Branson Cheap Thrills

Moore Hee-Hee-Hah Things to Do on the Cheap in Branson

Hoping to roll out some big fun on your trip to Branson but need to keep it from flattening your wallet? Trav’s got some tips on what to do.

Y’all Can’t Miss This

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Giddy up. Get to the Horse Walk Thoroughfare before the start of Dolly Parton’s Stampede® Dinner & Show and you can get up close with the quarter horses, palominos, appaloosas, and paints that steal the show. If you miss them, no worries—you can meet the 32 four-legged stars in person with some of the best trick riders in the world after the show, too. Remember, you don't have to pay any bucks to catch a look at these broncos. This pre- and after-show party is free.

Up your game at Dice and Dine, officially known as the Branson Board Game Café, and score a bonus round of fun. The menu here comes with more than 1,300 games to play. When you walk in, grab a game or puzzle you like (they have them for every age and imaginable category) along with your order (there are espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, quick bites, and game snacks to enjoy) and find a table. After that, it’s game on. If you have a couple of hours and you’re looking for a Trivial Pursuit, you might want to roll the dice, Connect with your buds, and catch up on Life over a game or two of Scrabble, Scattergories, or Clue. There's a cover charge of $5 per person (or $4 per person for groups of five or more and $20 max for a family).

A Little Bit Country, 
A Little Bit Corny

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Snap this up. Wondering where to next? Head to the fork in the road, better known as Pasghetti’s, where the world’s largest meatball (15 feet wide) speared with a fork (more than 41 feet tall) is waiting for its close-up. Grab a selfie and send a virtual postcard from middle American’s favorite vacation spot where everything’s larger than life.

Catch the vintage vibe. Dick’s Old-Time Five & Dime is truly one of a kind. Crammed to the rafters with more than 250,000 items, you’ve got to see this 
old-fashioned general store to believe it. Tucked in among the thousands of sweets, snacks, sodas, and souvenirs are historic collections of arrowheads, Barbie dolls, and even vintage washing machines. There are trains running overhead, a “Fun Aisle” filled with the silliest of things to buy, and a toy department even Santa would envy.  Everywhere you look you’ll see things that are sure to spark a smile, story, or childhood memory. Kids of all ages are gonna love this one.

Right around the corner and across the street from Dicks Five & Dime, you’ll find another retro wonderland: the Simply Irresistible Old-Fashioned Candy Shop. This hidden gem may be small, but its candy selection is anything but. Candy jars line the counters from one end to the other, barrels are brimming with hard candy, and an old bathtub is filled to the top with homemade taffy in so many flavors it'll make you daffy. We're talking 120 mouthwatering flavors from lime and watermelon to chicken and waffles. There’s popcorn, too, and the penny candies of decades ago when Teaberry gum, BB Bats, Sugar Daddy pops, candy cigarettes, and those little candy dots were every kid’s candy crush.

More Fun Than You Can Shake A Stick At

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The Branson Coaster has to be on your to-do list. Named one of the top 10 mountain coasters in the world, this double Alpine loop takes you on a two-person sled down a winding mountain track at up to 30 miles per hour. The valley below is beautiful but it’s kind of blur from up there. With 360-degree loops and twists, rolling hills, banked turns, an underground tunnel, and a series of breathtaking drops, this ride is sure to get your heart racing. Not to worry, though—this coaster also features adjustable speed controls, so you can slow things down or go full throttle for a ride you won’t forget. Tickets are $16.99 for drivers and $10.99 for passengers. You must be at least 58 inches tall to drive and at least 38 inches tall to ride.

Find your wingman and and head to the Butterfly Palace. This two-story aviary is filled with thousands of exotic butterflies that flit and flutter about. The fun begins the moment you step inside. You can walk among them, coax them closer with vials of sweet flower nectar, let them land on you, and even sign up to release one from the enclosure’s nursery.  But these fluttering beauties are just the beginning. The Living Rainforest and Emerald Forest Mirror Maze await next door. Don’t miss either one. Bring a camera and wear red (butterflies love red). Admission is free for visitors aged three and under. A three-day pass costs $18 for visitors aged 4-14.

Grab the kids and go Underwater Bowling at Fun Mountain. With 16 “docks” (lanes), schools of sea turtles, sharks, and stingrays circling above and dozens of pins waiting for you to strike, this undersea-themed bowling adventure is an ocean of fun. Get the ball rolling by renting a lane for your crew of six or fewer and dive in. Walk in for a round or book a reservation 24 hours in advance. Admission is free, though lanes rent for $40 an hour and bowling shoes (which are required) rent for $3.50 per pair.

After all that fun, head back to the Holiday Hills Resort mini-movie theater and catch a kid-friendly flick on the big screen.

There you have it. Proof big fun doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. But make no mistake—this is only a start. There are plenty more ways to create priceLESS vacation memories in Branson.  

^{Any information provided is solely as a courtesy and is not due to compensation or business partnerships with Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Prices subject to change.}