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Branson, Missouri, is one of America’s most popular family vacation destinations thanks to its fun theme parks, lively entertainment venues, beautiful lakes, and scenic Ozark Mountain setting.
There’s a huge variety of outdoor adventures to be had in this region of the Midwest, but the city also has a host of fascinating museums, world-class theaters, and other urban attractions on offer. Here are 17 of the best things to do in Branson to help you plan a fun getaway in this popular city.
1. Live Like a Pioneer at Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City is a fun amusement park with an 1880s theme that gives you a taste of what it was like to live as a pioneer. It has a host of rollercoasters that the whole family can enjoy.
The park was originally constructed around Marvel Cave, an impressive wet limestone cave with mesmerizing rock formations that you can still explore today.
Over 100 craftspeople and artisans operate at Silver Dollar City to show you typical trades of the era, and more than 40 live shows take place daily to provide further insights into pioneer life. There’s also the adjoining White Water Park to visit in the summer which has a lazy river, a wave pool, and a range of exhilarating water slides.
2. View the Ozarks from the Branson Mountain Coasters
There are several mountain coasters built into the side of the Ozark Mountains, and they use the natural elevation of the land to provide thrilling rides at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
The Runaway Mountain Coaster at Branson Mountain Adventure Park was the first of its kind, and it offers incredible views of the rugged alpine landscape. If you’re looking for mountain views at a gentler pace, head to Point Lookout near the College of the Ozarks, which offers panoramic views in a tranquil spot.
3. Shop ‘til You Drop at Branson Landing
Branson Landing is a 1.5-mile boardwalk on the edge of Lake Taneycomo and is one of Downtown Branson’s most popular areas. There are more than 100 independent and chain stores here, including apparel outlets and gift shops.
The waterfront area is home to a range of bars, tasting rooms, and casual and fine-dining eateries. This is also where you can head out onto the water of Lake Taneycomo. Head to Main Street Marina to find kayak, paddleboard, and hydro-bike rentals, or to join a relaxing cruise.
4. Get Active in Table Rock State Park
Table Rock State Park is just 10 miles out of the city center and is the perfect place to escape into nature. It covers almost 800 miles of Table Rock Lake shoreline, where there are plenty of peaceful beaches and swimming holes, including Cape Fair, Moonshine Beach, and Indian Point.
There are many boat and jet-ski rental spots dotted around the lake, as well as opportunities to waterski, sail, wakeboard, and fish. The park is lined with hiking and mountain biking trails, and there’s no shortage of picnic sites and campgrounds to make use of.
5. Explore Caves and Waterfalls at Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock is a unique resort with several attractions in one place. First, wind through the 2.5-mile Lost Canyon Nature Trail on an electric cart until you reach Lost Canyon Cave. There, appreciate cascading waterfalls and incredible Ozarks scenery while you enjoy a drink from the Bat Bar. Next, visit the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum to discover the area’s history. If golf is your thing, you can enjoy a round on the 3-par golf course. Finish the day by watching a Civil War reenactment with cannon firing.
6. Visit Branson’s Most Eclectic Attractions
Branson is home to several unusual attractions that make a change from your typical museums.
- Beyond the Lens has a range of interactive pop culture-themed exhibits with fun photo opportunities, and a virtual reality experience called Flyride that will make you feel like you’re soaring over the city.
- The Aquarium at the Boardwalk has a range of marine exhibits, including a jellyfish room, touch pools, and coral reefs.
- Fritz’s Adventure is perfect for energetic kids who want to clamber and explore its extensive assault courses.
- Finally, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has a host of weird and wonderful exhibits, including a vortex tunnel.
7. Ride Through the Mountains on the Branson Scenic Railway
The Branson Scenic Railway lets you ride in restored vintage cars as you journey from historic Downtown Branson through beautiful Ozark scenery. Your tour guide will share fascinating stories about Branson’s railroad history. If you’ll be visiting in December, be sure to take the Christmas-themed Polar Express ride, which includes carols and a cup of hot cocoa.
8. Get Lost in the Rainforest at The Butterfly Palace
The Butterfly Palace is an immersive tropical-themed park with a butterfly aviary that’s home to more than 1,000 exotic butterflies. More than 50 species are represented, and the aviary is populated with beautiful exotic plants and flowers to mimic the natural environments of South America and Southeast Asia.
There’s also a living rainforest science center where frogs, geckos, salamanders, and other reptiles and amphibians live. There are many hands-on learning opportunities at The Butterfly Palace, and kids can get active when they clamber through the Banyan Tree Adventure and puzzle their way out of the Emerald Forest Mirror Maze.
9. Take a Table Rock Dinner Cruise on the Branson Belle
The charming showboat Branson Belle is modeled on the large steamboats of the 1800s. It has four decks and can accommodate up to 700 passengers.
A cruise on the Belle is a fantastic way to appreciate Table Rock Lake without renting your own boat. The Cruise lasts for two hours and includes a three-course dinner and a live show that features dancers, comedians, magicians, or live music.
10. Watch the Shepherd of the Hills Come to Life
Shepherd of the Hills is a famous novel written by Harold Bell Wright about the lives of early Ozarks settlers. The Shepherd of the Hills historic farm is inspired by this influential novel, and it brings the novel’s characters and stories to life via its live show, which features more than 90 actors, horses, and pyrotechnics.
There’s also a zipline, a rope course, a lookout tower, a mountain coaster, a mini-golf course, and a petting zoo to keep the kids entertained. Shepherd of the Hills is one of Branson’s most popular live entertainment venues, so be sure to book your tickets in advance.
11. Have Family Fun at Branson’s Adventure Parks
There are several fun adventure and activity parks in Branson’s Entertainment District.
- Track Family Fun Parks has go-karts, laser-tag, arcade games, and adrenaline-pumping rides and rollercoasters.
- Adventure Ziplines of Branson lets you soar through the treetops with fantastic views.
- Wolfe Mountain also has fun ziplines in the canopy, and it boasts a Snowflex Park with a synthetic tubing run that lets you experience the thrill of snow tubing without the snow.
- Finally, get the blood pumping on the exhilarating Gravity Bomb and Super Sling rides at Bigfoot Fun Park.
12. Expand Your Mind in Branson’s Museums
Branson has some fantastic museums, most of which are created with the whole family in mind to make learning fun for young visitors.
- The Dinosaur Museum features 40 life-sized dinosaurs, including a 42-foot T-Rex.
- The Titanic Museum Attraction is a replica of the original ship featuring hundreds of authentic artifacts.
- The Hollywood Wax Museum is an excellent attraction for movie enthusiasts who love vintage films.
- WonderWorks is a fun interactive museum set in an upside-down house.
- The World’s Largest Toy Museum has over 30,000 square feet of artifacts, including hundreds of Barbie dolls, an extensive model train collection, and a massive Star Wars exhibit.
13. Get a Bird’s Eye View from the Branson Ferris Wheel
The Branson Ferris Wheel is a fantastic way to see the city’s skyline. It began life in Chicago, where it was erected on the Navy Pier in 1995. After providing almost 17 million rides over 11 years, it was moved to Branson’s Entertainment District. It features 40 gondolas, each capable of carrying six passengers, and it’s adorned with 16,000 LED lights that come to life each night during the Electrify Music & Light Spectacular.
14. Take a Horseback Riding Tour of Branson’s Countryside
If you’re looking for fun things to do outside of the city, consider a horseback riding tour. There are several services available.
- Little Indian Stables in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park offers one to two-hour rides through woodlands and along historic logging trails and ridges.
- Bear Creek Stables decks its horses out in western tack to give riders a classic experience as they venture through pastures and hills.
- Lazy B Ranch is a Longhorn cattle company that offers guided horseriding tours and several other fun activities like wood fire branding, bean bag toss, and cowboy cookouts.
15. Try Water Sports on Branson’s Lakes
You can’t visit Branson without trying your hand at some watersports on the city’s lakes. There are boat and equipment rentals dotted around the edge of Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals Lake, with jet-skiing, kayaking, and standup paddleboarding being some of the most popular activities.
The waters surrounding Branson are also renowned for fishing. You can rent fishing gear and your own boat or join a guided fishing tour if you’re a beginner angler.
16. Learn About Fishing at the Fish Hatchery
The Missouri Department of Conservation operates Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. It produces 350-400,000 pounds of trout each year for release in Lake Taneycomo and various other state fishing facilities.
A visit to the hatchery lets you learn about its operations and see a huge aquarium filled with rainbow and brown trout. Plus, there are wildlife-viewing platforms and hiking trails to explore so that you can spend time taking in the Ozarks’ natural beauty.
17. Catch a Show in the Entertainment District
The Entertainment District on Country Boulevard is the perfect place to catch a live music show or dinner show. It’s the Missouri equivalent of the Las Vegas Strip, with a wide variety of entertainment styles on offer, including country and bluegrass music, murder mystery dinners, and slapstick comedy shows. Highlights include:
- Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Show
- Sight and Sound Theatre
- Clay Cooper’s Country Express
- The Haygoods
- The Baldknobbers
Discover Branson’s Attractions On Your Next Vacation
There’s a huge variety of fun indoor and outdoor activities to try in Branson, so you won’t have trouble finding attractions that suit your tastes. What will you get up to on your vacation to this vibrant city?
