Bagnell Dam Strip With Kids

The short version

The Bagnell Dam Strip is Bagnell Dam Boulevard in Lake Ozark, the stretch of road that runs from the dam into town. It's where the lake's tourist business started, and it shows. Souvenir shops, bars, restaurants and arcades line both sides.

It's a little hokey. If you remember the Strip from the 1980s, the arcades and rides aren't what they used to be. For an afternoon with kids, though, there's enough to do, and the dam is right there.

The one rule: go during the day. On summer evenings the Strip turns into party central, and it's not where you want young kids after dark.

The Malted Monkey ropes course

This is the reason most families stop on the Strip now. It's a multi-level steel ropes course with a restaurant and shake shop underneath, at 1345 Bagnell Dam Blvd.MapCopy

What to know before you go:

• $29 per person, with no time limit. Once you come down, you're done.
• Climbers must be at least 40 inches tall. Anyone under 48 inches needs a parent or guardian on the course with them.
• Everyone wears a harness, and the weight limit is 300 pounds.
• Shoes need a heel or a heel strap, so no flip-flops.
• It's seasonal. Check the Malted Monkey's site or call 573-693-9792 for hours before you drive over.

How it went for us: I'd say it works best for kids about 7 and up, with a parent along. If your kid is scared of heights, they won't get far and they won't enjoy it much. My youngest stopped at the first level and was nervous the whole time. Teenagers love it.

Parents can climb too and stay close to their kids. At the end, most people take the drop and rappel down from the top. It's a fun way to finish, but it's a one-time thing, since that's your exit.

If you're not climbing, there's plenty of seating underneath. Grab a shake (they make adult ones too) or a drink, sit in the shade and let the kids burn off energy for an hour or so. For what you get, I didn't think it was overpriced.

Willmore Lodge and the dam

Right off the Strip, on a wooded hill just north of Bagnell Dam, is Willmore Lodge. It was built in 1930 as the administration building for the dam project and a lodge for visiting dignitaries, a big log building in the Adirondack style. Today it's on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce runs it as a visitor center with a free museum.

The museum covers the valley before the lake, how the dam was built and how it works, with artifacts from the construction years.

What we thought: It's a cool place, with a great overview of the history of Lake of the Ozarks. As an adult who's into architecture, engineering and history, I took my time going through everything. Kids may move faster, but it's worth a stop either way if you've never been. Go in early spring if you can, when the dogwoods and redbuds are blooming on the hillside.

The entrance is on Business Route 54, about half a mile north of the dam. Hours change with the season, so call 573-964-1008 before you go. You can also drive across the top of the dam on Bagnell Dam Boulevard. Our Bagnell Dam page has the overlook, what the dam is releasing today, and how the floodgates work.

When to go, and when not to

Parking gets tight on busy weekends. On car show days, get there early.

Hot Summer Nights cruise-ins

Once a month from May through September, the Strip hosts Hot Summer Nights, a free cruise-in for classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. It runs on a Friday evening from 5 to 9:30 p.m., rain or shine. Nobody registers. Owners just park, and people walk the Strip looking at the cars. It's billed as family friendly, and it's the one summer evening when the Strip is a good bet with kids.

It's usually the second Friday of the month. The 2026 dates were May 8, June 5, July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11. The Bagnell Dam Strip Association puts it on and posts each year's dates in the spring.