Livinglovingandexploring!

Branson, Missouri

Go for the entertainment, fun, magic & value! Stay for all of that, the memories, and more! My family lives in St. Louis, so we’re just a few hours away from one of the most prominent hot spots in the Midwest! It’s been a while now since we’ve made the day trip to Branson and stayed for a weekend, but that doesn’t stop me from reminiscing!  

The main reason most folks seem to go to Branson is for live entertainment, like the Dolly Parton Stampede show (https://dpstampede.com/branson), multiple variety shows, musicians, duos, dinner shows, and more! There’s also a ton of other things to see and do, though! Funnily enough, of the few times that I’ve gone to Branson, we have yet to make it to a live show!

Things to do in Branson:

One of the best places to see, in our opinion, is the Branson Titanic Museum! The last time we went, we were fortunate enough that many of the props and outfits from the movie, Titanic (1997), were on display too! Then there’s the iconic staircase, which you MUST get a photo on! There are trinkets, books, photos, and so many other things to purchase in the gift shop that it’s hard to choose just one! Please take a look at their site here:  https://titanicbranson.com/. One of my favorite things about the museum is that you’re given a boarding pass when you entered the museum with one of the thousands of real-life people on her when she sank that fateful night in 1912. At the end of the tour, you get to see if your passenger made it through!

Another favorite of ours is the Branson Ferris Wheel, https://www.branson.com/attractions/the-branson-ferris-wheel/, which is a great little detour to take, especially with kids in tow! The line is never too long, the cost is just right, and you get to rest your feet while taking in the whole town! The last time we were there, we bought a special ticket that allowed us to go on it twice, once during the day, and then again at night! It’s neat to see the difference!

Next up, the food! ALL THE FOOD! We went to quite a few different places, and they were all great! The one that sticks out though was this Mexican place, Cantina Laredo, on the Branson Landing; https://www.cantinalaredo.com/. Tyler hasn’t stopped bragging about the meal he got there in years! It was the Relleno de Camarones if I’m not mistaken.  

Last but not least, we visited Top of the Rock, https://bigcedar.com/attractions/top-of-the-rock/, an Ozarks Heritage Preserve! The views from this place are incredible! I probably took five-hundred photos! There’s a tour you can take, and golf carts are involved! It’s a must-do! I’d love to go back and take the boys here too eventually! The Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum can be found with tons of interesting artifacts, a lot of which involve Indian culture and information!

Branson bucket list for us:

Now for the things that we have YET to do. Silver Dollar City, https://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park, is the top of my bucket list for Branson. I believe my mom had said that I was there when I was younger, but I genuinely don’t remember it. I think it would be a blast to take my boys there eventually! I’m a huge fan of roller coasters, not to mention all of the other fun things to see and do inside the park! We’d have to make a day (or two) for this one!  

Any or all of the museums are at the top of my list too! I enjoy going to new museums and discovering things I don’t know! In Branson, there’s a ton of museums to choose from, including the Shipwrecked Treasure Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum! As I mentioned before, I have yet to go to one of their live shows, so that’s also on the Branson bucket list! I want to attend either the dinner or lunch option for a show aboard the Showboat Branson Belle! A dinner CRUISE! Then I could check that off of my list!

In terms of places to stay in Branson, there is no shortage of options. From fancy to standard, or even camping, they have you covered! We were fortunate to stay at Chateau on the Lake the few times we’ve been there as we were invited to take tours of the property! It’s a beautiful hotel, https://www.explorebranson.com/hotels-motels/chateau-lake-resort-spa-convention-center, and I’d highly recommend it!

Your thoughts?

Ok, now that I’ve gone on and on endlessly about the fun to be had in Branson; when are you heading that way?! If I could pick a time, I’d want to go this summer. However, with everything going on in the world, that may not be realistic. Here’s to hoping! Anywho, please drop me a comment or two and let me know what you think!  

If you’re curious about some other places that I’ve shared my thoughts on, look no further! We went to Minnesota last year for the Irish festival, and it was AMAZING! We were also in Ireland last year, which was a DREAM come true! Then just this last weekend, I posted about the next ten places I’d love to visit!

Love ya,

Kelly Ann

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