Branson or Dallas?

Neither city is near the sea, but Branson does better here. Table Rock Lake warms up through the summer, its water is clear, and you can swim from its park beaches or from a pontoon moored in a wooded cove.

In Dallas the reservoirs are warm, but they are brown-shored and plain, and the Gulf coast is too far away for a day out. Most visitors end up cooling off in a hotel pool or at an Arlington water park.

Dallas is far stronger. Brisket sold by weight, Tex-Mex, steakhouses and taco trucks in Oak Cliff are just the start, and the northern suburbs add Vietnamese, Korean and South Asian food worth driving for.

Eating in Branson is about filling up before a show: buffets, fried catfish, chains along the strip and set dinner-theatre meals. Its best tastes are small Ozark ones, such as skillet cooking, cinnamon bread and fresh trout.

Dallas has real heritage and real museums. Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum draw visitors from everywhere, and the Arts District groups the art, sculpture and Asian art museums within walking distance. The 1930s buildings at Fair Park add architecture of note.

Branson's sights are made for entertainment, such as wax museums and the ocean-liner-shaped museum. Its most genuine culture is the frontier craft demonstrations at the 1880s-themed park and the eclectic Ralph Foster Museum.

This is the widest gap between the two cities. Dallas has distinct districts for different moods: dive bars and late crowds in Deep Ellum, polished patio bars along McKinney Avenue, and rooftop bars on Lower Greenville. All of it runs until the 2am last orders set by Texas law.

In Branson, the evening is the show itself. After that there are a few brewpubs and hotel lounges by the lakefront, and most visitors head back to their rooms.

Branson is the place for outdoor time. It sits in the Ozarks among forested ridges, bluffs, clear streams and show caves, with boating on Table Rock Lake, trout fishing on Lake Taneycomo and trails at Hercules Glades. The Buffalo National River is within reach for a longer day.

The country around Dallas is flat and gentle. The White Rock Lake loop, the Katy Trail and the Great Trinity Forest are pleasant city escapes, but Cedar Ridge Preserve is the nearest real hiking.

Dallas has the better day out in Fort Worth, which is a different kind of city. It has the cattle drive at the Stockyards and the Kimbell Art Museum, and you can reach it by commuter train. Courthouse-square towns and the Grapevine tasting rooms fill out the list.

From Branson, the best trips are Victorian Eureka Springs and Crystal Bridges in Bentonville. Both are good, but the choice soon thins out, and every outing needs a car.

Both cities work well with children, but Branson is designed around them. A day there can start at the hill-country theme park, move on to the paddlewheel showboat, go-karts or caves, and end at a dinner show with horses and stunts, all within a short drive.

Dallas offers more to choose from but spreads it over a wider area: Six Flags in Arlington, two large zoos, the Perot Museum and the State Fair every autumn. Expect longer drives and fiercer summer heat.

You will need a car in both, but Dallas gives you some alternatives. DART light rail links both airports with downtown, Deep Ellum and Fair Park, and a vintage streetcar connects the walkable Arts District with Uptown.

Branson has no useful public transport for a visitor. Its theatres are strung out over hilly kilometres of Highway 76, and the strip can slow to a crawl on show nights.

Dallas is a real shopping city. It is the birthplace of Neiman Marcus, it has NorthPark Center and the European fashion houses at Highland Park Village, and its Western boots and hats range from everyday wear to custom-made.

Branson offers outlet malls and mainstream stores at Branson Landing. Its best buys are Ozark crafts such as blown glass, quilts and woodcarving, often made in front of you.

The overall cost comes out much the same in both, but the money goes on different things. In Branson rooms and buffets are cheap, while show tickets, theme park entry and boat hire add up across a week.

In Dallas many museums are free and barbecue and tacos are inexpensive. The extra costs come from ride-hails or a hire car, along with Uptown hotels, steakhouses and cocktail bars.

Branson edges ahead for anyone who travels for the shows. Dozens of theatres stage country, gospel, variety and large biblical productions from morning to night, and the performers are often very skilled.

Dallas covers a much wider range. It has the Pei-designed Meyerson for the symphony, the Winspear for opera and Broadway tours, and the blues and rock clubs of Deep Ellum, but no single show to plan a trip around.

Neither city has a bathing tradition, and both depend on where you stay. In Branson, a lodge spa or a cabin on a wooded cove of Table Rock Lake gives real quiet, away from the neon of the strip.

Dallas relies on hotel spas, plus one notable exception: a large Korean-style bathhouse in the north of the city, built for lounging all day.