4 Entertaining Things to Do in Branson, Missouri

You may not realize it, but the city of Branson, Missouri, population 13,000, is a destination for live entertainment. It all started with the release of “The Shepherd of the Hills” novel by Harold Bell Wright in 1907, a portrayal of life in the Ozark Mountains. 

The story became an outdoor drama in 1960 that, along with other variety shows, drew visitors to the area. The influx of people led to the development of amusement parks and other attractions, restaurants, and hotels. And the tourist destination was born.

The area offers something for everyone. If people-created venues aren’t your thing, you’ll find plenty of natural beauty as well: the White River, Table Rock Lake, the Ozarks, and caves. Known as the “Cave State,” Missouri is home to more than 6,000 caves. You can explore the region on boat, via zip line, or even by railway. 

If you’re into theme parks, you have a number to choose from, including Silver Dollar City and Bigfoot Fun Park. Or, you can save your time and money for other entertainment options in the area and get the feel of a rollercoaster just by driving the hilly roads, like we did. Here are some other highlights from our stopover.

1. Live Theater

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The Sight and Sound Theatre is what drew us to Branson. We had learned about it when we visited the original location in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 2020. Impressed at the phenomenal way the theater and its hundreds of actors and crew bring Bible stories to life in epic proportion, we wanted to check out the second locale. 

In Branson, we saw the life of Jesus on stage. The cast, the sets, the music, and the special effects all came together to present an extraordinary, immersive performance that helped us see more of the human side of Jesus. We walked away hungry to dig deeper into our Bibles and live more simply and lovingly, like Jesus did.

Since Branson is home to more than 45 theaters, it didn’t seem right to attend only one in our week there. So, we took in another, this one a murder mystery dinner show. After a buffet meal of baked chicken, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and mac and cheese, we sat and watched a whodunnit where audience members got to participate in the show. 

​Starring a zany crew led by a husband and wife team, the Branson Murder Mystery kept us engaged and laughing all the way through — and trying to identify the murderer.

2. Museums

Along with theatrical shows, Branson offers more than 20 museums, from the alluring Titanic Museum and the World’s Largest Toy Museum to a tractor museum, dinosaur museum, and military museum.

​Having visited Missouri last year with limited time, we opted to drive an hour to Springfield to explore Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium at the Bass Pro Shops national headquarters. What an experience!

After navigating through a maze of taxidermied game animals and birds, some of which we’d never heard of, we entered the aquarium, where live fish greeted us. The full route through both areas brought us to live penguins, tree frogs, turtles, snakes, sharks, and even an albino alligator. And, we got to pet stingrays. 

3. Branson Landing

For a cheaper excursion, we toured Branson Landing. Stretching 1.5 miles along the White River, the alluring boardwalk features a collection of eclectic shops, kiosks, and restaurants. We dined at an Irish pub and then went on a treasure hunt to find the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, which had moved. 

With ice cream in hand, we watched a water fountain show. It goes off every hour in front of a grassy amphitheater overlooking the river, imploring passersby to sit and enjoy. 

4. BBQ

No trip to Missouri would be complete without barbecue. We dropped into Smokin’ Bob’s BBQ to sample some. After explaining our nomadic living situation to the clerks, we asked what they would recommend for a couple who may never revisit their establishment and took them up on their suggestions.

Our mouths watered over smoked pork, brisket, sausage, ribs, and burnt ends nachos. Exclamations of “Yum!” and “So good” escaped in between bites. Delicious!

We’re glad we made the trek to Branson.

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