It's Not Only Country and Western
Written: Apr 23 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great outdoors, inexpensive shows, friendly people, very little traffic compared to a major city.
Cons: Too many buffets.
The Bottom Line: If you enjoy live music, family entertainment, theme parks, fishing and boating, restaurants galore, and shopping, Branson is for you.
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| TheSmartTraveler's Full Review: Branson |
We returned from a week in and around the Branson area, April 8 - 15, 2006. We flew in and out of the Springfield/Branson Airport, which is about 45 minutes from Branson. After leaving the airport, a good sidetrip for us was going to the Grandaddy of all Outdoor Stores, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. A four story natural stone waterfall that empties into a pond stocked with fish and ducks provides the backdrop for an outdoor adventure. My wife, who hates buffets, truly enjoyed a buffet meal at Hemingway's in the Bass Pro Shop. Behind the bar is an amazing 20,000 gallon saltwater aquarium.
Our friends, Daryl and Joan, own a condo and live in Branson April, May, October, and November. The other months they put their condo in a rental pool with their condo association. After reading some of the comments from people who stayed in their condo, these arrangements work out well for the people who enjoyed their condo and for our friends who enjoy the benefits. Joan wanted me to tell the world that Branson is more than Country and Western. After experiencing Branson for a week, I can attest to this fact. What was, was, What is, is! This review will be about the Branson I experienced in April 2006.
Branson is booming. Some of the existing theaters are the Baldknobbers Theater, Bart Rockett Theater, Branson Hot Hits Theater, Branson Showcase Theater, Branson Variety Theater, The Cabaret Theatre, Caravelle Theatre, Club Vegas, Country Tonite, Dixie Stampede Theater, Dutton family Theater, The Follies Theater, Golden Corral Showroom, Grand Country Music Hall, The Grand Palace, Hamner Barber Theatre, The House of Rock, Hughes Brothers Theater, Jim Stafford Theater, Kirby Vanburch Theater, Lawrence Welk Theater, Legends Family Theater, Little Opry Theatre, Mansion America, Moe Bandy Theater, Moon River Theatre, Music City Centre, New Shanghai Theatre, Nova Live Theater, Owsn's Theater, Pavilion Theater, Pierce Arrow Theater, Presleys' Theater, Remington Theater, Roy Rogers Dale Evans Museum/Happy Trails Theater, Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, Showboat Branson Belle, Starlite Theater, Tall Timber Lumberjack Show, Tri-Lakes Center, Waltzing Water Theater, White House Theater, Yakov Smirnoff Theater, and if these aren't enough, this month Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater is expected to open.
Our friends have been coming to Branson for years and have experienced the boom and changes here. They told us that Baldknobber's Jamboree on Highway 76, owned by Bill, Joyce, and Katie Mabe, is the longest continuous running show, that is now in their 47th season in Branson.
One of our friends favorite shows is the Hughes Brothers Show. Marty, Jason, Adam, Ryan, and Andy perform both mornings and evenings. The morning show features the Hughes Brothers, their talented wives, and children. In the evening show, their wives stay home with their children and the Brothers perform songs from Country to Broadway with plenty of humor thrown in. I was amazed at the amount of talent the Hughes family displayed.
We also enjoyed the first show of the season for the famous Russian comedian, Yakov Smirnoff. This first show went flawless and was hilarious. As Yakov would say, "What A Country! What A Show!" We enjoyed it and were impressed at the genuine friendliness of Yakov in talking to the audience between intermission and signing autographs after the show. Yakov has succeeded in his mission statement, "To experience happiness and teach it with passion through comedy and sensitivity". Yakov is a genius through his writing, painting, and performing for the world to enjoy.
We also enjoyed the Magnificent 7 Variety Show in the White House Theater and the Shanghai Circus, which is a spectacular extravaganza of eastern dance, amazing acrobatics, and mystical music in the New Shanghai Theatre. This performance was at least if not better than the performance we attended when we were in China! All of these shows are fantastic and first class entertainment
If you want to take a break from the shows, there are always the American Presidential Museum, Bonniebrook/O'Neill Museum, the Branson Balloon, Branson Scenic Railway, Butterfly Place, Celebration City, Dogwood Canyon, Hollywood Was Museum, the Inspiration Tower, miniature golf, Predator World, Ralph Foster Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum, the Showboat Branson Belle, Silver Dollar City which is worthy of a review in itself, Veteran's Memorial Museum, the World's Largest Toy Museum, fishing for bass, trout, or catfish in the Ozark Mountain lakes and streams, hiking on the White River, Upper White River, or other trails, canoeing, mountain biking on the steep rocky Ozark hills, and so many other fun things to experience.
I believe there are at least 25 ethnic restaurants to satisfy any taste and budget. Some are very good; others are all you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets that only the biggest eaters will enjoy. Blackberry cobbler is the thing to finish off your meal when you are in Branson. The Indian Point Eatery is a good place to go for an ice cream and enjoy great views across the highway of Andy Williams estate. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, fantastic ambiance, superb views of Table Rock Lake at Chateau Grille, one of many restaurants in Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa located at 415 N. State Highway 265 in Branson.
Shopping is endless from small mom and pop stores, Dick's Oldtime 5 & 10 on Main Street, outlet malls that probably are sprouting up as you read this epinion, to Wal-mart and Home Depot type stores. I bought a pair of Colombia outdoor shoes in one of these outlets for $30 dollars that would probably sell in Miami for $75 dollars.
We enjoyed our week in Branson and will probably return for a repeat performance in the not too distant future.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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TheSmartTraveler
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Member: John Isaacs
Location: Miami, Florida
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I get the shakes if I don't take at least 5 good trips a year.
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