Family-Friendly Hotel Within Walking Distance of Branson Shows

Situated in the heart of Branson’s entertainment district, Grand Plaza Hotel overlooks the Ozark Plateau to the north and the city’s renowned strip of theaters and restaurants to the south. It’s a welcoming home base for visitors to enjoy this wholesome, fun-for-all-ages playground in southern Missouri. The hotel’s ticket office can help you get admission to shows and attractions.

Double-queen rooms and king suites can accommodate up to four people and feature cable TV and free WiFi. In the morning, enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast buffet at the onsite Plaza View Restaurant. At other times, head here for prime rib or catfish dinners Thursday through Saturday. Nighttime fun can be found at the onsite Pub on the Plaza, which features nightly happy-hour specials, occasional live entertainment, and a bar menu. Elsewhere, an indoor pool and hot tub are on hand for refreshing dips after workouts in the hotel’s fitness center.

Branson, Missouri: Family-Friendly Theaters and Concert Halls in the Ozarks

If you take a drive through the Ozarks in Missouri, it might seem like an unlikely place to find glittering lights and stage shows—for the most part, it’s a rolling plateau of wooded hills, snaking rivers, and limestone bluffs. But follow down Route 76 and you’ll find Branson, which looks like a miniature, more family-friendly version of Las Vegas.

Dozens of stages and music halls line Branson’s main strip, some of which are owned by stars such as Dolly Parton. On any given night you can watch anything from country music performances to circus acrobatics to magic shows.

If you’re traveling with kids, Silver Dollar City is a safe bet; it’s located about 5 miles west of the strip. The popular theme park is built around Marvel Cave and modeled after an 18th-century frontier town. Here you can hop on a mine-car roller coaster, take a tour by lantern through limestone caverns, or watch as blacksmiths hand-forge mailboxes for the mayor’s private collection.

If you want to duck away from the lights, it’s worth it to explore the surrounding countryside. Within about 30 miles, there are two large lakes—Table Rock and Taneycomo. Each is stocked with trout and has boats available for rent. Or head to Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area, where you can bike or hike along Roark Creek and through dense oak forests. Paul Henning, who was inspired to create the Beverly Hillbillies after a Boy Scout trip to the Ozarks, donated the 1,534-acre reserve.

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