Ozark Mountain Region  [ View other REGIONS.]

America's new live-entertainment capital, crystal-blue lakes surrounded by forested hills, and attractions based on colorful native lifestyles are just part of what's waiting for you when you arrive in Missouri's Ozark Mountain Region.  (Please click on the member CVB's name on the map or in this description for more detailed information.)

The region's center is Branson, offering non-stop family fun highlighted by more than 90 music/variety shows.

Recent years have brought many new names, representing musical styles that range from traditional country and pop "classics" to today's sounds.

At Shepherd of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theatre, you can take a tram tour of this literary historic site, then watch the fast-paced drama recreating the Shepherd's tale of life on the Ozarks frontier.

Nearby Silver Dollar City will also transport you back to the turn of the century. Here you'll see craftspeople work their magic and thrill to exciting rides and music shows, all in the setting of an 1890s Ozarks town. You won't want to miss the park's newest attraction, Buzz Saw Falls.

On Branson's doorstep is river like Lake Taneycomo, where cold waters support an excellent trout fishery. Also close by is sprawling Table Rock Lake, its 43,100 acres a delight for anglers, boaters, scuba divers and other water recreationists. Equally big and fun is Bull Shoals Lake, an hour east of Branson. And the upper end of Norfork Lake provides the region with yet another sparkling jewel.

When you visit Springfield, the state's third-largest city, plan stops at the history and art galleries, General Sweeny's Museum and Dickerson Park Zoo. The city offers shopping opportunities galore, including Missouri's most popular attraction Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Just outside Springfield, you can take a "wild ride" through Exotic Animal Paradise, relive Civil War history at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield or go underground at Fantastic Caverns, North America's only ride-through cave.

In Mansfield you can visit the house where "Little House" author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, lived. An hour west of Springfield is Joplin, a booming mining town in the late 1800s.

Nearby Carthage is known for its Victorian homes. Artist Sam Butcher's Precious Moments Chapel and Visitors Center is here too. Just south, at Diamond, is the George Washington Carver National Monument. Its museum highlights the life and career of this renowned African-American agronomist.

The Ozark Mountain Region offers something special for everyone. Anytime of year, you'll find this region is the perfect getaway choice.

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