For the extended Labor Day weekend, we went tent camping in Branson, Missouri! We have a family tradition of stopping to eat at Lambert's Home of the Thrown Rolls in Springfield, MO. We usually stop on the way to Branson because by the end of tent camping we are just ready to get home. If you can plan accordingly, this is a very popular spot so there are times when you may have to wait 1-2 hours. The restaurant service is family buffet style, so they serve specific side dishes to all. You order your entree with sides as well, so you will not be leaving hungry. The fun happens when they throw their hot, homemade rolls to eager hands! Our son gets such a kick out of catching one that he will raise his hand even when his stomach is full.
Our family enjoys tent camping! Brian and I both enjoy hiking, biking, and outdoor adventures, so we have been relieved that our kids have been enjoying doing this with us...for now! We've been tent camping now for two years and it has been a lot of fun to making family memories. This time we set up camp at our favorite site at The Wilderness campground.
We surprised the kids with two day passes to the amusement park at Silver Dollar City!!! I do not like heights or testing the limits, so I really had to talk myself into having the courage of riding a few of the rides. Anna is our thrill seeker and has been riding roller coasters since she was tall enough, since she was eight-years old. She has a fearless soul and lives each moment with such joy and love that inspires her to have courage in the face of fear. Micaiah is our hesitant, analytical thinker who is just getting to be tall enough to ride coasters. On this particular trip, he showed his bravery by adding Outlaw Run to his list of coasters that he likes. Their courage and smiles riding Powder Keg together are priceless (pictured below).
The rollercoasters are all-around fun! Here is my scoop on some of the park's best rides: Grand Exposition Coaster is perfect for smaller kids that are interested in coasters. It is circular track that acquaints them with the feel of a roller coaster. Fire In The Hole is an indoor coaster for the whole family that takes you on a ride to put out a fire. Thunderation is a wooden roller coaster that is considered a beginner coaster, which does not loop or corkscrew. This one can be a bit jarring though. Powder Keg is one of the most popular rides here! It starts out by going 0 to 60 mph in two seconds! It has two big hills and the best seats are in the front. This ride does not loop or corkscrew and is packed with excitement. Outlaw Run is a wooden roller coaster with an intense series of corkscrews at the end. It has a large hill at the beginning and zips through the frame of the coaster which is quite different than other coasters. It is fast and quite thrilling, which is why this one may not be suitable for all. Do not try this one if you do not like going upside-down, or do not meet the ride requirements. Take off your sunglasses and make sure your phone is secure. Wildfire is the smoothest coaster at this park. It starts with a big fall that goes right into several large loops. On this ride, you are seated with a shoulder harness and your feet are free, so it feels like you're sitting in a car without a side panel to hold onto. This ride is my favorite! The Flooded Mine is a fun, family shootout where everyone gets to shoot at targets while riding in a boat. The River Blast is the wettest, ride in the park! Our kids love riding this one and playing on the water guns. We have spent hours just in this part of the park, especially on hot summer days. Lost River of the Ozarks is a water ride in a circular tube that the whole family can do together. This one reminds me of a similiar ride from my childhood at Hersheypark in Hershey, PA. Everyone will get wet riding this ride. The Giant Barn Swing is a newer addition to the park and is considered the adult version of swinging. It goes seven stories high and is quite worthy of the gut-wreching screams. Grandfather's Mansion is an indoor fun house that you'll have to look for or you'll walk right by it. You have to enter to experience the mind-bending effects of this spooky place. Marvel Cave is a free tour of the cavern on the park grounds. I'd highly recommend doing this at least once, as it is a spectacular scene to be at the bottom of the cavern and look up to the top. The tours are included with regular admission, unless you want to do the lantern tour which costs $5. The tour times are posted at the entrance of the park and occur throughout the day.
A few of the nice perks about Silver Dollar City is that they do allow food and closed containers of drinks, they feature certain longer hours on certain weekends, they display fireworks on specified weekends, and there are endless musical shows happening throughout the day that provides a fun atmosphere of music, joy, and laughter. We've also heard that the fall and winter months are filled with the beauty of the changing seasons, fall decorations, a grand light display, and celebration of Christmas.
During the evenings, we spent time at the campground swimming pool, sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows, and making memories being together. There were fireworks one evening at the park that we watched from our campsite. We could also see a fireworks display from Table Rock Lake. When we needed items like firewood or bottled water, there are shops within a ten minute drive from our campsite.
The summer fun may come to an end yet our camping memories will always be forever.
