Me and the fam are headed to Branson during Spring Break (March 14-20). The kids are 8 and 10.

The Smoky Mountains Spring Break thread has me worried. Should I expect the traffic and crowds to be insane in Branson? We're not doing Silver Dollar City, so I don't care about the crowds there.

Any tips/suggestions on places to go/eat?

Went with family last summer to Branson. I thought it was terrible.

Silver Dollar City was great though, besides golfing at Big Cedar, SDC was the most fun we had.

Besides SDC an golfing, hanging out at Big Cedar Lodge not sure what other activities you plan on doing as a family there this time of year.

The town is basically corny theatres, arcades, mini golf, and go kart tracks aside from SDC and Big Cedar Lodge. Weather will probably be too cold to hang out on the lake?

I'm aware of what I'm getting myself into, and I'm OK with it as long as there aren't crazy crowds and insane traffic.

I'm 65, white and conservative. The thought of vacationing in Branson does not appeal to me in the least.

We took our boys (15 and 11 at the time) 2 summers ago. We werent sure if they would like it or not. Yhey did have a lot of fun. They enjoyed Buckets and Boards, Wonderworks (mainly for the throwing simulator), and Noah at the Sight and Sound theater. We also did some mini-golf and ate at some of the local restaurants (one has throwed rolls which they thought was fun).

We did see a lake for fishing that we might fit in next time. The mountain coasters also looked fun since we had never seen anything like that before.

We went the week after Christmas and we had a great time. My daughter didn't want to leave. We did lots of mini golf (check Groupon). We did Wonder Works museum, some indoor thing they has zip lines, rock climbing walls, slides, etc. we really enjoyed Silver Dollar City.

College of the Ozarks (cofo.edu). The Keeter Center has good dining. The museum has just enough Ozarks to be fun, including the original Beverly Hillbillies car.

We went to Branson in summer of 2020 and doing it again this summer!

Full disclosure though, we didn't step foot in any establishment in Branson or SDC other than a restaurant or two. We spent our time on the lake with boat/canoe, caves, rafting the James river, Big cedar lodge and dogwood canyon, then evenings in the pool at the resort (marriott willow ridge)

Not sure how anyone who has any love at all for outdoors couldn't enjoy themselves in that area.

We went last spring break (kids 7&8), and only spent 1 day in the town of Branson. A lot was still shut down due to Covid or didn't open until the week after we left. We spent a day in Dogwood Canyon which was great. Broke out the fly rod for an hour and landed some massive trout there. It's like a stock pond/river. In Branson, we went to the Jesus production, the Titanic Museum and a short magic show. We stayed in Branson West a couple of nights, and it was nice enough with a couple of ponds for the boys to fish. We dropped by the trout hatchery (as you can tell, we are a fishing family), but I didn't get a chance to fish the tailwater next to it. Stayed in a condo on Table Rock lake a couple of nights as well.

Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium at Basspro Headquarters is definitely worth the 45 minute drive to Springfield, MO.

Is Yakof Smirnov still there?

Dogwood canyon. Top of the rock. Sight and sound theater. If you like to fish, call Eric Olliverson at 417 234 6097. He will put you on the trout on Lake Taneycomo. We have used him twice and limited each time. Putt putt at big cedar. Have fun. Up in SW Missouri at the in laws and weather looks good next week!

Wes'87