Branson, Missouri

Branson is best known for its entertainment. This city greets more than 7 million visitors annually who come in search of serenity on one of the area's three lakes, quality family time at Silver Dollar City or non-stop excitement at one of the world-famous Branson strip's star-studded theaters.

Music

"Phenomenal" is the word most often used to describe the incredible boom in entertainment venues in the Branson area. The Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theatre is a 1,600-seat, European-style complex. If you need a little more a romantic setting, walk across the Branson Strip to Andy Williams' Moon River Theater, where the eternally popular singer delights audiences with his ballads, snappy dancing and wry comedy.

Pushing the combined comedy/music envelope into realms of sidesplitting laughter is Jim Stafford Theater, Jim Stafford built a grand palace along the west part of The Strip, where his music and comedy variety show has drawn rave reviews from even the chilliest critics. The musical entertainment offerings in Branson are in fact endless, with more than 80 different shows offered on any given day.

Showboating

You can avoid the crowds of a packed house and take in a gourmet meal while enjoying a quality show such as Cirque Fantastic aboard the Showboat Branson Belle. Plying the crystal-clear waters of Table Rock Lake, this stern-wheeled paddleboat returns guests to the era of the floating palaces and brings a little touch of Dixieland to the Ozarks. To escape to a culture half-a-globe away, board the Polynesian Princess. On this ship, you can take in a Polynesian-style dinner and show as you gracefully cruise Table Rock, meanwhile learning about the lake and the towns that disappeared beneath its waters.

Theater

Harold Bell Wright fell in love with the Ozarks at the turn of the century and used the area as the setting for the nation's first million-selling novel, Shepherd of the Hills. Now, a massive outdoor amphitheater sits atop Inspiration Point and looks down into Mutton Hollow, where more than 80 actors and actresses, 40 horses, cattle and a flock of sheep bring the pages of this great American novel to life. Romance, dance, action and non-stop drama will rivet you in the very setting where Wright penned his masterpiece.

Family

Revisit the pioneering spirit of the old days at Branson's Silver Dollar City. This theme park encompasses a gallery of artisans who offer demonstrations of furniture making, glass blowing, candle making and other arts that were once a way of life for Ozark homesteaders. Young and old thrill-seekers alike will find myriad adrenaline-generating rides. Roller coasters, flume rides and the world's first flume/coaster hybrid combine to make your visit to this Ozark Mountain play land worthwhile.

Scattered along The Strip are a series of small parks known as The Tracks. They include racing, bumper boats, miniature golf and thrill rides such as the sky coaster. Tickets purchased at one location are valid at any Tracks location.

Sports and Outdoors

Tucked between two of the most pristine lakes in the Midwest, Branson has gained a reputation as a sportsman's paradise. Table Rock Lake harbors some of the finest bass and crappie fishing in Missouri, and there are a plethora of boat rental agencies and fishing guides available. The numerous coves created by the rolling terrain make Table Rock a water skier's Eden.

Just below Table Rock Lake is Lake Taneycomo. The water that feeds this lake comes off the bottom of Table Rock Lake and is a constant 40-50 degrees. A large trout hatchery sits at the headwaters of Taneycomo, and record-class brown trout are pulled from the clear waters regularly.

Branson is quickly becoming known for its golf links, and the area boasts more than a dozen public and private courses. Championship courses such as Pointe Royale and Thousand Hills Golf Resort offer as many as five tee boxes per hole and are meticulously manicured. All the courses share one quality: a beautiful Ozark Mountain setting.

Museums

What would a tourist destination be without museums? Branson has a full compliment of entertaining and informative museums. The glitz and glamor of The Strip is not lost at the Hollywood Wax Museum, where facsimiles of your favorite stars stand in settings made famous by Tinsel Town films. Historical museums also abound, including the Shepherd of the Hills, which features a restored homestead that gives visitors a glimpse at a simpler way of life. With films running hourly throughout the summer, the IMAX Theater is a high-tech venue where guests are treated to visually stunning documentaries made by some of the world's most renowned filmmakers.

As Branson grew in popularity and became one of the top tourist destinations in the country, the small Ozark town was transformed from a lakeside community into a full-blown resort. Theaters and theme parks sprouted like feed corn in the nearby fields. The increasing number of visitors created a demand for hotel and motel accommodations. What ensued was an explosion of hotel construction in the late 1970s and early 80s, resulting in more than 23,000 hotel, motel and bed and breakfast rooms, which run from ostentatiously expensive to pragmatically affordable.

Lap of Luxury Located on a hill just above the shoreline of Table Rock Lake, the 10-story Chateau on the Lake represents the finest and most expensive lodging in Branson. With towering architecture reminiscent of the alpine chateaus of France, the Chateau is visible for miles around. This facility boasts the only full-service convention center in the area.

If you think you will have time for a little golf while you're in town, there are several luxury resorts located right on the greens of one of Branson's dozen or so golf courses. The Pointe Royale Condominium Resort, where one to three-bedroom condo units line the fairways of a private championship golf course, is considered the premier golf resort in Branson.

For a little peace and additional tender-loving care, the Emory Creek Bed and Breakfast awaits you. Nestled in the wooded hills, this converted Victorian mansion can only be described as elegant. A four-course breakfast is served on a private patio where raccoons occasionally appear from the trees in search of a handout.

Staying on The Strip The Branson strip is an seven-mile mixture of theaters, restaurants, attractions and dozens of hotels and motels geared at providing quality accommodations to travelers who have come for one thing: entertainment. During summer, traffic snarls along the main street, as tour buses, motor coaches, visitors and residents all vie for limited road space. In this part of town, the hotels are in earnest competition with each other; the real winners, though, are the visitors. Hotels and motel rooms along the Branson strip can be found at almost rock-bottom prices, and they are all clean and cozy with generous amenities. The added plus is that most hotels on The Strip are located within walking distance of numerous theaters, restaurants and shopping, alleviating the need to enter the traffic fray.

The 1st Inn Gold offers comfortable lodging in the midst of the city's show palaces. The priority here is affordable lodging. Single rooms go for less than a good meal for two, and full kitchenette units are available for families. Plus, if you are too busy taking in the sights and sounds of Branson and do not have the time or energy to get tickets to the next show, the staff here will get them for you. Meanwhile, the Hall of Fame Inn, a three-story motel right across the street from the Hollywood Wax Museum, combines affordable rates with luxury accommodations. Several of the suites actually have Jacuzzis in the rooms and large patio balconies.

All in One Place If being within walking distance to shows restaurants and activities still is not enough, there are complexes in Branson that have it all in one building. The Grand Country Inn is an impressive combination of shops, a hotel, a theater, a restaurant and more. A water park on the premises is free to all guests—something you will learn to appreciate during those balmy Missouri summers. At the Grand Country Market, you can view the world's largest banjo (autographed by top names in country music), which is so big the neck sticks 40 feet out the side of the building. One of the oldest entertainment complexes in town is Baldknobbers Motor Inn. The inn here is not luxurious, but the rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the rates are competitive.

Lakeside The Branson area is home to thousands of miles of shoreline along the edges of three diverse lakes, and there are an abundance of resorts and accommodations right on the water. The Villas At Lantern Bay on Table Rock Lake is just a 10-minute drive from Branson, but the quiet atmosphere of this luxury condo resort is worlds away from the fast-paced energy of The Strip. At Cooper Creek Resort, cabins in all price ranges stand less than a stone's throw from Lake Taneycomo. A private boat-and-fishing dock offers a doorway to the peace and tranquility that only a body of water as pristine as Lake Taneycomo can offer.

Cruisers The proliferation of recreational vehicles brings more and more visitors to Branson aboard private motor coaches each year. Branson is prepared to accommodate these guests, as it has some 5,000-plus full-service spaces for motor homes of all shapes and sizes. After a long day on the road, the last thing anyone wants is to have to search all over the busy Branson streets for a place that will accommodate a 50-foot coach with double slideouts.

With 167 sites capable of handling the new monster rigs, America's Best Campground lives up to its name. Shade trees occupy each space, and amenities such as a pool, a game room and a hot tub provide soothing diversions while you wait for show time. West of Branson near Silver Dollar City is Acorn Acres RV Park, a picturesque RV park carved from the hardwood forests of the Ozarks. It offers private, paved sites surrounded by woods where you can picnic beneath the canopy of the trees.