Lake of the Ozarks sits about 150 miles southeast of Kansas City and 90 miles southwest of St. Louis. There is no passenger rail or bus service — a car is essential.
From Kansas City, take US-50 east to Osage Beach (about 2.5 hours). From St. Louis, take I-44 west to US-54 south, which leads directly to the lake (about 2 hours). The main hub towns — Osage Beach and Lake Ozark — are where most accommodation and restaurants cluster.
The nearest commercial airport with regular service is Columbia Regional Airport (COU), about 60 miles north, though most visitors fly into Kansas City International (MCI) or St. Louis Lambert (STL) and drive.