100 Things to Do in Branson Before You Die

by Karen Nelson

Overview

Branson, Missouri may simultaneously be the most fun, toe-tapping, memory-making, laugh-inducing, family-loving experience you will ever have. A gem nestled in the Ozark Mountains, visitors have been coming for over one hundred years to cruise "The Strip" and sample the best of the past and the thrills of tomorrow. It all started with a famous book - The Shepherd of the Hills (still an outdoor theater play) and continued with the award-winning 1800s theme park, Silver Dollar City. Country music and comedy soon took the stage with the Presley's and Baldnknobber shows, until today, where the Live-Entertainment Capitol of the World is home to tens of thousands of theater seats, multiple museums, culinary delights to tempt every taste, and the natural beauty of three extensive lakes. In just one vacation, you can rise to the top of the tower at Inspiration Point, plumb the depths of Marvel Cave, discover the old homestead at Lakeside Wilderness, eat a "foot" of chocolate, honk a wacky quacker, and shop an old-time five-and-dime. From outlet malls to boutique stores, Branson is also the place for bargains. When night falls, find your groove on the Branson Landing's boardwalk as the fire and fountain show blazes into the night, eat at a floating restaurant, and watch the city glow from the top of the 150-foot Ferris Wheel. You won't want to miss a moment of the excitement....unless, of course, you do. In that case, kick back in a cabin at Big Cedar Lodge and watch the sun set over Table Rock Lake. Have a late breakfast at Top of the Rock, then paddle along Taneycomo and fish for rainbow trout. Finish out the day with a lazy scenic drive and a flea market find. National forests and state parks offer hours of happy wandering with wildlife, and you just might stumble on a secret even the locals haven't found yet. Whether you yearn for city fun or country quiet, there's something for everyone here in the Ozarks. In Branson, you can have the trip you've always dreamed of.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681061382
Publisher:	Reedy press, LLC.
Publication date:	04/15/2018
Series:	100 Things to Do Before You Die
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,030,641
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Karen Nelson writes from her Missouri home in the Ozarks. Her two university degrees have been of no use in dealing with two teenagers, a neurotic dog, a grumpy cat, a miniature horse, or Hamish the pet hedgehog. They have, however, assisted her in her teaching career, as a tour guide, and running local businesses. Her collection of short stories, AFTER EVER AFTER, was released in 2016. This is her seventh nonfiction book.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

A Word about the Strip xv

Food and Drink

1 Get Stuffed at Kim's BBQ Shack 2

2 Get Service with a Song at Mel's Hard Luck Diner 3

3 Join the Roundup at the Chuckwagon Dinner Show 4

4 Let's Do Brunch 6

5 Find Center-Stage Nightlife at Backstage Wine Bar 7

6 Ooh-La-Latte at Vintage Paris Coffee & Wine Café 8

7 Taste the Ozarks at a Local Winery 10

8 Have Some Down-Under Fun at Outback Steak and Oyster Bar 12

9 Get the Best Burger in Town at Billy Bob's Dairyland 13

10 Get on a (Cinnamon) Roll at Grandma Ruth's 14

11 Get Creamed at Andy's Frozen Custard 15

12 Tickle Your Taste Buds at the Belgian Waffle & Pancake House 16

13 Wet Your Whistle at Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub 18

14 Butter Up at Lambert's Café 20

15 Wanna Hurts Donut? 21

16 Pick an Ozark Prize at a Berry Farm 22

17 Have a Floating Dinner at White River Fish House 23

18 Make a Moonshine Run at a Local Distillery 24

19 See the Sunset at Top of the Rock 26

Music and Entertainment

20 Get the Big Picture with These Giant Photo Ops 30

21 See Fire and Water Unite at the Branson Landing Fountain Show 32

22 Take a Spin! at the Track 33

23 Get Twisted Up at Acrobats of China Theatre 34

24 Be a Singing Sensation at Karaoke Night 35

25 See a Show under the Stars at Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama 36

26 Carve Out Time for Art at Titanic's Annual Woodcarving Competition 38

27 Make Legendary Memories at Legends in Concert 39

28 Get Spit At by a Llama at Sight & Sound Theatres 40

29 Plan Your Escape at Escape Code 41

30 Make a Request at Ernie Biggs Dueling Piano Bar 42

31 Get in on the Horseplay at Dixie Stampede 43

32 See the Big Screen at Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex 44

33 Honk a Wacky Quacker on Ride the Ducks 46

34 Thank Your Dentist at the Presleys' and Baldknobber Shows 47

35 Sing, Dance, and Dine on the Showboat Branson Belle 48

36 Paddle Lake Taneycomo on a Main Street Lake Cruise 50

37 Play the Newest Game in Town at Arcade City 51

Outdoor and Recreation

38 Wheel It or Go on the Fly at Dogwood Canyon 54

39 Float Your Cares Away in a Kayak 55

40 Go Underground at Marvel Cave 56

41 Get a Hole in One Playing Putt-Putt 58

42 Paddleboat or Paddleboard on Table Rock Lake 60

43 Cruise Lake Taneycomo on a Pontoon Boat 61

44 Take It to the Top at Inspiration Tower 62

45 Go Looking for Bigfoot 64

46 Find Your Adventure at Wolfe Mountain 65

47 Ride the Wheel on the Branson Ferris Wheel 66

48 Help Save a Species at the National Tiger Sanctuary 68

49 Sleep in a Tree at Branson Treehouse Adventures 69

50 Beat the Heat (or Cold) at Fritz's Adventure 70

51 Walk the Trails of an Ozark Mountain 72

52 Fall for Fun at McKenna's Pumpkin Patch 74

53 Get a Dam View at Dewey Short Visitor Center 75

54 Lean into It at Branson Segway and Adventure Center 76

55 Go Back in Time at Silver Dollar City 77

56 Visit Moonshine Beach 78

57 Make a Splash at a Water Park 79

58 Hit the Links on the Golf Course 80

59 Be an Outdoor Pro at Bass Pro Shops 82

60 Release a New Butterfly 83

61 Feed the Fish at Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery 84

62 Pass Out Peanut Butter to Parakeets 85

63 Get in a Festive(al) Mood 86

64 Go Up, Up, and Away in a Steampunk Balloon 88

65 Take a Ride on Sparky the Downtown Trolley 90

66 Soar over Branson in a Helicopter 91

67 Take a Swing at the Batting Cages 92

68 Cruise in the Car of Your Dreams at the Branson Auction 93

69 Make a Day of It with Area Day Trips 94

Culture and History

70 Sample Old-Fashioned Treats at College of the Ozarks 98

71 See the Story That Started It All at Shepherd of the Hills 100

72 Be Part of a Lost Art at Branson Mill Craft Village 101

73 Travel to the 1800s at Silver Dollar City 102

74 Go Where the Buffalo Roam at Dogwood Canyon 104

75 Grind It at Edwards Mill 105

76 Take Ye Olde Stroll in Historic Downtown Hollister 106

77 Be a Kid Again at the World's Largest Toy Museum 107

78 See How a River Became a Lake at Table Rock Dam 108

79 Get Krazy for Kewpies at Bonniebrook 109

80 Ride the Rails with Branson Scenic Railway 110

81 Get Revved Up! at the Branson Auto and Farm Museum 111

82 Get a Glimpse of Days Gone By at Titanic Branson 112

83 Believe It or Not! at Ripley's 113

84 Come and Listen to a Story 'bout a Man Named Jed 114

85 Have a Celebrity Encounter at the Hollywood Wax Museum 115

86 See the Real Ozarks on a Scenic Drive 116

87 Crack Your Own Geode at Prehistoric Fossils 117

Shopping and Fashion

88 Shop at the Source at Silver Dollar City 120

89 Get Your Glitz On at the Grand Village Shops 121

90 Browse the Boardwalk at Branson Landing 122

91 Shop for Your Return Trip with a Timeshare Tour 124

92 Get the Bargain-Hunting Bug at Cadwell's Downtown Flea Market 126

93 Cat It, Stamp It, and Glue It at Scrapbooks Forever 127

94 Play That Mountain Music at Cedar Creek Dulcimers 128

95 Fudge a Little at the Fudge Shop 129

96 Find an Outlet for Your Money 130

97 Get Steeped in Nostalgia at Dick's 5 & 10 131

98 Gel a Bead on Fashion at Plum Bazaar 132

99 Stitch It Up at Quilts and Quilts 133

100 Get This Limited-Time Offer at As Seen On TV 134

Suggested Itineraries 135

Seasonal Activities 139

Index 141