One of Branson’s favorite traditions is the annual Super Summer Cruise featuring a display of hundreds of cars and trucks. The 2011 Cruise will be held in the Missouri Ozarks from August 11-13 and culminate with the final Midnight Cruise that draws car and truck enthusiasts from around the nation.

The event’s Vehicle Show and Shine will be held at the Shepherd of the Hills Homestead from 8 am to 5 pm each day. Hundreds of beautifully maintained “stock” and “modified” vehicles will be displayed in divisions ranging from “1900-1934 Stock and Street Rod Autos” and “Modified Muscle Cars” to “Corvettes” and “Stock Trucks.”

Vehicles will be judged on exterior, drive train, interior, engine and customization with additional points for safety, hazard and emergency supplies.

The Midnight Cruise begins at 12 am on Sat., August 13 and heads down Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and down the famed Branson Strip.

The Super Summer Cruise is one of the busiest weekends of the year in Branson. For information on any of Branson’s shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements including Westgate Branson Woods Resort, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

A visit to Branson, Missouri is destined to be full of jam-packed fun and adventure for the entire family. As a Mecca for live entertainment, you can choose from more than 100 shows ranging from concerts and magic to comedy and Vegas style revues.

You can take advantage of Branson’s three amazing lakes which offer up some of the world’s best fishing and water sports. You can hike or bike the surrounding trails throughout the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

Or you could just spend some leisurely time along Branson’s extravagant waterfront shopping and entertainment complex, Branson Landing.

Located just a short walk from the Branson tourism district, Branson Landing occupies 95 acres including 1.5 miles of picturesque waterfront along Lake Taneycomo.  There you’ll find 450,000 square feet of shopping and dining, as well as the Branson Convention Center, a 4-star 260-room convention hotel, a 100-room boutique hotel, 140 waterfront luxury condominiums and penthouses, and a marina.

The centerpiece of Branson Landing is the scenic 1.5-mile boardwalk along Lake Taneycomo and the vibrant town square that leads down to a spectacular water attraction.

The $7.5 million Branson Landing Fountain merges water, fire, light and music in a dazzling sequence of choreographed events. From fire cannons blasting to fountains shooting 120-foot geysers and synchronized lights and music, the attraction is a must see show for all Branson visitors.

Fountain shows are scheduled hourly starting at noon and running through 10 pm Sunday-Thursday and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.

For information on discount Branson vacation packages and lodging, including the luxurious Westgate Branson Woods Resort, please visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

White Water, Branson’s most popular water park, offers a full day of aquatic fun and adventure. But now through Sept. 3, you can also splash right into the night with Nightwater at White Water.

The special event offers extended park hours on weekends. Now you can play all day and into the night with ride hours extended to 10 am - 10 pm. Nightwater dates include: July 8-9, July 15-16, July 22-23, July 29-30, August 5-6, August 12-13, August 20, August 27, September 3.

White Water’s high flying water rides take on a whole new look and feel after dark. Try dropping 75 feet in the dark on Kalani Towers or soaring along on the Raging River Rapids.

As Branson’s only outdoor water park, White Water also offers a wide variety of water slides, water blasters, super-soakers, speed slides, a wave pool and more.

For details or discount Branson theme park tickets and discount Branson vacation packages, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Branson’s most popular theme park offers an exceptional opportunity to experience a fun-filled journey back in time, with traditional 1880’s-style Ozarks food, festivals, music, costumes and atmosphere.

You’ll enjoy modern day thrills thanks to more than 30 state-of-the-art rides and attractions, including the Wildfire roller coaster, the explosive PowderKeg, and RiverBlast - America’s biggest water battle.

The park also presents four seasonal festivals throughout the year, including World-Fest, America’s largest international festival, plus KidsFest, the Southern Gospel Picnic and an Old Time Christmas.

Silver Dollar City’s summer KidsFest celebration continues through July 24, 2011. The park’s kid-friendly fun includes the new Half Dollar Holler, a woodland wonderland with treetop fun houses, climbing nets, sand play and a hand-carved carousel. The single-access attraction offers kid-friendly structures for ages 3-7.

KidsFest also offers the little ones an opportunity to meet favorite cartoon characters such as Scooby Doo and Shaggy, Fred Flintstone and Dino, SpongeBob and Patrick, as well as Tom and Jerry and the Backyardigans.

Of course, regardless of the seasonal festivals, there’s plenty of excitement on the rides and attractions. At RiverBlast, guests experience a real Tom & Huck river adventure as both passengers and spectators are armed with super soaker water guns, creating the perfect storm for an all-out water war.

There are other thrills with attractions like WildFire, a high-flying, multi-looping coaster that hits speeds of 66 mph; PowerKeg, an explosive roller coaster that launches riders from 0 to 53 mph in just 2.8 seconds; Fire-in-the-Hole, an indoor coaster with high speed drops and thrilling surprises; Thunderation, an 80-foot tall, high speed coaster with spectacular views of the Ozarks; and American Plunge, a wet and wild log flume ride climbing five stories in the air with splash down speeds reaching 35 mph.

Beyond the rides, Silver Dollar City offers up a wide range of music and scores of talented singers, dancers and musicians. The park includes more than 40 shows daily that are regularly rated among the best in the theme park industry.

For more information on Branson’s theme parks, attractions, live shows, lodging and more, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

A quaint town in the heart of Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, Branson is a world removed from China. Yet the member’s of New Shanghai Circus bring their breathtaking display of acrobatics to Branson daily with the show, Acrobats of China.

Filled with elegance, skill, grace and precision, the Acrobats of China show is a highly charged show that offers elegant costuming, intense choreography and spectacular action. The entire family will be thrilled by this two-hour production that includes everything from juggling, plate spinning, aerial unicycles, high wire performances and extreme acrobatics to hoop diving, dragons and colorful pageantry.

Acrobats of China is just one of dozens of family friendly shows that help make Branson the live entertainment capital of the world. For more information on discount show tickets or discount Branson family vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

It’s Bluegrass and BBQ time at Branson’s Silver Dollar City.The popular Branson theme park’s annual Bluegrass & BBQ Festival runs now thru May 30. It’s a unique opportunity to catch some of the world’s best bluegrass music amidst a fun environment filled with rides, attractions, entertainment and delicious barbeque.

This exceptional music festival offers up dozens of top Bluegrass artists including Rhonda Vincent, a seven time winner of IBMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year; The Grascals, two time winner of IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year and Russell Moore, 2010 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, and IIIrd Tyme Out, seven time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year.

In addition to top musicians, there is plenty of top notch BBQ. Tempt your taste buds with everything from Memphis dry rubs and Carolina vinegars to Texas-style BBQ.  The festival features a giant, 9-foot wood fired smoker filled with 40,000 pounds of slow cooked brisket, chicken, ribs and pulled pork.

The Bluegrass entertainment is all included with Silver Dollar City admission. The 1880’s themed park offers 30 fun-filled rides and attractions designed to thrill the entire family. You’ll also find dozens of period craftsmen demonstrating their work.

For additional details, go to http://www.silverdollarcity.com/. Or visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for information on discount Branson vacation packages and accommodations such as Westgate Branson Woods Resort.

Branson, Missouri is known for its live shows. But while Branson’s 40+ theaters offer up more than 100 shows per day, one of the best live shows can be seen free of charge just a few shorts miles southwest of the city.The action takes place, not on a stage, but at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery run by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The hatchery has been producing rainbow and brown trout for Branson area lakes since 1958. And those Branson lakes continue to offer up some of the world’s very best fishing year after year.

The hatchery typically produces about 1,125,000 catchable trout each year, weighing more than 300,000 pounds.

Branson’s popular Lake Taneycomo receives nearly 700,000 catchable trout per year from the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery and others such as the nearby Neosho National Fish Hatchery in Southwest Missouri.

This fun adventure is also a great learning experience for the kids who can see the various stages of development in different holding tanks. Be sure to bring a few quarters to purchase fish food, as well!

The facility offers all trout production phases. Egg incubation and early rearing is completed in the hatchery building in jar type incubation units, and aluminum/fiberglass tanks. There are also 12 outdoor concrete raceways or man-made canals, for intermediate rearing, and the final rearing is completed in 20 outdoor concrete raceways. Three earthen ponds are also used for fish production.

The Shepherd of the Hills hatchery hosts more than 250,000 visitors annually. To find more information and suggestions on things to do in Branson, visit http://www.ticket2branson.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Branson, Missouri is well known for its family friendly atmosphere. In fact, you might say that the entire town is G-rated and safe for everyone in the family, from the youngest children to the oldest grandparents.From fun, wholesome shows and concerts to family-oriented theme parks, water parks, attractions and outdoor recreation, Branson has something for everyone…especially adventures that will keep the kids entertained.

Branson has a variety of outdoor and indoor water parks to keep you refreshed year round.  The biggest and only outdoor water park is White Water where you’ll find everything from high flying water slides to a relaxing lazy river. If you prefer an indoor water park, check out Castle Rock or Grand Country’s Splash Country.

For even bigger theme park thrills, things don’t get much bigger than Branson’s popular Silver Dollar City. Kids and adults alike will love this theme park modeled after an 1880’s Ozark Mountain town. Home to more than 30 rides and attractions, 40 shows daily, intriguing period costumes and a variety of period craftsmen, Silver Dollar City also plays host to 6 major festivals throughout the year, including National KidsFest!

While you’ll find championship golf courses in the Branson area, you’ll also find plenty of miniature golf that’s ideal for the whole family. But you will have to pick your favorite theme as putt-putt courses run the distance from prehistoric dinosaurs to bands of pirates.

Take one look at the huge bow of the Titanic standing 100 feet high above Branson’s Hwy 76 and you’ll see right away why the Titanic Museum is another popular kid spot!

Speaking of tours, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more kid friendly tour than Ride the Ducks. You’ll experience an amazing tour of the entire Branson area by both land and water - all from one amazingly amphibious vehicle. Ride around the heart of the Ozarks to see all that Branson has to offer then splash directly into scenic Table Rock Lake to experience a water view of the area.

Even mealtime can be a fun time for kids in Branson. Choose from a number of dinner shows, including Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede where you’ll be entertained by 32 magnificent horses, trick riders, racing pigs, longhorn steers and more, all accompanied by a delicious four-course meal.

Branson offers more than 100 live shows per day, and every one is suitable, family entertainment. However, kids in particular will be delighted by several shows such as Noah the Musical which is highlighted by both animatronics and live animals. The Acrobats of China show offers a variety of amazing acrobatic feats. And what child isn’t mesmerized by magic and ventriloquism, both of which are plentiful in the Hamner Barber Show!

All in all, Branson remains a great travel destination for families. While the Branson area is filled with kid-friendly attractions, Westgate Branson Woods provides equally family-friendly accommodations. Spacious and luxurious rooms offer separate bedrooms for family privacy, fully equipped kitchens to fix a meal or snack, and all the other comforts of home.

Of course, Branson offers so much more than live shows and family entertainment. It’s also the perfect destination for outdoor recreation and the area’s three spectacular lakes provide ample opportunity for boating, swimming, water sports and some of the nation’s very best fishing.

Westgate Branson Woods also adds to your Branson fun with a number of on-site amenities and recreational opportunities such as hiking trails, tennis and basketball, a campfire area, two outdoor swimming pools, one indoor pool and even a lighted playground.

If you’re ready to pack up the kids and discover Branson for yourself, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for special discounts on attraction tickets and resort accommodations.

Branson, Missouri is affectionately known as the live music show capital of the world. That’s because on any given day, you can find plenty of live entertainment featuring virtually all types of music from rock and pop to country and gospel, and everything in between.

Yet despite the abundance of regular musical shows, the Branson area is preparing to welcome several limited engagement performances by The Charlie Daniels Band, Sawyer Brown and The Oak Ridge Boys, from April 26-29, 2011.

Charlie Daniels hits the stage at the Mansion America Theatre for one performance on April 28. A Grammy winner, Daniels has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and has sold more than 20 million records with hits like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Long Haired Country Boy.”

Sawyer Brown is scheduled to perform once at the Oakridge Boy’s Theatre on April 29. The country band, named after a road near where they practiced, has been captivating audiences with top ten hits and high energy concerts since 1981.

Meanwhile, the Oak Ridge Boys are slated to perform April 26 and 27, bringing their distinctive and recognizable sound back to Branson at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre.

In over three decades of performing, they have had one double platinum album, three platinum albums, and 12 gold albums plus over 30 “Top Ten” hits and more than a dozen national Number One singles including “Fancy Free,” “Gonna Take A Lot Of River,” “Elvira,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On” and “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes.”

For more information on Branson’s long list of family shows as well as discount tickets and discount Branson vacation packages, please visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ today.

With more than 100 shows, Branson prides itself on its variety of live shows and grand entertainment. But of all the big production shows in Branson, few may be as grand as the Grand Jubilee!Featuring laugh out loud comedy, exceptional musicians and incredible singing voices, the Grand Jubilee offers a fast-moving variety show production that can captivate the entire family.

Backed by a talented live band, the show’s powerful vocals are provided by one of Branson’s premiere male quartets, offering an astounding and powerful vocal range. The quartet is accompanied by lead female vocalist Jackie Brown.

Of course, Grand Jubilee is just one of many fun-filled musical and variety shows you’ll find in Branson. For additional information or discount tickets to any of the Branson shows and attractions, or discount Branson vacation packages, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.