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Lights & Sound theater in Branson, MO
My job actually intensifies in the summer with deadlines, recruiting, and traveling to speak at camps at churches all across the greatest nation on earth, the good ol' U.S.A. All that to say, there are only a select few days that actually work for my family and I to get away. I was pulling for Estes Park early on in the planning process. I love Rocky Mountain National Park, the trails are easy to navigate, and of-course there are Elk on every corner. However, I just didn't think my kids were up for the 10-11 hour drive and the lack of "things to do" (in their opinion) upon arrival, so our focus shifted to Branson.
I had heard both extremes; people seem to either love or hate the most "family friendly vacation destination in the world," but after looking into it, we ended up heading South instead of West. From our home here in central Iowa it was only a little more than 6 hours driving time to Springfield ( I decided to see some of the finer parts of Missouri when I veered off the interstate too soon) and our first stop at the Bass-Pro Headquarters. This is a MUST SEE for even the moderate outdoorsy folks. We spent 3 hours there with younger kids and no complaints! The archery hall of fame as well as the rifle museum is there and were well worth the walk-through!
From their we went to Lamberts' just a ways down the road for some over-sized portions of food and thrown rolls (if you have never been there, the prices are reasonable, the portions are unreasonably huge, and they throw fresh rolls to your table, the kids will love it) and then to our destination, Branson.
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When we arrived at our destination at Stormy Point we were pleasantly surprised to find a small village of cottages that were spacious, well-kept, and close to everything.
From there we ventured into town. While our first full-day was spent getting to know Branson, we went to Silver Dollar City the next day and we were not disappointed. I happen to be that annoying guy at work that plays Christmas music year-round so I was delighted to see that Silver Dollar City had a nice-sized stored dedicated to Christmas year round at the park! The park itsef was clean, the rides were great, the shows were fun, and there are over 20 different shops to stop in and browse through as you explore the park; Silver Dollar City was a 10/10 for the Davis Family.
We also went to Jonah at the Sights and Sound theater, another 10/10! A must see. This is a Broadway quality production company that puts on Biblically-themed shows that the entire family will enjoy.
On our other day we also visited the fish hatchery, Pirates' Cove Mini-Golf, and a local ice-cream shop. All this to say that Branson did not disappoint. If you are looking for an affordable, family-friendly vacation with something for everyone, this is a must-do for you!
If you go, there are a couple spots I would recommend that we were not able to get to. The Marvel-Cave, which is at Silver Dollar City, and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. It's a beautiful state park that does not require you to have a license or trout stamp to try your luck for some nice rainbows in a much more natural setting than a trout pond in town.
There you have it! I would give Branson a try in the near future if it works out for you. I would also go in late May/early June as the weather was perfect and the "summer crowds" had not quite shown up yet. So what's your excuse? GET OUT THERE!
Your grace for the day come from Psalm 103:2-3a; "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity..." What a thought! Whatever your past, whatever your current struggles, you can experience the forgiveness of sins and the peace that is a bi-product of a relationship with Christ in light of what He did for us on the Cross!
NEXT UP: My next post will be focusing in on what is showing up on my game-cams, the expansion of our elevated blind for early-muzzy season, and how our food plot is coming along.
