Ron W. Marr - Explorers Guide Ozarks

AN EXPLORERS GUIDE

The Ozarks

AN EXPLORERS GUIDE

Includes Branson, Springfield
& Northwest Arkansas

Ron W. Marr

photographs by the author

SECOND EDITION

This book is for Lori DeVita Hofman. If the journey of life is measured in friendship, rather than miles, we have traversed the universe.

There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.
Siddhartha Gautama

Ones destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
Henry Miller

The author can be reached via his website at www.ronmarr.com

Copyright 2012 by Ron W. Marr

Explorers Guide The Ozarks
ISBN: 978-0-88150-962-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Interior photographs by the author unless otherwise specified
Maps by Erin Greb Cartography, The Countryman Press
Book design by Bodenweber Design
Composition by PerfecType, Nashville, TN

Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Printed in the United States of America

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Welcome to the second edition of Explorers Guide Ozarks. Kick off your boots, pull up a chair, and set a spell. We hope that this latest version of the book continues to be the best and most comprehensive wanderers bible of the hills, hollers, sights, and spectacles that make up the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks. Within the pages to come youll discover 50,000 square miles of sheer pretty, along with insights into the ways, traditions, history, and personalities of those who inhabit this ancient highland. In contrast to many such guides, this one is written by a local, someone who knows the hot spots and back roads. Ive attempted to infuse every page not just with in-depth and opinionated descriptions, but also with a hefty and happily readable dollop of Ozark anecdotes, philosophy, and humor.

Before we get started, I do want to address a topic near and dear to the Ozarkian heart. We generally prefer squirrel rifles over elephant guns in these parts, but theres a big ol pachyderm in the room and I figure we ought to blast it right off the bat. The subject of this brief discussion is the Ozark economy. I didnt really realize, until I got into the research for this second edition, just how bad the region had been financially smacked between the years 2006 and 2011.

What that means for the traveler, just to be blunt about it, is that restaurants and bed & breakfasts have dropped like flies from the Ozark landscape. Many of those places that were around five years ago have disappeared from sight. Whats more, the money woes of this area have been severe enough that few new joints have cropped up to replace the old ones. Thats not to say you wont find plenty of places to stay and eat. It is to say that a number of the places you might have visited a few years back are no longer around. This is particularly true in the Missouri Ozarks (Arkansas seems to have fared better) and in many cases prices have remained fairly low.

Another sign of the times: Some towns and organizations have canceled long-cherished festivals. Two that come to mindmostly because I used to attendare the 50-year-old Hillbilly Days party in Lebanon, Mo., and the 25-year-old Ozark Hawg BBQ Championships in Batesville, Ark. Branson still seems to be booming, with a number of new and different shows, lodging options, and eatin joints. One difference Ive noted about Branson is that, when I wrote the first version of this book, kids were admitted free to quite a few of the Branson shows. Thats no longer the case.

With all that said, we now return you to your regularly scheduled Explore with Us preview.

During your travels youll trip across informed commentary on the shows, lodgings, restaurants, and attractions in Branson, Mo., Live Country Music Capital of the World. Youll discover unsuspected urbanity, wining, and dining in upscale and eclectic spots such as Springfield, Mo., and the ever-growing quad-cities region of Northwest Arkansas (known locally as Arkansopolis). Thats just the beginning of the tale. Youll find tiny rib shacks and pie shops far off the beaten path, and learn of the best roads for soaking in the glorious colors inherent to an Ozark fall. Throughout the book are detailed listings for bed & breakfasts and resorts, restaurants, and shopping; state, local, and federal parks; attractions and festivals galore; and more than a few spots frequented only by those in the know. Think of this book as a personal narrator, a guide whose services have been engaged to uncover the very best (and sometimes the very strangest) that the Ozarks region has to offer.

The journey of 1,000 miles may begin with the first step, but in this case it also begins with the first page. At the beginning of this book is an A-to-Z listing of the basics, some highlights, and some tips that will be helpful while traveling the Ozarks. For a quick reference covering anything from apple festivals to float streams, BBQ joints to trout fishing, railroad trips to wineries, allow these pages to start you on your way.

Most of the lodging options found in this guide are privately owned, with the lions share of emphasis placed on bed & breakfasts, resorts, campgrounds, and private cabins (and one very cool, ultra-luxurious cave). Franchise or chain operations are not included here, nor should they be. My goal is to lead you to the roads less traveled, to respites often hidden by the bright lights and golden arches lining the main drag.

As with all Explorers Guides, each chapter of this book includes separate sections for Eating Out and Dining Out. The former is normally intended to specify a sense of the casual, while the latter implies the putting on of the dog. In the Ozarks, however, the line between casual and fancy-pants is blurry, if not wholly nonexistent. In 99.9 percent of cases you really dont have to worry about dress codes in these parts. Generally speaking, as long as youre a paying customer, Ozark restaurateurs dont give a hoot what you wear. As long as youve got on clothes and the folks at the next table dont start waving around a flyswatter or requesting a can of Lysol, youre fine.

Were a happy bunch of capitalists in this great country, and therefore any of the prices and times listed in this Explorers Guide are subject to change. Because this can happen so rapidly, most entries include present hours of operation and sample prices from current menus, rate cards, and attractions. This will give you a basic idea of what to expect, even if entres, room charges, admission fees, or hours should suddenly change.

Weddings: Listings including the wedding-ring symbol are a dandy place to get hitched. In the Ozarks that can include not only certain B&Bs, resorts, and hotels, but also caves and outdoor chapels.