Why Branson is a blast

The first time I visited Branson, I was a 30-something-year-old on assignment. My take-away impressions were that it was a town for retirees (whole busloads of ’em), country music was among its biggest draws, and it was unapologetically corny. When someone from the local tourism office asked whether I wanted to see any shows, I politely demurred, but what I was thinking was “Hell, no!” Luckily, Branson and I have evolved a lot since then, and now I think Branson is a blast. Is it still corny? Of course! Except now I embrace that as part of its charm.

Something for everyone

Branson’s small-town friendliness, quaint historic downtown and improbable pairing of outdoor recreation and big-time entertainment make this Missouri town an irresistible lure. There are so many things to do, you could easily spend a week here, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re old, young, a family, a couple, multi-generational, pals on a fishing trip or friends on a weekend getaway. You can charge your way through the thick of it on 76 Country Boulevard, where you’ll find museums, attractions, theaters, motels, go-kart tracks, mini-golf courses, gut-splitting buffets and enough kitsch to satisfy the most hungry of kitsch-seekers. Or you can eschew the mayhem altogether by concentrating on the Ozarks’ natural wonders. Personally, I prefer a little of both.

For more than a decade, Branson has been a top destination during the Christmas season. See my articles 10 reasons why Branson is worth a visit during the holiday season, published by USA’s Today 10Best.com, and Branson During the Holidays: Something for Everyone, published in gettingontravel.com and which concentrates on two of my favorites: Silver Dollar City and Big Cedar Lodge.

I should probably mention that since my first visit to Branson all those years ago, I’ve been back a number of times, but only once on vacation. Work that allows a deep dive into a destination is one of the joys of travel writing, and frankly, covering all the fun stuff in Branson hardly seems like work at all. Readers who have read my guidebooks or follow my blogs (thank you!) know that Japan is my specialty and that over my career I’ve written books, chapters and articles on many other places as well. When people ask, “What kinds of places have you written about?”, I’ve enjoyed answering with great relish, “Oh, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria–and Branson!”

Shows

I always make a point of seeing at least one show during a visit, and over the years I’ve seen the Amazing Acrobats, Amazing Pets, The Haygoods (an extremely talented group of siblings), Motown Downtown, SIX (an outstanding show of six brothers who sing a cappella but use their voices to produce sounds like they’re accompanied by instruments), a tribute to Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction, Shoji Tabuchi (a virtuoso violinist), the illusionist Rock Thomas, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama (a good one with kids), Yakov Smirnoff, and many others. I’ve been on the Showboat Branson Belle twice, because it’s a majestic paddle wheeler that cruises Table Rock Lake, serves dinner and has a great variety show that includes comedy so funny it makes my sides hurt. And who doesn’t like that?

Museums

I love museums as a painless way to learn new things, so I think I’ve seen just about every single one in Branson. There are museums devoted to veterans, toys (great for adults who want to reminisce), dinosaurs, the Titanic, Branson’s history, and vintage cars and trucks. I thought the History of Fishing Museum would be a quick run-through, but even I was stopped in my tracks by colorful lures and reels galore, rods, boats, motors, minnow traps, bobbers and even the first Sports Afield, published in 1888. There’s a Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, which no kid can resist, and a wax museum that’s sometimes so far off base, it’s fun to make a game out of who can guess which celebrity the next wax figure is supposed to represent.

Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum

If you like Native American art, the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum should be top on your list. Its displays of the region’s natural history includes impressive dioramas that bring the prehistoric “Hell Pig” and “Terror Bird” to life. An amazing collection of ancient, historic and modern tribal art are beautifully arranged like the gems they are. You’ll see arrowheads thousands of years old, intricate beadwork, craddle boards, Geronimo’s bow, and Sitting Bull’s war bonnet from his battle against General Custer.

Ralph Foster Museum

But my favorite museum is the Ralph Foster Museum, with the most eclectic collections I’ve ever seen, mostly related to the Ozarks. Its most famous exhibit is probably the original truck used in The Beverly Hillbillies TV show, but there are also perfume bottles, cameos, hand-carved Meerschaum pipes, grandfather clocks, antique furniture, dolls, rocks and minerals, quilts, farm tools, stuffed grizzly and polar bears, and tributes to Ozark music personalities like Roy Clark and Mickey Gilley. You can also peer into a blacksmith shop, a country doctor’s office and an Ozarks log cabin. More than 1,000 firearms include rarities from the 17th century, Jesse James’ colt revolver, guns used by Buffalo Bill, and Bat Masteron’s cane, hat and Derringer. But that doesn’t even begin to describe all the stuff that’s here. (By the way, this museum is at College of the Ozarks, where students work instead of pay tuition and turn out a dynamite fruitcake and staff a very good restaurant).

Adventure another reason Branson is a blast

I’ve roared downhill on mountain rollercoasters, ziplined from a tower and among the trees, raced my sons on go-kart tracks, tried not to cuss playing mini-golf, and defied death on the Branson Ferris Wheel (just kidding). There are climbing walls, climbing contraptions and loads of family things to do at places like Fun Mountain and Fritz’s Adventure. But the best place for thrills is Silver Dollar City, in my opinion one of the best theme parks in the country. More than 40 rides and attractions, 100 demonstrating craftsmen, live shows, unique dining opportunities and a beautiful setting in the Ozarks make this one of the best reasons for visiting Branson I can think of, especially if you have kids or come for its transformation into a winter wonderland during the Christmas season. In the summer, you can cool off at White Water, an outdoor water park with slides, rides and waves.

The Outdoors

One of the best things about this town of fewer than 13,000 souls is that just a few minutes’ drive from bustling 76 Country Boulevard puts you squarely in Ozarks wilderness. There are more than 80 miles of hiking trails, as well as city parks, nature reserves, state parks and Mark Twain National Forest. Table Rock Lake offers fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as swimming from a sandy beach and marinas with boat rentals.

If you like your nature tamed, the Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail lets you drive your own electric cart on a 2.5-mile paved pathway that takes in rock formations, waterfalls, beautiful views of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake and even a cave with a drive-up bar. Another fun option is Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, a private wildlife refuge that’s groomed to perfection, with spring-fed streams, waterfalls and wooded areas, which you can explore on foot, bike, trolley, Segway or horseback.

More Reasons Branson is a blast

I need to go off and do other things, but rest assured there are also plenty of places to shop, including many antique stores (my favorite), craft shops, Branson Landing (an outdoor mall with the usual chain suspects and some local goods), Tanger Outlets, Dick’s 5 & 10 ( a great, old-fashioned variety store) and a Bass Pro Shops.

Although you can get plenty of fried Catfish and country fried steak in Branson, there are also Mexican, Italian and other ethnic restaurants in town, with upscale dining available at places like Big Cedar Lodge and Top of the Rock.

For much more information on Branson, as well as tips for visiting, see my coverage of Branson on Bindu Trips, where I also outline possible itineraries, including one for families and for enjoying the great outdoors.

Branson is also a huge Christmas holiday destination. See my articles 10 reasons why Branson is worth a visit during the holiday season, published in 10Best.com, and the article below, which originally appeared in the now-defunct gettingontravel.com website.