Branson Replacing Florida as a Top Vacation Spot?

I know that I'm famous (or is that infamous?) for writing with a lot of snark. In this case, I want you to know that what I'm about to share I do with a straight face and not (much) laughter. There's a claim that many are choosing to go to Branson, Missouri for their vacations instead of Florida and I don't think it's as far-fetched as you might think.

This isn't something I dreamed up, but is a brand new share by Cheapism. They came up with a dozen or so alternatives for those who normally choose to vacation in Florida, but want something different this year for whatever reason. High on their "instead of Florida" list is Branson, Missouri and their reasoning is sound.

Why would someone or a family choose Branson instead of Florida?

The reasons they mentioned included it is "much cheaper in terms of accommodations" and easy access to water activities and that's something I really hadn't thought about before. Why do people go to Florida? To play in the water and sun, right? You can do that in Branson, too, but you don't have the Mickey Mouse place nearby which is either a positive or negative depending on your worldview.

My mom, dad and I used to vacation in Branson before the tourist strip really got crazy. I remember we parked along the main drag and walked up and down that area playing miniature golf, riding go karts and eating food that was really bad for us for an entire day. In later years, my parents would return and go to the Wayne Newton and Andy Williams shows that I kindly took a hard pass on. Still, I have many fond memories of Branson and really do think that those who would normally be Florida-bound should give it a look. It's a much more affordable vacation destination and you don't have to deal with some of the wackos in Florida either. It's a win-win.