Branson Vacation Guide

There are so many things to see and do in Branson. We took a three-day trip over Spring Break and we had so much fun! It had been a long time since we had traveled as a family and it felt good to be on the road with the kids. If you are planning a weekend trip, this Branson Vacation Guide covers a few fun experiences you don’t want to miss!

This Branson Vacation Guide was hosted by Silver Dollar City, Big Cedar Lodge, and Branson Towers Hotel, however, all opinions are my own.

BRANSON VACATION GUIDE: SILVER DOLLAR CITY

Branson is about three and a half hours away from our hometown. We drove straight to Silver Dollar City to get started with our weekend trip. Silver Dollar City is an 1880’s theme park nestled in the Ozarks. Rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and decor that you won’t see anywhere else, this park has thrilling rides, delicious food, and unique gift shops and activities.

Half of my family members are thrill seekers and the other half are not, so I love that Silver Dollar City is really a destination that keeps everyone engaged and happy. They have roller coaster rides of all sizes, they have water rides, swings, spinning teacups, and a great kids area with a carousel. There is a steam train that all my kids love and so many shops where you can buy home decor, jewelry, decorative glass, and more. We also love the live craftsmen demonstrations and the live music throughout the park.

You won’t find us turning down a funnel cake! Silver Dollar City is known for its delicious southern eateries, and their shops that offer food like homemade fudge, funnel cakes, and candy apples. There is a candy store that has every type of candy you can think of from cotton candy to taffy to chocolates. I love bringing fresh fudge home so we can enjoy it later!

Another great thing about Silver Dollar City is their festivals held throughout the year. We have visited at Christmas time in the past and the entire park is beautifully lit with Christmas lights and they have festive-themed food and a brightly lit parade. We plan to go back this summer, and we want to visit at Christmas to see the lights again. I’m so thankful they offer a season pass! There are so many things to do, I feel like we can experience new things every time we visit!

BRANSON VACATION GUIDE: BRANSON TOWERS HOTEL

We stayed at Branson Towers Hotel and we were so pleased with our entire experience…well except for the people below us who complained about the noise. Note to self: when traveling with five energetic kids always request a bottom floor room. Ha! But seriously, this hotel is known for their comfortable beds and I now know why. We slept like a dream at this hotel, from the pillows to the mattress to the linens it felt like I was sleeping at home.

We had adjoining suites so we let four of the kids sleep in one room, and we slept with the baby in the next room. I was glad that there was a refrigerator onsite so I could store the milk for the baby. I was also glad to learn they were serving blueberry cobbler and ice cream that night, as well as live music from a very talented pianist. It was a fun ending to our first night in Branson.

The complimentary breakfast was well above your typical breakfast.  They offered eggs, sausage, and biscuits that the kids loved, and plenty of variety of muffins, bagels, cereal, juices, and coffee as well. When traveling with kids, give me all the coffee! After we finished breakfast, we decided to check out the pool and let the kids swim. They loved the hot tub and having the chance to swim inside in March. The facilities were very clean, the staff was very accommodating, and I loved the central location of Branson Towers Hotel. We will definitely be back to visit again!

BRANSON VACATION GUIDE: BIG CEDAR LODGE & FUN MOUNTAIN

My oldest son had been asking to take a trip to Fun Mountain. I had no clue what he was talking about! When I began planning this trip, I was so excited to finally learn that Fun Mountain is a family-friendly activity center housed within Big Cedar Lodge. I was even more excited to learn that they offer day passes for their Fun Mountain.

We started our experience having lunch in their Uncle Buck’s Grill. Their menu was typical for a lunch spot, but I loved that they offered healthy options. The kids at their grilled chicken meal and I had their avocado chicken sandwich, which you know I loved. Brian had their cheesesteak sandwich and as you can see it looked so good! I loved that you could see all the action, but they also had large screens playing sports as well.

We had the most incredible day at Fun Mountain. Between their bowling center, arcade, spin zone, laser tag, climbing wall, and discovery center, they literally have something for everybody. My oldest three loved the climbing wall and the laser tag. We all enjoyed bowling in their underwater ocean themed bowling alley. They also serve up drinks and dessert, and we really enjoyed our ice cream sundaes!

We all tried the spin zone which is basically bumper cars that spin, and I literally could not stop laughing as my boys tried to ram throughout the game. It was so much fun! They have a Discovery Center that has large slides and lots of climbing areas for kids, all decorated in the under the sea theme. They are in the process of building a go-cart course as well as a ropes course. We’ll have to visit again very soon to let the kids experience the new fun!

Another thing to mention in this Branson Vacation Guide, this area of the country is absolutely beautiful! As we were leaving Big Cedar Lodge, we came upon this view at Top of the Rock and had to jump out of the car and take it all in. It was cold and windy that day, but it was so worth seeing God’s creation in full display. If given the opportunity to do something spontaneous while traveling with family, just do it!

We had so much fun on our weekend trip. It’s the perfect distance for a quick road trip from Arkansas, but there is so much to see and experience. I hope this Branson Vacation Guide is helpful. We took a trip last September and I plan to post the details of our trip so I can share a few more activities that are available in the area. Have you visited Branson? If so, tell me your favorite family-friendly activity!

If you love to travel with family, you might enjoy our things to do in Dallas with family or my series about Disney World. For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram,  Pinterest,  LIKEtoKNOW.it,  Facebook,  and Twitter. Here is a pin to save this for later!