Table Rock Lake boat rentals come from the marinas, and the one to use is the marina nearest the house you sleep in, since none of our three Branson communities has a boat slip. State Park Marina, Indian Point Marina and Port of Kimberling Marina all rent pontoons and ski boats. At normal pool the lake covers about 42,400 acres with about 715 miles of shoreline, so a marina on the wrong side of it adds a long drive to every lake day.
Key takeaways
- If anyone who will drive was born after January 1, 1984, get the Missouri boating card done at home before the trip.
- At State Park Marina, reserve the long rentals ahead, because the 3-hour one is walk-in only.
- Split a reunion-sized group across two pontoons rather than hunting for one bigger boat.
- Plan the swim stops for summer and the fishing days for spring and fall.
Where can you rent a boat on Table Rock Lake?
Rent at State Park Marina if you stay at Hilltop House or Antler Ridge, and at Port of Kimberling Marina if you stay at Sundowner Lodge; Indian Point Marina is the second choice on the Branson side.
- State Park Marina, 380 State Park Marina Road in Table Rock State Park. About 9 minutes from Hilltop House in Chateau Mountain North and about 10 from Antler Ridge in Summer Bay. It rents pontoons, a Cobalt ski boat, a Ranger fishing boat, WaveRunners, canoes, kayaks and paddle boats, plus skis, tubes, kneeboards and wakeboards.
- Indian Point Marina. About 17 minutes from Hilltop and 18 from Antler Ridge. It rents three tritoons of 150, 200 and 250 HP, a 200 HP slide boat, ski boats of 200 and 250 HP, a 115 HP fishing boat and WaveRunners, and has a gas dock, a store and a floating cafe.
- Port of Kimberling Marina, 201 Marina Way in Kimberling City. About 6 minutes from Sundowner in Wilderness Mountain. It rents ski boats, surf boats, pontoons and double-decker pontoons, and Pier 28 Pizza & Grill is on site. What's Up Doc? Marina is also close to the lodge.
What a rental costs beyond the boat rate
On top of the rental rate, State Park Marina charges you for gas, and in October 2026 it held a $500 deposit on a credit card you present in person. It rents by length: 6-hour, 8-hour and all-day rentals are reserved online, and 3-hour rentals are walk-in only, subject to availability. A reservation needs a credit card as a no-show deposit, and the rental itself is paid in the marina store on the day. Cancel at least 72 hours ahead, or the no-show fee is half the rental rate.
Consecutive all-day rentals are discounted:
- 10% off the all-day rate for 2 days in a row
- 15% off for 3 days
- 20% off for 4 days or more
For a week at the lake, three straight all-day rentals cost less per day than three separate ones.
Which boat fits your group
Choose by head count first: the largest pontoon at State Park Marina carries 18, so a bigger group needs two boats.
- The Big Kahuna slide pontoon is that boat, a 30-foot double deck with two slides and a 150 HP Honda engine.
- The Aloha slide pontoon takes 14 on two tiers with one large slide, and its 150 HP is enough to pull a tube.
- The Sunliner pontoon takes 15 on 25 feet with 250 HP, which is the power to rent for skiing as well as tubing.
- The Cobalt ski boat is for skiers and wakeboarders, and the Ranger is for anglers who want to drive themselves.
Life jackets are free for everyone, and children under 13 must wear one. Anyone who would rather stay ashore can take the paved Table Rock Lakeshore Trail, about 2 to 3 miles from the marina to the Dewey Short Visitor Center at the dam.
Do you need a boater license to rent a boat in Missouri?
Yes, if the driver was born after January 1, 1984: Missouri requires a Boating Safety Identification Card, and both State Park Marina and Indian Point Marina ask to see it before you take the boat. The card comes from an approved online course that takes 3 to 4 hours and cost $47.66 in October 2026, of which $12.71 is the Water Patrol fee. You print a temporary card the same day, good for 90 days while the permanent one is mailed, and you carry a photo ID with it. You do not have to live in Missouri to take the course, and the card is good for life.
For a single trip, the alternative State Park Marina names is a one-time Temporary MO Boating Safety Permit, completed online before the rental starts. The marina's other requirements are a renter and driver who are 21 or older, a valid U.S. driver's license, prior boat-driving experience, and no alcohol for whoever is at the wheel. Have two adults in the group qualify, so the boat is not tied to one person's schedule.
Hiring a fishing guide
Book a guided trip if fishing is the reason for the boat, and our standing referral is Branson's Reel Fishing; ask for Justin, and a half-day trip works well with kids. Indian Point Marina also offers guided fishing trips, and Sundowner's on-site manager books private or group fishing guide trips for lodge guests.
In October 2026 a daily Missouri fishing permit cost $9 for residents and nonresidents alike, and an annual permit cost $14 for residents and $57 for nonresidents. Missouri residents 65 and older are exempt. For bass, the Missouri Department of Conservation puts the smallmouth spawn starting in early or mid-April, once the water passes 60°F, with the peak in May.
When is the water warm enough for a boat day on Table Rock Lake?
Plan boat days for June through September, when the lake's modeled average surface temperature runs about 70°F in June, 80.6°F in July and August, and 77°F in September. May averages about 66°F and October about 68°F, which suits fishing and paddling better than swimming off the back of a pontoon. Table Rock Lake marinas move to extended hours from late spring through early fall, and from October through April their hours can be limited.
Can you bring your own boat to Table Rock Lake?
Bring it if you stay at the lodge, where trailers park in the gravel lot next to the entrance to the development; at the two Branson-side homes, settle trailer parking before you arrive. Hilltop's community has no dedicated trailer parking, so you need to arrange somewhere to store the trailer. Antler Ridge's community has none either, but in most cases we can make room for a trailer if you reach out first; when the neighboring house is vacant, we check with the neighbors about using its spaces.
From the Branson side, launch at Moonshine Beach, about 6 minutes from both Summer Bay and Chateau Mountain North. It is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach with a public boat ramp, a courtesy dock and life jacket loaner stations, and its sandy swim beach is the place for swimmers, since Table Rock State Park has no designated beach. The docks below Summer Bay are private and their parking area needs a permit, so leave them out of the plan. For a boat that stays in the water all week, Port of Kimberling and Indian Point both rent nightly slips.
Which of our homes to book for a lake week
Book the lodge for a week built around the lake, and one of the two Branson-side homes for a trip that mixes one or two boat days with Silver Dollar City and the shows.
Sundowner Lodge sleeps 27 in 10 bedrooms, and its on-site manager offers kayak rentals with an optional private guide, paddle board rentals, and lake fun rentals such as lily pads, boat tubes, life jackets and fishing poles. A group that size takes planning beyond the boats, which our Branson family reunion cabin guide covers.
Hilltop House sleeps 16 in 5 bedrooms and has a lake view, and the Big Kahuna carries the whole house. Antler Ridge sleeps 12 in 4 bedrooms on a single level, and the Aloha fits everyone. Both are closer to Silver Dollar City and Branson Landing than the lodge is.
Book any of the three directly on our site and you skip the Airbnb and Vrbo guest service fees, which on a typical four-night summer stay come to more than $400. Compare the homes side by side on our Branson vacation rentals page, and plan the days off the water from our list of things to do in Branson.