Branson Vacations

This entertainment town is hopping with action year-round. High season peaks in summer, from the Strip to the great outdoors as well as over Christmas, so plan your Branson vacation well in advance. Hotspot Silver Dollar City is constantly thriving with festivals, including the famous Bluegrass & BBQ (May), the National Harvest Festival and the Southern Gospel music show in fall.

To experience Branson like a local, visit between January and March -- when big-name productions are harder to come by, but discount hotel rates are easier to find.

Have lunch at the tuition-free university where full-time students work in exchange for an education. Remember the Beverly Hillbillies? Check out the Clampetts' original truck in the campus museum.

Bring your appetite and catching skills: This restaurant is famous for its "throwed rolls" and "pass arounds" such as fried okra, macaroni, sorghum and honey.

Take your sweet tooth to this historic shop in downtown Branson. Fill up on old-fashioned hard candy sold by the pound, and enjoy flavored popcorn and coffee.

Get that wilderness feeling on Table Rock Lake, just minutes from the Strip. Golfers, the resort has a Nicklaus-designed course.

Send your little ones on a mirrored maze mission to help the once-vain Princess unlock her fate. They'll giggle their way through archways and turns, where characters help out with riddles and hints.

This Missouri wonderland is filled with family fun stuff: water rides, roller coasters, Marvel Cave and the world's largest treehouse.

Birthplace of Presley's Country Jubilee, this presents visitors with everything from Country and Gospel to Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre and Andy Williams Moon River Theatre.

Quack up on a guided boat tour through the heart of the Ozarks, from Country Music Boulevard to Baird Mountain, Lake Taneycomo, and the Table Rock Dam.

Watch thousands of fish on a feeding frenzy at the fish hatchery, or zipline on the Vigilante. Horseback ride through wildflower trails or visit Old Matt's Cabin. Plan your visit during Christmas to experience the Trail of Lights -- a magical route aglitter with lights, festive displays and life-size animations.

Maybe you were raised not to play during mealtime, but make an exception for this Dolly Parton attraction. Watch dozens of horses and riders perform daring feats as you dine.

Tap your toes and laugh out loud as singers, musicians and jokesters strut their stuff, from country classics to side-splitting comedy.

Ladies put on your party dress, gents your three-piece suit. Make like it's 1940 on a narrated dining trip from historic downtown Branson through the countryside.

Check out Branson's rugged side. Hike oak- and hickory-filled trails dotted with waterfalls and mountain streams. Go fishing, scuba diving or camping.

See exotic circus treasures of the Orient from Chinese yo-yo to bicycle tricks, a chair stack, human tops and more.

Get soaked body surfing down Kalani Towers, and plunge into the darkness on the fast-paced Bermuda Triangle. Make like its Hawaii on the Aloha River at Hula Hula Bay, or bring the tykes for pint-sized adventure at Little Squirts Water Works.

In Branson, Missouri, the wayback machine appears to be stuck on the 1970s and '80s. Soviet-era comedian Yakov Smirnoff operates an 1,800-seat theater. Country singer Mickey Gilley also has a theater and cafe. He rocketed to fame when his music and his Houston-area honky-tonk, Gilley's, were featured in Urban Cowboy in 1980. Branson is sort of the Las Vegas of family-friendly entertainment. God & Country Theatre specializes in tribute bands, paying their respects to performers such as The Statler Brothers, Alabama and Neil Diamond. Situated in the Ozark Mountains near three lakes, Branson offers a wealth of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, from fishing to hiking to playing golf. At Branson Zipline, located at nearby Wolfe Creek Preserve, nature lovers can zip through a canopy of trees and enjoy the view from 150 feet in the air. The food choices in Branson mostly boil down to burgers, pizza and barbecue, but there are a few fine dining establishments, such as the Candlestick Inn, which serves gourmet game dishes like bison brisket and elk rack. For shoppers, Branson has a bustling Tanger Outlet complex as well as more upscale offerings at Branson Landing along the Lake Taneycomo waterfront.

AOL Travel’s Branson Guide

AOL Travel's Best Branson Hotels