Branson Landing on the shore of Lake Taneycomo
Things to do

Things to do in Branson

Most of Branson's attractions sit along the 76 Strip: the theaters, the Titanic Museum, the aquarium, WonderWorks and the mountain coasters. Silver Dollar City is west of town, Branson Landing downtown on Lake Taneycomo, and Table Rock Lake, Top of the Rock and Dogwood Canyon lie to the south and southwest.

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Pick by what you want
Checked November 7, 202621 ideasPrices and hours

Branson Landing, Branson, Missouri · Photo: Cal Wolfe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Credits

The short answer

Match the day to what you want

  • Rides and a whole day outSilver Dollar CityOld Time Christmas runs to January 2, 2027.From $79 online
  • Dinner and a showDolly Parton's Stampede32 horses and a four-course meal.From $59.99
  • A show on the lakeShowboat Branson BelleA cruise on Table Rock Lake with a three-course meal.From $69
  • A free eveningBranson LandingThe fountain show every hour from noon, on Lake Taneycomo.Free
  • Something for a rainy dayTitanic MuseumMore than 400 artifacts; plan 1½ to 2 hours.$39.99, kids $14.99
  • Kids who need to run aroundFritz's AdventureClimbing walls and ropes courses, indoors.$26.99
  • Nature without a hikeTop of the Rock2.5 miles by golf cart past waterfalls and through a cave.Trail ticket plus $10 per car
  • Animals for young kidsPromised Land ZooA zoo with a 2-mile drive-through.From $24.95

Visiting November to February? Silver Dollar City's Old Time Christmas runs to January 2, 2027, and the park reopens on March 12, 2027. The Polar Express runs on selected dates to January 2. Sight & Sound plays Miracle of Christmas to December 31, and DANIEL opens March 19, 2027. The Scenic Railway doesn't run in January and February, Promised Land Zoo opens on weekends only from January to February 10, and White Water opens on May 29, 2027.

Christmas in Branson
Show me:

The big ones

Silver Dollar City, the dinner shows and the lakes south of town.

  • Christmas wreath with lights at the Silver Dollar City sign
    Photo: Nan Fry / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Silver Dollar City

    399 Silver Dollar City Pkwy, west of town

    Cost
    Day tickets from $79 online
    Hours
    Old Time Christmas to January 2, 2027; reopens March 12, 2027
    Best for
    Coasters, shows and crafts in one day

    Theme park with coasters, shows and Marvel Cave.

    Silver Dollar City guide

  • Branson shows

    Mostly on the 76 Strip

    Best for
    An evening out, or a matinee

    The Haygoods, Clay Cooper, The Duttons, SIX, Legends in Concert and more, with show times and ticket prices on our shows page.

    All Branson shows

  • Dolly Parton's Stampede

    1525 W 76 Country Blvd

    Cost
    From $59.99, kids 3–9 from $29.99, plus tax
    Hours
    Christmas show daily to January 3
    Best for
    Dinner and a show with kids

    32 horses, trick riders and a four-course meal. Doors open up to 75 minutes before the show.

    Seats and the Christmas show

  • Sight & Sound Theatres

    1001 Shepherd of the Hills Expy

    Cost
    Kids 2–12 $34
    Hours
    Box office Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm
    Best for
    A big Bible stage show

    Shows run about 2½ hours, including a 20-minute intermission. Arrive 45 minutes early.

    Sight & Sound
  • The Showboat Branson Belle passing Table Rock Dam
    Photo: Doug Wertman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Showboat Branson Belle

    Table Rock Lake, off Highway 165

    Cost
    From $69; kids 4–11 from $49 plus tax
    Best for
    Dinner on the lake

    A lake cruise with a show and a three-course meal.

    Cruise times and fares
  • Branson Landing on the shore of Lake Taneycomo
    Photo: Cal Wolfe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Branson Landing

    Downtown, on Lake Taneycomo

    Cost
    Free
    Hours
    Fountain show every hour from noon
    Best for
    A free evening downtown

    1.5 miles of waterfront with shops and restaurants.

    Branson Landing
  • Boats at State Park Marina on Table Rock Lake
    Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Table Rock Lake

    Southwest of town

    Best for
    Boating and swimming in summer

    745 miles of shoreline, a state park marina and Corps beaches.

    Table Rock Lake
  • Limestone pinnacles on the Top of the Rock golf course
    Photo: Ti89T / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Top of the Rock

    Ridgedale, at Big Cedar Lodge

    Cost
    Trail tickets by date, cheaper online; plus $10 per car, card only, $15 after 4 pm
    Hours
    Trail 9 am to 5 pm daily, last cart 4 pm
    Best for
    A cave trail and big views

    The 2.5-mile Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail, ridden in a golf cart.

    Top of the Rock

  • Dogwood Canyon

    Lampe, southwest of Branson

    Cost
    By date; $2 less a person booked ahead
    Hours
    Daily 9 am to 5 pm
    Best for
    Wildlife from a tram

    A two-hour wildlife tram, horseback rides and fishing.

    Dogwood Canyon
  • Nov–Jan

    The Polar Express

    Downtown depot, 206 E Main St

    Cost
    Adults from $51, kids 2–11 from $39, plus tax
    Hours
    Selected dates, November 12 to January 2
    Best for
    Young kids at Christmas

    A 75-minute train ride, and every rider gets a silver sleigh bell from Santa.

    Dates and prices
  • Branson Scenic Railway locomotive waiting for passengers
    Photo: Doug Wertman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Branson Scenic Railway

    Downtown depot, 206 E Main St

    Cost
    Coach $36, First Class $66
    Hours
    March to December
    Best for
    A slow ride through the hills

    1 hour 45 minutes, about 20 miles out and back.

    Scenic railway

On the 76 Strip

Most of these are indoors and a few minutes apart.

  • The ship-shaped Titanic Museum on Highway 76
    Photo: Brad A. Totman / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

    Titanic Museum

    3235 W 76 Country Blvd

    Cost
    Adults $39.99, kids 5–12 $14.99, plus tax
    Hours
    Entry every half hour from 9 am
    Best for
    A rainy day, all ages

    More than 400 artifacts in a ship-shaped building. Plan 1½ to 2 hours; parking is free.

    Titanic Museum

  • Aquarium at the Boardwalk

    2700 W 76 Country Blvd

    Cost
    From $29.99 for 12+ and $17.99 for ages 4–11, by entry time
    Hours
    Daily from 8:30 am
    Best for
    A rainy day with kids

    Open 365 days a year; weekend and holiday tickets often sell out up to two weeks ahead.

    Aquarium

  • WonderWorks

    2835 W 76 Country Blvd

    Cost
    Adults $37.99, kids 5–12 $24.99, plus tax
    Hours
    Daily 10 am to 9 pm
    Best for
    Kids who like hands-on science

    Plan 3 to 4 hours; kids 4 and under get in free. Anyone under 18 needs an adult 21+, and parking behind the building is free.

    WonderWorks

  • Fritz's Adventure

    1425 W 76 Country Blvd

    Cost
    $26.99; All Access $36.99
    Hours
    By day; closed some weekdays off-season
    Best for
    Climbing and ropes for kids

    Climbing from 42 inches with a chaperone, 48 inches alone. Kids 4 and under are free, and you can come back the same day.

    Fritz's Adventure

  • Promised Land Zoo

    2751 Shepherd of the Hills Expy

    Cost
    From $24.95
    Hours
    9 am to 5 pm, last entry 3 pm; weekends only from January to February 10
    Best for
    Animals with young kids

    A zoo with a 2-mile drive-through.

    Promised Land Zoo

  • Mountain coasters

    Branson Coaster, Copperhead, Runaway

    Cost
    Drivers from $17.95 plus tax
    Hours
    Copperhead: Friday and Saturday to 10 pm
    Best for
    A ride after dark

    Passengers from 38 inches; Runaway runs day and night all year, weather permitting.

    Coasters and ziplines

  • Mini golf

    About ten courses on and off the Strip

    Cost
    Adults about $11.49 to $15 for 18 holes
    Best for
    An easy evening

    Grand Country has 36 holes indoors, including black-light golf, for a wet day.

    Mini golf
  • The Cathedral Room inside Marvel Cave
    Photo: Shane Adams / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Caves

    Marvel Cave and Talking Rocks Cavern

    Cost
    Talking Rocks $33.95 for 13+, $19.95 ages 4–12
    Best for
    A cool hour underground

    Marvel Cave comes with a Silver Dollar City ticket; the Talking Rocks tour takes about an hour and has 265 steps.

    Caves
  • SummerClosed for the season

    White Water

    3505 W 76 Country Blvd

    Hours
    May 29 to September 6, 2027
    Best for
    Summer days with kids

    Silver Dollar City's water park on the Strip, with a wave pool, a river and raft rides.

    White Water
  • Morning fog over Lake Taneycomo
    Photo: Luke Wisley / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

    Lake Taneycomo

    Downtown, along Branson Landing

    Best for
    Trout fishing

    The daily limit is 4 trout, with one brown trout of 20 inches or more.

    Lake Taneycomo
When it rains

Indoor plans for a wet day

The Titanic Museum, the aquarium, WonderWorks and Fritz's Adventure on the Strip are all indoors, and so are these. The small museums and escape rooms can be booked ahead.

Splash Country
Indoor water park at Grand Country, open all year; day pass $45, kids 4–11 $25
Grand Country Fun Spot
36-hole indoor mini golf, black-light golf, indoor go-karts, a two-story laser tag arena, the XD Dark Ride, bumper cars and an arcade
Silver Dollar City in the rain
Shows, Marvel Cave, the Flooded Mine and the indoor coaster Fire In The Hole keep running; free return ticket if rain ends your day
Caves
Marvel Cave with a Silver Dollar City ticket; Talking Rocks Cavern, about 1 hour
Branson IMAX complex
Two cinemas, the Little Opry Theater, three restaurants and 17 shops under one roof
Matinee shows
Grand Country Music Hall at 10 am and 3 pm; The Duttons at 2 pm, mostly Wednesdays; The Amazing Kids Show at 2 pm
Dick's 5 & 10
Downtown's five-and-dime with 250,000 items and trains overhead
Fish hatchery
Free education center with a 7,500-gallon aquarium below Table Rock Dam; closed Sunday and Monday

Cryptex Branson Escape Rooms

Cryptex Escape Rooms

1½ hours

Escape rooms of about 90 minutes.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

5.0 · 183 reviews on Viator

From $36 on Viator

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The BECK Museums of Branson/World's Largest Toy Mu

World's Largest Toy Museum

1 hour

Admission to the toy museum, about an hour.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

4.4 · 124 reviews on Viator

From $27.15 on Viator

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Veterans Memorial Museum Branson

Branson Veterans Memorial Museum

1 hour

Admission to the veterans memorial museum, about an hour.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

4.8 · 106 reviews on Viator

From $22.50 on Viator

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Hollywood Wax Museum Branson

Branson Hollywood Wax Museum

2 hours

Admission to the wax museum.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

4.2 · 53 reviews on Viator

From $37.39 on Viator

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Outdoors

Zipline and off-road tours

Great Woodsman Canopy Tour
Photo: The Shepherd of the Hills via Viator

The Shepherd of the Hills

Great Woodsman Canopy Tour

2 hours

A zipline canopy tour at Shepherd of the Hills with a local guide.

4.8 · 277 reviews on Viator

From $99 on Viator

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Guided Ozarks Off-Road Adventure
Photo: Hog Wild Adventures via Viator

Hog Wild Adventures

Guided Ozarks Off-Road Adventure

1½ hours

A guided off-road tour in one of the operator's Can-Am vehicles.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

4.9 · 309 reviews on Viator

From $90 on Viator

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Stay nearby

Stay in the middle of it

Two on the 76 Strip, one at Branson Landing.

Branson vacation rentals on Vrbo

What people ask

Quick answers

What are the top things to do in Branson?

Silver Dollar City, the theaters on the 76 Strip, Dolly Parton's Stampede and the Showboat Branson Belle on Table Rock Lake. Downtown, Branson Landing has its fountain show every hour from noon, and south of town Top of the Rock and Dogwood Canyon have cave and nature trails.

What can you do in Branson when it rains?

The Titanic Museum, the aquarium, WonderWorks and Fritz's Adventure on the 76 Strip are all indoors, as are Splash Country's water park and Grand Country's mini golf, go-karts and laser tag. Most shows run indoors too, with matinees at 10 am and 2 to 3 pm.

What is free to do in Branson?

The fountain show at Branson Landing, every hour from noon when it's above freezing, and the waterfront walk along Lake Taneycomo. Below Table Rock Dam, the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery has free trails, and its education center with a 7,500-gallon aquarium is open Tuesday to Saturday. The boat ramp at Table Rock State Park costs nothing too.