To say that we enjoy visiting the Branson, MO area might be an understatement! We enjoy it so much that we have visited three times in a 1 year time span! Planning any family vacation or trip can be overwhelming and now that we consider ourselves “pros” at visiting Branson, we thought we would share some tips to help you plan your visit.
Try VRBO
We have camped, tried a hotel or two, and stayed in condos while visiting Branson and we definitely recommend staying in a condo!
After we sold our camper we researched different hotels and condos and were able to get a great space (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with full kitchen, living room, and patio) for the same price as many of the hotels. With two growing teenage boys, it’s important for us to have space to spread out in and the condos we have booked through VRBO definitely offered this!
6 Reasons Branson is Perfect for Families
Branson offers a plethora of rentals, so you can find one to fit all sorts of needs. They are all over the Branson area too, so you can pick which part of town you want to be in!
Plan Indoor & Outdoor Activities
If you choose to visit Branson in the summer, know that it gets incredibly HOT! Most days in July are between 85 and 95 before heat index! So, we recommend planning both indoor and outdoor activities!
Schedule outdoor activities in the morning and indoor ones in the afternoon, or simply schedule the afternoon for pool time! Head outdoors to have fun with activities like mini-golf or go-karts in the evening! (Our favorite mini golf courses are Dinosaur Canyon and Lost Treasure Golf! Our favorite go-kart is the Wild Woody!) Here are some of our other recommendations for indoor & outdoor activities
Outdoor Activities
- Top of the Rock/Lost Canyon Tours
- Branson Ferris Wheel- and we highly recommend riding it during the day (for the views) and at night (for the lights) and don’t miss the 10PM light and music show!
- National Tiger Sanctuary
- Branson Lake Queen
- Guided Fishing
- The Branson Landing
- Lookout Tower on Highway 376
3 Hidden Gems in Branson
Indoor Activities
- Titanic Museum
- Wild World
- World’s Largest Toy Museum
- Hollywood Entertainment Center: Wax Museum, Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors, & Castle of Chaos
- Sight & Sound Theatre
Eat Local
We try to eat locally all the time and on all vacations, but it’s definitely true in Branson! Forget the chain restaurants and give the local spots a try! While some are about the experience and a meal is combined with entertainment, others just have delicious food!
Our Favorite Branson Eats
Danna’s Burgers & BBQ is definitely one of our favorites. We also enjoy and recommend: Cantina Laredo, Cakes & Creams Fifties Diner, Poncho Villa, Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub, and White River Fish House. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed at any of these!
Traveling in the Winter
Branson’s main tourist season runs from March 1st until January 1st. A lot of attractions and shows shut down in January and February so if you plan on visiting in one of those months, make sure you do research first!
T and I have traveled to Branson in mid-February several times. We were still able to enjoy the slightly warmer weather and the surroundings, plus we go away to “do nothing” and we do a lot of that while visiting Branson! If you do travel in the winter, one of the best shows you can catch is the Legends in Concert at the Dick Clark theatre! We weren’t quite sure what to expect from a show of impersonators, but were pleasantly suprised and really loved the show! We also recommend seeing if Reza the Illusionist is in town!
Our Favorite Things: Branson Style
It’s definitely easy to enjoy the warmer weather and we definitely recommend getting ice cream from Andy’s Custard! Well, actually we recommend that no matter what time of year you visit!
Get A Map
Not only do we suggest getting a paper map of the area, but we also recommend using it! The main drag (Highway 76) is incredibly busy during prime tourist season. It is only one lane each way and driving a short distance can take a long time. But you can easily avoid the congestion by using their other “routes”.
Branson has labeled several different routes by color: red, blue, yellow, etc. These routes help you to get around and avoid the main drag! It definitely helps alleviate sitting in traffic and many headaches! Of course, we love driving down the main strip every once in awhile, but once you’ve done it, you’ll want to get out of the traffic, I promise!
Get Ready For Fun When Visiting Branson
It doesn’t matter if this is your first trip or fifth, we promise that you’ll have fun! We’ve found what we love and what we’ll go back to when we visit again and we know what we’ll avoid! Branson is constantly developing and adding attractions so you’ll find something new on each visit!
Each family is different, but regardless there is something for everyone when visiting Branson and we promise you’ll find something for your family too and make lots of memories in the meantime!
I love bras on so much to do and family friendly.
There really is! You’ll never be bored!