Spring Harbor Hop

The Spring Harbor Hop is one of the most distinctly Ozark things you can do on a boat. Each year on the first Saturday in May, more than 40 waterfront restaurants and marinas scattered across Lake of the Ozarks open their docks for a day-long poker run that draws boaters from across Missouri and beyond. The 2026 edition runs Saturday, May 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., covering the lake’s main channel, the Big Niangua Arm, and the Gravois Arm. Entry requires only an optional $20 donation to receive a hand, and spending the day on the water is free regardless.

The format is built for casual exploration as much as competition. Stop at any participating location to draw your first playing card, then work your way across the lake collecting six more at six additional checkpoints. Your completed seven-card hand must be turned in by 7:00 p.m. at whichever location you draw your last card. Winners are notified later by certified mail, with prizes awarded as gift certificates. An optional eighth bonus card is available for an additional $5. Familiar stops along the route include Shady Gators, Neon Taco, Camden on the Lake’s H.Toads, Coconuts Caribbean Beach Bar and Grill, Hillbilly Yacht Club Bar and Grill, Jolly Rogers Grub and Grog, and Captain Ron’s Bar and Grill, among many others. The Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau organizes the event with the Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers Association and the Lakes Waterfront Restaurants.

On the Water and Off

Lake of the Ozarks stretches more than 1,150 miles of shoreline, a number larger than the California coast, which makes the Harbor Hop as much a geography lesson as a poker game. May temperatures on the lake typically run mid-60s to mid-70s during the day, ideal for a full day on open water. A light wind jacket is useful in the morning. Sunscreen is essential on an open-deck day. Previous editions have sold over 1,700 poker hands in a single day, and the lake’s size means congestion at checkpoints is typically manageable if you vary your timing.

If You’re Going with Kids
Children on board must wear properly fitted life jackets throughout the day. Many of the participating waterfront stops are family-friendly during daytime hours. Osage Beach’s Tan-Tar-A Resort, just off the lake’s main channel, has a waterpark and pool area suited to younger visitors who want a break from the boat.

Getting on the Water

You need a boat to participate fully. If you don’t have one, pontoon and jet ski rentals are available from Bagnell Dam Boat Rental and Big Thunder Marine, among others. The relaxed pace of the Harbor Hop works well on a pontoon. Most participating locations open at 11:00 a.m., though a handful open as early as 9:00 a.m. Plan to turn in your hand by 6:30 p.m. at the latest to allow for any final-stop delays.

Where to Stay Lakeside

Osage Beach is the most central base for the Harbor Hop, with direct water access to all three arms of the lake. Book a stay at a private lake home near Osage Beach on Lake.com for a quiet waterside retreat between stops, with dock access that puts you directly on the water come morning. Properties in this corridor book up early for May weekends, so plan at least six to eight weeks ahead.