Branson Group Travel Guide

Branson is known as the Live Entertainment Capital of the World and boasts 49 live performance theaters performing 120 shows a day. With a reputation built on love of God and Country, this all-American town of just over 6,000 dazzles tourists each year with its brand of music, humor and “down home” appeal.

The city’s performers are known world wide for their talent and appeal, but also have a reputation for family dynasties. Performers like Shoji Tabuchi, the violinist, and Utah’s Lowe Family bring a whole other dimension to keeping it in the family.

Visitors typically spend 3-4 days in town, sometimes seeing as many as eight shows during their trip. Since there is no airport in town, many elect to drive in and get around on the motorcoach. Having that isolation has done nothing to hurt the success of the city, though. In fact, many choose to include day trips to Springfield and other nearby destinations in their trip, which helps the surrounding communities’ economies as well.

Here’s an overview of what Branson has to offer, giving you an idea of how it came to be the Live Entertainment Capital of the World!

Branson History

With a history of failed or shortly lived industries like lead mining and mussel shell collection for the button industry, the people of southwestern Missouri struggled to make a living. Families barely survived, leaving them vulnerable to manipulation and outlaws.

During the Civil War, the area surrounding Branson was considered a no-man’s-land. Lacking law and any men to enforce it, women and families were terrorized and attacked by bushwhackers, men who would rape the women and then pillage the house for food, supplies and valuables. In 1865, what is generally considered to be the very first street shootout occurred in nearby Springfield, when Wild Bill Hickock killed a man named David Tutt in a quarrel over a watch.

After the chaos of the 19th century, the city of Branson was founded in 1903. In 1907, Shepherd of the Hills was written, the immensely popular novel depicting life in the Ozark Mountains. The book, like the Da Vinci Code of today, spawned a generation of people to visit the Ozark Mountains and the actual farm where the novel was written.

In 1959, the first run of the Shepherd of the Hills play was performed in the Old Mill Theater on the farm. The farm has since come under ownership of one of the play’s former actors, Gary Snadon, who vowed to keep the Shepherd of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theater true to the novel and the time.

Some Facts

Population
6050 permanent residents (2000 U.S. Census)

Weather
Average highs per season: Spring: 59o-85o Summer: 82o-90o Fall: 47o-82o Winter: 44o-59o

Indian Summer lasts well into October, leaving plenty of warm weather for those wanting an escape from the shortening days and ever chillier wind.

Precipitation (monthly average): 3.59 inches

Like many Midwestern cities, precipitation in Branson is slightly higher in the spring and in November, with an average of 4.25.

Getting there…
Situated 35 miles south of Springfield, MO, the Springfield/Branson National Airport is probably your group’s best bet flying into the city. Other options are the St. Louis Downtown Airport, which is a 250-mile drive southwest, and the Kansas City International Airport, which carries a 230-mile drive southeast.

Time Zone
Central Standard Time (-06:00 GMT)

Major Area Industries
Tourism is Branson’s chief industry, bringing in 7.3 million people and $1.4 billion in revenue in 2004. Numbers for 2005 are still being tallied, according to the CVB but look to be consistent with figures from the year before. The city boasts 35,266 restaurant seats and 57,623 theater seats. In fact, Branson boasts more theater seats than New York City’s Broadway district.

Land area
Land Mass: 18 square miles
Land Elevation 722 feet above sea level

Room Service
17,904 rooms in 205 lodging facilities that vary from economy to first class.

Getting Around

Being 35 miles from the nearest airport, Branson is best traveled by car or motorcoach. No need to rent an extra one, though, as you’ll more than likely already have it.

Branson did just get a new bus system in the city, with three routes, one each for shows, attractions and shopping. This development has made it easier for group members who want to want to spend some alone time to check out something not featured on the tour.

Top Non-Show Attractions

Open to the public since 1986, Stone Hill Winery is the oldest and most awarded winery in Missouri. A guided tour for groups is given to explain the step-by-step winemaking process. Groups can finish off the day by tasting the award winning wines and juices. The winery, in true Branson-fashion, is all about entertainment, providing customers the most educational and fun tour of any winery found in Missouri.

Silver Dollar City is a family attraction. Start by visiting the Silver Dollar City theme park, with a 1880’s craft village filled with new thrills and seasonal festivals. Continue your exploration of the City by visiting Celebration City, the amusement park and Branson’s largest night show, packed with fireworks, lasers and fire towers. After a long day, relax at White Water, which is the water park in Branson. The last attraction to visit when at Silver Dollar City would be the Showboat Branson Belle, which provides a dinner show and cruise on Table Rock Lake.

The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theater allows tourists to have a good understanding of Branson’s history. Shepherd of the Hills has an outdoor drama, a famous chuckwagon dinner show, among many other things to make your experience unforgettable.

Branson is home to the wildly successful Ride the Ducks Tour, which allows customers the duck’s eye view on sightseeing. The tour travels by land and by water, visiting Baird Mountain, Table Rock Lake and Dam and Lake Taneycomo.

The Titanic Museum is a two-story museum attraction shaped like Titanic in Branson. When you visit you become a part of the scene and get to know the real passengers through their stories, memorabilia, photos and cards. Everything within the museum was once owned by a Titanic passenger or crew member and was taken off the ship during the sinking or was found as debris. Take the 90-minute walking tour as you fall into the shoes of a passenger on the Titanic.

The Veterans Memorial Museum is a tribute to the brave men and women who defended our country during the 20th Century. The museum creates a powerful and emotional experience for visitors. The museum is filled with a large amount of collectables from the war, which covers the ups and downs of the human experience.

Eats & Treats

The Showboat Branson Belle is a great place for a group to take a lake adventure. The journey floats past the Ozark Mountains on the clear water of the Table Rock Lake. The boat cruise is 2-hours long with a dinner show and 3-course meal. The menu varies by performers, hosts and visitors.

Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede features 32 magnificent horses, ostrich races, trick riding and audience participation. The four-course meal includes homemade biscuit, original creamy vegetable soup, whole rotisserie chicken, hickory smoked barbeque pork loin, herb basted potato wedges, corn and apple turnover for dessert. There is an unlimited supply of coffee, tea, or Pepsi, while at the show.

The Shepherd on the Hill Chuckwagon Dinner is served during the show. Dinner consists of barbeque beef, roast chicken, red beans, cole slaw, baked apples, hot roasted ear of corn, cornbread, cobbler, and a variety of beverages. Come hungry to eat when you hear the dinner bell ring at 4:15 p.m. Don’t pass up the opportunity to see a great show and have a home-cooked chuckwagon meal.

Tee time

Branson Creek, Holiday Hills, Ledgestone C.C., Top of the Rock Golf Course and Thousand Hills Golf Resort all offer excellent courses against the dramatic landscape of the Ozark Mountains. Group lessons and practice greens are available at certain courses.

For more information on golfing in Branson, visit www.golfbranson.com.

Shopping

Another thing Branson is known for besides live entertainment is the outlet shopping. At Tanger Factory Outlet Center, The Shoppes at Branson Meadows, and Factory Merchants Branson, visitors can find designer brand clothing and shoes from designers like Gap, S & K Menswear, Old Navy and many others.

This year marks a record in new development for the Branson/Lakes Area with the addition of the $420 million Branson Landing in historic downtown Branson. The facility boasts 95 acres of shopping and dining, with a town square large enough to accommodate 5,000 guests for festivals and music events. It also features a $7.5 million spectacular attraction that synchronizes water, light, sound and fire.

Just a Day Away…

Head to Springfield to check out Fantastic Caverns, the only cave with a tram. This 50-minute guided tour follows an ancient underground riverbed filled with massive formations.

The cave stays a comfortable 60 degrees year-round. Because you ride the tram through the entire tour, Fantastic Caverns is especially convenient for parents with small children, seniors and physically challenged visitors.

Eureka Springs is a great place to overnight, especially for those looking to learn more about the life and times of Jesus Christ. The site of the Great Passion Play offers four different activities along with the play itself. You can visit the Christ of the Ozarks statue, the second-largest Christ statue in the world. Art enthusiasts can enjoy the Sacred Arts Center, where more than 1,000 artworks are housed depicting the life of Christ. The Bible Museum displays more than 6,000 rare and valuable copies of the Bible, as well as parchments and other artifacts. The fourth activity is a Holy Land Tour, a 2 1/2-hour excursion visiting sites based on archaeological research of Biblical times.

Don’t leave town without…

Checking out the bathrooms at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre. The women’s room has a gigantic fountain and is scented by 80,000 violets a month. The Victorian men’s room is complete with a hand-carved pool table. Unfortunately, guards prevent onlookers of the opposite sex to check out the bathrooms, but there are pictures for sale in the gift shop.

Courtesy of Leisure Group Travel