They say Branson, Missouri is the “Las Vegas of the Midwest.” While it shares the buzz of energy and is brimming with shows, activities, and food, I find it to be much more family-friendly 😉 I also love the fact that Branson is only a 3.5-hour drive from Kansas City! This July, we had an opportunity to spend a weekend in Branson for a family event, so we made the most of our time and squeezed in as much as we could. Our daughter had just turned one, and we found that she quite enjoyed most of the activities we chose!
Accommodations:
Branson has no shortage of interesting places to stay. There’s something for everyone – from RV parks and campgrounds to family resorts to luxury hotels. Some accommodations, such as Big Cedar Lodge, host such a variety of activities and on-site dining options that they are a vacation in and of themselves! Although the options are vast, I would recommend booking your stay early if possible as they do fill up quickly.
For this trip we stayed at The Village at Indian Point. These condos lie on the edge of Table Rock Lake and have some beautiful views. With a lodge-like feel, each condo is owned by individuals who rent them out when not using them. Our condo was a beautiful three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom with a full kitchen, laundry room, and 2 living room spaces. On site are a zero-entry outdoor pool, an indoor heated pool, fitness center, fire pit, and outdoor playground. Our condo was clean and updated, which made for comfortable and relaxing downtime between activities.
Transportation:
When visiting Branson, you will want to have your own car. It is a driving city and attractions are not always near each other. A plus about this is that you can enjoy the sweeping hilly views as you move from location to location.
Activities:
Branson has SO. MANY. ACTIVITIES! While practically all of them are family-friendly, Baby C wasn’t quite old enough for some of the more adventurous activities on this trip. Below are the things we chose to do:
Shopping and Dinner at The Branson Landing
The Branson Landing is a shopping, dining, and entertainment center located on the waterfront of Lake Taneycomo. The Landing also showcases a beautiful fire and fountain show set to music every hour on the hour beginning at noon. Baby C particularly enjoyed watching this!
White Water
White Water is a waterpark that has something enjoyable for every age: a giant zero-entry wave pool, lazy river, two separate splash and play zones (one for littles, one for bigs), and several water slides. There are also several quick food and treat options there if your group gets hungry from all the swimming!
Butterfly Palace
Our experience at The Butterfly Palace was so cool! As you enter the rainforest aviary, you are given a tube of nectar with which to feed the butterflies. Hundreds of colorful varieties flutter throughout the space, and some hopefully land on you! We had a few large ones interested in our food. Baby C loved the waterfalls and colorful flowers in this space. After feeding the butterflies, there are other exhibits in the museum to explore, including a mirror maze, a 3D Flight of the Butterflies Movie, a Banyan tree adventure, and a Science Center with a variety of reptiles and amphibians!
Tanger Outlet Mall
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the outlets and squeeze in a little shopping! We found so many fun stores and treated ourselves to some ice-cream. A heads up though, the dining options are few here!
Hiking at Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area
Before packing up in the car to head back home, we decided to stretch our legs by going for a hike at the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area. There were three well-worn trails to choose from, and we chose to combine two of them for a total of 1.5 miles of hiking. Several lookout points were situated throughout the hike so we were able to see some beautiful views on the hills.
We had a great time during Baby’s first visit to Branson, but there is still so much we want to see and do! Help us plan our next trip – what are your favorite things in Branson?!