Getting Around Branson

Neil Sawford • July 4, 2023


Because there are no public transportation options connecting all of the top attractions with local restaurants and accommodations, driving is the best way to get around Branson.


               A free trolley connects downtown Branson to Branson Landing, but due to its limited reach and seasonal hours, visitors will need to rely on their own transportation in Branson. A thrilling adventure ride on the Branson mountain coaster is an exciting way to get around Branson.


Without extensive public transportation, driving a car is the most convenient way to get around Branson. Parking is plentiful, and traffic, aside from the Branson Strip, should be minimal. Many rental car companies are represented at all three airports serving the Branson area.


When visiting historic downtown Branson and Branson Landing, the trolley is the second-best way to get around. The trolley is a free and enjoyable option that makes 14 stops on a 20- to 30-minute loop. The trolley runs every day from March to December from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It opens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the weeks of January and February.

Travelers arriving by plane can land at Branson Airport (BKG), located about 10 miles south of Branson. The airport has three different car rental agencies on-site. Traditional taxis, limos, vans, and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are also available to transport passengers from the airport to Branson. The Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is roughly52 miles north of Branson.

Travelers coming to Branson will find cheaper airfares if they fly into larger airports such as Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and Lambert-St Louis International Airport (STL). Still, the drive to Branson will take approximately two to three hours longer than it does from Springfield.


Though Springfield airport does not provide shuttles to Branson, some accommodations may provide transportation; you can check with your hotel to see if it allows transport.

Getting around can be very simple for getting to shows, attractions, lodging, and shopping, or maybe you want to experience a thrilling ride on the Branson mountain coaster. Here are some suggestions to consider:


Plan With a Map

In today's world of GPS and Google maps, that might seem like futuristic advice, but if it's your first-time visit to Branson, whether you do depend on maps online or by looking at the map in your hand, plan using a map of the route to your initial Branson destination point. You can find many maps available in many hotels but look for the map that features Alternate Colored Routes, which some online map services do not show.

You can view the online map of the Branson Tourism Center, which can be downloaded and printed in PDF format. When you want to know where you want to go in Branson, follow the map as you plan each day, and you will be able to get there safely and efficiently.


When you use Branson's system of three alternate colored routes, it makes it easier for you to get around Branson, and it will provide you with an alternate way to Highway 76. The three routes are the "Blue", "Red", and "Yellow", all of which are overlaid on existing highways and roads and generally run parallel to Highway 76 and are east/west routes.

Familiarizing these colored routes and the north-south connector roads will help you get just about anywhere in Branson with more convenience and, on most days, not getting involved with traffic congestion.


Drive on Highway 76 with zeal.

Hey, it's the "Branson Strip," and you'll want to see it and travel on it, but use a map to plan to drive on an Alternate Colored Route and their north-south connectors whenever possible, especially during high traffic times. Highway 76 is almost always congested in the evening between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. when people are attempting to eat and get to shows, and on Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. when people are attempting to leave Branson.


When leaving Branson, take the "Red Route" as close to its western junction with Highway 76 as possible, and take it east until it meets Highway 65, where you can exit north or south. This is also a great alternative to Highway 76 for getting to and from Branson Landing; continue east on the Red Route past Highway 65 to the Roundabout, then enter the Landing.

If traffic is terrible when leaving Branson, another option is to take Highway 165 east, over Table Rock Dam, to its junction with Highway 65 in Hollister, and then go north or south. It may be longer, but it can save you time and frustration.


After touring Branson, including a thrilling adventure ride on the Branson Mountain Coaster.

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Understanding the history of a place is one of the best ways to enjoy its flavor. There are many different types of museums in Branson, MO, that will appeal to people of all ages. It's just one of the many things you can do with your family while on vacation in Branson. You will enjoy the exciting attractions in this popular Midwest vacation destination, including the mountain roller coaster in Branson . So, while in Branson, MO, why not add some museums to your itinerary? Titanic Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Branson, offering a historical tour throughout the year. This world's largest museum attraction will allow visitors to become passengers on this grand ocean liner and experience the tragic maiden voyage through over 400 artifacts and countless exhibits. As you get through the exhibits in the Memorial Room, you will learn about the passengers who died or survived the disaster. This historic Branson attraction is a wonderful place to visit after you have enjoyed an exciting ride with the mountain roller coaster in Branson because the area houses historical treasures as well as numerous priceless artifacts. The sensational tour at the museum takes all visitors through the Grand Staircase, beautiful hallways, first-class staterooms, and 20 different public rooms. This one-of-a-kind museum in Branson has many interesting exhibits that reflect the Titanic's historical background. World's Largest Toy Museum Because it houses millions of toys of various shapes and sizes, the fantastic museum in Branson lives up to its name as the world's largest toy museum. This tremendous museum houses nearly every type of toy imaginable. Everything from collectible Legos to a full-size Rolls-Royce is on display at the museum, which can be a lot of fun for everyone. Toys of all kinds, from dollhouses to Star Wars, can be found in this fantastic museum, where ladies grew up with things for the boys like General Lee items, John Deere memorabilia, and much more. The exhibits inside the museum display over 100 antique toy trains where many of the visitors remember growing up with. This one-of-a-kind museum features a diverse collection of toys dating from the 1800s to today. Beautiful toys from the past and present can be found here. The museum has extensive collections of the vintage ship, plane, and train designs, classic cars and motorcycles, cap guns, BB guns, pedal cars, bicycles, tin wind-ups, dolls, Star Wars, Disney characters, G.I.Joes, trucks, and toy soldiers. The museum's entire collection of toys from the 1700s to the present is a must-see in Branson. Branson Auto & Farm Museum The Branson Auto & Farm Museum is one of Branson's most well-known museum attractions. It was built in May 2009 as a purpose-built museum dedicated to preserving and appreciating historic automobiles. The museum is beautifully nestled in the former "Engler Block" crafts mall, which you can easily access after enjoying a thrilling ride with the mountain roller coaster in Branson. This famous museum for both children and adults is 78,000 square feet and houses approximately 220 automobiles and farm equipment. The museum is divided into sections that wind their way through the building, making it an ideal setting for a museum. Over 100 vintage cars and tractors are on display at the Branson Auto & Farm Museum, many of which are for sale. The museum's car and farm inventories change regularly, so if you're not satisfied with the current displays, just come back another time. The museum houses a two-row wooden corn planter made by Brown Company in 1853 and an early 1900s wooden steam engine. The museum also features a favorite piece, a 1950s Chevy Nomad, a station wagon with a distinct shape. Branson Dinosaur Museum If your children enjoy seeing dinosaurs, bring them to the Branson Dinosaur Museum, which is the only place in Branson, MO, where they can see and learn about the exciting and towering creatures. Lifelike replicas of many dinosaurs allow visitors to get up close and personal with these creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago. This museum, which is beautifully located on Highway 76 on the Strip next to Wal-Mart, features evidence and facts about some of the most powerful animals that ever lived on Earth. See the life-sized dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals sculpted by artists. This museum houses one of the world's largest collections of prehistoric animals, ranging from a two-story-high Tyrannosaurus Rex to a tiny 12-inch-tall Microraptor. The fantastic dinosaur recreations will provide you with hours of entertainment and excitement. At the Branson Dinosaur Museum, you can watch educational films in a high-definition movie theater. After a day of exploring museums, a large dinner, a leisurely hike, and a thrilling ride on the mountain coaster in Branson , you'll want to do nothing but relax at home.
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The Science Behind Roller Coasters Because of technological advancements, roller coasters are becoming more prominent, faster, and scarier. The gravity-propelled Branson mountain coaster , for example, provides a modern sort of entertainment. Unlike the first roller coasters, which were built in the mid-1880s, they were used to transport coal from the mountains to the town of Pennsylvania. Those coasters were rented out on weekends by fare-paying riders who rode just for amusement. Theme parks are thriving nowadays. But, with waits as long as eight hours for an average ride of lesser than two minutes – not to mention accounts of riders suffering strokes, brain deformity, and catastrophic injury as a result of crashes — how can we put up with it? What is it about roller coasters that some people adore, and is it an experience we get tired of as we get older? The desire to enjoy various innovative and intense physical experiences such as rock climbing and parachute jumping is linked to roller coaster enjoyment. But what is it about roller coasters that make them so appealing? At first look, it may appear to be due to speed experience. However, the evidence for a relationship between sensation seeking and speed is weak. For example, driving at speeds beyond the legal limit is something many individuals do, not only thrill-seekers. Perhaps the attraction of the Branson roller coaster is the visceral experience of terror itself, similar to viewing a horror movie. The "fight or flight reaction" refers to physical indications of fear such as a racing heart, quicker breathing, and an energy surge generated by the release of glucose. Researchers who recorded riders' pulse rates on the double-corkscrew Coca Cola Roller in 1980s Glasgow discovered that a roller coaster ride is likely to elicit this response. Heartbeats per minute more than doubled from an average of 70 before the ride to 153 shortly after it began. Some senior motorcyclists came dangerously near to what would be considered medically risky given their age. In another adrenaline-pumping activity, beginner bungee jumpers not only reported heightened sensations of well-being, wakefulness, and happiness immediately after completing a jump. They also had higher amounts of endorphins in their blood, which are widely known to cause emotions of tremendous pleasure. Surprisingly, the higher the endorphin levels, the more blissful the jumper reported feeling. In this case, there is clear evidence that people appreciate the sensations associated with the fight or flight response in a non-threatening situation. Pleasure vs stress Bungee jumpers also had higher amounts of cortisol, which is known to rise when people are stressed. So, how can a person feel both worry and pleasure simultaneously? 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