If you've been hunting for one lake resort that works for a Christmas trip and a summer trip, let me introduce you to Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake. It sits in the Ozark hills just south of Branson, Missouri, a little over an hour from the Springfield airport, on a lake with 43,000 acres of clear water and more than 700 miles of shoreline. Big enough to feel like a true lake escape, close enough to Branson that you can tack on a theme park day.
We've now stayed at Big Cedar twice, once in December for Christmas and once in June with our boat in tow, and I can honestly say it's an incredibly fun property for families in both seasons.
Lay of the Land: Table Rock Lake and the Ozarks
Table Rock Lake was created in 1958 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the White River, and it stretches from southwest Missouri down into northwest Arkansas. At normal pool it covers about 43,100 acres with 745 miles of shoreline, and most of that shoreline is undeveloped, so you're looking at tree-lined bluffs and quiet coves. The water is clear and deep (over 200 feet near the dam), which is why boaters, wakeboarders and bass anglers all love it.
Branson is the big town on the east side, about 6 miles from the dam, with the shows, the strip and Silver Dollar City. Indian Point and Kimberling City on the west side are more classic lake life: marinas, mom-and-pop resorts and boat ramps. Big Cedar Lodge is in Ridgedale, roughly 10 miles south of Branson, right on the water.
Getting there is simple. Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is about 50 miles north of Branson, so figure a bit over an hour to Big Cedar, and Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) is around 100 miles away if you're coming from the south.
Where We Stayed: Big Cedar Lodge
Big Cedar Lodge is the 4,600-acre resort that Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris opened in 1988, and it feels like a national park lodge crossed with the best summer camp you never went to. You can pick from lodge rooms in Falls Lodge, Valley View Lodge and Spring View Lodge, private log cabins tucked back in the timber, the Knotty Pine Cottages, or the glamping-style Camp Long Creek down by the lake. In December we booked a private cabin, and it was the right call for our crew.
Our December cabin had a wood burning fireplace and looked out over the golf course. At night, with the fire going and a decorated Christmas tree glowing in the corner, the whole place felt magical. The private cabins come with full kitchens or kitchenettes and a deck with a gas grill, and the biggest two-bedroom cabins with a loft sleep up to 10, so grandparents or a second family can tag along.
What Makes It Special
Wood burning fireplaces in the cabins, which is hard to top on a cold December night.
Five pools across the property, including a year-round heated indoor pool with a hot tub and an outdoor lazy river that runs Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Fun Mountain, a 50,000 square foot indoor activity center with an arcade, underwater-themed bowling, Lucky Putt indoor mini golf, a ropes course and pizza.
Bent Hook Marina right on the lake with pontoon and ski boat rentals, covered slips, and kayaks, canoes and pedal boats for guests.
A complimentary shuttle that loops the whole resort, so you can leave the car parked.
Free entry to Top of the Rock for Big Cedar guests.
Notes to Keep in Mind
The property is huge and hilly, so plan on the shuttle or driving between your cabin, the pools and Fun Mountain.
Fair warning: holiday activities and most Fun Mountain attractions are priced a la carte, so budget for those on top of the room rate.
The lazy river and most outdoor pools are seasonal. In December, the indoor pool and hot tubs are your swimming options.
Christmas at Big Cedar: Elves, Ice Skating & Four Million Lights
Big Cedar calls its holiday season Home for the Holidays. It runs through November and December, with more than 4 million lights strung across the resort, and your kids will not want to leave.
Our trip started with an elves scavenger hunt waiting in the cabin when we arrived. The boys had to go around the cabin finding all the clues, and at the end they discovered sugar cookies and all the Christmas decorations. They loved the elf clues (Big Cedar sells this as the Elves Sweet Surprise in-room scavenger hunt, so you can book it too).
From there we did pretty much everything on the holiday list:
Breakfast with Santa, which is held at The Worman House on select weekend mornings.
Ice skating and snow tubing, set up right next to each other beside the decorated Christmas trees. The rink switched to real ice in 2025, and the tubing hill has a view of Table Rock Lake.
A family scavenger hunt one night, which we won! (Yes, we're still bragging.)
Hot cocoa and a tractor ride around the property to see all the Christmas lights. Bundle up and let the kids ooh and aah.
The hot tub and indoor pool for afternoon downtime, plus a trip to Fun Mountain for arcade games and pizza.
Mrs. Claus and one of her elves wrapped up the stay for us, stopping by the cabin with cookies and milk and a story for the boys. After all the big events, that low-key visit was the perfect send-off.
We also spent one day at Silver Dollar City for An Old Time Christmas. The park lights up with 6.5 million lights, more than a thousand decorated trees, and an eight-story tree on the town square that does a light show every 15 minutes after dusk. Most of the big rides stay open in winter unless it gets too cold, so we rode during the day and walked the lights after dark. For 2026 the festival runs early November through January 2 with a brand new nighttime parade, Stars, Lights & Christmas Nights.
Summer at Big Cedar: Lake Days, Lazy River & Fun Mountain
June at Big Cedar is a completely different trip, and just as fun. This time we brought our own boat down, and a lake day on Table Rock is the way to go. The water is clear and the coves are calm, with plenty of room to spread out. If you don't have a boat, Bent Hook Marina at the resort rents pontoons, ski boats and party barges.
Our favorite lake stop was Rock Lane Resort & Marina, on the west side of the lake about 15 minutes from Silver Dollar City. Their Rock Island Grill & Tiki Bar was remodeled in 2024 and 2025 and now has a swim-up bar, an infinity pool and a summer concert series. We pulled in by boat (there's a courtesy dock for that), and the tiki bar was such a fun restaurant. Between the swim-up bar and the live music, the kids were entertained the entire time.
Back at the resort, we spent a lot of time in the pools. The lazy river at the Brushy Creek pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the boys floated it on repeat. The Swimmin' Hole and Devil's Pool are heated outdoor pools with hot tubs, and Devil's Pool has a kiddie pool for the little ones.
Fun Mountain got its own afternoon. It's aquarium themed inside, and the 16-lane bowling alley has sea turtles, sharks and stingrays swimming over your head while you bowl. We bowled, played lots of arcade games, and then tried Lucky Putt, the indoor putt putt course. Lucky Putt is really fun: it's carnival style, with LED lighting and digital scoring, and you rack up points for trick shots instead of counting strokes. Highly recommend for a rainy day or a hot afternoon.
We did a Silver Dollar City day in June, too. The park is built around an 1880s Ozark village with more than 40 rides, shows and attractions, including Fire in the Hole (rebuilt as a new indoor coaster in 2024), Time Traveler, the Outlaw Run wooden coaster and Mystic River Falls for a proper soaking. Marvel Cave, the cave the park was built around, is included with admission and a nice cool break. In 2026, Summer Celebration runs June 6 through August 2.
More to Explore: Top of the Rock & Dogwood Canyon
If you have a spare afternoon in either season, two spots are worth it. Top of the Rock is Big Cedar's sister property up the hill, and the Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail is a 2.5-mile golf cart ride past nine waterfalls, through a cave (with a drink stop at the Bat Bar), and across a skybridge with a view over Table Rock Lake. In December the same trail turns into the Nature at Night light tour.
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is Johnny Morris's 10,000-acre park in Lampe, about 45 minutes from the lodge, with tram tours to see bison and elk, plus trout fishing, horseback riding, hiking and biking. Where to Eat Around Big Cedar and Table Rock Lake
Rock Island Grill & Tiki Bar at Rock Lane Resort & Marina. Tiki-style Hawaiian BBQ with a swim-up bar, live music and a boat-in courtesy dock, and the MVP of our summer trip.
Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl & Grill at Fun Mountain. Big pizzas, burgers and sandwiches you can eat right at your bowling lane. This is the Fun Mountain pizza the boys still talk about.
Devil's Pool Restaurant. The main lodge restaurant with lake views and a classic Ozarks menu, good for a family dinner.
Truman Cafe & Custard. Coffee, a quick breakfast and frozen custard on the way to the pool.
Osage Restaurant at Top of the Rock. The splurge dinner with a sunset view over the lake, so book it ahead.
The Worman House. Home of Breakfast with Santa in December, and a bistro the rest of the year. Tips for Planning Your Family Trip to Table Rock Lake
Book early, especially for December. Christmas weekends and cabins sell out well in advance.
Reserve the holiday extras when you book your room. The in-room elf scavenger hunt, Breakfast with Santa, the Mrs. Claus visit and the light ride are all separate reservations.
Pack for both. December means coats and gloves for ice skating and the light ride, plus swimsuits for the indoor pool. June means swimsuits, water shoes and life jackets if you're boating.
Bring or rent a boat in summer. Table Rock is best from the water, and a tiki bar lunch by boat is the highlight.
Fly into Springfield (SGF) for the easiest airport option and plan on a rental car.
Plan one Silver Dollar City day per trip. A full day is plenty for kids, and it leaves time to enjoy the resort. Make Table Rock Lake Your Next Lake Escape
Big Cedar Lodge hits differently depending on when you go, and both versions are worth the trip. In December it's a cozy Christmas town with a fireplace in your cabin and elves at the door. In June it's boat days on the lake and lazy river laps back at the resort.
If you can only do one, pick whichever season your kids are dreaming about right now. Trust me, you'll be planning the other one on the drive home.
If you're planning a lake trip and want help organizing where to stay, what to book, and how to maximize your time, I'd love to help! As a lake travel expert, I specialize in matching families with the perfect getaway that blends comfort, adventure, and ease. Reach out for help with planning!
