Branson Missouri UPDATE

[GeneF]

Dw and I are starting to plan next years long trip and I would like to go to Branson.

Anyone ever been there and what did you like best or least about the area?

Thanks for any input.

[copcarguy]

Hey GeneF!
 
I thought Branson was a pretty cool place.  I drove through there going to a police convention in Eureka Springs, AR.  While driving through there, I thought to myself I would put Branson on my "to do" list.  Little did I know that on the third day of the convention we WENT to Branson.  I had a great time there and we went on a showboat called the Branson Belle.  It is one of those old paddle wheel boats that you would picture on the Mississippi River.  You get a great dinner and show and a nice cruise.  I am glad I got to go to Branson, but I plan to head back there to see more.  I liked what I saw driving through there and what I saw/did the one day I was there.  It made me want to make IT the destination.  I hope this helped!

[campincrew]

Are you a country music fan?  If so, Branson is the place for you.  There are over 50 musical shows to see.  Be warned....traffic through town is tough during high season.  There are also plenty of shopping opportunities- other touristy things to do, as well as one of the best amunement parks around, (so my kids say).  Have fun.

[Old Goat]

Branson is the only city I have ever been in where people have to wait in line for a seat on a sidewalk bench.... Restrooms are crowded too.....

[aw738]

Make sure you see the Presley Family Jubilee. It is the longest running show in town. I would recomend it to anyone.

[popupcop]

There is plenty do do in Branson and it is the #1 drive to vacation spot in America.  (Disney World is the number one vacation spot however.)  We go there two or three times a year.  
 
We have stayed at the Corps Park at Indian Point and at Long Creek.  Both are clean and quiet though Indian Point is about 1.5 miles from Silver Dollar City, a great amusement park highlighting 1890s lifestyle.  This is one of the few parks that appeals to pretty much every age.  
 
Connect to http://www.branson.com and http://www.silverdollarcity.com for more information.

[GeneF]

Thanks to all for the info on Branson.

Sounds like those of you that went really enjoyed it.

Yes, I do enjoy country western music and even have the dw enjoying it.

Geeeezzee, the mention of an amusement park sure makes me wish that I wasn't empty nested.  Love the roller coasters.

[Kelly]

Geeeezzee, the mention of an amusement park sure makes me wish that I wasn't empty nested.  Love the roller coasters.

Who says you have to have kids to ride the roller coasters, Gene?  

When are you going to be in Branson?

[iwantapopup]

Branson has sooo much to do!  They have lots of pet boarding if you need it and we found that info on the Silver Dollar City website.  There are 2 amusement parks with rides, Silver Dollar and Celebration City; the latter is open in the evenings.  There is also a water park with one of those great "lazy rivers" if you just want to relax.

There's plenty to do in town, the showboat, the shows, go-karts, restaurants.

Best advice, bring comfortable walking shoes! and if you want a great place to stop on the way home, check out Roaring River State Park, campground #1.  It's in the southwest corner of the state, and it is our favorite state park.

We also made a day trip down to Eureka Springs, AR which is filled with shops and restuarants.  And in my opinion better to visit there without children.

Have fun!

[GeneF]

Kelly

Not sure of the dates yet but it will be after the 4th of July.  Most likely it will be in August and September.

DW and I are talking about Branson, Yellowsone and maybe Montana.

We are mainly in the planning stages.

DW does not do amusement parks, can I borrow one of your kids?

One of the funniest memories I have is of taking ds on the airplane carousel at Disney.  I was stuffed into the back seat of that plane but he was having a blast making it go up and down.  He was about 3 and at my age then, I felt a little silly in that thing.  The things parents do for their children.

[popupcop]

I know your wife does not do amusement parks but please note...Silver Dollar City is much more than your standard amusement park.  There are all sorts of shops with quilting, candle making, candy making, wood turning, knife making, blacksmithing, coins stamping, et cetera  all done as it would have been in the 1890s.  There are often visiting craftsmen and women from all over the world.  There is a real steam engine that makes a mile or so run through and around the park every 30 minutes.  They also have food booths all over the park featuring everthing from hamburgers to calico potatoes to BBQ to stew.  
 
You can make a great day and never ride a ride, yet still feel like you got your money's worth.  Again, don't discount this as a " roller coaster amusement park only."  The roller coasters are great but I have never been to an amusement park anywhere else that focused as much on the 40 plus crowd as much as it did the roller coaster crowd.
 
Before the kids started to school, my dw and I went to Branson sometime after the 20th of August since the whole town was still geared up for summer, the weather was still great (hot) but schools had already started and there weren't as many people there.  
 
Another thing about Branson is the number of Shows that are presented.  One could go every night for about a month and not take them all in.

[Venatic]

Branson is probably the only town in the USA that has a parade everyday. It's actually all the vehicles going thru the town on US 76. But there is a loop around the town now that bypasses all that traffic.

It's been a while since we were there. We would need more than just a weekend to go down there.

[GeneF]

Thanks for all the replies.  

Definetely looks like an area that I will convince dw to visit.

[GeneF]

"We have stayed at the Corps Park at Indian Point and at Long Creek. Both are clean and quiet though Indian Point is about 1.5 miles from Silver Dollar City, a great amusement park highlighting 1890s lifestyle. This is one of the few parks that appeals to pretty much every age. "

PopupCop

Thanks for the suggeston in Indian Point.  We made our reservations there.



Again, thanks to all for the replies.  I have printed all the suggestions, passed them on to DW and she has them filed for the trip.

We did extend our original plan a bit depending on the gas prices.  We have added Tampa and Key West to the itinerary.

Departure is scheduled for Sept. 6.  Figure we can avoid the Labor Day weekend crowd.  First stop will be the Fingerlakes in New York.

So if anybody sees a red Silverado pulling a Kiwi 23B with NH plates, honk your horn.

[Buzz]

Branson is a place where has-been country performers that can not sell records anymore end up. Have you bought a Glen Campbell, Gatlin Bros or Andy Williams CD lately?...personally I wouldn't go see those folks if they were playing in my garage - and I like country music.
The traffic in Branson is brutal and prices are rediculously high.
The town itself does have a history but it has been covered up by  blatant commercialism.
I live in Missouri, my daughter lives 25 miles from Branson....I avoid the place at all cost.
Some my like it but not me