Trivia Time – How Well Do You Know Branson?
Everyone loves trivia, right? Well, how about a little bit of Branson trivia about the Live Entertainment Capital of the Midwest – and the world? Branson, Missouri, first made famous by Harold Bell Wright’s legendary book, ‘The Shepherd of the Hills,’ has drawn millions of visitors over the years, and has become one of the most traveled-to vacation destinations in the United States. And it’s no wonder, since Branson is within a day’s drive of one third of the population. (Branson trivia fact number one!) So how well do YOU know Branson? Read on for some fun facts about this top vacation destination.
Visitor Facts: What would Branson be without its visitors? It’s the visitors that drive the economy and the community! Did you know…almost 8 million visitors travel to the city of Branson annually! Luckily for all these visitors…the Branson Tourism Center offers its customers discounts on gas AND has sold more than 2.5 million tickets to the Branson shows! And with all of those visitors, it’s a good thing that…Branson has more than 100,000 motel rooms, restaurant seats, and theater seats combined.
Show Facts: The showmanship in Branson is first class, and quite famous. Many people travel to Branson just to see the shows. Do you know how many theaters there are in Branson? Well…more than fifty for your viewing pleasure! And with all those theaters…Branson has more theater seats than the New York Broadway district. How many seats, you ask…over 60,000! The first show to make an appearance in Branson, leading to all of these seats…was The Baldknobbers in 1959.
Travel Facts: To get to Branson, and then get around Branson, you have to travel! So it’s a good thing that…the City of Branson has invested over 40 million dollars on roads since 1991. And out of all those roads…Scenic Highway 65 is the main travel route to Branson. Many of the travelers on that road must be riding in buses because…Branson was named the #1 Destination for Motor Coaches for four years in a row! And…bet you didn’t know that award even existed!
Lodging and Food Facts: With so many visitors, Branson is home to countless eateries and hotels. In fact…Branson has at least 200 lodging facilities, with over 18,000 rooms. And all the folks who stay in those rooms have to eat so…you can choose from over 400 restaurants in Branson, with more than 37,000 restaurant seats! And it’s a good thing that…most hotels have at least one swimming pool AND are very reasonably priced!
Random Facts: With its major tourism industry, Branson is civilized now, but it didn’t used to be because…the area used to be home to the Osage Indian Tribe. Not only is Branson now civilized, but the population continues to grow thanks to…the 700 babies that were born at Skaggs Community Health Center in the Ozarks in 2008! And by the way…the name ‘Ozarks,’ where Branson is located, came from early French explorers in the area. And wouldn’t those explorers be surprised to…visit the Sight and Sound Theater and witness the 50 live animals on stage!
