Outdoor Type: Vacation planning is a challenge, part I

Deciding on a vacation destination, especially at year’s end, is a tough call. A lot of details go into the preparation—location, weather, budget, travel methods, entertainment options, and on and on. I’ve been blessed to visit some beautiful destinations in my life, but when kids are in the mix, it gets doubly difficult. No offense to my three boys, but I clearly recall the first extended time my wife and I spent away from our precious threesome; it was our 30th anniversary and we loved slowly tooling around Wisconsin’s Door County. On arriving home, I remarked that I never realized a vacation could actually be relaxing! It makes a difference when all you have to look out for is each other.

One year with family we opted for Disney World, and it went ok. The two older lads, now teens, could wander on their own, and for the most part we just had to manage the little one. After all the sights and sounds and remarkable treats of Disney, the boys’ clearest memory of that trip was the spider that occupied our off-the-property, inexpensive motel bathroom. They all exclaimed more or less at once, “You’ve got to see this spider, Dad! It’s gigantic!”

They were right. It was huge, the size of a navel orange, and it was fast. Hair spray finally slowed the beast down enough to quash it. Apparently, Florida grows some really big insects. That memory and the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we shared in our car at lunchtime in the park were treasured times. Hey, finances were tight then. The boys had to purchase their own park entrance tickets from their paper route money. The wife and I later went to Disney over Christmas, just the two of us. Ahh, peace, tranquility, and unworried and unhurried fun.

Recently, she and I had opted to visit the Boston and Cape Cod area with family, but reality set in. It would involve plane travel for six of us, counting our son’s family, driving a large rental van, constant movement to fully see what’s there, and crowds of people, not to mention a ton of cash spent. With my wife’s health being something we needed to watch, that East Coast idea was risky. After further thought, we decided to head west to Branson, Missouri, a place we’d been to multiple times but, all in all, it seemed a good choice for our situation. Jenny’s beloved sister-in-law lives in Springfield, about an hour north. We could spend a day there visiting her family and perusing Bass Pro Shop’s original store and perhaps the adjoining remarkable Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) Museum. Two birds—one stone. WOW is pretty amazing—an earlier column detailed some of its features. Lots of creative displays to enjoy, incredible taxidermy, a first-rate aquarium, and a large section devoted to bass fishing’s elite are a few of its pluses.

An advantage of Branson would be staying in one place for the week. That would enable both of us old folks to head to the condo for a rest when needed, and that’s important when you hit your upper seventies. We would be traveling with our son Aaron, his wife Sarah, and their two teenage lads all in their own vehicle, so one group would not be tied down by the other. Locating the right housing was imperative. We finally decided on a condo in the Point Royale complex, a few minutes south of the city. It had the right sleeping arrangements, which was a challenge to find. The website showed a nice kitchen area for some meals, especially breakfast. We stayed there several years ago with my oldest son and his family, and things worked out. It sits on a golf course, a large swimming pool and activity center are available, and Lake Taneycomo is nearby.

Selecting Branson performances is also challenging. Approximately 100 live shows are presented more or less daily, from music of all types, to magic to acrobats to comedy. The holiday shows are abundant. Also, there is Silver Dollar City theme park, ziplines, a huge Ferris wheel, and much more, including opportunities for fishing and general outdoor fun. Check availability if you decide to make a late fall or winter trip.

Arranging show tickets through an agent can be tricky. Some of these folks are compensated by timeshare and other property companies that would like for you to attend a “presentation.” On one of our past Branson trips with just the two of us, we purchased our show passes at a ticket center and were lured into attending one of these sessions, thinking we would pocket an easy $150. Long story short, it was not a good experience. If you’re interested in time share properties, do a lot of homework and understand the pluses and minuses of the program. It should be concerning when you see so many ads for timeshare cancellations.

Regarding show tickets, I spoke to an agent I noticed on Facebook. I phoned and was told they were not affiliated with any other organization; they simply sold tickets at a discount. Should I believe them?? After some thought and at my wife’s suggestion, I decided to just contact each venue separately. Tickets would be available on will-call, but more than likely we would pay more for them since we would miss out on the “deals” that agents offer. How will it work out? A post-trip review follows in the next column.