By Steve Weisman
Outdoor Editor
(photo by Steve Weisman) The old crazies take a selfie during a get-together this past summer. (L to R back row) Bill, John, Darial and Suzanne. Front row ( Steve and Joane).
We live in a beautiful area of the Midwest with lots of things to do and sites to see. Each of the seasons brings something special for us.
Yet, like so many other Americans, my wife and I enjoy going to other destinations. One of those that we can drive to and offers so many options is Branson, MO. It has three major lakes, nearly 50 theaters and hundreds of shows, theme parks, eateries and shopping venues. A town of 11,000 residents, the city draws over 7,000,000 visitors per year.
The trip
Six of us older couples will be rendezvousing there for a week: November 5-12. Yes, it will be incredibly busy because that is the week of Veteran’s Day, and Branson puts out the welcome mat for America’s veterans. That was my idea, though. I wanted to experience patriotism at its best! We’ll just have to be more prepared in advance to get done what we want to get done! Bear with me, as I share our itinerary.
Our lodging will be at the Nantuckett, which has an awesome view of Lake Table Rock.
Fishing
A real magnet to me is Lake Taneycomo. It flows right through the heart of Branson, and when Table Rock Dam was completed back in the late ‘50s, the water coming into Lake Taneycomo is from the bottom, coldest part of Table Rock, making it the coldest lake in Missouri and prime candidate for one of the greatest trout fisheries in the country. So, the three of us (Bill, John and me) are heading there for a day of trout fishing with guide Bryan Wilson. My guess is the gals (Suzanne, Joanne and my wife) will head to Branson Landing right on the shores of Lake Taneycomo with over 100 specialty stores, restaurants and the Landing’s Winter Wonderland season beginning.
Entertainment
Suzanne, one of our members, has been a horse owner for 66 years! She’s been riding on her own since age 3. So, my thought? We need to go to the Dolly Parton Stampede and dinner show. The show features some of the greatest horse and horse riding talent, but I think that Suzanne (and I think all of us) will really enjoy the Horse Walk, where we can walk through the stable where the 32 horses (stars) of the show are on display.
The second option is going to see Queen Esther at the Sight & Sound Theater, which is world renowned for its Biblical shows. The story of Queen Esther comes from the Old Testament and takes place during the Persian Empire. Part of the appeal of Sight & Sound are the special effects the use of live animals.
Our third show comes on our final evening in Branson, and we needed to have a show that would kick off the Christmas spirit. Our choice is the Texas Tenors: Deep in the Heart of Christmas! I remember seeing them in 2009 when they were on America’s Got Talent. Now they are multi-Emmy Award Winners. The cool thing for us is we get to go backstage before the show for a quick interview and photos.
History
All around the United States, there are opportunities to look at the local history and to visit museums. South of Branson at the Top of the Rock is the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum. From prehistoric creatures to galleries showcasing the American West and civil war and incredible collections of Native American artifacts and artwork, we’ve been there before, and it’s a good 2-3 hour excursion.
In the same area, is the 2.5-mile Top of the Rock Lost Canyon and Nature Trail. Using a golf cart, it’s pretty cool to follow a trail created to highlight stunning rock formations, waterfalls, and views of Table Rock Lake.
So much more
You know how it is when you’re on vacation. This is just a sampling of the things we will be doing for the full week. When we get back, I’ll share the fishing and the different opportunities that we enjoyed.
