SIX18 TRAVEL

Attracting visitors for more than five decades, Branson is often described as a "family-friendly Las Vegas" for its abundance of kid-approved attractions. This southwest Missouri city, which is nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, was named after Reuben Branson, the postmaster and the proprietor of the area's general store in the late 19th century.

More than a century later, Branson retains some of its old-timey charm, especially in its Silver Dollar City amusement park, which was modeled after a mining town in the 1880s and is considered one of the top amusement parks in the U.S. Even the Branson Strip, which glows with neon lights and is lined with dozens of theaters performing shows that range from country western family acts to comedy routines, possesses a yesteryear ambiance. That's not to say that Branson is a sleepy Midwestern city – amusement parks, shopping centers, museums and natural attractions like Table Rock Lake pepper the area, giving visitors more than enough to fill a weeklong vacation or even a quick daytrip from nearby Springfield. In fact, many of Branson's visitors find themselves coming back year after year.