By Sandra Meineke
Looking for a festive and fun place to take the extended family for the
Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays? Mountain Harbor on Lake Ouachita in
Arkansas might be just the spot.
The Harbor offers an old-fashioned holiday experience with all the home-style
charm and unpretentious comfort that families look for in a holiday escape.
Relax in the luxury log cottages or cozy cedar and stone condos while the Harbor
staff prepares the meals, readies your accommodations, sets up your boating
adventures on the pristine lake and schedules your spa treatments in the
lakeside cabanas. The spacious cottages, with hot tubs, fireplaces and lake
views, are perfect for holiday gatherings for multi-family events. All come
with fully equipped kitchens, cable, phone, back decks with grills, fireplaces
and gorgeous views of the forest or lake.
The staff has already begun hanging millions of festive lights for Christmas at
Harbor. From Thanksgiving to New Year, lights glow softly in the pines and drip
from the eaves of the cottages and other buildings, spilling color and cheer
over the water.
For Thanksgiving, pumpkin bread bakes in the big ovens at the lodge, and the
pies, ahhh, the pies
—mincemeat, apple, chocolate, pecan and coconut. Golden-skinned turkeys
accompanied by mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, sweet potato casserole, green
bean casserole, homemade soups and fresh, hot breads roll out of the kitchen in
aromatic delight.
Arkansas’ extravagant fall foliage displays are legendary, and nowhere are they more
beautiful than on the shores of the lake where the color bounces back off the
crystal clear waters
—a mirror image of the glorious shoreline.
Photographers flock to the lake for the scenery and wildlife, as hikers and
bikers hit the trails in the crisp autumn temperatures never knowing when they
might meet up with a red fox, brown bear or deer in the wilderness. Fishermen
love the lake, and avid hunters find the game abundant.
With fall comes the arrival of eagles, geese, ducks and sea gulls. Ouachita is a
birding paradise, and Harbor is home to many of these winter visitors
—from the cocky roadrunner to the majestic Bald and Golden Eagles seen soaring
over the skies.
The family-owned resort boasts Arkansas’ most award-winning marina; conference facilities for meetings and group
retreats, weddings and family events; a lake view restaurant featuring casual
Southern dining and an array of opportunities for rest or recreation. The state
’s only lake resort spa, Turtle Cove Spa, offers a broad array of treatments including massages, facials, body treatments, holistic therapies, spa
manicures and pedicures and more.
The resort and spa lie on the southern shore of Lake Ouachita, a 30-minute
scenic drive from Hot Springs National Park and just 12 miles east of the
charming community of Mount Ida, the crystal capital of the world.
Winter is a wonderful time to see the lake—the crisp cool colors, the flocks of snow birds—and the best time of the year for fishing. Ask the friendly, helpful staff to
direct you to prime viewing spots for native Bald Eagles.
Fall and Winter Events at Harbor
•Thru Nov. 10, Fall at Harbor – Visit Harbor in early November to take in the gorgeous fall foliage. Check with
the Lodge for local wilderness maps of the lake and hiking trails.
•Nov. 26,
Thanksgiving Day at Harbor – Come to the Lodge Restaurant for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The Lodge
chef presents a holiday feast of epic proportions including a fabulous display
of homemade desserts. Reservations required.
•Nov. 26-28, Thanksgiving Weekend at Mountain Harbor – Friday, Harbor’s lighting ceremony when all the holiday lights are turned on. Sit in Santa’s lap, sing carols and ride the hay wagons to look at the beautiful lights.
Saturday is the annual Joplin Volunteer Fire Department
fundraiser including dinner cooked by the firemen, cake and gift auctions and
Santa Claus. Everyone is welcome.
•Nov. 27-Jan. 1, Christmas Lights At Mountain Harbor – The holiday lights will dazzle you, and the staff and accommodations make it so
easy to snuggle in and enjoy a wilderness Christmas with all the comforts of
home.
•Dec. 22-30, Christmas on the Lake – Many families enjoy this special, quiet time on the lake away from all the noise
and distractions of daily routines. Rooms will be decked out with a fresh
Christmas tree upon request.
•Jan. 1-31, Rest and Relaxation – Time to curl up by a cozy fireplace and enjoy winter on Ouachita. It’s the perfect way to reset from the hectic holidays.l
Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa
Est. 1955 - Our Family Serving Your Families for Over 50 Years
P.O. Box 1268
Mount Ida, AR 71957
870-867-2191 - 800-832-2276
(Out of State)
