17 Restaurants/Activities you don’t want to miss in Branson (Part 2)

Part 2

Pink Jeep Tours

Before going to Branson, I had seen Pink Jeep Tours advertised in other parts of the United States but I had never experienced one before. We went to Branson in October for this trip and it was a bit breezy and cool while driving in the jeep. I love the cold so I had a great time but it is something to consider before going. You will want to dress accordingly. We chose the Lakes and Landmarks Sunset tour and had a great time! We explored the city of Branson and then ended up in a beautiful spot on private land to watch the sunset. They have multiple tours to choose from and I know you will have a great time on any of the ones you take! We had a great guide that was friendly and answered all of our groups questions with ease. There is also a fun surprise near the end of the tour!

Pink Jeep Tours is owned by the company that owns Silver Dollar City and Silver Dollar City’s Showboat. They typically have discounts that you can get if you go to one of these before Pink Jeep Tours! Check them out here and their discount options:  Pink Adventure tours 

Branson Scenic Railway

The Branson Scenic Railway is a historic train that you can take on multiple excursions. The train depot is located in Downtown Branson not far from Branson Landing. It has a designated parking lot available for those taking excursions. They have a dinner train you can take or an excursion train which does not include a meal. We chose the excursion trip and sat in one of the domes. When we went, seats were not assigned but they have now changed that to where you will preselect your seat before going. There are different costs associated with each type of seat. They also have a Polar Express train in the winter. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenery on our trip and experiencing the train. Check them out here: https://bransontrain.com/

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

While Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a little ways outside of Branson, I think it is worth the drive! We visited the nature center in the fall and the foliage was so breathtaking. There are several ways you can experience Dogwood Canyon including walking the trails, renting a bike or taking a tram tour. We decided to walk the trails as we did not want to spend extra money. While you will most likely see more of the grounds if you take one of the tours or rent a bike, we still had a great time being surrounded by nature and enjoying the grounds. 

Outside of enjoying nature, there are also several other activities you can participate in while there. You can fish, take a tour by horseback, or enjoy several buildings they have on site. They have a conservation center, a working gristmill, an old cabin that you can explore, and even a treehouse. If you are there over lunch, they have a delicious restaurant at the front of the park. The best part of this restaurant is the large windows giving you amazing views of the waterfall not far from the restaurant. The meal we ate was also delicious so it was a win all around for us to eat here! Check them out here: https://dogwoodcanyon.org/

Glamp 

When I Glamped in Branson it was my first experience and I LOVED it! The experience was perfect. The tent was large and comfortable, it had flaps that could be opened and closed to your preference, a beautiful covered deck, an indoor bathroom, and A/C & heat. The tent opened to a covered porch surrounded by trees. We stayed here when it rained and it was so perfect. We never felt uncomfortable. There is a covering that allows you to walk outside and to the bathroom without getting wet, which was such a nice feature! They also have trails on the property to hike that we unfortunately missed exploring due to the rain. The link for the one we stayed at is here: Airbnb

Shows

Silver Dollar City’s Showboat (formerly the Showboat Branson Belle)

I had always heard about the Showboat from when my Grandma went on it many years ago. I had wanted to go and I was excited to get to experience it! They recently redid the boat and the show in 2026 and I have not gone since then, but when we went, we had an amazing time. We sat on the side of the main floor and the view was great. We had a delicious three course meal while being entertained with a great show and sailing around Table Rock lake. They had an intermission which allowed guests to get up, walk around the boat, and go outside to enjoy the beautiful sunset views on the water. It is a wonderful family friendly experience. I look forward to going back and seeing the new show and the boats renovations! Check them out here: https://www.silverdollarcity.com/tickets/showboat-tickets

Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City is a theme park near Branson that is so much more than what you would expect of a theme park. They have rides, shows, so many different kinds of foods, and festivals. I have been here multiple times and I always have a great time when I go! Silver Dollar City caters to whole families. They have rides that are perfect for your littlest travelers all the way up to your most adventurous. You can go on a train ride, enjoy a fun house, or go on a thrill ride. Even though I am not a huge fan of thrill rides, I still love Silver Dollar City and there is so much more there than just rides.  

Shows and concerts are going on all throughout the day and all over the park. We had so many we wanted to see and we had to try and coordinate what part of the park we would be in a different times so we could see the shows we wanted to see. If you are going to be there on a Sunday, they even have a “wilderness church” that hosts church services at 10am and 11am. It is a small building but a cool environment! Be sure to check out the schedule when you get to Silver Dollar City so you can plan your day! If you want to see one of the more popular shows like the Frontier Follies, be sure to get there early. There is limited seating and it fills up quickly. When we tried to go to this show, we ended up arriving too late and the show was already at capacity.

All throughout the year, Silver Dollar City has festivals and events that encompass the park. The festivals have activities, decorations, food, and events that all relate to it. We most recently visited in October during the Harvest Festival. I highly recommend coming during this time. They had pumpkins all over the park. It was fun to see the way that they decorated with them! They also had so many unique foods to try. We bought the tasting ticket which allowed us to try 5 of the seasonal flavors. It was hard to narrow down to five but we loved the freedom having the pass gave us to plan out our day and try multiple new foods.

In addition to these fall themed foods, there is so much more to explore! We went to a talk from the man who carved all the pumpkins in the park to hear tips and tricks on carving our own pumpkins, we went to a pumpkin party at the end of the night, and we also enjoyed a craft fair. There is truly so much to do. I have never been there for Christmas but their Christmas festival looks like so much fun! I hope to get to visit there in the future during this time. 

Silver Dollar City has so much to do, see, and explore. If you are in Branson, you will not want to miss a visit here. You may even want to spend more than one day here!

Haygood’s

Did you know that the Haygood’s used to perform at Silver Dollar City? The Haygood’s are a family of singers and musicians who put on an electrifying show. You will see things like them “flying” from the balcony to the stage, playing musical instruments upside down, multiple different instruments being played, and much more! They are a very talented family and you will not be disappointed if you go. We sat in the balcony and the view of the stage was great. We even had one of the family members jump off the balcony right next to us! They always sell out so make sure you book your concert in advance. Find out more here: https://thehaygoods.com/

Sight and sound theaters

Sight and Sound Theaters have theaters in both Lancaster, PA & Branson, MO. They play different shows at each one. I have never been to Lancaster, but the experience in Branson was spectacular! If I could only go to one show in Branson, it would probably be this one! It has a HUGE stage that not only goes the length of the room but also extends to the sides. There is so much going on at one time! I feel like I could go back over and over and keep seeing new things. We sat towards the back and I enjoyed this as we were able to see everything really well. I think if you were closer, you may feel more immersed so either way is a great experience! 

They switch their show every two years and also have a Christmas show every other year. When we went, we saw Esther and it was incredible! The acting is amazing and the story so well told. It makes it come alive. I want to see the Christmas show and look forward to seeing other shows they produce. See the current show here and how to buy tickets: 

https://www.sight-sound.com

Branson is full of so many fun things to do! I have been several times and I have so many things still on my bucket list that I want to explore! What do you think I need to add to my list to explore?

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 here: https://suitcasesandsalt.com/17-restaurants-activities-you-dont-want-to-miss-in-branson/

If your visiting Missouri – Check out everywhere I have been in Missouri here: https://suitcasesandsalt.com/category/missouri/

My sister site also has been all over Missouri – check out her Missouri articles here: https://pepperandpassports.com/category/missouri/

Want to make your own bucket list of places to go and things to try? Grab this free printable here – https://seasonedtravel.kit.com/793556e6a0