Nestled among beautiful Ozark lakes, the resort of BRANSON, forty miles south of Springfield on US-65, is one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. Over seven million visitors a year are attracted to what's become known as the "Ozark Disneyland" for its forty-nine music venues (almost all of a country or nostalgia bent), a few theme parks, and lots of good old family fun.

"The Strip," until recently merely Hwy-76, looks like it was thrown together with a pitchfork – a hideous agglomeration of theme parks and theaters owned and/or performed in by "big-name" stars. The spectrum ranges from Japanese fiddler Shoji Tabuchi and ancient crooner Andy Williams to superb acts like Alison Krauss and Union Station. Tickets for a two-hour show are fairly priced at around $20. There's no shortage of takers in summer for most, if not all, of the town's 57,000 seats – a figure said to exceed that of Nashville. Branson shows are firmly geared toward families; you won't find anything remotely edgy or avant-garde, although the Ripley's Believe It or Not performance is a step in a new direction.

When you've had it with Branson, escape to nearby Table Rock Lake, a scenic area offering hiking, biking, camping, water-skiing, and world-class fishing.