Tag Archives: missouri

Branson KOA- Campground Review

four starsOverall Rating: Nearly Perfect

 

We stayed for several days at the Branson, MO, KOA – Mar 2015, while we attended the KOA Boot Camp.  This was the first time we had ever been to Missouri, and were very excited to not only learn more about KOA, but experience the city of Branson.

Branson KOA review

We were welcomed at the front entranceway by a miniature Elvis himself!  Cute!

Branson was going to be lots of fun!

three starsSetting:  I have to say right off that I might have had a different impression at a different time of the year.  We were put in a Premium Full Hook up Site near the campground’s Convention Center.

Branson KOA review

A large part of this particular campground is placed along the side of a steep hill, with each campsite terraced above the one below.  The premium sites were separated by white picket fences and included picnic tables.

Those that do not get around well might have issues exploring this campground due to the terrain.

It worked well for us as we were only there for a few days, and didn’t spend a ton of time outside, however, for those that are there to enjoy the camping experience, the lots were pretty small.


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I do have to say that there was a large variety of spots, many of which were plenty big enough for larger rigs, and plenty of room for maneuvering.


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

And along with the variety of spots, there were several Deluxe spots that included grills and patios.  These were particularly nice.

Amenities

four starsBathrooms were in great shape and very clean.

five starsWIFI- The park offers it for free and while it might be different during peak times, I never had an issue getting on line.

four starsLaundry- They have a nice laundry room available 24 hours a day.

five starsActivities- this park includes a swimming pool, a huge convention facility, fitness center, golf cart rental, horseshoes, a hot tub, playground and pontoon boat rentals.   Lots to do on site!


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

In season, they also offer free breakfast, and food service including pizza, hot wings, fudge and ice cream brought to your campsite.

This is one of the fun perks of KOA!

five starsStaff was friendly and available to help out if needed.  They made a great first impression by meeting us at the front gate and directing us inside.  They were quite knowledgable about the area.  The office can even get you discount tickets at some of the shows and attractions in Branson!

Branson KOA review

four starsDog Friendly– This campground had a very nice fenced in area for the dogs.  Walking the dogs was enjoyable and there were plenty of areas in the campground to take them to.

The positives?  Great park!  Very near downtown Branson and all it has to offer.  In my opinion, it is a great place to stay if you are in town to enjoy Branson.  In season, there is plenty to offer in the park to keep the kids entertained.

Any negatives?  Well, I really hesitate to say this because it truly isn’t the fault of the campground, but this area of the country can be quite volatile in the spring and summer.  While we were there, we were holed up in the RV each evening while thunderstorms, hail and potential tornados made their way through.

We ate dinner the first night looking out the window as hail the size of marbles came down on our VW bug and motorhome. (No damage- unless you want to count the indigestion…)

For the record, Branson KOA does not offer a tornado shelter.

branson missouri travel camping

In the area and looking for something to do?  We recommend the fun and campy town of Branson.  Lots to see and do!

For more information on Branson KOA, be sure to check out their website!

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Branson, Missouri – fun and campy even without Barry Williams!

Branson, Missouri is many things.  Colorful, exciting, touristy and campy all at the same time.  It reminded me somewhat of Gatlinburg, TN.  Without Dolly Parton, of course.  Lots of things to see and do, all on a single strip of road.

branson missouri travel camping

Unusual buildings were everywhere.  I’m sure the idea is to get you to stop.  And this little technique worked well with me.  The hubby got plenty of eye rolling in every time I asked him to pull over so that I could take a photo.

I don’t like fried chicken much and I’d already eaten breakfast, but I have to tell you, this chicken at The Great American Steak and Chicken House was beckoning me in!  Dave firmly put me back in the car and moved me along.

branson missouri travel camping

Oh my!  Mount Rushmore!  Only not!

branson missouri travel camping

I did convince him to stop at the cool looking Jackie B. Goode’s Uptown Cafe for a hotdog.  Seems that most every restaurant offers live entertainment!

branson missouri travel camping

Downtown offered all the shopping that you could possibly ever want.  All with the tourist in mind.  Lots of Branson t-shirts, Branson jewelry, Branson cup holders, Branson magnets, and any other Branson item you might have to have.

I’m not a shopper, much to Dave’s relief.  But I do love to look around, do a bit of window shopping and a whole bunch of people watching.

Oh, and they had an ice cream shop that we may or may not have checked out.   Let’s just say that the Black Walnut ice cream could very possibly have been delicious.

So what did I miss?  Well how about the Barry Williams 70’s Music Celebration show?

Turns out he only performs at 2:00 PM every other day.  How could a top of the line performer end up with a 2:00 PM time slot, I’ll never know.  I’ll just have to be satisfied with this little clip of a video that someone took with their cell phone.

They take videos like my mom does and cut off his head most of the time.  But you get the gist.

A stellar performance, I’m sure.

You know, come to think of it, Dave didn’t seem too upset that we missed the show.  LOL!

branson missouri travel camping

So in an effort to make up for the fact that we missed Barry Williams, we went to the Hollywood Wax Museum and I introduced Dave to Taylor Swift.

I think he might have been invading her space a bit, though.

branson missouri travel camping

On the other hand, Hugh Hefner was quite cool with me hanging out with him.  He said that anytime I’m in the vicinity of the Playboy mansion, that I’m welcome to stop by!

Dave said he may or may not add that to his itinerary…

branson missouri travel camping

Donald Trump was a git grouchy and wanted to fire Dave right away.  I convinced him that Dave might be a decent employee.  We were still discussing his options…

branson missouri travel camping

…when Dave found a job with the Men in Black.

branson missouri travel campingSomewhere in the front lobby near the red carpet, I tripped over Angie’s dress and ended up sprawled dramatically all over the floor.  Brad stepped over me quite gallantly and posed for two more photos with barely a pause.

That is the difference between professionals and amateurs, folks!

Not into wax museums?

How about some beautiful scenery?

branson missouri travel camping

Table Rock Lake spans more than 43 thousand acres and 800 miles of shoreline.  This beautiful lake was created in August of 1958, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Table Rock Dam across the White River. This area is perfect for campers, pleasure boaters, fishermen and those that love water sports.

We ran across several beautiful campgrounds along the lake.  They offered full hook ups in many of them and wonderful lake views!

Fishing in this area of the country is very popular.  The lakes are full of bass, crappie, white bass, catfish and bluegill.  Beneath the dam, the Missouri Department of Conservation operates a fish hatchery, which is used to stock trout in Lake Taneycomo.

scenic drive branson, missouri

Since we were out looking for views, we took the 22 mile scenic loop.

branson missouri travel camping

The loop takes you by the Table Rock Dam and offers lots of beautiful scenic overlooks.

We were very impressed with the city of Branson.  Lots of friendly folks, lots of things to see and do, and if you are a shopper, well you are in heaven!

Now if we can just get Barry Williams to do an encore, all will be well with the world…

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