I've been hearing about Branson, MO for years. I've been offered free trips to Branson to come see shows, eat good food and listen to a few timeshare pitches. Nothing actually prepared me for what I experienced this past month.
As a new charter (tour) bus driver, I was assigned two trips to Branson. The first trip was with a smaller 29-passenger bus and the second trip was with the very large 54-passenger bus. The smaller bus was more fun because it was easier to handle and park. The smaller bus was better able to move around the very slow, bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The traffic should not be feared because it is 80% tourists looking for the same things you are. Lots of times you end up at the same parking lot. Word of warning: everything is on a hill in the Ozark Mountains. Every parking lot has a steep slant to it, so get ready for using those brakes and your driving skills. Or better yet, book a tour and leave the driving to the tour bus drivers because we like that place.
The best music was from an six-member (brothers) called SIX. You can look them up on Google and hear what I'm talking about. They are spectacular. Then there is the Hughes Family Christmas, with more than 40 members of one family (five brothers headlining) singing, dancing and playing instruments for two hours. Then there is the Osmunds. The Duttons. All of these are huge and entertaining Mormon families that seem to have taken over Branson. Good clean, PG-rated entertainment.
...Make your reservations now. Maybe go online to Hawkeye Stages or Northland Travel.