Mission Possible – “Your mission, should you chose to accept it is” to exit Branson efficiently

Branson Tourism Center Map (Click on "Branson Tourism Center Map" link for enlarged map.)

In the old TV series “Mission Impossible” they said “Your mission, should you chose to accept it is…”. In deciding whether or not to accept the mission they had about as much choice as a visitor to Branson does in deciding whether or not they are going to leave Branson when they are ready to return home. The only choice is how the “mission” is performed.

Just as there was a choice as to how the Mission Impossible Team performed their mission visitors to Branson have a choice on how they leave Branson. Making the right choice can save a lot of time and frustration.

In a recent article entitled “Branson’s colored traffic routes ‘shows’ the way,” a spokesperson for the Branson Tourism Center, discusses how to get around Branson efficiently and how to go on line and view or print the Branson Tourism Center Map. Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center suggests that a little time studying that map will not only enhance the enjoyment of your Branson experience while in Branson by enabling you to get to Branson’s shows, attractions, lodging, shopping and everything else Branson has to offer.

In terms of leaving Branson,” she said, “Sometimes, depending on how backed up traffic is, traveling a little longer distance can save a lot of time.” For example, she points out how those traveling south might save time by taking State Highway 165 south to its intersection with Highway 65 even though it is farther in distance than going directly down Highway 76. It has been this writers personal experience that even those traveling north can save time using the same route if Highway 76 is really backed up.

Other alternate routes include getting to Branson’s Red Route, basically Shepherd of the Hills Expressway or Gretna Road and heading east until they intersect with State Highway 248. At that juncture a choice has to be made, either go east or west.

Going east will take you to the intersection of Highway 248 and Highway 65. If one turns west on Highway 248 they can proceed west to the intersection of Branson Hills Parkway, turn south (right) and get on Highway 65 at its intersection with Branson Hills Parkway. Going west on 248 can avoid potential bottlenecks at the Highway 248/65 interchange that occur as the four east bound lanes of Highway 248 become two lanes at the Highway 65 bridge.

The new Fall Creek extension to the north of Highway 76 also provides another way to get to Highway 248. Instead of turning east onto Highway 76, get in the “straight ahead lane” and stay on Fall Creek Road north until the next stop light where in intersects with Roark Valley Road. At that point you can turn right and take Roark Valley Road back to Highway 76 where you will re-enter it right where the four lane begins. Another option is to continue through the stop light on James Epps Road to its intersection with Highway 248 at which point you may turn either east or west as described above.

For additional information on the map, how to get around Branson or information or tickets for any of Branson’s shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements Johnson suggests contacting the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. She said that BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

A whirlwind overview to a bit of great free Branson family fun

The Branson Landing Boardwalk runs along the Lake Taneycomo shoreline.

“We are often asked if there are any ‘free’ things to do in Branson,” said Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. “The answer is ‘Absolutely;’ it is the combination of the excellent value provided by Branson’s shows and attractions and the free activities that make Branson such a fun value family destination.”

“From trout hatcheries to grist mills and the fire and water show at Branson Landing there are many things that families and visitors to Branson can do for free.” Here is one itinerary she suggested that will share Lake Taneycomo, Historic Downtown Branson and Branson Landing. It is flexible in terms of time from about two hours to up to eight hours depending on how much time is spent at each activity.

Let’s start out on the shores of Lake Taneycomo adjacent to Scotty’s Trout Dock, at the unofficial duck feeding area that most people coming to Branson don’t even know exits. It’s conveniently located near Branson Landing and the public boat loading ramp on the southeastern corner of the City of Branson’s Camp Ground. Just drive south off of Branson Landing Boulevard on to Box Car Willie Drive toward the city of Branson’s Lakefront Campground and follow the signs to Scotty’s.

Lamar Patton, the owner of Scotty’s says that on any given day there are about 100 to 200 Canada Geese, pigeons, Mallard ducks and other water fowl around, depending on the season. “Many will come right up to you,” Patton points out. Although he sells bags of corn to feed them they will also eat bread, crackers etc. This is a great place to take some great pictures of the kids and grandkids “feeding the ducks.” (Time for Feeding the Ducks: 15 minutes – Elapsed time: 15 minutes)

From feeding the ducks go back to Branson Landing, drive to the north parking lot, Belk’s, and park as close to Belk as you can. Walk directly east toward Lake Taneycomo and you can’t miss the Boardwalk running along Lake Taneycomo’s shoreline. Turn left (north) and you can walk through the a park area to the mouth of Roark Creek or turn right (south) and see a unique view of the Branson Landing as you walk along its lake side.

Along either route you will be able to see various species of ducks, Canada Geese, Grey Herons, Black or Turkey Vultures (buzzards), an occasional Bald Eagle and other birds and water fowl that inhabit Lake Taneycomo. It is also interesting to observe the boat traffic on the Lake including the Branson Landing Princess and Lake Queen. Go 15 minutes in either direction and return to the spot where you parked your vehicle. (Time on Boardwalk- 40 minutes – Elapsed time including travel time from feeding the ducks: 60 minutes.)

The free Discovery Trolley goes between Branson Landing and Historic Downtown Branson.

Walk past that spot to the boarding area for the the Historic Downtown Branson “Discovery Trolley.” Don’t confuse it with the tram that runs up and down the promenade within the Branson Landing. The Discovery Trolley boards at the edge of the parking lot near Belk’s and is clearly marked. It runs a 15 minute loop through Historic Downtown Branson and back down to Branson Landing and has multiple stops along the way. The convenient 15 minute loop makes, it easy for those shopping down at Branson Landing to take the trolley up to the Historic District to experience its unique shopping and restaurants and vice versa.

The Trolley ride provides an excellent view and perspective of the historic downtown area, the Branson Convention Center and Branson Landing. Along the way you will pass Branson’s first theatre, the Owens Theatre and the spot where the “ Baldknobbers” performed Branson’s first live music show over 51 years ago and the grave of the man the city of Branson is named after Ruben S. Branson. About 15 minutes after boarding, the Trolley will drop you off at the spot where it picked you up. (Time on Trolley including waiting – 25 minutes Total Elapsed time: 85 minutes.)

The reason this article is entitled, “A whirlwind overview to a bit of great free Branson family fun” is because it is just that, an overview of an itinerary based on a minimum time for each activity. The times are very flexible and could very easily be expanded to include a whole day if one decided to spend more time feeding the ducks, walking on the Boardwalk, visiting Branson Landing or exiting the Trolley in historic downtown Branson to visit one of its many shops including the famous “Dicks 5 & 10.”

Those with more time might consider exiting the Trolley when it stops at Bass Pro Shops on the north end of Branson Landing and exploring what Branson Landing has to offer as they work their way south through the Landing back to their parked car. Johnson offers the assistance of Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most trusted vacation planning services, to answer any questions anyone might have about what Branson has to offer including information or tickets on Branson’s shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

What do the Titanic, art and horses have in common?

The rustic beauty of Rachel Wilson's hedge horse sculptures is unique and captivating.

Towering 100 feet above the famed Branson Strip it’s hard to miss Branson’s Titanic Museum Attraction (Titanic) as she seems ready to sail onto the strip. Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center points out that since July 1st it has also been hard not to notice what appears to be a herd of horses grazing and frolicking on a grassy knoll almost under the bow of the great ship.

Information received from the Titanic indicates that the “herd” is composed of extraordinary horse sculptures by Missouri artist Rachel Wilson and are all sculpted from hedge-wood sticks found on the farm she owns with her husband Kyle in Availla, Missouri. John Joslyn, owner of the Titanic said, “I think our July visitors, especially the kids, will be surprised and startled by the realism and motion that Rachel has captured in her imaginative, hedge-horse sculptures. Each ‘horse’ has a name and story to tell, from the large plow horse to the smallest of colts.”

In describing how she creates her sculptures Wilson indicates that it involves the whole family. “Hedges or Osage orange trees were planted in rows and used for fences by early-day farmers,” she explains. “We make gathering the fallen hedge branches a family affair. My husband drives the truck and our four kids and I ‘pickup sticks.’  Back in my studio, I wait for the pieces to ‘speak’ to me before I begin to give them the form and personality they dictate.”

As unlikely a scenerio as one could ever encounter, the Titanic and horses appearing to meet on a grassy knoll.

The result is amazing and gives those visiting the Titanic an interesting opportunity to see something that is truly unique and beautiful. It is not just the artistic rustic beauty of each of Wilson’s individual horses but the unique manner in which they are displayed, “running free” on the grassy knoll with the Titanic and the Branson Strip in the background. What a chance for one of the most unusual Kodak Moments of all time!

What do the “horses” have in common with the Titanic? They are both unique and demonstrate the originality and commitment of their creators as they give each Branson visitor an opportunity to make them a special part of their total Branson experience. Passengers on the Titanic will get to share the same experience that over 2.2 million Branson visitors have had as they take a self guided tour through the ship’s 20 galleries displaying more than 400 priceless artifacts, walk the full sized Grand Staircase and participate in many fun interactive activities.

Well perhaps not exactly the “same experience.” The exhibits are constantly being changed so that there is always something new for Titanic visitors to see and experience. In addition, they will not only get to see Wilson’s beautiful sculptures, but see them displayed in an exciting, natural and unique environment.

From an artistic perspective it should be pointed out that there were two sculptors on board for that fateful first and last voyage of the Titanic, “Paul Romaine Chevre and Francis Millet. Chevre, a French sculptor, was on his way to Ottawa, Canada, for the unveiling of one of his statues. Millet, an American painter, sculptor, poet and journalist, was returning home from vacationing in Europe.” One of them survived the disaster the other did not.

For additional information or tickets for Branson’s Titanic Museum Attraction or any of Branson’s other shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC) one of Branson’s largest and most trusted vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

Branson’s Grand Palace re-opening concert by hip hop artist Nelly

Grammy award winning hip-hop Artist Nelly to perform in Branson.*

Branson, Missouri, called the “Live music show capital of the world” is adding yet another genre of music to is exciting repertoire. On July 4 it was announced that the Grammy winning rapper and hip-hop singer “Nelly” will be performing a concert in Branson Missouri on August 21. The outdoor concert will be performed in the Grand Palace’s rear parking lot as part of its re-opening. The rear parking lot is being used because of delays in finishing its extensive on-going renovations. The announcement said that indoor shows would resume in September with the Branson Daily Independent reporting that date as September 11.

During the summer of 2000, Cornell “Nelly” Haynes debut hip-hop album “Country Grammar” was a huge success selling 250,000 copies within its first week of release. Within two years Nelly has won two Grammies for the singles “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma” from his six million seller album “Nellyville” and was selling millions of albums and singles.

Paul Dunn who took over the management of the Grand Palace said, “We’re making history…We’re bringing a genre of music Branson has never seen before. This is a prelude of what’s to come.” The announcement contained no additional information relative to who will be doing what at the Grand Palace after the August 21 concert except for the fact that the Grand Palace will resume inside shows during September.

Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected sellers of Branson show and attraction tickets and lodging said, “This is yet another example of the variety of the live entertainment Branson has to offer and the constant change that helps make Branson the exciting destination it is.”

Photo courtesy of www.nelly.net.

Planning a trip to Branson Jeopardy style

Silver Dollar City, Branson's most popular paid attraction, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.

America’s favorite TV quiz show “Jeopardy,” has a unique format. For each round, the game board displays six categories each of which contains five clues. Each of the clues have a dollar value. Contestants win by answering, in question format, with the question that the clue was based on. The ultimate winner of the game is the one with the most money at the end.

Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most trusted vacation planning services said, “If ‘Planning a Trip to Branson Missouri’ was a category on Jeopardy the the five clues below just might be included.”

$200 – Hotels and Lodging
$400 – Branson’s live shows.
$600 – Having fun at Branson Attractions
$800 – Silver Dollar City
$1000 – Presleys’ Country Jubilee

The answers (questions) for each clue are as follows:

$200 – What should be taken care of first in planning a trip to Branson?
$400 – For what  form of entertainment is Branson most noted?
$600 – What are most of the kids who come to Branson interested in?
$800 – What is Branson’s oldest and most popular attraction?
$1000 – What is the name of the first show on the now famous “Branson Strip?”

The last round of the game is called “Final Jeopardy” where the contestants can wager from $0 to the total amount they have won up to that point. After placing their wager the clue is revealed and they have 30 seconds to write down their response. The game’s winner is the one who has the most money after “Final Jeopardy.”

In terms of planning a trip to Branson Jeopardy Style, the Final Jeopardy Category might be “Experiencing Branson” and the Clue “Branson Tourism Center”. The Answer (Question) would be “Who provides free personal service in planning a Branson vacations, has sold over 2 million Branson show and attraction tickets, is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and is dedicated to ensuring that each Branson visitor has a great experience.”

Branson Tourism Center can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

Fun Ramps up at White Water with Night Water

A splashdown from the top of the seven story Kalani Towers at night is an entirely different experience.

“On the typical day the two million gallon White Water park closes as at 7 p.m.” said Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. “However, from July 2 to July 10 guests to the park can have a unique experience as they beat the heat, splash, play and slide away until 10 p.m.”

A recent press release announcing the extended hours said, “Nighttime thrills abound at the region’s largest fun-filled tropical getaway. Guests can raft the challenging Ohana Falls or surf the 500,000 gallon wave pool at dusk, meander down the Lazy River under the stars, and maneuver Raging River Rapids and the Bermuda Triangle in the dark. Even the youngest members of the family can play under the stars at Night Water. RainTree and Splash Islands, along with Little Squirts’ Waterworks, offer fun for the whole family.

“For the adventurous, the region’s largest high-speed water ride is the ultimate after-dark experience. Take in the panoramic view of the lights of B-town before plunging 75 feet on Kalani Towers, a multi-experience thrill ride with two 300-foot drop slides for freefall body sliding at speeds up to 40 mph, and four additional 312-foot slides for lane racing at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.” White Water General Manager Jackie Smith said, “Kalani Towers is the ultimate splashdown thrill, and it’s even better after dark. The entire family can get in on the fun, whether plummeting down the huge drop flumes, or racing down the four-lane slides.”

Johnson points out that there is no additional charge for the extra hours for guests having a one day ticket or a season pass. For additional information or tickets for White Water or any of Branson’s other shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements please feel free to contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

White Water is a sister attraction of Silver Dollar City, Branson oldest and most popular attraction celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and the Showboat Branson Belle.

Are there things to do in Branson in addition to live music shows?

Silver Dollar City's "Wildfire" blends the natural beauty of the Ozarks with a world class coaster for a unique one of a kind Branson experience.

Branson’s renowned reputation as “live music show capital of the world” has caused some to ask, “Are there things to do in Branson in addition to live music shows?” Tammy Johnson, Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson largest and most trusted providers of Branson travel services answers, “Absolutely, from ziplines to butterflies and just about everything in between, Branson has more unique and fun attractions and activities for its visitors to enjoy than any place on earth.”

Branson’s location in the Ozark Mountains provides a natural and beautiful setting for all that Branson has to offer which, in no small measure, contributes to the uniqueness and excitement of the Branson experience. In a recent interview, Brad Thomas, the General Manager of Branson’s most popular attraction, the 1880s theme park, Silver Dollar City Silver provided an excellent example of the integration of the natural beauty of the Ozarks with the Branson entertainment experience.

Thomas said, “A perfect illustration would be our coaster, ‘Wildfire.’ Alone, it is an exciting, exhilarating world class ride. When the excitement of the ride experience is coupled with the spectacular view of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake from its highest point as it loops upside down it provides a unique one of a kind experience not available anywhere else.”

Its three lakes, Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake and Lake Taneycomo provide a variety of fresh water fun and excitement including swimming, boating, just about any water activity from wave runners to water skiing and world class fishing for both bass and trout. Where else, but in Branson, Missouri, aboard the Branson Landing Princess can a person cruise, eat a wonderful dinner and watch a multi-million dollar fire, water and light show? How about just relaxing on Table Rock Lake’s “Moonshine Beach” for a day of sunbathing and swimming?

The Payne Stewart Tribute Course is but one of Branson's many golfing adventures.

Branson offers a world class golf experience at a number of courses including the newly opened Payne Stewart Golf Course at Branson Hills, Thousand Hills, Pointe Royale and Branson Creek. Johnson points out that at a number of courses, lodging can be arranged within walking distance of the club house.

In terms of attractions and other activities, Johnson said, “If it’s fun and exciting it can be found in Branson. Attractions including the Adventure Ziplines of Branson, the Butterfly Palace & Rain Forest Adventure, the international award winning 1880s theme park Silver Dollar City, the two million gallons of wet fun at White Water, the Titanic Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, the Hollywood Wax Museum, the Branson Scenic Railway and activities including go karts, museums, bird watching, hiking, fish hatchery tours, to name a few, provide Branson visitors with a constant stream of fun, excitement and adventure.

“Interestingly,” Johnson points out, “Although Branson is known for its music shows, many of its live shows are not music shows.” She points to the Acrobats of China, Yakov’s Moscow Circus, the magic and comedy of the  Hamner Barber Variety Show, the spectacular outdoor drama Shepherd of the Hills and comedy shows such as Yakov Smirnoff and Jim Stafford as examples. For further information on all that Branson has to offer please contact the Branson Tourism Center by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

KidsFest, Peter Pan and pixie dust mean more fun for kids in Branson

Cathy Rigby in her roll as Peter Pan.*


Please Note this article is from 2010 and is here for archival purposes only.

“On a daily basis, Branson has an amazing number of attractions and fun things for kids and families to do” said Paul Miller, General Manager of the Branson Tourism Center. In terms of Branson’s normal attractions and activities for kids and families there is everything from its lakes and all they offer; to the international award winning 1880s theme park Silver Dollar City; two million gallons of cooling wet fun offered by White Water with its seven story “Kalani Tower”  multiple lane water slide; golf, miniature golf, go karts, water boats and just about every other fun thing imaginable from zip lines to bungee jumping.

Miller said, “KidsFest, one of the biggest festivals of the year for Silver Dollar City is currently going on and will run until August 8.” In addition to the rides, shows, crafts and everything else there is to do at Silver Dollar City there are additional KidsFest activities and entertainment such as the magic of Peter Gossamer, Sponge Bob, VeggieTales stunt dogs and much more. “The plate of fun in Branson is so overflowing it’s hard to imagine being able to fit anything else on it,” he said, “but sprinkle it with a little pixie dust and anything is possible.”

“What goes better with pixie dust than the adventures of the boy who can magically fly and never grows old?” Miller asks. The story of Peter Pan has been told in many ways since the Scottish novelist J. M. Barrie created him and holds a special fascination for children of all ages. The presentation of “Peter Pan,” staring Kathy Rigby, opening for a limited engagement in Branson on July 6 and running through August 15 is a world class production filled with excitement, beautiful sets and action as she flies above the stage, takes the audience into the magical world of Peter Pan and shares not only the magical pixie dust, but the joy, adventure and magic of Peter Pan..

Miller believes that Peter Pan provides a wonderful entertainment experience for families to share together and points out the show received excellent reviews during its 2009 engagement. One reviewer, in a review entitled “Peter Pan..What a Show!!” posted on the “Show Forum” of 1Branson.Com said, “I ventured into Neverland last night and came home changed forever  OK, that may be a bit of a stretch, but we did have to comb the pixy dust out of our hair. Peter Pan is everything you would expect from a professional Broadway production. Fantastic performances from the entire cast, great set work, superb special effects including flying like you’ll never see anywhere else…. it’s a definite 5 Star production”

Miller continues, “July is one of the most popular times of the year in Branson for families.” He suggests making advance reservations for Peter Pan and lodging to insure not only availability, but the best seats and accommodations. He recommends contacting the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most trusted vacation planning services by calling either their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

* Photo courtesy of McCoyRigby.com

Branson Tourism Center celebrates seven years of sharing its passion for Branson

Whether is a ride on Silver Dollar City's new $7 million dollar RiverBlast Ride or..

How does one of Branson’s biggest and most respected providers of Branson travel services go from selling zero tickets to Branson shows and attractions to beyond two million and counting? “By using the synergy of the amazing people working with us and all that Branson has to offer to provide our customers, one at a time, with the greatest Branson experience possible,” said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center (BTC). “Our passion at BTC is providing a great Branson experience for our customers that will not only bring them back to Branson, but back to the Branson Tourism Center time and time again.”

Johnson points out that on May 27 the Branson Tourism Center celebrated its seventh birthday. When Lianne Milton, the owner of BTC with her husband Larry, started the company seven years ago, there was a passion for sharing Branson, three employees and the number of tickets sold was zero. A short seven years later, the passion for sharing Branson is, if anything, more intense, BTC has 100 employees and the number of tickets sold is well over the two million ticket mark and rising.

Johnson attributes the success of the BTC to a number of things not the least of which is the passion of BTC, from the top on down, to making sure that every customer has a great Branson experience. Realizing that experience starts with the initial gathering of information on Branson, BTC’s free personal “concierge type” service has the made the gathering of that information as simple as dialing 800-785-1550, toll free, from 7 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. every day of the year except Christmas Day.

or an incredible show like the Acrobats of China, it's all about making sure the Branson guest has a great experience.

or an incredible show like the Acrobats of China, it's all about making sure that Branson's guests have a great Branson experience.

The phone will be answered by a trained BTC Branson Vacation and Reservation Specialist who lives in the Branson area, is familiar with all that Branson has to offer and will be happy to answer any questions prospective Branson visitors may have regardless of whether or not they actually buy tickets, lodging or other services from BTC. In the event the person calling wants to purchase tickets or lodging, the Vacations and Reservation Specialist can make all the arrangements including reservations with absolutely no service charge of any kind.

“In fact,” Johnson states, “because we buy in bulk and pass the savings on to our customers, in many cases, particularly with packages, they actually save money. Our free flagship concierge service, with the personal assistance of our Vacations and Reservation Specialist provides an unequalled level of convenience and service all designed with one thought in mind, help our customers have a great Branson experience.”

She also points out that BTC owns and operates Branson’s first, oldest and the most trafficked Branson website, www.Branson.com and www.BransonTourismCenter.com which provide a wealth of information on Branson, its shows, attractions, shopping, history, current news articles and just about anything else anyone could want to know about Branson. In addition, for those who want to do their own research and make their own reservations on line, BTC also operates www.BransonOnTheWeb.com, a transactional site with one of the best Branson search engines available anywhere to help users get the Branson information they want. Johnson stresses however, that BTC enjoys the reputation it does because of personal service and that personal assistance is no more than a toll free phone call away.

Johnson said that BTC is a member of the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, Better Business Bureau, American Society of Travel Agents, American Bus Association, and the Branson Lakes Area Lodging Association. It has been a member of the Better Business Bureau of Southwest Missouri since 2003 and enjoys an A+ rating.

As excited as she is about what has happened over the last seven years at the Branson Tourism Center, Johnson says, “It happened one customer at a time by helping them have the best Branson experience possible. That will not change as we move into the future, it is our passion and our privilege.”

Adventure Ziplines soars near Branson Strip

Beautiful vista and one of the rope bridges on Adventure Ziplines of Branson course.

“Last year at this time there wasn’t a zip line in the Branson area,” said Paul Miller, General Manager of the Branson Tourism Center. “This year there are a number of zip lines or zip line related attractions open in the Branson area for our visitors to enjoy and one of them is located within blocks of the of the famed Branson Strip, ‘Adventure Ziplines of Branson.’”

During an interview on June 11, Jared Story, General Manager, Adventure Ziplines of Branson, stated that the almost one mile long zipline course is unique, in terms of its location and thrill ride canopy tour focus. The course is composed of five ziplines, ranging in length from 200 feet to 1600 feet, three swinging rope bridges and nine towers. Riders will soar above the beautiful Ozarks terrain at heights of 70 feet and speeds of up to 50 miles an hour on a unique and inspiring zipline adventure. Story said it would take a group of five or six people about one and a half hours to complete.

Although blended into the Ozarks scenery, Story points out that Adventure Ziplines of Branson is constructed predominantly of concrete and steel with each of its stainless steel dual ziplines capable of supporting 26,000 pounds. He said that the zipline’s field staff are all ACCT Certified (Association of Challenge Course Technology) and have been trained in High Angle Rescue, CPR and First Aid.

The minimum weight to ride is 70 pounds and the maximum weight is 275 pounds. He suggests that children eight years of age and up can ride the zipline providing they are able to follow instructions on braking and the use of the zipline.

Story explained that Adventure Ziplines of Branson is the second zipline that its parent company, Perry Smith Development Corporation out of Pigeon Forge, TN, has built. Perry Smith owns other entertainment attractions such as go kart tracks, laser tag, indoor black light putt-putt golf etc., but Adventure Ziplines of Branson is their first venture into the Branson Market.

He is particularly pleased that the zipline can provide this exciting adventure experience in a location that is so conveniently located to Branson’s main entertainment, shopping and lodging area near the center of the Branson Strip. Adventure Ziplines of Branson is located just north of the junction of N. Wildwood Drive and Gretna Road (Branson’s Blue Route) and past the White House Theatre at 501 N. Wildwood Drive.

For additional information or tickets for Adventure Ziplines of Branson or any of Branson’s other shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.