Branson, Missouri

Value Times are January, February, March, April and May
Excludes Holidays and Special Events

The vistas of forested hills and peaceful lakes in the Ozarks say more about the grandeur of the U.S. than any hymn to God and country.

Beyond the mountains are more landscapes cut from an all-American picture book: the great brown Mississippi rolling along the state's eastern boundary. And with its sites related to several beloved and/or infamous figures from the nation's past-Mark Twain, Harry S Truman, Jesse James-Missouri has a knack for making a vacation into a heartland pilgrimage.

Covering the southwestern corner of the state, from a few miles south of Kansas City to Bakersfield on the Arkansas border, the Ozarks offer lovely scenery of rolling hills, winding rivers, large glassy lakes and thousands of caves (over two dozen of the caverns are open for tours). The area's popularity as an outdoor recreation area has caused a number of attractions to spring up. The best known is Branson, a small Ozark town that has ballooned into a tourist mecca because of its live-entertainment shows and other family-oriented activities.

DINING

Missouri produces excellent hams, preserves, fruit juices, nutmeats and cheeses. St. Louis has terrific Italian food, and Kansas City has amazing steaks. And then there's barbecue: The residents of Kansas City are fanatical about the quality of the local barbecue, which can be found in more than 60 restaurants and at dozens of annual cook-offs. There's even a barbecue society with more than 500 members.

Affordable local wines are also plentiful in Missouri. During the harvest (late summer and early autumn), roadside stands spring up to sell fresh non-alcoholic grape juices, homemade jellies and jams and apple butter.

SHOPPING

Among the things to buy in Missouri are handicrafts made by the Amish in the north and Ozarks artisans in the south. Hunters and anglers may want to make a trip to Springfield for the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World, an outdoor-sports mall featuring-along with the merchandise-a huge aquarium, a firing range, a restaurant and a barbershop. Branson and Springfield also have a number of western outfitters that offer high-quality jeans, boots, leather belts and cowboy hats.

TRAVEL TIPS

Look for bald eagles along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis during the winter. The lock and dam near Clarksville is a particularly good place to spot them.

Don't be surprised if you hear the state's name pronounced two different ways-even by natives. Some people pronounce the last syllable of Missouri like the letter e. Others pronounce the last syllable as uh. Either pronunciation is considered acceptable.

Time Zone: 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-6 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.

WEATHER

May-October is the best time to see the state. May and June temperatures run 53-84 F/11-28 C, but be prepared for occasional heavy rain. July temperatures can go up into the 90s F/32+ C, with uncomfortable humidity (52%-86%), though humidity levels tend to be highest in the early, cooler part of the day. Fall is usually a few degrees warmer than spring, and the weather is more settled. A sweater or jacket might be useful at either time. In the southeastern part of the state, expect more rain in spring and fall, while the northwest gets more rain in the summer. Winter weather, though cold, is rarely severe. It is unpredictable, however, and winter driving in the hills can be hazardous. January temperatures range from 19 to 44 F/-7 to 6 C.

TRANSPORTATION

The state's two largest airports are St. Louis-Lambert International Airport (STL), which is 10 mi/16 km northwest of downtown, and Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which is 15 mi/24 km northwest of the central city (across the border in Kansas). Major car-rental companies maintain branches at both airports.