VACATIONING IN BRANSON, MISSOURI
Travel, Accomodations, Attractions, and Entertainment in Branson, Missouri
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Getting There Is Half The Fun
Branson is located in the southwest part of Missouri, about 35 south of Springfield. The closest airport serving Branson is the Springfield-Branson National Airport. Airlines serving Springfield-Branson include Allegiant Air, American Connection, American Eagle, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink and United Express. Fly direct to Springfield-Branson via these airlines from Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas/Ft Worth, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Tampa and St. Louis. At the time this article was written, Branson Regional Airport was under construction and scheduled to open in the Spring of 2009. It's location is just south of Branson, making getting there even easier. Most major car rental agencies serve the Springfield-Branson Airport, and there is shuttle service from some of the area hotels. Branson is within a day's drive of 1/3 of the country's population, so travel by car is easy for many. In 2006, 82% of the visitors to Branson traveled there by car, and 65% of the visitors were from 300 or more miles away.
You're Here, Where Will You Stay? Where Will You Dine?
Lodging and dining accomodations are plentiful. No matter what your budget or favorite types of accomodation may be, there are a lot of choices for you. According to branson.com, Branson and vicinity is home to 34 bed and breakfasts, 44 cabins, 39 campground and RV parks, 31 condos, 168 hotels and motels, and 32 resorts.
You also have a great many choices when it comes to dining. Traveling with your family? There are at least 36 family restaurants in Branson or nearby. Fine dining establishments number at least 6, or if you're looking for something in the fast foods category, there are 15 such restaurants. You'll also find bbq, ethnic, pizza, buffet, and steak houses.
Things To See And Do In Branson And Vicinity
It's doubtful you'll be bored at any time while visiting Branson and the surrounding areas. Here's just a small sampling of attractions and activities to occupy your time while you're here.
Theme Parks
A few choices include Silver Dollar City, The Track Family Fun Park with its bumper cars, go-carts, mini golf, kids rides, etc., or Celebration City, with more than 30 rides and attractions, including mini golf, midway, Wildcat Wooden Coaster.
Museums, Other Attractions
Don't miss '57 Heaven if you enjoy the oldies. The world's largest collection of memorabilia from 1957, features '57 automobiles, drive-in movie, barbershop, gas station, Cadillac dealership and more. Another museum you might enjoy is the Branson Titanic, a permanent, two-story museum shaped like the original. Any dinosaur lovers in your party? They'll love it at the Dinosaur Museum
Outdoor Recreational Activities
If you like golf, you'll find clubs such as the Paine Stewart Golf Club, Don Gardner Golf Course, and Holiday Hills Golf Club. Enjoy the water? You'll find plenty of water activities on one of the three area lakes--Lake Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake, or Bull Shoals Lake. Fishing for bass or trout, swimming, canoing, boating and water skiing, house boat rentals, entertainment cruises are all featured activities. And since Branson is located in the Ozark Mountains, you'll also find opportunities for camping, hiking, biking, birdwatching, or simply enjoying the scenery on leisurely walks.
Shopping
If you'd enjoy a little shopping during your visit, be sure to try Historic Downtown Branson, which is home to Dick's Old-Fashioned 5 & 10, boutiques, and many specialty shops. Branson Landing is a brand-new, 95-acre development along Lake Taneycomo, featuring more than 100 retail shops, dining, a riverwalk, lodging, and more. And there are three Outlet Malls with more than 200 retail stores.
The Shows
You may be visiting because you've heard you can see some of the best shows in the country right here. Nearly 7 million people annually visit Branson and take in shows ranging from Country to Rock-n-Roll, Comedy Acts, Musical Theater, small shows and world-class productions. There are more than 40 stages in Branson, and some of the acts you may have an opportunity to see include Andy Williams, Bill Medley (one of the Righteous Brothers) with Paul Revere and the Raiders, or Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction--to name just a few. Be sure to check out branson.com for other performances as well as schedule information for these and all other entertainers who will be performing in one of Branson's theaters.
In Conclusion
As is usually the case, we can't hope to tell you about everything there is to see and do while vacationing in Branson and the vicinity, we hope you will use this as a basic guide. Be sure to check out branson.com for more detailed information about these and other things to see and do. Enjoy your trip!