Branson: Not just for old folks
Written: Nov 05 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: beautiful scenery, high-quality entertainment, a ton of things to do
Cons: tour bus is the official vehicle of Branson
The Bottom Line: Branson has entertainment for everyone. Whether you spend your money seeing the shows or spend your time in the beautiful Ozarks, you will not get bored in Branson.
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| hamricba's Full Review: Branson |
Ah, Branson, Missouri. How long has it been described as the ultimate getaway place for senior citizens. While that may be true, you don't have to have gray hair (or no hair) to have a great time within the borders of this small town nestled in the Ozark Mountains.
The Background of our Trip
My wife and I spent three nights in Branson during the first weekend in November, 2001. It was a great time to go since it was off-season, but still the weather was very pleasant (45-70 degrees). Don't be too fooled by "off-season," though; it still meant most shows were sold out in advance, traffic was quite thick at times, tour buses were all over the place, and substantial waits were required at some restaurants. I cannot imagine what the summer is like in Branson, which is why I recommend an off-season visit. We noticed the town's tourists seemed to be a large majority of senior citizens, more so than any other tourism spot I've visited. But as a 24-year old myself, I found that Branson isn't just a place for old folks.
What We Did
The Shoji Tabuchi show was probably our favorite event in Branson that we experienced. The show provided elite musical skill and performance, filled with special effects and technology. It was expensive ($35 for a 2 hour show), but we felt like it was worth that value.
We took the Branson Scenic Railroad, which you pick up in downtown Branson. It heads South into Northern Arkansas for about a 2 hour roundtrip. The train passed beautiful scenery, and had observation decks on the top of two train cars. However, we felt like the train was a bit overpriced at ~$20/ticket. That did not include any meals or food, though the train did have a concession stand if you got a little hungry.
My wife and my aunt-in-law did a ton of shopping in Branson! I was overwhelmed at the number of shopping centers and outlets in this town. Be warned, husbands: your wife will need at least a full day or two here to shop. But never fear: many places have what I call "husband benches" outside so at least you'll have a comfortable seat. Also, be aware that most flea markets in Branson (we visited about 7) sell nothing but junk. I mean "junk" even by flea market standards. I suspect most of it is highly picked over, anyway.
The one major restaurant we visited was Mesquite Charlie's. You cannot miss it- it's about three floors tall and looks like a hotel (it seats about 1,200 customers). This steakhouse is excellent, and reasonably priced (pretty standard steakhouse prices). Be aware, though, that this is a tourist favorite and you may have to wait quite a while to be seated. It doesn't take many tour buses to quickly fill this restaurant to capacity, and believe me, the tour buses will be there every night.
Some Concluding Thoughts
It would take you a whole month (and a truckload of cash) to do everything in Branson that you would want to do. That includes young people- they have an amusement park and several go-kart racetracks, as well as bungee jumping. Adults will also enjoy the wide variety of shows in Branson. Everyone can enjoy the natural beauty, and the nearby camping grounds for fishing, hiking, and boating.
Especially if you go to Branson in-season, bring with you a lot of patience. They've tried pretty hard to relieve traffic on their main drag, but it doesn't help much when you combine elderly drivers, tour buses, flashy signs and lights (people rubbernecking), and many shows getting out at the same time.
Buy your show tickets early or they will not be available. Make sure to research which shows are the best in Branson so you will spend your time and money wisely. The best things here are pretty expensive, which I guess is why seniors visit to spend their retirement savings. But if you plan ahead and can be content with less, Branson can be done on even the smallest of vacation budgets.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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Epinions.com ID:
hamricba
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Member: Brian Hamrick
Location: Texas
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 28 members
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