakeshore, also provides old-fashioned family fun with the wooden Legend Roller Coaster and the Queen II lake excursion boat.

For those who want to spend their days on the water, the Okoboji Boat Works Fleet in the Marina District in Smith’s Bay offers daily or seasonal boat slip rentals, an on-water gas dock, boat and watersports rentals, and fishing licenses and supplies. Parks and campsites are also perfect places for land-based activities. Multiple beaches provide plenty of sand ideal for whiling away a sunny day and making summertime memories. Cap the night with a brilliant fireworks show, held every Saturday from the middle of June through August. Live music and theater also provide ample entertainment after a full day at the lake.

Make plans at:

Vacation Okoboji

243 W Broadway St. | Arnolds Park, Iowa vacationokoboji.com

DRIVEELECTRIC.DRIVELUXURY.DRIVEANYWHERE.

Designedtoleavealuxuriousimpression,theall-electricBMWi7offersawholenewtakeonelevated style,substanceandinnovativedesign.

State-of-the-artfeaturesliketheBMWCurvedDisplay,AutomaticDoors,31''BMWTheaterScreen, andPanoramicSkyLoungeLEDRoof,aswellasarangeupto318milesonasinglecharge,arejust afewdetailsoftheBMWi7thatmakeitundeniablyalluring.

Intheall-electricBMWi7,youcanexpecttheexceptionalandexperiencetheextraordinary.

ThisistheUltimateElectricDrivingMachine. ®

ContactaClientAdvisoratBMWofOmahatolearnmoreaboutthei7today.

BMWofOmaha

14800BranchSt

Omaha,NE68154

(402)393-9700 bmwofomaha.com

©2023BMWofNorthAmerica,LLC.TheBMWtrademarksareregisteredtrademarks.

TheRangeRoverplug-inelectrichybridcontinuestoleadbyexample.Withanelectric rangeofupto51miles*andagasolineengineforlonger-rangeadventures,itdelivers breathtakingmodernityandluxurythatcanonlycomefromRangeRover.

LandRoverOmaha

14800BranchStreet,Omaha,NE,68154 4023939700 landroveromaha.com

Vehicleshown:2023RangeRoverPHEV.*All-electricrangeis51mileswithfullychargedbatteryinfullEVMode.FigureisEPAestimate.Actualrangewillvarywithdriving conditions,andotherfactors.SeeyourlocalauthorizedLandRoverRetailerformoredetails.©2023JaguarLandRoverNorthAmerica,LLC