BRANSON

I think it’s been about 10 years since my first and only previous visit to Branson. This summer I was looking for somewhere to take a mini vacation that would be a drivable distance for me and my daughters who live in Oklahoma. I had a timeshare week I needed to use and there are usually plenty of available units in Branson, so once we had our date firmed up, I booked a 2 bedroom condo. Only one of my daughter’s was able to make it to Branson with her husband and daughter, Teagan, who was 9 months old. The condo was very roomy with 2 large bedrooms, 2 full baths, a large kitchen, family room and a nice patio. Branson has a new area in the downtown area called Branson Landing. It is filled with new shops, restaurants, and a large open area perfect for concerts and events. The whole area overlooks Lake Taneycomo, with many of the restaurants featuring outside patios with views of the lake. One night we enjoyed a fabulous steak dinner at the Texas Land and Cattle Steakhouse located in the Branson Landing area and listened to a band playing on the stage for awhile before heading back to the condo. In the downtown area, there are train tracks with a train depot where train rides are offered. The Branson Scenic Railway offers a 40 mile scenic excursion through the Ozark foothills winding through tunnels and then crossing bridges and trestles used by the luxury trains of yesteryear. We were able to take advantage of the train ride which proved to be quite the experience to see the foothills from the domed car while it moved through tunnels and over high trestle bridges. We were not able to take in Silver Dollar City or take advantage of a boat cruise, maybe next time. The four day weekend flew by, especially since it was an 11 hour drive to get there, but it was nice to get away with my daughter and her family while taking in the new things in Branson. And nothing beats staying in a condo instead of a cramped hotel room!