June

Something for everyone

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

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Branson is a city with multiple faces.

Sure, there's the gaudy, glitzy and sometimes glamorous Missouri 76 strip with its restaurants, hotels, shows and other attractions - not to mention the traffic.

Then there's Silver Dollar City, which attracts thousands with its rollercoasters, music and surprisingly good theme-park food.

Finally, there's the "real" Branson -the one where the locals hang out and many tourists rarely find.

Downtown Branson isn't filled with the massive lights, signs, hotels and chain restaurants like the tourist side. It's a quaint, lively little area east of U.S. 65 along the banks of Lake Taneycomo. Full of locally owned shops and restaurants, it can be an escape from the maddening go-go pace of "the strip."

One of the favorites is Smack's Deli on Main Street. Known for its sandwiches on homemade bread and myriad sundaes and malts, Smack's is one of those local places that insiders like to visit.

"We have a pretty regular local crowd, but the tour buses come through in the fall," said Barb Thompson, who owns Smack's with her husband, Jerry. "Business has been really good for us. No slowdown at all."

Nearby is Branson Landing, with more than a mile of boardwalk along the lake and lots of shops and restaurants. Again, the crowds aren't nearly as thick, but the popularity of this side of the city is growing.

But Branson is known for its shows and entertainment. Ever since the Baldknobbers hit the first stage in 1959, performers have been serving up down-home humor, country and gospel music, and just about everything else imaginable.

Less than a two-hour drive from most of Northwest Arkansas, Branson and nearby Silver Dollar City have been popular attractions for decades. From the opulence of the Butterfly Palace to Dolly Parton's Dixieland Stampede, there's plenty to do for everyone. There are even Chinese acrobats and the venerable Russian comic Yakov Smirnoff.

Aside from the 100-plus shows, kids will have fun at water parks and the ever-present mini-golf courses and go-cart tracks.

And when spring eventually turns to summer again and the kids are clamoring for something to do, a jaunt north of the Missouri border to all sides of Branson can provide a good start to the vacation season.

Insider tips:

1. Take advantage of the coupons. Just about every show and many restaurants offer discounts available either online or in booklets found in local shops. However, be wary of the super-steep discounts for shows and Silver Dollar City. They usually require you to sit through a high-pressure time-share sales pitch.
2. Yes, traffic can be bad, especially during the hours of 8-10 p.m., when dozens of shows end. Stay off the strip if you can. Find one of those colorful maps that show alternate routes. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the lights. You'll be watching them for a while.
3. If headed for the west side of town, use High Road, or Route F, to avoid the strip.
4. On that trip to Silver Dollar City, skip the weekends to miss the biggest crowds. Thursdays are great. Full-service rides and shops. Probably half-size lines, or even less.
5. If you must go to Silver Dollar City on a Saturday, the best way to avoid the early car lines is to approach the park from the west by staying in Kimberling City or Branson West, not in Branson and to the east. If you're staying in Branson, drive west on Missouri 76. When you get to the traffic jams, stay to the right and go past them. Pass by the left turn into the park entrance and drive just a little bit past the intersection. Then turn around and go back to the park. You'll beat a bunch of those cars.
6. It's hot and you need to cool off. There are great water rides, and the Geyser Gulch splash area is a hit with kids. Lots of water guns and spray toys there. But if you don't want to get wet, try Marvel Cave. This deep cavern under Silver Dollar City is included in the park's entrance fee. It's cool and damp underground, and there's not a huge rush to climb up the other side. You'll probably wait a half-hour or so before your tour, but it's worth it.
7. Take advantage of the free things. The blacksmith demonstration, glass-blowing and candy-making all are free to watch - and interesting, too.
8. For goodness sake, buy some saltwater taffy but avoid the red-black-white pepper taffy. Unless you like it hot. Really hot.

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