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Published May/Jun 2005 | ||||||
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The Midwest offers a wealth of wonderful lake areas where you can drop a fishing line, swing a golf club, go shopping or just sit back and relax.
By Jackie Sheckler Finch |
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 awn streaks the sky, birds chirp their morning song and a soft breeze flutters from the lake. Taking a couple of steps from his living room, an early riser steps into a boat for a leisurely day of fishing or cruising on the water.This idyllic setting is at Patoka Lake Marina in Indiana where the state’s only floating cabins have become a popular destination for visitors. “It’s like the best of both worlds,” said Harvey Edwards, operator of Patoka Lake Marina & Lodging. “You’re in a house, but you’re on the water.” Water wonderlands have long been a favorite destination for fun. A day on a lake is a gift that can be filled with water activities, surrounded by natural beauty. Or it’s a chance to sit back and relax, letting the world go by while reveling in a lovely waterscape. Midwest travelers are fortunate that they have such a wealth of wondrous water spots from which to choose. Patoka Lake Known as the “Jewel of the Heartland,” Patoka Lake was opened to the public on Aug. 20, 1980. Amish craftsmen constructed the new floating cabins on aluminum barges. Three-bedroom models have a living room, dining area, two bedrooms and an upstairs with master bedroom and bath. But they’re not like normal houseboats. “You don’t take them out on the lake,” Edwards said. “They stay right here, attached to our dock.” The sprawling reservoir is home to several popular fish, such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, striper, bluegill and crappie. The 8,800-acre lake and its surrounding 16,920-acre reserve offer back bays so quiet that visitors often see deer and wild turkeys walking along the bank. “When you come here,” Edwards said, “you really do get away from it all.” Lake of the Ozarks Nestled amid the rolling hills of central Missouri, the Lake of the Ozarks has delighted visitors for more than 70 years. With 1,150 miles of scenic shoreline–more than the Pacific coast of California–the 54,000-acre lake offers something for everyone. “Once people come here, they seem to keep coming back,” said Anita Topel, who moved from Chicago to Lake of the Ozarks with her husband, Richard. “I remember when we first came out here, my husband said he was able to look up and see the stars. You can’t do that in a big city.” On and off the lake, the recreation choices seem limitless. Carved out of verdant forest and rolling hills, the lake area’s 15 courses offer 260 holes of golf. Dining covers everything from gourmet cuisine to family-style buffets. At least 40 restaurants are on the waterfront with scenic lake views to complement fine food. There’s also shopping and family amusements in the area. Lake of the Ozarks is among the few travel destinations in the nation where three show caves cluster within 30 miles of each other. One of the most unusual state parks also is at Lake of the Ozarks. Ha Ha Tonka at Camdenton centers on the ruins of a home resembling a castle built in the early 1900s by a Kansas City businessman. Rend Lake Located in southern Illinois, Rend Lake features 19,000 acres of water and numerous outdoor activities. With an overflow dam and a relatively shallow reservoir, averaging 10 feet in depth, Rend Lake is the state’s second-largest manmade lake. Built as a water supply in 1965, Rend Lake is considered to be a top fishing spot for crappie and bluegill. The lake is surrounded by 21,000 acres of public land and has 162 miles of shoreline. A major draw is that the area around the lake is virtually commercial free and undeveloped. “There is so much privacy on the lake,” said Brian Laur. “There’s all kinds of little coves where you can go to get away. It’s hard to believe that the lake is so close to the interstate. It is very easy access.” To get started, stop by the visitor center located at the south end of the lake. Brochures are available and trained staff can answer questions. The visitor center also has a 250-gallon fish tank and a collection of live snakes. A wetland and wildlife demonstration garden is an interesting outdoor feature. A working beehive gives visitors a first-hand look at nature’s honey factory. Bird-watching is a popular pursuit with sightings of many birds including blue herons and bald eagles. Rend Lake has earned a reputation as one of the best waterfowl hunting areas in the state for ducks and geese. For golfers, there’s the popular 27-hole Rend Lake Golf Course with its contoured bent grass greens, zoysia fairways and tees. “The course has a lot of character,” said Laur, head golf pro. “The first 18 holes were put in 1976 and the other nine in 1994 so the course is really mature with a great layout.” Lake Cumberland Catch sight of a glistening fish darting from the calm lake, then slipping easily back into its watery home. Feel the soft rock-a-bye of the current, washing away the cares and stress of every day life. The appeal of a houseboat vacation seems to be a great solution to an often-hectic world. When Lake Cumberland in south-central Kentucky was created in 1951 by the construction of Wolf Creek Dam, the lake spawned a growing industry of houseboat builders. In fact, Lake Cumberland is the No. 1 houseboating destination in the United States, according to the Russell County Tourism Commission. “There are probably 400 rental houseboats on Lake Cumberland,” said Glendal Bray at Burnside Marina. “The lake is a big body of water, so deep and clean.” |
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