50+ Things to Do in Branson Missouri | Julie Blanner

Rain or shine, there are so many things to do in Branson, Missouri. As a part-time resident and lifelong visitor, I’m sharing the best things Branson attractions for all ages, free things to do in Branson with kids, and tips to make your visit effortless!

We spend a lot of our time at our modern lake house nestled on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. Branson is a family friendly destination filled to the brim with things to do for a day, week or month all year!

50+ Things to Do in Branson Missouri

Branson boasts a wide array of shows, indoor and outdoor activities, attractions, trails, water recreation and one-of-a-kind experiences. There is something for everyone, every season, and weather.

Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery (free) – See the fish ladder and trout pens that raise 400,000 pounds of rainbow and brown trout each year! Inside the education center you’ll find a lot of reptiles, too. Bring quarters to feed the fish.

Tiger Sanctuary – Tour and feed big cats or go behind the scenes to learn about their care. They rescue and release animals into wildlife as well.

Bigfoot Fun Park – this is a newer Branson attraction filled with so much to do! You’ll find an arcade, mini golf, rides, and of course the main attraction, which is a Bigfoot Discovery Expedition! It’s a cool, fully immersive safari style adventure through the Ozark Hills for the whole family.

Aquarium at the Boardwalk – See the sea rays, walk through the water tunnel, enjoy the touch tanks and more! This newer Branson attraction cost a whopping $55 million to build! The exterior of the building is a piece of art.

Runaway Mountain Coaster or Copperhead Mountain Coaster– If you’re here for the rides, you won’t be disappointed by this roller coaster experience! Both of these coasters wind through the woods and YOU control the speed!

Wonderworks – An all ages, “upside down” amusement park filled with science, technology, math and engineering fun, rides, activities and more! We have visited several times with kids and teens and it’s always a hit! Wear close toed shoes for the 360 ride.

Ferris Wheel – of the many can’t-miss attractions on Highway 76 lies the ferris wheel, relocated from the Navy Pier in Chicago. I told you it was kitschy.

Branson Scenic Railway – The classic train departs at the historic depot nestled in downtown Branson and takes you through the Ozark Mountains. During the holidays is transforms into the Polar Express where you enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, a visit from Santa and a ride through a Christmas light park!

Go horseback riding at Bear Creek Trails for a one hour guided tour by a waterfall. You can also ride at Ozark Mountain Trail Rides.

Hollywood Wax Museum – even if you don’t enter the museum, stop by for a photo op. There are several outdoors.

Speaking of photo ops, if you’ve ever wanted to have your photo taken by a gigantic meatball, go to Pasghetti’s. To be honest, I don’t care for the food, but who can resist standing next to a giant fork?

Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors is an interactive fairytale experience with hallways full of mirrors and a chance to see who can be the hero!

Branson Landing – Visit the fountains at Branson Landing (free) for a water, fire, light and music show that starts on the hour from noon to 10pm daily (9 on Sundays). Find a spot in the plaza or grab a drink on the patio at Cantina Laredo to enjoy. Branson Landing has a variety of stores including Bass Pro, restaurants and activities. Bring quarters to feed the fish as you walk along Taneycomo.

Promised Land Zoo – Walk through a petting zoo and feed parakeets, donkeys and goats. The zoo boasts over 60 acres of animals, including a tiger and lion rescue. Walk through to see sloths, giraffes, a capybara and more, then take a tram or drive through the 60+ acre park to see bison, elk, and zebras. Don’t miss the ostrich and emu eggs in the incubator at the gift shop as you exit. In November and December, return to enjoy Christmas lights in Branson.

Curling Vine Winery – Do a Grape Juice Tasting (free)! Okay, okay, this is a just a disguise of wine tasting for mom and dad. But after Dixie Stampede, you’ve earned it. The kids will love partaking in grape juice tasting while you enjoy a little wine.

Branson Museums

Toy Museum – Revisit your childhood favorites and a million others!

Dinosaur Museum – We haven’t visited, but I imagine this museum makes some little kids very happy.

Celebrity Car Museum – See an ever changing array of cars from movies and TV shows including the Fast and the Furious, Back to the Future, Cars and more.

Branson Auto and Farm Museum – Over 90,000 square feet of classic cars and farm equipment.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not – Ripley’s is known for it’s oddities and intriguing activities. Perfect for a cold or rainy day.

Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum – This museum is a must for history buffs! It’s thoughtfully curated and beautifully decorated. This expansive museum is filled with prehistoric creatures, civil war relics, Native American artifacts and rich in midwest history.

Branson Area Caves

Talking Rocks is a beautiful walking cave tour that utilizes light and sound to show off the curtain formations. Once outside of the cave kids can enjoy a fun play area complete with a playground, observation tower, maze, gemstone panning and more.

Marvel Cave – this National Landmark is really fascinating to see, however, it requires entry into Silver Dollar City. It was Branson’s first attraction bringing tourists from all over. Take a walk down and ride the tram back up for a unique experience.

More Branson Attractions

Wolfe Mountain Snowflex – Throw on some close toed shoes and hop on a tube! Hit the slick slopes, without enduring cold snow and enjoy year round fun! The slick surface is Enjoy year round “snow” tubing without the cold!

The Butterfly Palace and Rainforest – The Butterfly Palace provides a uniquely different and enhanced experience from most aviaries. They offer adorable hats, magnifying glasses and binoculars, which makes it feel even more adventurous for small children. Stroll through while listening to the harp and get close up views with complimentary nectar flowers located at the entrance to attract butterflies. The aviary is home to over 1,000 butterflies and 40+ species! Recently hatched butterflies are released throughout the day. Climb through the rainforest, visit the mirror maze and see an array of reptiles in the science center.

Tips

Butterflies are attracted to bright colors. Dress accordingly if you want to attract them.

Don’t miss the mirror maze, rainforest (small play area) and science center (reptiles).

Dicks 5 & 10 – Dick’s 5 and dime is a favorite of kids and adults alike and a staple in downtown Branson. The store is filled with TikTok trends teens and tweens go crazy over, nostalgic toys, old fashioned candy, crafts, collectibles, books, amazing games, pranks, quirky laughs, sodas, licensed favorites, cooking gadgets, hardware and so much more! You’ll find everything you never knew you wanted, all under one roof.

Titanic Museum – You only thought the Titanic was 12,600 below sea level. It’s actually located in Branson, Missouri. At the Titanic Museum, you can view artifacts, take photos on the replica stairway, touch an iceberg, shovel coal and so much more.

Beyond the Lens – Escape rooms, virtual reality, flip zone bumper cars, augmented reality scavenger hunt and so much more.

Fun Mountain – Fun Mountain is an indoor / outdoor activity at Big Cedar and offers a unique bowling experience, arcade, playground (free), laser tag and golf simulators indoors. Outdoors you’ll find sloooooow go karts and an incredible ropes course over a few gators, with a zipline!

Fritz’s Adventure is an indoor adventure park. Climb through tunnels, a plane, up to high flying slides and up a brick wall! They offer two indoor rope courses – one for children and another for adults. In addition they have an aerodium flying experience.

Silver Dollar City

No visit to Branson is complete without spending time at Silver Dollar City. The clean, family friendly amusement park was built to provide activities while guests waited to enter Marvel Cave. Silver Dollar City is also beautiful during Christmas, check out my post about Silver Dollar City Christmas. 

Now it’s filled with rides the entire family can enjoy along with glass blowing, blacksmith, and woodcarving demonstrations to name a few. Don’t miss Grandfather’s Mansion. It’s always a favorite.

Silver Dollar City is truly one of our favorite theme parks for family fun! Bypass the traffic on your way there and stop at the Old Fashioned Dough Company. You’ll find the most amazing cinnamon rolls in the midwest and two friendly smiles – every time! 

Above all, of course, after your Silver Dollar City adventure you must stop by Mickey’s for hot dogs, burgers and a peanut butter shake. Another great stop is Danna’s for BBQ. These local businesses are so good, so friendly and thankful for your business.

Things to do on Table Rock Lake

Don’t skip beautiful Table Rock Lake if you’re in Branson. It’s an incredible way to enjoy the outdoors – see the link above for a full list of things to do there!

Moonshine Beach (free) – Kick back on a hot summer day and let the kids play in the sand and swim at the beach on Table Rock Lake.

Dewey Short Visitor Center (free) – Take a break on a cold or rainy day and enjoy the view and activities at the visitor center. Build a dam, read a book or enjoy one of the interactive activities while learning about the hydroelectric dam. You can visit the Dewey Short Visitor Center and get a close up view of Table Rock Dam by car or boat! It’s connected to several trails that are perfect for an easy walk or bike ride!

Feed the fish at State Park Marina. Step out over the water to see carp, blue gill, turtles, minnows and more. Eat on the water at Danna’s BBQ, enjoy a snow cone and the boutique while there. Food is just $1/bag.

Rent a boat, kayak or paddle boat to enjoy life on the lake. There are several places to select from including State Park Marina, Indian Point Marina, and Big Cedar.

Take a swim cruise on a catamaran – the Spirit of America takes daily cruises with inflatable swim toys like a trampoline and obstacle course. Cool off and enjoy Table Rock Lake…our home sweet second home!

Take a daytime or dinner cruise around the lake on the Showboat.

Stop by the Tiki Bar at Rock Lane. Don’t let the surrounding area discourage you – the Tiki Bar is well kept and so much fun! Swing at the bar or play one of their many outdoor games while listening to live music. You can visit by boat or car.

Check out one of these Table Rock Lake Restaurants while you’re there!

Top of the Rock

Go on a golf cart ride at Top of the Rock for beautiful views, carved rock, man made waterfalls that flow over the paths and take your breath away. Bring cash to grab a drink at the bat bar as you drive through the cave.

Partake in the sunset ceremony at Top of the Rock – gather on the patio at the Buffalo Bar or on the lawn near the chapel to listen to bagpipes play while a real canon fires off to celebrate another sunset (March-October).

Take a walk through the wine cellar for a beautiful view of “End of the Trail” (shown above) and magnificent views of the lake.

There is a beautiful museum there as well – if you visit it, plan to peruse for a minimum of 2 hours.

There is also a par 3 golf course which is being expanded.

Helicopter Tour – One of my favorite childhood memories was taking a helicopter ride overlooking Branson and Table Rock Lake, which you can still do today! There’s no better way to see the Branson strip, lake and the beauty of the Ozarks.

Day at the Spa

Looking to relax? Take a little reprieve at the spa.

• Chateau on the Lake
• Big Cedar

Water Parks

• White Water – This childhood favorite is a local outdoor waterpark with a wave pool, water slides, lazy river, family rides and so much more! Go for a few hours or for a full day of fun in the sun!
• Splash Country is an indoor / outdoor water park with a lazy river, huge slides, toddler pool and more!
• Still Waters – Still Waters has an outdoor water park with slides available to overnight guests.

Miniature Golf

Branson is loaded with miniature golf courses to test your skills. Choose your theme or try them all!

Outdoor Mini Golf

Indoor Mini Golf

Go Karts

• Xtreme Racing
• The Track
• Fun Mountain
• Grand Country Resort 

Bumper Boats

• Bumper Boat Amusement Center
• The Track

Bumper Cars 

• Fun Mountain (Flip Zone – upside down, Spin Zone – spin)
• The Track
• Grand Country
• Bumper Boat Amusement Center

Arcades

Ziplining

• Zipline USA – We are fortunate to have so many amazing zip-lining experiences in the area. We have tried them all and it’s clear – Zipline USA takes you to new heights! It is far and away the best Branson zipline thanks to it’s remote location, breathtaking views, vast landscapes, and some of the highest and longest runs in the United States! They are committed to safety, maintain an intimate group size and have a seamless check-in, gear and transfer process with experienced guides.
• Ozark Explorer at Wolfe Mountain – Choose between 4 and 7 runs at this canopy tour with 10 sky bridges.
• Adventure Ziplines – This roadside alternative at Shepherd of the Hills is short and sweet. Ticket purchase, registration, check-in and gear is a little clunky, but the location is quick and convenient to squeeze into your trip. The runs and views are a little underwhelming, but it is an easy introduction for newbies.
• Vigilante Extreme ZipRider – Take a seat and leap off of the Shepherd of the Hills tower! This experience is ticketed in 10 minute increments and is only available when winds are minimal. It’s an exhilarating ride that takes you over an equestrian area and ends with a soft landing. The ticketing and check-in experience is clunky, but worth it.
• Parakeet Petes Zipline – No experience required! This two-seated experience zips you across the lake up to the cliff and back – twice! We have done this over and over again and still enjoy it!

See a Show

There are so many shows in Branson MO and they’re constantly changing. 

• Acrobats of Shanghai – a truly amazing show filled with incredible stunts {and unfortunately really slow music}. The kids absolutely loved this show.
• Dixie Stampede is one of the girls’ favorite things to do in Branson. Get your tickets in advance for this popular show. It includes dinner, if you like to eat with your hands.
• Sight and Sound Theatre is known as the Christian Broadway. 

And just a short drive from Branson, you’ll find Dogwood Canyon! You can go behind the scenes to see all it has to offer in our YouTube video!

• The Social Birdy – Scheduled to open in 2024, we can’t wait to check this place out! This is a 9,000 square foot entertainment complex, with beautiful outdoor patios, golfing stimulators and pickleball courts!
• Scheduled to open in August of 2024, Ozark Nights is another new attraction to check out. This is an immersive walk through the woods, with elements of mystery, hauntings and historic exploration.
• Immersive Disney Amimation is an interactive light and sound show that is getting great reviews – if you love Disney movies you’ll love this one!

Tip

A lot of attractions are Route 76 resulitng in heavy traffic, especially in the evening. Use Waze or traffic relief routes. While you’ll venture a few miles out of your way, they are a great time saving measure.

Where to Eat in Branson

Some of our favorite local Branson Missouri restaurants are:

• Mr. G’s Pizza – Chicago style deep dish pizza in a quaint family friendly pub style restaurant in downtown Branson. The salads, sandwiches and toasted raviolis are all delish, too!
• Little Hacienda – Amazing Mexican for brunch, lunch and dinner.
• Danna’s BBQ – Brisket, burgers, chicken tenders, hot dogs, nachos and all of your favorite sides.
• Old Fashioned Dough Co – Tucked in Branson West just past Silver Dollar City you’ll find rolls as high as the coasters you are about to ride! Say hi for me!
• Laketime Bistro – In nearby Kimberling City, it’s my go to for appetizers, salads, seafood and steaks.
• Cantina Laredo – This chain offers great tex mex and serves incredible views of Taneycomo and The Landing Fountain show.
• Top of the Rock – Visit Osage or the Buffalo Bar for a memorable sunset ceremony, beautiful views, and upscale dining.

Branson at Christmas

For one of the most special celebrations you can imagine, come to Branson at Christmas time! There’s so much to see and do, for every age and stage of life. They really know how to do it right around here!

Frequently Asked Questions