Best Family Attractions in Branson, Missouri

There are tons of family attractions in Branson, Missouri, but which ones are the best? We visited Branson for the first time recently, and we were blown away by how much there is for families to do there. As East Coasters, we weren’t super familiar with Branson, but it is an easy flight from most places in the country. It is very affordable in terms of accommodations which means you can spend on attractions rather than hotel costs. You can also find discounted ticket prices online and at vendors in the area, and it really caters to families. There seemed to be something for every family. These were the attractions we loved.

Fritz’s Adventures

I really like to get outside, especially in a new landscape, so at first I didn’t have Fritz’s Adventures on my list. But, when I showed my kids the different attractions we could visit, they really wanted to try the ropes course. So, we gave it a try, and it ended up being their favorite. This is the perfect activity for a rainy or too-hot day, or just any day when you feel like being indoors and moving your body.

The ropes course has three levels which get progressively harder as you go up. It has a short zip line, which was perfect for my seven year old to test her courage. The ability to go up and down the levels and get off the ropes course whenever ready made it fun, with no need for panic (or exhaustion). But that wasn’t the only cool thing about this attraction.

There is an airplane you can visit just by going up the stairs (no climbing needed, unless you want to climb through tubes from the other side); there are tree houses for big kids (and adults) and little kids; there are walls to climb; there is a toddler play area and ropes course; and there was a really fun laser maze. This was a huge hit for us.

General Admission is about $25 to $30 and gives you access to the ropes course. You can add an all-access pass for about $50 that adds on a zipline course. Hours as of this writing are 10AM-8PM on Fridays and Saturdays, 12PM – 6PM on Sundays, 10AM-6PM on Mondays and Thursdays, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Silver Dollar City

This wild west themed amusement park was probably my personal favorite attraction. We are not roller coaster people, but there was a ton to do, and also plenty of non-coaster rides that we all enjoyed.

The park opens at 9:30 with an option of a breakfast buffet at 8:30 if you want to try that. There was plenty of free parking and it was easy to get in. Visiting in mid to late August is a great time since Missouri is back to school, so crowds were low. Throughout the park there are delicious spots to eat and to see demonstrations of historical skills – we enjoyed watching glass blowing soon after we arrived, and had lunch at Buckshot’s Skillet Cooker and it was on point.

Our favorite rides included the Flooded Mine float through ride, where you get a toy gun and shoot at targets; the steam train ride around the property where we met some outlaws; and Huck and Tom’s Riverblast where you float along on a boat and shoot water guns at targets (and at other visitors – it was a hoot!) There were also some fun places for the whole family to just play – the Half Dollar Holler where the littles run through a sort of treehouse trail, and the FireHouse playhouse, which included a climbing area and a giant ball fight area.

One of the other great things about the theme park was that it included shows. Branson is known for its shows, many of which are highly rated. But, spending the money for the whole family to go to a show was a bit much, and our time was limited. Being able to take in a couple of short shows at the theme park was perfect for our younger ones (with shorter attention spans) as well as our wallets. We especially loved the show at the Saloon. Very family friendly, of course.

The other things you find a lot of in Missouri, are cave tours. We saw dozens of billboards for different ones on our drive from St. Louis, and they frequently came up in my research as well. The theme park includes a tour of Marvel Cave. The truly marvelous cave is located right at the entrance to the park. The “cathedral room” was enormous, the formations were beautiful, and there is even a waterfall on the tour. It lasted about an hour and did involve plenty of stairs and fairly narrow “hallways.”

Ticket prices and hours vary, so check the website for more information.

Shepherd of the Hills

Best selling novel Shepherd of the Hills, published in 1907 then made into a popular play in the 1960’s. The current attraction still offers the show along with several others . They are performed outdoors with the option of having dinner. I enjoyed the book while on our vacation.(I especially liked the historical context of the area it offered. We all enjoyed riding the glass elevator up to the enclosed tower to get a view of the surrounding area which is the setting of the novel. The Ozarks are quite beautiful. The evergreens and deciduous trees seem to grow directly out of the colorful limestone ridges. The layers of mountains appear blue and often misted with fog. You can also see the cabin whose residents inspired the book characters.

There is also a zipline, a ropes course, and our personal favorite – a mountain coaster. While we are not roller coaster people typically, this ride is different from a traditional coaster. You can control the speed by pulling two levers on either side. So if you (or your child) are frightened, you can slow down the speed. It takes about 5 minutes to coast down the mountain, taking in the views of mountain wild flowers and forest. It takes another few minutes to be pulled back up in your car on a cable. We loved it and took our 7 year old a few times.

Natural Areas

Branson can get busy in certain seasons, but there are some hiking trails to escape the hustle and bustle. We used the AllTrails app to find a few. Some nice hikes in the area include the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area, Waterfall Trail, and Table Rock Lake State Park.

The Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area

This natural area is very close to downtown Branson, on the west side. It starts at a pretty little overlook with lots of parking. The park consists mostly of oak/hickory forest with interspersed open areas called glades. These glades were historically known as “balds” to the people of the area. It also includes a stretch of Roark Creek. Paul Henning was the creator of the Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres television series.

Waterfall Trail

The Waterfall Trail we found on AllTrails runs along an un-named tributary of Roark Creek. We thought we had come to the wrong place at first since the few parking spots are very close to the Shepherd of the Hills Highway. There is a Charcoal plant right beside it.

But, once you climb the hill across from the parking lot, you will see a small sign. Here the trail enters a dense forest area and you’ll find the creek. The trail is fun and rocky and includes a couple of creek crossings. As such, it is not good for strollers and potentially tough on no-longer-young knees. It is less than a mile to the waterfall, which falls over a small ridge. We enjoyed a fast food picnic at the falls.

Table Rock Lake State Park

Finally, Table Rock Lake State Park has a number of trails and is a beautiful place, even if you just drive over it and take in the view on a blue-sky day. We didn’t go hiking there, but we did get the chance to take in a sunset and have a picnic at Peninsula Overlook, which is just a little ways past the Dewey Bald Visitor’s Center of the park. We wanted to see the Center but of course it was closed that late in the evening.

Downtown Branson Fountain Show

Downtown Branson and Hollister are both charming. Branson is a bit bigger, and there is a large public parking area along the water near the boathouse and the Bass Fishing outlet. There appeared to be parking on the other side of this shopping/dining area as well. It was fun to walk along the brick streets and stop in at one of the many shops or restaurants. We ate dinner at Cantina Laredo, which turned out to be a great choice. We sat at a corner table outside and had a great view of the fountain show that started at sunset, and included lights, music, and even fire.

There was so much to do here that we certainly couldn’t see it all. A few attractions we hope to see some day include the drive-through Safari Zoo, the Butterfly Palace and Rainforest; Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and the Titanic Museum, just to name a few. Happily, that gives us a reason to visit again one day.

Bonus Tip

If you happen to drive from Branson to the St. Louis Airport, don’t forget to stop half-way at Uranus, but only if not offended by major potty humor! Our son received a demerit at school for giggling at the word Uranus, and I considered sending his teacher a few pics, but at the last I refrained 🙂

For more information about other family-friendly destinations that are easily accessible from the Mid-Atlantic, visit this page.