Branson or not?

Thank you all for your comments on Branson and even alternative spots. Actually, I love the sound of the Bluegrass session in Arkansas, which sounds more authentic and fun. As for Branson, some of you may have convinced me to give it a try, if we stop anywhere. The horse (DH) will be headed for the barn by then after three weeks away. I'm the one with severe wanderlust. lol

If you want a lot of blue grass, Silver Dollar City has a Blue Grass Festival from May 8 thru June 1. There are many different groups that are there for one or two days. Many different shows going at same time so if go every day hard to see all groups.

Avoided Branson for years.
Finally went at DW's urging.
As others have said, many different shows, very G rated, and patriotic, at least the ones we attended. Loved the Presley family show. Didn't think the prices were exorbitant. Also did the Showboat dinner show on the lake. Had fun.
Lots of traffic, but not Vegas or LA type volume. It is really a small town.
We stayed at the KOA. Good place with nearly free breakfast, and they can get tickets for you and save a lot of hassle.

Lots of posts on this topic. It's the only place that I know of where one can see several shows in the span of a few days without traveling great distances. Several things in common are that the shows are for the entire family (unlike today's movies) and they will be patriotic and to some level of faith.
You haven't lived until you see a Japanese fiddle player singing `How great thou art'!

Obviously some widely varying opinions here- but here is mine. We were there last sept & spent a week. There are so many shows and venues there that I can't imagine one couldn't find shows that you would enjoy. Just choose wisely. I thought the prices were pretty fair, not dirt cheap but certainly within line and probably half of what you would pay in Vegas. We absolutely loved silver dollar city and would return with the grand kids just to go there. It is in the middle of the Bible Belt so if you don't care for God and patriotism you may be in the wrong place. We have a fairly large fifth wheel and had no problems with the roads or parks. We would definetly go back.

I am still wayne_tw wrote:
Personally, I think Branson is now a "has been." We got up and left from two shows because it was just that bad! Go if you want, but expect less than "prime time" entertainment.

Ditto X10!
I went once and will never go back. If you are towing a big coach or trailer the roads suck to some of the better sites to see and other than the waaay less than prime time entertainment IMHO there is nothing to see or do in Branson.

I did get to go to the Roy Rogers museum and see the stuffed Trigger, Buttermilk, Bullet and the Jeep Nelly Bell there before they tore that down due to lack of visitors. I had the whole museum to myself!.

I considered myself lucky to have found the museum and got to do anything entertaining in that town! :B

If you like the Wisconsin Dells, Gatlinburg, or Dollywood, you'll probably love Branson. Yes, is is touristy, busy, crowded most of the time. An area become theme area, and the theme is "country." More than just the one theme park (Silver Dollar City), other amusements, shopping and theater, have built up around it.

In that the natural attractions are lakes (flood control reservoirs, really) makes it more like the Dells than the mountain theme park towns, but it is like those in having the "country" theme.

What do you think of Frankenmuth as a destination? Branson is like Frankenmuth, only much bigger, and the theme is country rather than German, and the attraction is more than a Christmas ornament store.

I have friends who go to Branson several times a year. They usually go to stay on one of the lakes, knowing that they can drive on in to the amusement clusters one or two days or nights. I've been once, for me once is enough. I'm not into the country music shows, and I have better lake resorts much closer to home, all part of flood control for keeping the Arkansas River navigable to Tulsa.

There are cave tourist attractions, and jungle park attractions, in southern Missouri, which you pass taking I-44 going toward Michigan (a trip I've made more than 100 times over the past 33 years), but these are not part of the Branson complex. If you stay close to I-44, there is also the Precious Moments attraction and the Walnut Bowls attraction, and the big Bass Pro Shops store and nature museum in Springfield, all part of southern Missouri but not in Branson.

Branson tries to be a little, more family friendly, Las Vegas, but I'm also not into Las Vegas.

I like routing myself through Atchison, Saint Joseph, Hannibal, and the Springfield in Illinois, for a history fix, rather than theme parks and commercial attractions.

hbillsmith wrote:
Was there last year. The Goodsam campground is great and close to town. Go see the Six Show and be amazed. There is a lot of tourist stuff you can ignore. Trout fishing as at the camp is very good. Would definetly go.

We went the first time and spent a month there last Oct and really enjoyed it. I agree on SIX being a must see. We saw about 6 or 8 shows including Bill Cosby and the Oak Ridge Boys. Cosby was disappointing, but the ORB were FANTASTIC. Do some searching for shows there including artists like Cosby, ORB, etc. that do limited performances and see if you would be interested. Since when we went school as in session and it was not summer most there were older folks and while somewhat crowded it wasn't really that bad. Probably won't go back since we stayed long enough and did enough to get our permanent BRANSON FIX.

Larry

Also in Mammouth Springs, Arkansas every Saturday night, groups get together and
Play bluegrass. Look up George D Hay foundation and music hall of fame. Admission cost $5.00 per person

We live 40 miles away and go as often as we can, several times throughout the summer