We’ve talked about Branson and airlines plenty of times before, but this time we’re talking about the place in Missouri not the man behind the Virgin brand. The family version of Las Vegas might not be your idea of the ultimate vacation, but there’s apparently enough people looking to go to justify a brand new airline.

The city built its own airport last year, and now they are going a step further to ensure that there are plenty of flights to fill its gates. Branson AirExpress is going to whisk passengers into the city beginning on May 17 from destinations including Des Moines, Shreveport, and Terre Haute, Indiana. Austin will have service as well even though we thought they were too cool for Branson. Officials are hoping the promise of infinite family entertainment and country music is enough to fill up these planes for years to come. ]]> kjb 2010-03-16T10:53:33-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/12/19/135441/32

When I was a college student at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, I worked as a bellman and parking valet at the Omni International Hotel, which is now a Sheraton. It was a fun job, because not only did I enjoy interacting with guests (and getting good tips), I also got a chance to drive some pretty fancy cars. I was kind of a shy kid, so I didn't put the cars through too much abuse, but a video that I discovered today reminds me of just how brazen some of my valet parking colleagues could be with other people's rides. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-12-19T13:54:41-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/12/9/8957/43399

Travelers in St. Louis who aren’t the best at directions are getting a holiday present, but they will need to wait until 2010 to open it. The Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is doing a little sign upgrade along with a few other light renovations. The sign situation in St. Louis must be pretty messy since the airport is expecting to spend over $1 million on the new wayfinding project.

The new signs are needed in part because the airport is going to confuse flyers anyways as the names of the terminals are changing. The Main Terminal at the airport will now simply be Terminal 1, and the East Terminal will be switching to Terminal 2. Not too difficult, but when you’re looking for the park and ride at five in the morning all bets are off—we just might need those signs. ]]> kjb 2009-12-09T08:41:38-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/23/105629/76

Who doesn't end up watching "A Christmas Story" on TV at least once during the holidays? This year, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre is bringing Ralphie, and his dream of getting a BB-gun for Christmas, to the stage too. "A Christmas Story: The Musical" will run through Dec. 27 at the Spencer Theatre in Kansas City, MO. The musical includes all of the movie's best moments, like a tongue frozen to a lamp post, a bar of soap in the mouth, a mannequin leg lamp, and a Chinese Christmas dinner, plus new music created to compliment each scene.

Tickets for "A Christmas Story: The Musical" can be purchased from the online box office. You can select any date to see what seats are available before purchasing. Most shows are sold out or close to it though so you'll have to act fast. Adult tickets are $60, Senior Tickets are $47 and Student Tickets are $20. ]]> cmb 2009-11-23T11:39:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/16/81021/245

We thought since Frontier Airlines loved animals—they’ve got all those critters painted on their tail fins—they would be the last ones to have a bird encounter. However, that’s not the case, as a flight headed to Denver over the weekend had to make an emergency landing in Kansas City after running into a flock of feathered friends on takeoff. ]]> kjb 2009-11-16T09:04:28-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/28/82332/762

Now that Southwest Airlines has announced that they are all about St. Louis, the city is eager to get to work on their most famous attraction. After all, with an influx of new visitors thanks to cheap flights, the city needs to show off its offerings. Late last week the National Park Service released an almost 300 page set of plans dealing with the future of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial—that’s the Gateway Arch for those less familiar with its full name.

The park service is looking to preserve and maintain the grand lawn area beneath the Arch and wants to add some snazzy new stuff to the north and south ends of the area. The entire memorial is almost 100 acres large, so they have a lot of room to play with. One of the biggest updates would be to expand the park across the Mississippi River. That would provide East St. Louis with a little Arch love, and would allow the Arch to be better connected to the downtown area. Certain blocks downtown could be cleared to allow for new walkways for pedestrians to check things out. ]]> kjb 2009-10-28T16:09:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/17/81849/0051

It’s hard to believe, but the end of summer is just around the corner. That’s why it’s time to start thinking about your Labor Day plans, so you can make it a priority to attend this year’s SantaCaliGon Days Festival in Independence, Missouri. If you preferred Oregon Trail to Number Munchers back in computer lab class, this festival is right up your alley. It celebrates the heritage of the Missouri town as the starting point of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails. See, the name of the festival does make sense.

More than 225,000 people hit the streets to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of this Labor Day festival. Of course there’s a carnival to entertain the kids and kids at heart, and it opens on September 3 so you can get an early start to your holiday weekend. Just remember to dedicate some time to practicing for the Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest, as you’ll want to make your family proud. ]]> kjb 2009-08-17T15:44:36-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/