Family Friendly Things to Do in Branson, MO

My family had been toying with the idea of visiting Branson, MO for several years now. We figured it was a fairly easy drive from the Milwaukee area and offered lots of options for things to do. We finally pulled the trigger and took our first family road trip (well, at least over four hours) and had a great time. There are so many family friendly things to do in Branson and here are a few of our favorites:

1) Legends in Concert Show

While there are a number of “impersonator” type shows in Branson, the Legends gives you the greatest selection of stars to see in one show. While the line up does change from week to week, you are pretty safe to assume you will at least be seeing Elvis and the Blues Brothers.

The night we attended, we also got to see Brooks and Dunn, Adele, Michael Jackson, and Taylor Swift.

 

I was so impressed by how much the performers not only looked like their characters, but also sounded like them too. The show was humorous and totally family-friendly and my 10 year old had a blast! Make sure you arrive early and take a few minutes to look around the Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater. There are amazing pieces of memorabilia to take in and the gift shop has some unique finds as well.

2) Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede

Dixie Stampede is loads of fun for the whole family. We started with the entertaining pre-show show where we were wowed with a 16 year old juggler giving us a preview to his upcoming world record breaking stunt. Next we moved into the main arena and met our server, Brandon who took exceptional care of us.

Kids love eating with their hands, so the chicken dinner is an automatic hit with them! The seating is set up so that everyone is facing the arena and there is not a bad seat in the house. The audience is split into the North and the South and their is a friendly rivalry that runs through the entire show. Amazing riders from both sides perform breath-taking stunts on horseback and even throw some humor in as well.

There is a fun element of audience participation and Jay got into the act by competing in a very *special* kind of horseshoe throwing contest.

 

 

3) Sight & Sound Theater 

The Sight & Sound Theater was a pleasant surprise to us. When we pulled into the parking lot, we couldn’t help but marvel at the size of the theater. Huge does not even begin to describe it. The front lobby was elegant and sported a huge statue of Moses, the next show to be performed once Jonah closes at the end of this season.

The stage in the theater is as large as you would expect looking at the building from the outside. A really unique feature is that the stage actually extends around the sides of the theater creating the feeling that you are “in” the performance, but you aren’t really aware of it until mid-performance when the curtain drops on the sides.

Photo Credit: Sight-Sound.com

Jonah was an amazing show. The set, live animals, and talented cast made it feel like we were actually back in Biblical times journeying with Jonah as he tried to escape his destiny. The detail and intricacies of the set surpassed anything I’ve seen before, even on Broadway. The most impressive feat may have been when the stage transformed and it actually appeared that we were seeing Jonah in the belly of a whale. Amazing.

Photo Credit: Sight-Sound.com

Not only would I recommend that anyone who has the chance see Jonah before it closes at the Sight & Sound Theater in Branson, I would also set time aside to see Moses when it opens. I can only imagine the amazing way they will part the Red Sea!

4) Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum

I was a bit concerned about the “ick factor” of visiting the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. I’m not a big fan of anything gross or too bizarre and was figuring this visit would be more up the guys’ alley than mine. I was wrong. The Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Branson does have some shrunken heads and animals with strange appendages, but it also has a lot of really cool art and other interesting artifacts.

 

We wound up spending several hours exploring all that the museum had to offer and even learned a few new facts. My 10 year old especially loved the room and tunnel with special effects that make you feel like the floor is moving while you are trying to cross it.  Well, that and the world’s largest roll of toilet paper.

 

The museum is fun for all ages and a definite must visit location for families.

5) Titanic Museum

The Titanic Museum offers an immersive experience right from when you drive up to the huge ship shaped building. At the beginning of your experience, you receive a passport-type booklet with the information of one of the passengers on the ship. You learn what class they traveled, where they boarded, and why they were sailing.

Photo Credit: TitanicBranson.com

As you move through the museum, there are all kinds of artifacts from the ship including letters from passengers and even musical instruments (like the violin belonging to the bandmaster). You can see life sized replicas of actual cabins – both first and third class – as well as climb the infamous staircase made famous in the movie. You will learn about everything from how the ship was built, how it was powered, to how passengers were fed. At the end of the museum tour, you will learn about the fate of your passenger.

Photo Credit: TitanicBranson.com

 

I highly recommend using the handheld electronic tour guide as it gives you even more information than is on the display cards. There is even a special recording for kids at each stop which brings the museum to life in a way they can relate to.

Get a sneak peek into the Titanic Museum with the online virtual tour.

6) Fantastic Caverns

Fantastic Caverns are located just a little ways outside of Branson in Springfield. While the Branson area seems to have a lot of caves, Fantastic Caverns are the only ride through caves. While most tours require you to make your way through sometimes slippery rock trails, Fantastic Caverns brings you through in jeep drawn trams.

Missouri was HOT while we were visiting and the caverns were a perfect activity when the heat index hit over 100. The caves are always a pleasant 60 degrees, so they are a perfect destination no matter what time of year. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the rock formations inside of the cave and answered our many questions. The Fantastic Caverns have a fascinating history and have been used for everything from a speakeasy to a concert venue over the years!

Make sure to hit the gift shop on your way out. They carry some really unique rock creations and will have just the souvenir to make sure you remember your ride through the caves for years to come.

7) Branson Segway Adventure Center

Josh has wanted to ride a Segway for as long as I can remember. Where we live, you have to be 14 in order to ride so when we passed Branson Segway Adventure Center and saw some kids riding around, we had to investigate. Turns out that, since the tour stays on the track on private property, you just have to be 9 years old and at least 85 lbs to ride. Since he was both, we headed over to try it.

The instructor spent a good amount of time going over the mechanics of the Segway and safety dos and don’ts. Josh got to try it with close supervision on the flat part of the track until he really knew what he was doing and then off he went. I was totally comfortable with the amount of supervision that was provided and thought they did a great job with the instruction. Josh was a natural on the Segway and can’t wait to do it again!

8) Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City is probably one of Branson’s most famous attractions. The huge theme park boasts 30 thrilling attractions, 60 unique craft shops, 40 daily shows, and a dozen family friendly restaurants. The park itself is hilly, so be prepared to walk and wear comfortable shoes!

Photo Credit: Silver Dollar City PR

We had a blast watching a clogging competition before heading in to explore the Silver Dollar City Star Spangled Summer! We quickly learned that the Harlem Globetrotters show fills up quickly and you need to hop in line about 45 minutes before the scheduled show time if you hope to get a seat. Luckily, someone was smart when they planned the park and there is an abundance of shade everywhere!

Photo Credit: Silver Dollar City PR

We loved checking out all of the different rides and couldn’t decide if the Flooded Mine or the train ride or the old-fashioned wooden roller coaster was our favorite. Plan to spend a whole day (and part of the evening!) at Silver Dollar City and definitely take advantage of the souvenir cup so you can get lots of ice water refills if it’s hot. You’ll love that kids’ meals are only $4.99 at most of the restaurants so you can afford to bring the whole family!

Huge thanks to ExploreBranson.com for their hospitality and assistance in setting up so many amazing experiences for us. And a special thanks to General Motors and Chevy for supplying us with the coolest ride in the form the amazing 2015 Chevy Malibu LTE. (Be sure to check out my video tour of the Malibu!)