April 18-27 Branson, Missouri
Indian Point – Table Rock Lake Army Corps of Engineers Campground
Welp – we didn’t move far – a few miles on the other side of Table Rock Lake – to yet another beautiful place by the lake to lay our heads for a week and continue to enjoy the area.
But………before arriving – our Sandman needed a bit of warranty work done at a local dealership in Springfield, MO. So, off we went 40 miles in the opposite direction for an early morning appointment, we had arranged before arriving in Missouri. 5 hours later, with everything fixed, we headed to the campground. All is good!!!!!
The scenery in the area and not much traffic (at least not what we were used to in So Cal), made the drive all that more pleasant.
Continuing our stay in the area, we had more sightseeing and things to accomplish.
But….what is up with the weather here? We had a beautiful week of high 70’s and then another massive thunderstorm with tornadoes rolled thru. No damage thankfully! But the
Temperature dropped about 30 degrees…burr!
Again, bundling up, we explored a bit more of historic downtown Branson and the outlying areas. Another day we drove about an hour to explore Springfield. We took a jeep ride through the “Fantastic Caverns” which didn’t disappoint….wow such beautiful stalactites and stalagmites!!! The cave was discovered in 1862 by John Knox looking for his lost dog. He kept it a secret for 4 years because of the civil war. Over the years visitors paid to enter but because of limited light sources they couldn’t go very deep. In 1867, 12 local women from The Springfield Athletic Club volunteered to document the cave, even signing their names on the walls. Over the years the cave was used as a Speak Easy and even a recording studio for many bands, and then the music was played on the local radio station. The tour is a ride in a jeep drawn tram and in some places everyone has to duck down to avoid the rock ceiling.
Another bucket list item for Donna was to visit the High School her father graduated from, prior to joining the Navy in 1939. Her grandmother taught at Drury University, across the street from the High School.
Oh – and have you ever been to the World's Largest Toy Museum??? Well…..it just happened to be right here in Branson. Wowzer – toy overload…..
To end our fantastic time in Branson, our previous neighbors for 18 years in California –Ross and Jamie Hesseling, met up with us for a couple of days. They own property there and planned a short vacation so we could hang out.
We HAD to stop at the Headquarters of Bass Pro Shop. Wow – Wow – Wow – it was HUGE!! It’s the granddaddy of them all for sure!! We did more sightseeing, ate yummy food and went to Top of the Rock – another property owned by the same person who owns Dogwood Canyon and Bass Pro Shops – Johnny Morris.
The highest elevation near Branson, with uninterrupted views of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. Top of the Rock is nestled among some of the most breathtaking scenery in Missouri. Part of the experience is a 45-minute golf cart drive through a cave, covered bridges and waterfalls with a stop for a beverage at the Bat bar. Sunset ends the evening with a bagpiper and a cannon blast next to the chapel.
