Branson... The Las Vegas of The Ozarks

Let's say Branson is the country, family friendly version of Las Vegas with live entertainment and activities everywhere you look. This is tourist central; and from my experience, the sister-city of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. I personally prefer Branson, and let me show you why.

Lambert's Cafe is only a hop-skip toward Springfield. I was first introduced to this famous café at their other location in Sikeston (where my moms side is from). Anywhere you can get appetizers (fried okra) thrown onto a napkin and a massive beverage is a plus... especially when it comes with hot, fresh rolls being thrown at you. A truly unique experience. Look at the size of that cinnamon roll! Southern cooking can't be beat.

And Branson is NOTORIOUS for it... featuring one of Paula Deen's Family Kitchen restaurants that serves dinners family-style only. You can find it on the Branson Landing promenade, packed full with shops, restaurants, entertainment, live water shows, train rides, and more. There's so much to do... you'll need an entire evening!

Along with live entertainment options like Dolly Parton's Stampede, comes museums like the Titanic. Half of the ships museum in America is located in Branson, with the other half being in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While aboard, you're given a ticket with the name of an actual passenger and will find out your fate by the time you reach the end of the voyage. With real artifacts and film set pieces, it's a must-see for historical inquisitors. You can even feel the temperature of the water when it sank.

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MOONSHINE. MOONSHINE. MOONSHINE. Go beneath the Mason-Dixon line to find the best backwoods, homemade liquor. Missouri Ridge Distillery offers tours, samples, BBQ, and everything a 21+ adult could want, with a view off the back porch spanning miles of beautiful Ozark mountains. This is a random friend I met from Georgia while there. The bartender filled me in on how they flavor their liquor with natural fruit, which convinced me to take home a bottle of their homemade apple moonshine. No regrets.

Silver Dollar City deserves it's own section. With roller coasters, entertainment, games, shows, unique food, and more; SDC is a theme park that competes with the greats. For holiday travelers, it also has one of the biggest Christmas light displays in the world, and it is the biggest display in the United States. That's what attracted me to Branson in the first place. This park goes HARD for the holidays. That's me, eating a holiday themed cookie sandwich with icing in the middle. Still dreaming of another.

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There's a plethora of lodging options in the Branson area. My rule-of-thumb is typically finding the cheapest option with the best reviews. No frills are necessary... you'll hardly be there anyway. We stayed at the Barrington Hotel & Suites. It's not fancy, but it's clean and adequate. There's a cobbler & ice cream happy hour, pool for the kids, and surprise visits from Santa around the holidays.

If we were to do Branson again, I'd hit it during the summertime for the Lake of The Ozarks experience nearby; but this is a solid family destination with plenty of activities for everyone!