Is Rockaway Beach that bad?

[Craziaskowboi]

Rockaway Beach is better than Times Beach; that's for sure.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

I appreciate you answering. No one else seemed to have any information. I'll check out Omaha too. Haven't checked that one yet. Thank you.

No problem. Omaha is pretty hillbilly but a nice town. You have a 15/20 minute drive to branson and maybe 10-15 minute drive to Harrison. Harrison is a bigger city in arkansas about 30 minutes from branson but I would not suggest moving there. They do have several restaurants and stores that would give you some variety though.

[dlm728]

I live a few miles from Rockaway and go there often and have been for years. My 1964 class went there for our senior trip. There is so much to say, I don't know where to start. I would suggest a recent ebook on Kindle about Rockaway, if your interested.

[AmberLutz]

Rockaway is so peaceful. It doesn't have the hussle and bussle like branson has. Granted there aren't quite as many activities, but if you are looking for laid back relaxation, it is still a beautiful place in my opinion.

[dlm728]

I am 70 and have always lived a few miles from Rockaway Beach, MO. In '64 my class went there for our senior trip. In '65 the so called "riot" occurred and Branson began to take off. Rockaway's history is long and interesting and contrast with Branson. If you are really curious about Rockaway, I would suggest reading an e-book on kindle titled "Stone Face: For Horses Running". It is an historical fiction novel set in Rockaway with background material and several pictures.

[dlm728]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

I appreciate you answering. No one else seemed to have any information. I'll check out Omaha too. Haven't checked that one yet. Thank you.

For a more historical view I suggest looking at an e-book on kindle titled: "Stone Face: For Horses Running".

[dlm728]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I will suggest a handful of town for y'all to think about. Firstly Kimberling city. Kimberling city is basically a retirement town. There are lots of snowbirds living there. It is pretty quiet and located on table rock lake. Branson west is a small town with a mixture of people. You have some retirees and also families living there. Reeds spring is an older town with more actual locals. Its quaint and most everybody knows everybody. Blue eye is right on the arkansas missouri state line. It is a small town with half of it lying in Arkansas and the other half in Missouri. Mixture of retirees and hillbillies. The retirees live near the lake. All those towns I listed are in stone county which is part of the Branson metro. Now ill go into taney county towns! Hollister-not as well to do as branson. Generally lower income working town. Kirbyville-nice area but sketchy depending on where you are. Not many retirees there. Forsyth-County seat of taney county. Normal town. Not a bad town it sorta has its own identity since its about 30 mins from branson. Bull creek village-poor mainly all trailers. Bad drug problems. Merriam woods-poor trailer drugs. Rockaway beach-poverty government assistance drugs....good pizza restaurant. Omaha arkansas about 15-20 mins from branson. Nice little town to look into. These are very broad generalizations. Sorry if I offend anyone but people that have lived here their whole lives would generally agree with my assessment.

I have lived near Rockaway for 70 years and am very familiar with the entire area and I agree with what you say. However, for a more historical view of the area and past events I suggest looking at an e-book on kindle titled: "Stone Face: For Horses Running". Most people don't read it for local history, but I found it to be accurate even though it is an historical novel.

[Lundyn60]

The place is a dump.
I'm not from the area but drove through because I liked the name. Looks like the set to a horror movie. The lake and mountains are nice but the community looks like it's full of crack heads.

I would seriously not spend the night here...ever.

[SunGrins]

Originally Posted by momma2lucky

When I was a kid, my grandparents used to own some cottages in Rockaway Beach, so we would go every summer and spend time there (as well as in Forsyth and Branson). A few years ago, my mom and I went on vacation to Branson and I mentioned my desire to visit Rockaway Beach and my mom refused to take me there, saying: "It would ruin all your childhood memories."

We would spend short summer vacations in one of those little cabins when I was a kid. It was OK back in the late 1950s/early 1960s...but not exactly a fun-fest for a kid. We played skee-ball in the arcade. I think they had paddle boats on the lake. I recall taking a boat ride up to see the new Table Rock dam. The lake turned cold after the dam went in and Taneycomo became more of a fishing spot. We stopped going in the 1960s and there were some rowdy episodes, as I recall. I went back about five years ago just to take a look at the place. It hadn't changed much -- same old cabins were there. It looked frozen in time...and pretty much dead. I didn't see a pizza place or much of anything else.

[moving51]

I remember spending time there in late 60s to early 70s playing skee- ball.
The place was always busy. stayed at Kenneys Court.
The problem was the motorcycle gangs. got pretty rowdy.
There is a pizza place but I have never eaten there, but have been to the boat races a few
times. That was fun. Not interested in going back, It gets me depressed.