FREE STUFF

The Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery mdc.mo.gov/areas/hatchery/shepherd/ is an interesting stop. You can feed the fish and see some exhibits inside the Center. There are snakes, etc—yuck!! I didn’t go in that part!!
The Dewey Short Visitor Center www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/tablerock/recreation.htm has always been an interesting place to visit, but this year they opened a brand new center with more things to see about Tablerock Lake and the dam. It is a very nice center and will appeal to anyone that is engineer-minded. Visiting the center and watching the short film about the White River and building the dam are free. And there are enough kid friendly things to keep little ones entertained—for a bit anyway. Our kids always love a stop there.
The College of the Ozarks www.cofo.edu is a little known treasure of the area. It is located in Hollister, only a few minutes from the strip and is well worth a visit. It is a unique college in that the students work off their tuition there at the college. It has been a successful institution for many years and a source of pride for the area. There are self guided tours through many of the divisions such as the bakery, the jelly making kitchen, etc. The Ralph Foster Museum is located here also and has a small admission fee (around $4.00). The Beverly Hillbilly’s old truck is in there, among other things. A great restaurant is located here inside the Keeter Center- The Dobyns Restaurant. It is a nice place to eat with white linens, piano music, and great views. It has a log, lodge-type feel. Formal dress is not required.