Dear NatTy

Tyann Marcink Hammond

He thought she was catfishing him She bought a bank to legally launder in the Ozarks She’s into country He’s into rock n roll His dream ride is a 1964 Cobra She just knows it’s a pretty car She’s called the Queen He’s her chauffeur  Their families have been visiting Branson for generations  Meet Tyann and Nat, your Branson travel homies, longtime visitors, your “guy” on the inside.  This is Dear NatTy

Episodes

  1. Oct 27

    Thanksgiving in Branson: Where to Eat, What to Do, and Why You Need to Book Now

    Is Thanksgiving a good time to visit Branson, or will it be too crowded? Dear NatTy answers a question from Holiday planner in Kansas, who wants to travel over the holiday, see attractions, and eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal without cooking it herself. Tyann and Nat start with a surprise: Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest times of the year in Branson. They say it rivals the Fourth of July week and the week between Christmas and New Year's, and that it is busier than Memorial Day or Labor Day, even though none of those are lake days. Busy does not mean avoid it, they say. It means plan ahead and expect traffic on Route 76. Then comes the food. They sort Thanksgiving Day dining into groups: the places to reserve right now (the Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks, Big Cedar Lodge, Chateau on the Lake and more), local favorites that may or may not take reservations, the Branson Landing restaurants with a quick-fire round on what to order, and the chains that are an easy backup when the local spots are packed. They also cover dinner and a show at Dolly Parton's Stampede, Silver Dollar City and the Showboat, and options for people who would rather stay in, including the Rogue Chef, the Allen Event Group and pre-ordered holiday meals. They share Thanksgiving memories, and the travel tip is simple: book your lodging, tickets and reservations as early as you can. Branson sells out for this week. Hours and availability are as the hosts described them. Check each place before you go. Have a question for Dear NatTy? Email hello@dearnatty.com.

  2. Oct 20

    Cinnamon Rolls as Big as Your Head? Breakfast is a Big Deal in Branson

    Dear NatTy answers a question from Early riser in Iowa: is breakfast really a big deal in Branson, and where should you go? Tyann and Nat's answer starts with dessert for breakfast. The number one dish in town, they say, is the cinnamon roll: as big as your head, best warmed up, and perfectly acceptable to eat in the car on the way into Silver Dollar City. Chicken fried steak is a close third or fourth, and no, coconut cream pie does not count as breakfast. Then it becomes a game: Nat names a Branson breakfast spot, Tyann says what she'd order. The Branson Cafe, in the same downtown location since 1910, gets the chicken fried steak with eggs and potatoes. If there's a wait, Clocker's Cafe is around the corner with good omelets. Hungry Hunters bakes its own bread and turns cinnamon rolls into French toast. Steamy Joes does one of the few eggs Benedicts in town, with an atrium overlooking Branson and custom-mixed coffee flavors. Full Throttle Distillery and Grill brings a biker theme and biscuits and gravy. And Paul's Breakfast House, an 80s-themed spot that just opened off the strip, is next on their list. The memory: a family breakfast at Molly's Mill in Silver Dollar City and the "special table" you should absolutely request, without being told why. The travel tip: the park opens about an hour before the rides, so go early, eat, and hit rope drop. Have a question for Dear NatTy? Email hello@dearnatty.com.

  3. Oct 13

    6.5 Million Lights & Hot Chocolate Secret Menu - The Christmas Tree City Of Branson

    Dear NatTy is back with a Christmas question from Lit in Tulsa. His wife loves Christmas so much she would leave the tree up all year, and he is planning a surprise trip to Branson, the town nicknamed Christmas Tree City. He wants light displays, a Christmas market or show, and the full Hallmark experience. Tyann and Nat deliver. They explain why Branson earns the nickname: Christmas trees everywhere, some multiple stories tall, with the lights starting before you even reach town. The season doesn't wait for Thanksgiving. It starts November 1, and the local shows swap to Christmas versions, so even if you have seen an act before, it is worth a second visit. From there it is a tour of their favorites. A Christmas-themed comedy bus tour with a Mad Libs version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Branson Landing's free fire and water show, carolers and a multi-story tree. Silver Dollar City, with 6.5 million lights that a crew starts hanging in July, a singing Christmas tree, a train ride to Santa and a parade. Tyann even shares where Nat proposed, at the Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and why Silver Dollar City still beat it. They finish with a secret menu item: the snowball, hot chocolate with a scoop of ice cream. The travel tip: plan around energy limits, from small kids to grandparents. Build in naps and downtime, and sometimes the best end to the day is a Hallmark movie at home. Have a Branson question for Tyann and Nat? Send it to hello@dearnatty.com. Follow @dearnattypodcast on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube for clips, travel tips, and more. Dear NatTy is sponsored by Branson Family Retreats. https://bransonfamilyretreats.com/

  4. Sep 29

    Frog Races, 100+ Live Shows & One Near Breakup: Welcome to Branson

    A curious mom in Texas overheard someone in the school pickup line raving about Branson and Table Rock Lake, and she wants to know what's so special about a little town in the "flyover state" of Missouri. So in our very first episode, we tell her. Nat and Tyann cover where Branson actually sits in the Ozarks (hint: not Lake of the Ozarks). They get into Table Rock Lake, the nightly sunset celebration at Big Cedar, and golfing out of a cave with a waterfall. They also explain why Branson has more theater seats than Broadway, with enough shows that you could see three or four a day for a week and still not catch them all. Plus Silver Dollar City, the Titanic Museum, the strip, and plenty of go-kart trash talk. Then it gets personal. Tyann shares her first Branson memory: an A-frame on the lake at four years old and a frog race at Shepherd of the Hills that did not go as planned. Nat tells the story of their first trip to Branson together, which almost didn't happen, because he drove an hour to break up with her. This episode's travel tip is trust, but verify, which Nat learned the hard way with a toddler and a rental that gave off Bates Motel vibes. Have a Branson question for Tyann and Nat? Send it to hello@dearnatty.com Follow @dearnattypodcast on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube for clips, travel tips, and more. Dear NatTy is sponsored by Branson Family Retreats. https://bransonfamilyretreats.com/

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

He thought she was catfishing him She bought a bank to legally launder in the Ozarks She’s into country He’s into rock n roll His dream ride is a 1964 Cobra She just knows it’s a pretty car She’s called the Queen He’s her chauffeur  Their families have been visiting Branson for generations  Meet Tyann and Nat, your Branson travel homies, longtime visitors, your “guy” on the inside.  This is Dear NatTy

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