A lot of good advice here. Just a few updates: Hwy 65 from I-44 in Springfield to Branson MO is 4 lane divided all the way now, about a 45 mile drive between city limits, with Ozark being about a 10 minute drive from Springfield on Hwy 65. Reeds Spring, and Reeds Spring Junction, are out of the picture as of this past 6 months, as much as driving along Hwys 160 and 13 (Springfield to Branson West, formerly known as Lakeview) as there have been road improvements, and new roads that bypass both towns, cuts down driving time about 20 minutes...straight shot, no curves, stopping, and no speed limit changes etc. It is definatley cheaper to fly to one of the major city airports ( KC, Tulsa, St Louis) than to come directly to Springfield Regional unfortunatley. Just have to do some homework and decide for yourself. A longer notice though, should be significant price decrease. Case in point, cut from a letter to the editor last week: <<<<one-night trip to Houston with about one week's notice. I checked fares on American Airlines from Springfield and Tulsa airports. Both routes require connecting with the same flights through Dallas-Fort Worth. The fare from Tulsa is $224 round trip. For the privilege of flying from Springfield and saving a two- to three-hour drive, the fare is $1,017.50!>>>> Regards, Jim Cochran Nixa MO http://members.tripod.com/anetminder/outonalimb.htm On Sat, 10 May 2003 14:12:41 -0600 "Mike St. Clair" <[email protected]> writes: > Ozark to Branson is a hop-skip and a jump. A few years back I came > to > Monett (in Lawrence county) for a reunion and stayed in a motel > there. We > had no problem driving to Branson for an evening performance after > doing > other stuff all day. (But watch out for the speed trap in Reeds > Spring!) > It's a beautiful if somewhat curvy drive. Mt. Vernon to Ozark > should be a > little closer and straighter than my Monett to Branson drive. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Jean Mayfield Cuevas [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 1:59 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [MOCHRIST] Visit to White River Valley Area > > > > > > Jerry, > > > > Just how far is Branson from Ozark? My first cousin who lives in > > CA and I > > (who live in GA) are hoping to get together next summer to go > around > > together to see some of the places and cemeteries for our mutual > > ancestors. I have been to Nixa and Ozark (summer before last) but > she's > > never been, and she's probably hoping to see Branson while she's > > in the area. > > > > Is Mt. Vernon, Lawrence County, close enough to drive from Ozark > and back > > in one day? Our grandparents are buried in Paris Springs. > > > > Also, do you know whether one can fly into Springfield by > commercial > > airlines, or does she have to go to St. Louis, then down? > > > > Your advice would be greatly appreciated! :-) > > > > Jean Mayfield Cuevas > > sunny (and now calm) Marietta, GA