Showboat Branson Belle

Move to a tourist town like Branson, Missouri and enjoy a never-ending vacation

When you live in a vacation town the fun never stops!

My wife Amy and I along with three of our five children arrived home to Branson, Missouri the other day from a ten-day trip to Colorado and Oklahoma.

The day we returned, we had an appointment set on a private boat cruise on beautiful Table Rock Lake, at sunset, with fireworks popping all around. After a five-hour drive from Oklahoma we found ourselves standing on the dock at a marina at Big Cedar Lodge ready to board. My wife said, “It's like we returned from vacation to go on vacation.” 

Living in a tourist destination like Branson, Missouri provides non-stop opportunities for fun, entertainment and relaxation. Over the years we have lived in several “normal” places like the suburbs of Dallas, Kansas City and Detroit, so we understand the typical lifestyles those localities offer. The predictable, “What do you want to do tonight,” is followed by the even more predictable, “How about dinner and a movie?”

We ask that question in our family too, but the answers are vastly different in our hometown. 

WHAT SHOULD WE DO TODAY?

The options are endless, and after living here for the past six years we still haven't run out of things to do. (I always find it humorous when people wonder if there's enough to do here over a one-week vacation.)

On any given day or night, wondering what we could do is answered with innumerable fun-packed opportunities. The most difficult part is choosing from them all!

As season pass holders at Silver Dollar City, a short five-minute drive puts us right in the middle of this special place. Walking around, smelling the delicious food, watching the happy people, viewing the beauty of the Ozarks, listening to phenomenal musicians, enjoying remarkable shows and riding world-class rides is at the top of our list when thinking about things to do as locals in Branson. It's not uncommon for us to visit Silver Dollar City three or four times a week.

A day at one of the lakes is an exceptionally good day indeed. Whether you are swimming, fishing, tubing, boating, water skiing, scuba diving, cruising on the Showboat Branson BelleSilver Dollar City or simply enjoying the beauty from the banks, Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo provide world-class fun and refreshing. 

From there the choices multiply by the hundreds. From mini-golf to attractions like Wonderworks, The Aquarium at the Boardwalk and The Butterfly Palace to water parks to incredible shows to golf, hiking, shopping, amazing restaurants and, yes, even movies, you will never run out of things to do.

Add to this the many more amazing places to visit within an hour or so like the unparalleled Buffalo National River and your options multiply yet again. Another hour or two gets you into larger cities like Kansas City, St. Louis, Little Rock, Tulsa and Oklahoma City, so you have the very best of both worlds at your disposal.

WHY SO SERIOUS?

Amy and I have determined there's no place we'd enjoy living more than Branson, but if we had to move it would have to be to another tourism epicenter. Gatlinburg, Orlando and Myrtle Beach are a few localities we've considered.

As we were driving home from vacation (to our never-ending Branson vacation) we wondered why in the past we were so serious. Go to work, mow the lawn, pay the bills, watch some television, go to bed and do it all over again. Truth be told, we've always been more adventurous than that, but it wasn't until we moved out of suburbia that we realized there was so much more! 

Yes, we still make sure the lawn is maintained and that our bills are taken care of. We run businesses and do the more serious stuff every day. We are also invested in ministry projects and I find myself writing several days a week for various publications. Life goes on and the mundane stuff happens. But, after that, the party begins!

When we were deciding what niche our YouTube channel should be centered on, it was obvious that it had to be vacation oriented. The result was TPF! Travel which stands for Trips, Places and FUN!

We come alive when we are at theme parks, water parks, shows, hiking on trails, on our scooters in exciting new lands and discovering amazing new restaurants, attractions and places to visit. Living in a place like Branson, Missouri (the best places in the nation to live, in our opinion) makes all of that easy to accomplish. The videos on our channel reveal just how much fun we are having and we believe it shines through to our friends and fans.

The thought of living anywhere except an entertainment-focused region makes us a little sad. Living in Branson keeps things exciting, and when we travel we aren't disappointed when the vacation ends. All that means is our year-around vacation in Branson is set to continue!

13 Comments

  1. Bonnie on July 7, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    I love Branson and even went to college there my freshman year, way back in 1993. We go there every summer and always have find something to do! My friends are always asking for my advice when they visit Branson. I love the Haygoods and the Sight & Sound Theater! Their show are the best! S&S has Broadway worthy shows.

    I hope to retire there if Florida doesn’t work out. We also lived there for 3 years and it felt like a never-ending vacation!

  2. Elizabeth Williams Gordon on July 8, 2021 at 9:54 am

    Thank you for sharing this. I want to move to Branson, Missouri. I think that it is so beautiful there.❤❤❤❤

    • Norma Hathaway on July 18, 2021 at 10:36 pm

      We moved here 4 years ago.. I’ve kept journal since I was 19 I have pictures and tickets and people that I’ve met that I never would have met had I not lived here it’s been an amazing journey and something that we will pass on to the children but in the last 4 years while I spend more exciting than it ever has and I’m 63 years old I love it when our family and friends come to visit and we’ve always got somewhere to go with him and something to do with them it’s just awesome

    • Dawn Vincent on July 19, 2021 at 12:20 pm

      It’s the best place I ever lived I miss it very much. Wish I was still there. But my drs and family wanted me not living alone so now I’m in Wisconsin and hate the cold. Move there and you can have a wonderful life Good luck.

    • Tracy Brassfield on July 24, 2021 at 5:06 am

      I have lived in Branson for 56 years I remember when McDonald’s was first built I remember the old hospital I remember Sammy Lane and the downtown before it got so congested. I remember when going to a show they always put a bumper sticker on your car.
      I remember the drive in. Things have changed tremendous but yes it’s a great place to live;

  3. Louis on July 8, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    Live Life Now Branson is a Wonderful place to visit or Live I would Imagine. God Bless

  4. Paulette on July 8, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    Enjoyed….just got back from Branson

  5. Keren Jones on July 8, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    I loved your article. My husband and I moved here 12 years ago and we feel the exact same way about Branson. I’m a retired musician so it’s like second heaven for me.

  6. Janis on July 10, 2021 at 10:25 am

    I moved to Branson for this reason even though I hate winter and curvy, hilly 1-lane roads. I am a true desert rat from flat AZ where I got no mesquito bites and didn’t have a lawn to take care of; compromise.

  7. Jill Smith on July 11, 2021 at 2:09 pm

    From a born and raised Branson local, you might want to think twice before moving to Branson anytime soon. Our population has doubled in the last 7 years and housing has not kept up with the demand. Be aware it usually takes 6+ months to find housing here and many live and hour up the road in Springfield or in extended stay motels in the meantime. We have long waiting lists. Due to the demand, house prices are skyrocketing. We are working on this issue but housing take time to build. Also, much of the work dries up in the winter time for a few months so you want to take this into consideration. Despite these 2 issues, Branson is one of the most beautiful, unique and fun places to live. God Bless!

  8. Sandra Miresse on July 11, 2021 at 3:27 pm

    Grand Country season passes are a must. Love their shows!

  9. Lance on July 11, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    My wife and I just moved to Branson. My wife got a job in Harrison, and Branson was the only place we could find an apartment. We love it here. Nice people, and entertainment. Now our only problem is that I have to find a new place to go for vacation. Lol

  10. Sally on July 25, 2021 at 9:43 am

    We have gone on vacation for many years to Branson! We love it there! So peaceful! We contemplated moving there when we retired but chose to be near grandchildren!

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