A Spring Getaway Quiz and Attractions

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

All right, you traveling fiends, I have a little trivia quiz for you. Tell me if you can Name that Location.

• Where is the location of the “Live Music Show Capital of the World,” sporting more theatre seats than New York’s Broadway?
• Where can you watch an enjoy a hot air balloon show underground?
• Where can you enjoy a lavish, luxurious stay at a world class hotel and resort, shop numerous boutiques and bazaars, enjoy urban night life and entertainment, and be only minutes away from the breathtaking wilderness of the Ozark Mountains?
• Where can you enjoy Gospel music concerts, water fountain light shows, and conventions all in the same place?

Have you guessed yet? It’s Branson, Missouri! The more I look into Branson, the more I am totally impressed. Branson is THE place to be in the MidWest (and maybe in the entire United States) for tourism. Tourism is the biggest industry there and this small town generates over $1.5 billion PER YEAR through its tourism industry alone! I think many, many other locations in the United States could learn from Branson’s incredible success. You can do anything in Branson- anything– and it’s all just a matter of a few minutes drive or shuttle. Wow! We hope to visit this part of Missouri in a year or two. You bet I’m going to check out Branson’s shining jewel, the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing. It’s like a city within a city. Plus, the prices are exceptional, especially for traveling families and couples. Here is just a tiny smidgen of the various things you can do in Branson:

The Titanic Museum
We studied the history of the Titanic, it’s sinking, and it’s discovery in 1999. I would absolutely love to see this museum. The museum offers visitors a personal experience, too- upon entering the life-sized replica of RMS Titanic, each visitor is given a name badge with one of Titanic’s passengers on that fateful voyage. Walking through the museum, you discover what happened to that person. There are gallery rooms with rare historical artifacts, a real iceberg to handle, the boat to explore, and much more. This museum is for the serious Titanic fan– a lifetime, memorable experience.

Silver Dollar City
Another spectacular place to take the kids– it’s a 55-acre theme park with loads to do: a water park, Marvel Cave to explore, an 1880s MidWestern town to experience with activities and museums, and loads more. We love this kind of stuff. The closest I have ever been to this kind of theme park is Erie Canal Village in Rome, NY. That was fun! Silver Dollar City is HUGE, though– the tourist department recommends you plan for spending an entire, exhausting day (or two) there. Make cozy accommodations at Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, because the kids will be wiped out after a day spent here! Silver Dollar City’s Family Spring Break Day is coming up, too.

Payne Stewart Golf Course
This is a golfer’s dream. Payne Stewart was a fellow Scot. So I like him. There’s a golf course in his honor, and it’s beautiful. The golf course is exquisitely picturesque, like something out of a fairy tale. The courses are styled beautifully– I don’t play golf but I’d visit just to walk the amazing course (and maybe hear the strains of a bagpipe or two). The Payne Stewart Golf Course was rated by Golf Week Magazine as one of the Top 40 new course layouts in 2009. Even the pictures will take your breath away.

Marvel Cave
Marvel Cave is part of the Silver Dollar City theme park, but it a deserves mention all its own. I’ve been to Howes Cave in Cobleskill, NY; I think Marvel Cave is ?? According to tradition, the caves were discovered by the Osage Indians around 1500 AD. It remained virtually unexplored until 1869; explorers thought the ceiling was marble, and so they started a business called Marble Cave Mining Company. Well, there’s no marble! So I guess that’s why it’s called “Marvel Cave.” lol. Rumors have it that Missouri outlaws of long ago, the Bald Knobbers, threw victims into the cave’s sinkhole. I wonder if this is where Mark Twain came up with the idea about Indian Jim and the cave in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer? After all, Mark Twain was from Missouri. The history is very appealing!

Well, I’m very tempted to go on and on about Branson, Missouri. Like I said, I’m very impressed with everything! You can roam the parks of the Ozarks one day, and enjoy a Christian concert or show at the Hilton Branson Convention Center the next! And I’ve checked the rates of the hotels (you readers know what a cheapskate I am)– the rates are outstanding! As a matter of fact, I think we could afford a vacation in Branson before we could afford a vacation in New York! No wonder Branson is called the entertainment capital of the MidWest. I think it’s earned it’s status.

So click on the links to learn more about Branson and getting accommodations. There are a ton of spring events going on there right now. For example (and this is just a small example):

• 14th annual Branson Tri-Lakes Building and Home Show
• NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament
• Branson’s Best Boat and Recreation Show
• Young Christian’s Weekend, which sounds great!
• The Nashvegas All Stars
• David Letterman’s Stupid Human & Pet Trick Auditions

You can see that Branson offers wholesome, exciting, memorable things to do. And the rates for rooms at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing are family-friendly, too! Thumbs up to the folks at Branson for making such little town a big success!

Promote Your Travel Blog

Wherever we travel, I take my business cards with me. They have my blogs’ addresses on them. I hope that the managers of the places we visit like reading about their museums/parks/events on my blogs. It gives them a little boost, and their visit and word-of-mouth mention gives my traffic and SEO influence a little boost, too. Problem, is, I’m running out of cards and have been looking for some comparable prices online. I think I found the perfect place: 123print.com! They have excellent designs with options to upload your own logo, as well as offering customized address labels, wedding invitations, photo cards, Post-It notes, banners, baby announcements, holiday cards, car magnets, and much more. They look really great, and the business card special is 100 for under $4! Plus, they have gift certificates for holiday giving. They look great. Check them out to promote you travel blog or personal use.

The Ultimate Destination: Switzerland

Of the handful of world destinations I hope to see before I depart this earth, one of the top three is Switzerland. My husband is of Swiss heritage, and some of his relatives still live in Bern, serving in the hospitality industry. And after seeing the incredible photos, and as we are ardent admirers of Dr. Francis Schaeffer and his L’Abri community he established at the foothills of the Alps, we are determined to see this gorgeous nation someday. And the area reminds me so much of the incredible forested grandeur of New York’s Adirondacks! Just lovely.

And when we go, we expect to have a “Typically Swiss” experience: nature walks, breathing in the clear fresh Swiss air, absorbing the marvelous vistas, and “getting away from it all” with a more rustic and nature-oriented atmosphere. In short– RELAX. Just ENJOY living, doing things together, leaving the rat race for a while. Wow, I could just drop everything and pack my bags right now, couldn’t you?

The Swiss are known worldwide for their marvelous hospitality. They make you feel at ease, with simple living, simple food, simple conversation. Like in this video of beautiful Swiss Hotels and Swiss scenery! I just love the architecture, especially that of the Bernese Oberland (chalets).

Of course, Switzerland isn’t all gingerbread lodges teetering on Alpine peaks– there are many cosmopolitan areas to stay and visit. And every area has it’s own unique Swiss style, whether it’s the chalets of the Bern area, the traditional stone houses of the Engadine, or the more flaunty Epoque architecture of the luxurious Geneva area. But it’s all Switzerland– I mean, you really get a feel for the unique culture there– it isn’t just another American city with American culture on foreign soil. It’s typical Switzerland!

Switzerland Tourism has really developed a marvelous tourist marketing plan called “Typical Swiss Hotels .” It offers tourists a unique Swiss experience based on the tourists’ desires. For example, if a particular tourist from Upstate New York (heh heh) wanted a more private, rustic area to relax and enjoy Switzerland’s beautiful countryside, she might be offered a lovely chalet in the Bern area. Or perhaps you want to experience Switzerland’s “wild” side– enjoy the night life and cultural amusements in a city– you’d get a custom-fit package complete with that Typical Swiss congeniality. Switzerland Tourism promises exceptionally personalized, perfunctory service for a trip to remember. The “Typical Swiss” experience is offered throughout the country, in 225 hotels all designed to mesh with their local surroundings. The photos are truly beautiful, it’s amazing what they have done! So if you’re traveling to or through Switzerland, I recommend you check out MySwitzerland.com for some ideas. You can search the site for particular amenities and locations, watch videos, discover places to see, and book reservations.

Great Time to See Europe

Winter time is a great time to travel, I think. The buzzing summer activity (with its crowds, bugs, and stifling heat) is gone, and the quieter and more milder tourist season begins. This is a great time to travel Europe. Some of my kids have been studying early European history (we’re into the Renaissance right now), and it gives me such a thirst to see the sites for myself! The city of Florence, Italy, was the epicenter of Renaissance art and architecture– what a lovely place to explore. No wonder it remains a top tourist attraction of the continent.

There are some really great travel videos at EuroBookings.com, one of the nicest worldwide hotel bookings websites, I think. Go to the site and look to the right hand side. You’ll see thumbnail images and a link that says “watch video.” The videos are brief and really give you a feel for the magnificent things to see in Europe! The ones for Florence and of Milan are very nice.

EuroBookings.com is also a premier travel website. You should check out the site before making your travel plans- EuroBookings.com is very comprehensive and has everything for the world traveler (or curious onlooker). They have little synopsies on various European cities, hotel listings and hotel reviews, articles and tips for travel, and more. I liked the articles that gave tips and news about things going on in London, like articles on where to shop for bargains, sports news, theatre news, etc. It’s a very comprehensive and attractive website. You get a real taste of Europe by watching the videos and reading the articles.

Of course, EuroBookings.com allows you easily search for hotel reservations online. EuroBooking.com has a database of over 30,000 hotels all across the world, including top destinations like hotels in Lisbon, romantic hotels in Florence, popular hotels in Amsterdam, and hotels Madrid Norte. There are listings and more for the luxury-seeker or the budget-minded traveler. And the site is a pleasure to browse. Check it out!