So what exactly is it that keeps people coming back by the car-, van-, and busload? Nothing mysterious: reasonably priced family activities, including amusement parks and museums, shopping options that range from craft stores to factory outlets, a wide variety of outdoor pursuits, plus lots of live entertainment.
"We like Branson because we always find something for everyone to do - from me to my grandma," said Brian Stevens, 12, of Muncie, Ind., who had come with seven family members in two minivans on the nine-hour drive from home. The whole clan, decked out in matching tie-dyed T-shirts, was enjoying lunch at the Casa Fuentes Mexican restaurant on Highway 76 Country Boulevard, also known as "the Strip."
Like the gaudier Vegas version, Branson's Strip runs through the heart of town (where it is frequently clogged with traffic) and displays the full gamut of what the city has to offer.
Our recent visit began on the east end of the Strip, where we stayed at the new and nicely appointed Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing. The hotel overlooks the Landing's outdoor shopping mall along the shore of Lake Taneycomo, which was formed by damming the White River. The two-year-old mall is anchored by a Belk department store on one end and a Bass Pro Shops on the other, with lots of mid-range shopping and dining in between. A second Hilton hotel is attached to the nearby and also new Branson Convention Center.
Just to the west of the Landing area is historic Downtown Branson, which dates to 1888 and retains something of its 19th-century flavor with brick sidewalks, Victorian lampposts, and stores like Dick's Oldtime 5&10 and The House of 1,000 Clocks. Walking tours of downtown are available and give an interesting glimpse of Branson's roots.
