DISCOVER THE OZARKS
While each location has a distinct personality, it is a common thread of love that binds them: love of people and love of their geographic location. Branson is known as America’s Top Live Music Show Destination and is also one of the most popular US destinations for families. Springfield is a welcoming city in the Ozarks, filled with culinary and outdoor treasures (not to mention its Route 66 roots.) Silver Dollar City is the ultimate adventure allowing families to step back to a simpler place in time. Combined, you have a perfect Ozarks vacation that you and your family will not soon forget.
The best part? These three locations are easy to visit all in one trip! Set aside a few days to get lost in the great outdoors, then up the excitement city-style with a live show and some of the most delicious food you’ll find in the region. Take your family from bumper cars to roller coasters, then dress things up for a sophisticated dinner out on the town. Enjoy a low-key boat ride, spend a day fishing, or explore a bustling 1880s city and its handcrafted wares. The proximity of these attractions makes an ideal itinerary: letting you get an authentic feel for the area while not having to put any unmissable sights and sounds off till next time. Treat yourself to the full Ozarks experience.
BRANSON
A vacation in Branson awaits with some of the best entertainment and adventure the Ozarks has to offer. If getting outside with the gang is on your vacation to-do list, kick it off with a trip to The Track Family Fun Parks! Satisfy your need for speed on the go-karts or take it up a notch with a spin on the brand-new Thunder Struck thrill ride. Flip and twirl with 12 other riders as you take a 360-degree daredevil trip into the sky. When you come back down, pop by the Food Truck Plaza for a quick bite or sit down and fill up your tank at Fuel Fresh American Grill.
Should your perfect evening involve dinner and a show, there’s nothing quite like Dolly Parton’s Stampede to bring the excitement directly to your table. Enjoy an incredible four-course meal while taking in a mix of song, dance, and jaw-dropping tricks on horseback. Don’t forget to introduce yourself to the leading steeds on the Horse Walk before you go. If a different four-legged friend is what you’re after, look out for the lovable Canine Capers—a new Branson exclusive addition to the Stampede dinner show!
Family Fun is Found in Branson
Family fun is always the name of the game in Branson, and there is no shortage of options to get you there. Take a dive into Aquarium at the Boardwalk for an immersive, hands-on aquatic experience. You may enjoy the swimming sights of the Coral Reef or embrace the imaginative wonder of a visit to Mermaid Palace. Make sure you take full advantage of the opportunity to interact with ocean life in their Touch Pools.
For a thrilling day of entertainment and education, look no further than WonderWorks. This experience combines fun and learning through activities focused on space, weather, and science. From Tesla coils to beds of nails, there is a hair-raising and thought-provoking activity for everyone. If you’ve still got a little energy to burn, treat the family to a game of laser tag while you’re there!
Take Your Trip Outside
No Ozarks vacation is complete without taking in our geographic wonders, and Branson is perfect for doing just that. A little outside the city limits, you’ll find Table Rock Lake, complete with all of the swimming, water sports, and fishing you could ever dream of. Should a long hike or picturesque horseback ride interest you, both await your arrival at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, just south of the lake’s stunning 43,000 acres of water.
Lake Taneycomo is an ideal destination, blending views of the Branson cityscape and displays of the natural beauty of the Ozarks along its shoreline. Running through the city’s center, this manufactured body of water boasts well-kept secret fishing spots. Fine dining, shopping options, and camping accommodations lining its shores make it the best of both worlds.
SILVER DOLLAR CITY
There’s nowhere else on earth quite like Silver Dollar City, which is why it’s been voted one of America’s Best Theme Parks! It’s here to serve as your family’s home away from home, a tradition with memories in the making created from the moment you step foot in the 1880s town. Make a plan for adventures on over 40+ rides and attractions and live performances on every corner. From the creativity found in The City’s kitchens to the passion of the craftsmen, you’ll escape to a simpler place in time where a great past awaits you.
Pure Old-Fashioned Fun
Real adventure doesn’t get bigger or better than this! Check out all the rides, from mega-looping coasters to nostalgic classics to share with your kids, you’re sure to have a one-of-a-kind experience you can’t find anywhere else. Brave the tallest drop in the Western Hemisphere aboard Mystic River Falls® or soar through the skies on Time Traveler® —The World’s Fastest, Steepest & Tallest Spinning Coaster! Take your family on a tour of Missouri’s deepest cave, or experience your little one’s first rides with 10 family attractions in The Grand Exposition.
Live Shows & Premier Festival Entertainment
Entertain your family all day and night with an incredible lineup of talent and performances from the streets to the stages. While you visit, don’t miss authentic Ozarks comedy in the Silver Dollar Saloon and must-see performances by the Rivertown Ramblers. During The City’s ten world-class events spring through Christmas, feast your eyes on jaw-dropping entertainment. Whether it’s live concerts to get your pulse pounding or the charm of An Old Time Christmas®, there are unlimited reasons to visit each season; all you have to do is find yours.
Handcrafted Treasures & Home-Style Flavors
What makes Silver Dollar City so unique? Start with a skilled crafts colony over 100 strong, effortlessly creating handmade heirlooms in front of your very eyes. The talented artisans breathe life into long-forgotten crafts in 60 storefronts known as The Home Of American Craftsmanship, where you can find the perfect take-home treasures. Whether it’s handmade candy or beautiful blown glass, you will purchase a piece of the City that is totally one of a kind. Make sure you bring your appetite, as dedicated kitchen artisans serve hearty home-style feasts by the plateful in 18 award-winning restaurants. There is limitless shopping and savory flavors sure to satisfy everyone!
SPRINGFIELD
Springfield, Missouri is an outdoor lover’s dream, a foodie’s paradise, and a family’s best memory maker. The city nestled in the Missouri Ozarks, Springfield connects the great outdoors with arts and culture through experiences, food and drink, and attractions you can only find in the Springfield area. So come see us in Springfield; we’d love to show you around.
The Best Dining & Shopping
You can’t talk about the Springfield area and not mention the culinary scene that has emerged thanks to locals with an inventive palate who have a passion for good food. Whether it be Springfield-style cashew chicken, authentic global eats, crave-worthy favorites like burgers and pizza, or restaurants that are destinations in and of themselves, the food in the Springfield area is something to write home about. Don’t forget to grab something to wash it down with—the local coffee scene is legendary, and the craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries will give you a great taste of the region.
If a little retail therapy is on your vacation docket, Springfield has no shortage of shopping options. Take a morning to browse the many antique shops to find a hidden treasure to take home, or explore locally-owned boutiques for that perfect vacation look. Home of the original (and largest) Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location, it’s the ideal place to stock up on your outdoor equipment, but it’s so much more than that. (Trust us! This isn’t like any other Bass Pro Shops!)
A Mission for Conservation
Springfield shares a commitment with its surrounding areas to conserve the natural beauty of the Ozarks. While browsing at Bass Pro Shops, head next door to Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium to find out more (they are the winner of USA Today’s “America’s Best” Aquarium a whopping four times)! If you’re looking to indulge in the world of rock formations, there is no shortage of caves to explore. From the only ride-through cave, Fantastic Caverns, to the newly-reopened Crystal Cave or the Smallin Civil War Cave in neighboring Ozark, these attractions and others will give you a glimpse into what lies beneath. Fellows Lake is a must-see spot to round out an afternoon of kayaking, fishing, hiking, a peaceful lakeside picnic, or a thrilling mountain bike ride.
Carve Out Time for Arts and Culture
The performing and visual arts of Springfield are world-class. Their local symphony, theatres, operas, and ballet company are must-sees, and the Springfield Art Museum features a wealth of local and international creators. With giant murals decorating buildings all over the city, you’ll get a taste of the local culture just by walking around downtown. Of course, you cannot complete a tour of cultural appreciation without making a pit stop on Route 66! Springfield is the birthplace of the “mother road,” so make sure to take in the “History of Route 66” exhibit at the History Museum on the Square, and don’t leave town until you’ve fully gotten your kicks.