Mike Caro selling Ozarks lake retreat (All photos)

— Nearby attraction: Branson —

Before I started researching my property purchase on Table Rock Lake in 2002, I was only vaguely familiar with Branson, Missouri. I knew its association with country music, but I didn’t grasp its importance or that it offered other kinds of family-oriented entertainment, too.

Here you’ll find over 50 theaters, restaurants, an upscale lakeside mall called Branson Landing, a world-class theme park named Silver Dollar City, and much more.

Although Branson isn’t an everyday topic in California, where I lived, it is a central destination from many states in this central region of America.

But Branson is just part of the lure in this tourist destination where the property itself rests oddly secluded nearby. Also, there’s the quaint town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Big Cedar resort, Silver Dollar City (the theme park that I mentioned above), many haunting caves, War Eagle Mill, Bass Pro’s gigantic store in Springfield (yes, it’s really a tourist attraction), four major lakes, national forests, and more.

Photo source: Wikimedia. Original uploader: Bobak at en.wikpedia

— Nearby attraction: Eureka Springs —

Less than a half hour away, the Ozarks gets turned upside down in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It’s an island of culture and counterculture, with upscale shops and memorable restaurants.

Many of the hotels, houses, gathering places, and storefronts date from the 1800s. You’ll come alive here. It’s kind of the reverse of Branson, which appeals mainly to the country music crowd (and I, oddly, have become one of them). Eureka Springs is more grown up and less of a specific family vacation spot than Branson.

The property is right between those two tourist destinations, so you can choose to turn left or right at the highway to choose a destination that fits your mood that day. Be sure to visit the Crescent Hotel on a winding road up a hill. It has a storied past, has an amazing restaurant with the same 1880s decor as it had originally.

Photo source: Wikimedia. Photo credit: Doug Wertman.

— Nearby attraction: Dogwood Canyon —

Only seven miles from the property is Dogwood Canyon, a large nature preserve. Here you can walk, bicycle, horseback ride, or even take a Jeep tour. Some of the large stones from the property I’m selling were used to enhance this environment. That happened before I bought the property in 2002. But you won’t miss them, because there are thousands remaining.

— Nearby attraction: War Eagle Mill —

About an hour’s drive from the property is this old mill, surrounded by picturesque grounds. It is the site of an annual arts and crafts fair that draws tourists from near and far. There’s also a spectacular cave nearby on the shores of Beaver Lake.

— Returning to the property —

Despite all the attractions nearby, I’m always eager to get back to the seclusion of the property. My Dog Hope has found a hidden spot with shallow water. And, for me, that’s the best part of living here.

— Back home —

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