A Branson Christmas Getaway:

Need a weekend away? We sure did. Between practices and games, we were eager to escape for a few days. So escape we did with an amazing trip to Branson that kicked off our holiday season in Ozark mountain style. Only a four-hour drive from home and offering a variety of attractions to appeal to all ages, Branson always makes memories for us like no other destination.

Our first stop was Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede. Our youngest daughter declares, “It’s my favorite place on earth!” The pre-show is a must-see for any family, featuring an entertaining juggler who performed a daring new tightrope ladder act—with the rope and ladder on fire! Then we headed in for some delicious chuckwagon food and an array of Christmas-themed acts, including a live horse competition and music. The show is fun for the whole family, and it's a great value with a full meal served for all!

Dubbed “an orchestra of human voices,” the SIX Show (feature article photo) was our evening entertainment. Who is SIX? They are six remarkable brothers who offer a showstopping performance that includes an array of instrument sounds they perform with just their voices. The brothers are incredibly funny but also very wholesome—a perfect combination for our family of six.  From pop to gospel to Christmas to big band, the SIX show runs the gamut. As we left the performance, our family had one word to describe our experience: “Wow!”

The next morning we headed down to Branson Landing, a waterfront promenade of specialty shops and restaurants, as well as a fascinating water and fire show.  The Christmas parade kicked off the holiday season in Branson and was a tribute to Mr. Christmas himself, Andy Williams. Many top performers entertained the crowd for hours.

The kids were all excited about our next stop, Silver Dollar City, and eager to ride the new wooden roller coaster! Silver Dollar City recently has been adorned with numerous awards, including the prestigious Golden Ticket Award for best new ride in the theme park industry worldwide. Also, for the first time ever, the park was voted in the top 10 best parks in the world.  We quickly made our way to the new $10 million ride, Outlaw Run. All six of us enjoy roller coasters, and my synopsis of this new ride is “intense.” With the steepest drop of 162 feet at 81 degrees (which felt like 90 degrees), the coaster definitely thrills, but even our 8-year-old was eager to ride again! Ready to slow our pace a bit, we headed to see the shows. It’s A Wonderful Life musical was a delightful interpretation of the inspirational story that is a worldwide Christmas favorite. Finally, rivaling any Broadway production, Silver Dollar City’s grandest production of A Dickens’ Christmas Carol absolutely wowed us, eliciting an awestruck “Bravo!” Once dusk came, we grabbed some wassail, my personal favorite, and found a good spot to be dazzled by the musical 5-story special effects Christmas tree twinkling and dancing in unison with the more than 1 million lights adorning the city's square. There is really no better way to welcome the holiday season than by visiting Silver Dollar City.

Finally, we spent our last day visiting the Titanic exhibit, a one-of-a-kind attraction and quite intriguing for young and old alike. Arriving Thanksgiving weekend, the Titanic Fantasy Princess headlines the annual Titanic Christmas Winter Wonderland, which features thousands of holiday lights, Edwardian-style decorations and costumed merry-makers.

Branson always has something new and different. Add to that old favorites and you have a worthwhile and memorable getaway. Our family is already talking about our return trip next summer to experience White Water’s new $1.7 million water ride, Kapau Plummet, which splashes into Branson in 2014. The countdown begins…3…2…1 KAPAU!