Branson or Estes Park?

Neither town has a coast, but Branson has a real summer swimming season. Table Rock Lake warms through the summer months and is clear enough to see the bottom. You can swim from public swim areas with imported sand or from a rented pontoon in a quiet cove.

In Estes Park the water is snowmelt. Lake Estes and the alpine lakes stay far too cold for more than paddling, so a swim means a hotel pool or the indoor aquatic centre.

Neither town is worth the trip for its food. Both serve generous, plain American cooking, and in both a bag of fudge is part of the visit. What differs is who the kitchens are cooking for. In Branson it is the show audience: buffets big enough for coach parties, chain restaurants along Highway 76, and dinner theatres where a set meal comes with the entertainment. The local Ozark flavours are the best of it, especially trout from the cold lake below the dam.

Estes Park runs on a hiker's timetable instead. A large breakfast comes before the trail, elk or bison comes at dinner, and the evening drink is at a craft brewery or a local distillery. Outside summer, many kitchens close early or cut back their menus, so for a special meal people drive down to Boulder or Denver.

Both are thin on heritage, and both rely on one thing that is distinctive. In Branson it is living Ozark folk craft: blacksmiths and glassblowers at work in the 1880s-themed park, plus the eclectic Ralph Foster Museum. The wax museums and novelty galleries on the strip are light fun.

Estes Park has one landmark people know: the Stanley Hotel, built by the steam-car inventor F.O. Stanley and famous for inspiring The Shining. The homesteading museum and MacGregor Ranch are good for a rainy afternoon and not much more.

Both towns are quiet after dark. Branson's evening is the show itself, and once the theatres empty, its families and older couples go back to their rooms. Estes Park winds down even earlier. Hikers fill the brewery taprooms on Elkhorn Avenue for an hour or two and are in bed well before midnight, ready for a dawn start.

Estes Park is the stronger choice for the outdoors. Rocky Mountain National Park begins minutes from town and climbs from ponderosa forest to tundra beneath Longs Peak at 4,346m. There are lake walks to Bear and Emerald, climbing on Lumpy Ridge, and elk bugling in the meadows every autumn.

Branson's outdoors are gentler and centred on water. You can kayak and fish for bass among the wooded hollows of Table Rock Lake, catch trout below the dam and explore show caves. The Buffalo National River adds bigger bluffs, about two hours away.

The two towns have a similar choice of outings, and both need a car. From Branson the best options are Eureka Springs, a Victorian spa town on steep streets, and Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, a major museum of American art.

Estes Park looks down to the plains. Boulder and Fort Collins are each about an hour away, and Denver offers a full big-city day of museums. In summer, Trail Ridge Road crosses the park to lakeside Grand Lake.

Branson is built for families and is the easier choice. The Ozarks theme park, water parks, aquarium, zip lines, showboat and dinner shows with horses can fill a week without planning. Hotels expect children. July heat and traffic on the strip are the costs.

Estes Park appeals to families who like nature: children meet elk in town, junior ranger activities are run in the park, and Sprague Lake has a flat loop. Beyond the tramway and mini golf there is little indoors for a wet day, and young children need time to adjust to the altitude.

Estes Park is the easier of the two without driving all day. Its centre along Elkhorn Avenue and the Riverwalk is compact, and in the warmer months free shuttles run to the Bear Lake corridor, which saves fighting for trailhead parking.

Branson is spread over several hilly kilometres of Highway 76, with patchy pavements and slow traffic on show nights. Only the lakefront shopping district and the old downtown can be done on foot. In both places you will need a car to reach most things.

Branson has more to buy. Branson Landing by the lake and the outlet malls cover mainstream American brands. The best purchases are Ozark crafts such as blown glass, quilts and ironwork, often made while you watch.

In Estes Park, shopping is an hour's browse along Elkhorn Avenue. There are souvenirs, taffy, western wear, outdoor gear and some wildlife photography galleries. For anything serious you go down to Boulder.

Branson is the cheaper place to stay. A large supply of motels, condos and lake cabins keeps rooms reasonable, and buffets keep meals modest. The catch is that its attractions all charge: shows, parks and boat hire add up over a stay.

Estes Park costs work the other way round. Summer and early-autumn rooms near the national park are expensive, but the main attraction costs little once you have paid the entrance fee. Visiting in winter or spring, or renting a cabin with a kitchen, helps a lot.

Live shows are Branson's main business, and here it is far ahead. Dozens of theatres put on country and bluegrass acts, gospel quartets, tribute shows, magicians and large biblical productions with live animals, and Christmas is as busy as summer. The style is polished and wholesome, but you will find no opera or serious drama.

Estes Park has a small, seasonal programme. There are free summer concerts by the river, music evenings at the Stanley Hotel, and pipe bands at the Highland Festival in September.

Branson's lodge resorts on Table Rock Lake have full spas and quiet grounds by the water, and a cabin on a wooded cove can be properly peaceful. That only works if you stay well away from the traffic and neon of the strip.

Estes Park has just a few lodge spas and massage studios, so the setting does most of the restoring: mountain air, a cabin by a river and elk at dusk. It is calmest in winter and spring, after the summer crowds have left.