LAKE OF THE OZARKS — Clear water and brightly colored waterslides will open to the public this weekend at Big Surf.
The Lake’s waterpark is in its 34th year of hosting locals and visitors alike, who come to enjoy slides, rides, wave pools and lazy trips around the river.Â
Big Surf opens on Saturday, May 28 at 10 a.m.
Big Surf is under new management this year, as long-time manager Darin Keim has passed the mantle to Josh Perry. "It’s a lifestyle, more than a job," Perry said. "I love it." He points to Keim's management as helping pave the way: "Twenty-three years of service to this company, and 18 of it he served as general manager," Perry said, noting Keim had helped and trained thousands of local teenagers over the years. Big Surf is among the largest employers of local teens every summer at the Lake. Josh says every year about 170 teens get a summer job at Big Surf. "I have helped train probably 500 lifeguards since 2013," he said.
Those numbers reveal what a significant operation Big Surf is... and what a job the General Manager has. "It’s a multi-faceted business," he said. "There’s the pools and slides. And then the retail shop. And then the food side of it! When I took my AFO (Aquatic Facility Operator) test last spring… you kinda have to be a jack of all trades. You are the admissions employee. The grounds employee. The manager at one moment and then stick your boots on and go crawl down in a hole and do some plumbing." During the cool months, Big Surf staff work behind the scenes, doing the quiet work of wrapping up the last season and preparing for the next. But once Memorial Day arrives, it's full-speed ahead. Or really for awhile before that. "It’s 6 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. if everything goes correctly," Perry said.
That's the case not just for the GM, but for the many supervisors who help keep Big Surf running. Perry refuses to take too much credit for smooth operations: the supervisors, he says, do a lot of it. "They run the departments, and really do a bulk of the training," he explained. The whole operation really takes a trained and dedicated team.
But why have a waterpark anyways, when the Lake is just out your back door?
The answer is crystal-clear: the 375,000 gallon wave pool is crisp and clean, with water filters running the chlorinated water through at around 1,100 gallons per minute. Waterslides provide enough thrills for young and old all day long.Â
photo by Darin Keim
Those who just want to float and chill can grab a tube and hop in the Lazy River, while families with young children can safely enjoy the play areas built with tiny tots in mind.
Check out a full list of Big Surf’s rides & attractions
And (believe it!) the food is good. The recipe for Big Surf's St. Louis-style thin-crust pizza came from Osage River Bar & Grill, and it's delicious. The Surfside Grill serves up popular fare sure to satisfy young and old, from pizza, burgers, dogs, and brats, to snacks like giant pretzels, tornadoes, and chili-cheese fries.
photo by Darin Keim
Big Surf’s cabanas offer a shady haven during a full day of waterpark fun, but visitors should reserve them early, as they get snatched up fast. They’re a perfect place to camp out, keep your pool stuff, and grab some shade or watch the kids play. A cabana includes a table and four chairs, plus they come with a free locker and a tube.
Cabanas rent for $85 for the day.
Reserve a Big Surf cabana
Season passes are especially popular, and they're a good deal: those who plan to visit more than three times in the summer will save by buying one. Pass holders also enjoy special discounts inside the park and special Season Pass holder days.
Buy Big Surf season passes.
Big Surf will open daily beginning Saturday, June 4, through August 21. Once school begins, Big Surf remains open on the weekends through Labor Day. Regular hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The waterpark is located just outside Osage Beach, on Y Road, off Highway 54.
