I'm a Missouri girl, born and raised. And I don't think I'm the only one who ever under-appreciated the state. Rolling hills, small towns, farmland - not much to exite a girl who frequents fashion magazines and movie theaters and dreams of bigger things. For my honeymoon, I went to Disney World, and that was just barely far enough from Missouri to constitute a worthy vacation. Since then, I've learned some things about appreciating where you come from and appreciating where you are. I've grown fond of the hills and rivers, and I appreciate the fact that people wave at you on the road - no matter who you are or where you come from. I appreciate small towns and their fight for survival. And most of all, I appreciate the charming, beautiful state in which I've chosen to rear my children. Missouri has grown on me - or perhaps, I've grown on it.

Between these discoveries and the price of gas, I decided to vacation here this year, and I now have a new found love. Branson, Missouri, is without a doubt one of the smartest vacations for any family. Here I have detailed five great reasons to go there, organized from Branson's deepest treasures to its greatest heights. From one glory to the next, Branson will charm you.

Caves

There is more than one deep treasure hidden in the Ozark hills. The one I visited most recently was called Marvel Cave in the famous 1800s-based amusement park, Silver Dollar City. The tour in the cave is one hour, about 700 steps - 550 down, 150 up, and immeasurable awe-factor. We were forever struck by the amazing natural architecture and record depth and width constantly forming and growing so far beneath the earth's surface. We were also especially thankful for the people who explored it over the years in far less comfortable conditions than had since been built for us. The concrete steps are much easier to navigate than a wooden ladder, and I'm so glad I did not have to wear coveralls and slide down the debris like they did in the past, as it would have totally ruined the picture they took of us at the bottom. As they told us numerous times, the tour is strenuous and there is no bathroom for one whole hour, and you walk all that way for one three-minute train ride at the end . . . but it's all so worth it.

Silver Dollar City

Once we've emerged from the cave, there is so much more Ozark charm to experience in the park itself. Silver Dollar City is a stroll through the hills of southern Missouri covered with sheltering shade trees and crowded with Ozark culture. The buildings and staff costumes uphold the 1800s theme as do all of the sights, sounds, and smells as craftsmen work with wood, glass and iron around every corner. There are thrill rides that satisfied even our family's love of roller coasters, pint-sized rides for the less ambitious, and family-sized rides for the whole group. There are musical shows both outdoors and in air-conditioned buildings throughout the park. Silver Dollar City also holds festivals throughout the year to draw specific crowds including one for Young Christians and the one we just experienced, Kids Fest, during which the entrance area was filled with brightly colored houses, picnic benches, and play areas for young children.

My family and I spent two days in Silver Dollar City on this vacation and still did not get enough. There is so much to do, and so much worth doing again and again. Although the park is popular, it was not difficult to stay just ahead of or behind the crowd and avoid long lines anywhere. As an undying fan of Disney World and it's undeniable magic, I found Silver Dollar City held its own as a family park. Plus, there was far more shade.

The Bar-b-que

Numbers 3 and 4 on my list begin our climb from Branson's depths to its heights - starting with the fabulous food. We ate at two of the many great bar-b-que restaurants and could not choose a favorite. They both had charm and flavor and all the delicious mess of good bar-b-que, the first including a shirt on the waitress that stated, "It's not good bar-b-que if you don't get it on ya." The second did include a photographer who later wanted to charge us 20 dollars for the shot she took at the table that I could have easily taken myself with the camera in my purse. These expensive souvenier photos quickly made it to my husband's top ten list of things to avoid on a family vacation as there are much better ways to spend your money, (especially if you bring your own camera). For instance . . . more bar-b-que!

Even our children with their notorious obsession with the happy meal loved the rich, juicy meats offered at the bar-b-que restaurants. Topping off the meal with fresh hot corn bread or a cheese bread biscuit only sealed our infatuation. The food in Branson is simply not to be missed.

The Shows

You can NOT go to Branson without catching a live music show, preferrably featuring country music. At least, that's what I told my husband when we arrived the first evening, lest he consider otherwise. I knew I had this locked into the plan as I held a prepaid three-day pass to Silver Dollar City, which features musical shows throughout the day and a 90 minute extravaganza at the park's closing. That happened to be the only show I caught this time, and I was not disappointed. Singing, dancing, steel guitar, fiddle, and the most amazing piano playing I have ever seen live - I was in country music heaven - and they threw in an actual gospel number just to seal the deal.

But don't neglect the 20-some theaters on the strip in Branson, which include country legends, comedians, and numerous family groups with exciting, current musical numbers and entertainment variety. I also love the Shepherd of the Hills outdoor theater based on a novel by Harold Bell Wright and set in the Ozarks. Whether you want to laugh, be moved or inspired, or simply hear familar songs from the radio, Branson has the show for you. If you're like me, you'll be looking for an application afterwards. They look like so much fun, I wanted to join them.

The View

Don't you love the surprises of vacation? The little places you hadn't heard about, you hadn't read reviews on - good or bad - but that you simply stumbled upon as you were driving around the area enjoying how very far away from work you still were? We had just such a surprise on our recent trip to Branson. I had heard of and been in Inspiration Tower at the Shepherd of the Hills theater. You can see the tower from all over Branson, and I knew it held a wonderful view. But as we were driving toward the dam over Table Rock we saw a little place on the map simply marked "Scenic View". If only it had a more original name, they could probably charge money for it. It was a little gravel parking area with a chain-link fence protecting you from plummeting off the Ozark cliff. We could see hills in every direction covered by beautiful Missouri summer foliage. The city was sprawled over the hills in front of us, but to the left our breath was taken by the lake and the beautiful mist hanging above its waters, so much cooler than the air. We could see Inspiration Tower from our view and Chateau on the Laketowering over the hills on the other side of the ravine. We didn't hit the lookout at quite the right point of daylight for pictures, and the kind stranger who took our family shot was unfamiliar with the focus feature. But I didn't care. The pictures are certainly good enough to remind us of the wonderful surprise of stumbling onto such a view and remembering again what I have learned to appreciate about my birth place.

There is so much to love in Branson. It's a wonderful family vacation, and a beautiful showcase for the American Midwest. I highly encourage a visit there. But if you're from another state, I definitely encourage your discovery of the great things to appreciate in your own home. It's a beautiful thing to feel proud of where you belong.