Hello guys,
I'm from Al , and heading to Branson in about 2-1/2 weeks. Got 2 kids ages 8 and 12. Is there plenty there for them to do? Also, any good gun shops/pawn shops within 20 miles of there worth visiting? Should get there around the 20th or 21st. Never been before. Anything fun to do other than country music shows?
Also , is there any part of town we need to avoid?
Any carry laws or lack of we need to know about? I am CCW in Al.
Any help for a fellow Arfcommer would be very much appreciated.

Like fishing? There is good trout fishing in Taneycomo. Lots of go carts and mini golf for the kiddies.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=32&t=362149  

The last time I was there they were just building a Titanic exhibit that I wish I could see, but there's plenty of stuff to do for those who haven't been there before. We always stayed at small resorts on Table Rock Lake and would make Branson a one or two day thing out of the week long vacation. Whatever your preference, you can find it in that area.

Silver dollar city spent big buck fighting concealed carry in Missouri and I do NOT support those that do not support my rights.

Did I edit that correctly?  E1CM

+1 on the linked thread. We just discussed this a couple of weeks ago.

I would call your attention to the museum at the College of the Ozarks. It has a good gun exhibit.

It's more than 20 miles away, but there's a pretty good sized sporting goods store up in Springfield you might consider visiting. It's called Bass Pro Shops.

I would stay clear of Highway 76 . . .

I would stay clear of Branson.

The Ozark region has much better to offer.  Float trips, fishing, cave tours, etc.  Branson is a huge tourist trap, the restaurants generally suck, and the traffic is horrible.  Have fun.

The OP may be starting to pick up on a bit of disdain on the part of the natives. I think what you're picking up on is that most of us probably prefer the real Ozarks rather than the packaged Ozarks that's presented in Branson. Still, Branson is what is. Millions of people go there every year and a lot of them come back. It must have something going for it. So, FWIW, here's my take:.

Yes, Branson IS definitely a tourist trap, but as tourist traps go, you could do worse. Personally, I like it better than Orlando or a lot of other places with imported "character." A least a lot of the Branson attractions are homegrown.

Here's what you can expect:
dozens and dozens of music theaters –– all with hokey, down-home music. Mostly country and corn-pone humor
hundreds of not very good restaurants ––- lots of buffets
More arcades and amusements than you could ever imagine –– go carts, mini golf, water parks –– your kids won't run out of things to do but you might run out of money
shopping with a low-budget/low class theme –– outlet malls, hillbilly crap, cheezy art and crafts Check out some of the shops downtown (the dime store is kind of fun)
Attractions: Titanic, Ripley's, Roy Rogers Museum, Chinese Acrobats, Ride the Ducks, Veterans Museums, etc. (can't you hear the cash register ring?)

Make sure you plan a day at Silver Dollar City. Yeah, it's a theme park, but its better than most. At least you can see true craftsmen at work and the food is better than your typical theme park crap. And yes, SDC is anti-gun. You probably can't carry there.

Branson really plays on its wholesome image. Bars and liquor stores are almost impossible to find. Everything is "family oriented."

If you play golf, there's some great course in and around Branson.

Thanks for the replies, guys. We usually go to the gulf beaches or to Gatlinburg/Great Smokey Mountains, but the Mrs and 8-yr-old wanted something different. So the coin toss takes us to Branson a few days, and then a road trip to who knows where.We enjoy seeing different parts of the country.
Yeah, I've got to check out the Granddaddy of BPS in Springfield, and Tablerock lake. Then, maybe head towards Dallas or opposite direction thru St.Louis.( won't stop there though)
Again, thanks for the tips. I would probably opt to go elsewhere, but I don't want to do my own cooking if I talk back too much.

As far as resturants go, check out the Outback Steakhouse - THIS NOT PART OF THE CHAIN OF RESTURANTS -
This is a stand alone business, excellent food, one of the few places in Branson that I return to or make the drive for.

If you've got an extra day or two, it would be well worth your while to do an Ozark float trip. These aren't like whitewater trips. They're quite relaxed but still enjoyable. Very family friendly and a great way to get away from it all. I'd suggest the Current River, but some of the others (Meramec, Huzzah Creek) are more accessible from major highways. There's a recent thread in the Missouri HTF about float trips. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=32&t=362594

As it so happens, I am headed to Branson with my wife in 2 weeks, and was wondering about it as well.......... .......My wife described it from the website as "Gatlingburg/Pigeon Forge on steroids", so aside from all the touristy stuff, I think I will get in the car and visit some of the other places you guys described

Yep. There's only so much manufactured fun you can stand. Branson is fine for what it is, but it is totally artificial. There are so many great things to do and see in and around southwest Missouri, it would be a shame to spend all your time on Highway 76.

If you've got time before you go, order a Missouri travel guide. You can do that, or see some suggestions online at http://www.visitmo.com/

What about the scenery ? Is the area mountainous or flat-land? Any National Parks ?

In Missouri, they say the hills aren't that high, but the "hollers" sure are deep . . .

No national parks to speak of, but lots of state parks and conservation land in the area. I believe the Buffalo River in Arkansas may have parts that are national park.

Just FYI, if you are planning a trip to Bass Pro in Springfield be aware that they are going through a MAJOR remodeling phase.  Most of the exhibits are gone right now.  Still lots of shopping can be done but a lot of the exhibits are gone right now.