Big Cedar Lodge offers rooms in their lodge, lakeside cottages, and private cabins at a nearby campground. We stayed in a 2-bedroom cabin at Camp Long Creek, an off-property campground with its own marina and activity center. We still had access to everything Big Cedar has to offer and free shuttles from our cabin’s front door to anywhere at Big Cedar. Booking a shuttle was super easy on an app and they ran from 8am to midnight.
Fun Mountain
Fun Mountain is a 50,000 sq. ft jungle gym located inside Big Cedar Lodge’s main property and offers multiple kids’ activities. There are so many things to do that we had to come back another day to get them all in! The first day we arrived during the early afternoon, so we had time to do Fun Mountain before check in. We spent a solid 4 hours there and the kids still didn’t want to leave. Bumper cars, go-karts, two rope courses for young and older kids, an arcade, laser tag, bowling, rock climbing wall, indoor playground, and a restaurant and bar to keep you fueled! Each activity costs a different amount and is paid with a swipe of your preloaded Fun Card.
The Bent Hook Marina
The Bent Hook Marina is the main access to Table Rock Lake and all its activities. This is located right behind the main lobby and registration center on the property. Here you’ll find kayaks, paddle boards, and paddle boats. You can rent boats or jet skis for the day, but you must have a boating license to rent a boat. You do have the choice to take a 3-hour course on site or get a temporary license. If you are a local, this temporary license is only available once a year, so if you plan to visit more than once a year, go ahead, and get your boating license before you go! There is a small beach area here too if you’re more into staying on shore.
Lost Canyon & Natural Trail
Lost Canyon & Natural Trail is an absolute must at Big Cedar. This is on a first come first serve basis, so make it early in the morning and get there when they open at 9am. Lines can get long, but it went quickly for us when we arrived. We ended up splitting and doing 2 carts instead of one, due to wait times being longer for a 6-seater. It’s a 4-seater cart, but with my small kids, it would fit 6. You take the trail by golf cart (that doesn’t go very fast to the disappointment of my kids) The trail is about 45 min long with a cave in between and the best part: an underground drive-thru Bat Bar! I loved this experience and felt like we got to explore the property in a way the kid’s really enjoyed.
Great Pool Areas
There are 4 different pool areas at Big Cedar Lodge and if you have time to swim, I’d recommend going to Brushey Creek Clubhouse area. This is where you’ll find the lazy river, water slide, and indoor pool for rainy days. As a Floridian, I have a huge dislike of indoor pools and the chlorine smell. The boys thought the indoor pool was actually really cool, but we didn’t stay in too long.
Amazing Dining
Big Cedar Lodge has over 10 different dining options, plus in room dining. We enjoyed Truman Cafe & Custard most mornings for a quick breakfast and coffee. They had some amazing and huge cinnamon rolls!
Osage at Top of the Rock was by far a favorite during our stay. We dined here two times and celebrated Banky’s 4th birthday! The dinner was some of the best you’ll find in the area and views you’ll never forget. Reservations are recommended. We also experienced Lady Liberty dining on the water for an evening and highly recommend booking this extra experience. Lady Liberty has brunch cruises as well. Devil’s Pool (pool side) and Tall Tales (inside Fun Mountain) were our go-to lunch spots, but what’s a vacation without pizza?! Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill was the place for pizza!
