VACATION AND TRAVEL
boat Branson Belle that offers scenic and dinner cruises with top notch entertainment on board with cruising times of 2 ½ to 3 hours. Over on Lake Taneycomo is a smaller cruise boat called the Lake Queen which offers scenic cruises and dinner cruises, but the size of the lake and the boat are smaller. The Lake Queen is located on the east side of Branson in the downtown business district. The Branson Belle is located in the southwest corner of Branson on Table Rock Lake. The Branson Belle holds 700 passengers, while the Lake Queen holds 150. I’ve been on both boats and have enjoyed both cruises.
On the east side of town you will find the Branson Scenic Railway (Ozark Zephyr) that takes you on a 40 mile round trip through the Ozark Mountains. This can be a scenic train ride only, or a
dinner train ride. This is a nice ride to experience in the fall when the leaves are changing colors.
If you want to see Branson from the air, they have a Helicopter ride and also this gigantic Ferris wheel nearby where you can view the city from high up. There is also the nearby Inspirational Tower which has a zipline ride on the very top where a person can see for miles in all directions, having great views of the lakes and mountains. Outside the city limits are 13 golf courses, cave tours, parasailing, horseback riding and also a newly build small airport which accommodates larger planes with car rentals offering easy in and easy out service.
Now, here comes the good part. Branson is home to over 200 hundred motels, hotels, condos, bed and breakfasts, log cabins and campgrounds, having over 22,000 rooms available. When I stay there, I usually stay west of town on a peninsula which is almost surrounded by water. This is where you will find many of the resort properties. This area is called Indian Point, which is 5 miles west of town from all the action. This peninsula is in a wooded area with less population, away from the general population not too far from Branson. Staying on that peninsula is like having the best of both worlds to enjoy.
Inside the city limits are 100 live