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Head for the magnificent Ozark Mountains where you\u2019ll find plenty of outdoor recreation, thrills around every corner and hospitality to the max, better known as down-home Southern cooking. Branson is a year-round destination that changes with cool new things to do in each season. This summer, grab your pals and check out Branson.<\/p>\n
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Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center. Photo courtesy of Chateau on the Lake.<\/p>\n
Book a few nights at the 4-star\u00a0Chateau on the Lake<\/strong><\/a>, <\/u><\/strong>overlooking Table Rock Lake and the Ozark Mountains. When you drive up, you know you\u2019ve arrived someplace uber special. The resort features 301 guestrooms\/ suites with upscale amenities like flat-screen TVs, complimentary WI-FI, Keurig coffee makers and plush bedding. Surround yourself in luxury with spacious bathrooms\/granite countertops, Kohler shower heads and bath extravagances. My room also had a private balcony for sipping morning coffee or enjoying a glass of wine. Hang out in the Library Lounge. Indulge in the sumptuous breakfast buffet at Chateau Grill and grab a few treats from the Sweet Shoppe. The on-property Chateau Marina lets you rent boats and wave runners, so you can water ski or fish right from their private dock. The Chateau is close enough to all of Branson\u2019s attractions, but feels like your own personal oasis in the mountains.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Chateau on the Lake.<\/p>\n 2)Hit the Shows! <\/strong><\/p>\n More and more venues are opening up again in the live entertainment capital of the world. Check out cover bands, illusionists, magicians and more. In season, you can literally go from show to show with three performances daily \u2014 10:00 a.m., afternoon matinee and an evening show. Bring back disco at \u201cDancing Queen\u201d at the\u00a0Kings Castle Theatre<\/strong><\/a> the ultimate 70s show, where this talented group sings and dances to your favorite hits. Returning after a successful run in Vegas, this show will wow you with a dazzling psychedelic kaleidoscope of color and energy!<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Kings Castle Theatre.<\/p>\n For something really cool with lots of audience participation, head to the\u00a0\u201cEscape Reality\u201d Magic Dinner Show<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and be awed by the performances of Janine and Garry Carson. Named the \u201cBest Dinner Show in Branson in 2020\u201d among other awards, each act will keep you and your buddies guessing, \u201chow\u2019d they do that?\u201d Dine on a full 3-course meal followed by a brilliant combination of illusion, magic, comedy and fun.<\/p>\n Janine and Garry Carson perform wonderful illusions in the award-winning \u201cEscape Reality Magic Dinner Show.\u201d Photo courtesy of Carson Entertainment.<\/p>\n 3.Thrill to the Over-the-top Coasters at Silver Dollar City\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Silver Dollar City.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for heart-pumping thrills, Silver Dollar City delivers the goods. Branson\u2019s #1 attraction is the internationally-acclaimed 1880s-style theme park with 40 fun rides, 12 restaurants, live shows and 60 unique shops. Watch more than 100 craftsmen demonstrate the art of woodcarving, glass blowing, pottery, blacksmithing and more. Dare you to ride the extreme Outlaw Run, the world\u2019s fastest wooden roller coaster, which flies almost 70 miles per hour? Or, the world\u2019s fastest, steepest and tallest spinning coaster, the Time Traveler?<\/p>\n Newest area in the park is Rivertown where lip-smacking BBQ at the Rivertown Smokehouse rules the roost. Go for the hickory-smoked brisket, Chipotle-rubbed Turkey and baby-back ribs. You\u2019ve never tasted anything so juicy and succulent. Add in their signature sides like molasses baked beans, fire-roasted Brussel Sprouts and Confetti Corn Salad for a sumptuous treat. Be sure to save room for the gooey-butter cake and cinnamon roll bread pudding. After your meal, head on over to see the Rivertown Ramblers show you a good time. End your Rivertown Adventure at the New Mystic River Falls with the 6-story plunge! Currently headlining this summer is the fun-loving Harlem Globetrotters showing off their impressive hoopin\u2019 skills.<\/p>\n 4.Chow Down at Mel\u2019s Hard Luck Diner<\/strong><\/p>\n You won\u2019t be down on your luck here because\u00a0Mel\u2019s<\/strong><\/a> is a real treasure, just like a 50s style diner complete with singing servers, real comfort food and old-fashioned shakes. Located in the quaint Grand Village Shops, Mel\u2019s offers all the traditional diner food you\u2019d expect like burgers, meatloaf and malts, but their salads like Sweet Sensations are fabulous, too. \u201cBurgers are number one and our Reuben sandwich is number two,\u201d said Mel Bilbo, owner. But save room for dessert because their chocolate nachos, Mel\u2019s carrot cake and Avalanche with 12 scoops of ice cream are not to be missed. Then the waiters and waitresses start singing and you\u2019re in for a real treat. You’ll recognize some of them from Branson\u2019s top shows, too, adding to the fun.<\/p>\n Photo by Mira Temkin.<\/p>\n 7.Dig in at Paula Deen\u2019s Family Kitchen<\/strong><\/p>\n Paula Deen\u2019s Family Kitchen<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0at Branson\u2019s Landing won\u2019t let you leave hungry. Meals are served family-style with appetizers to desserts from Paula\u2019s own Southern-style recipes. Leave room for the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Deen\u2019s signature dessert. Her gift shop has cookbooks and gadgets galore!<\/p>\n 8.Have an Interactive Adventure at Beyond the Lens! Family Fun<\/strong><\/p>\n The new kid in town is\u00a0Beyond the Lens<\/strong><\/a>, the king of \u201cTechno-Tainment\u201d where you explore, experience, escape. Start with the FlyRide, which takes you high in the sky to 22 national landmarks, over snow-capped mountains, gorgeous deserts and the Grand Canyon, without ever leaving your seat. Go rafting and even feel the water. It\u2019s a breathtaking ride across America. Put your phone away because all the selfies are taken for you in an app, included with your admission, and downloaded back to you. All you do is have fun! Play Virtual Reality games, compete in pop culture quizzes, look for Big Foot, plan your escape and play in the ball pit. The Flip Zone Bumper Cars are out of this world if you dare! You\u2019ve never seen anything like this place before. The best part is new exhibits are being planned, so when you come back to Branson, you\u2019ll want to visit again.<\/p>\n Flip Bumper Cars at Beyond the Lens. Photo courtesy of Beyond the Lens.<\/p>\n 9.Ripley\u2019s Believe It or Not will blow you away!<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s always something new to see at Ripley\u2019s. Two floors of good old-fashioned fun with 8 themed galleries and over 500 unique artifacts. Here\u2019s your chance to experience the weird and wacky exhibits as collected by Robert Ripley from his travels across the globe. You know you\u2019ve arrived by the giant statues in front. There\u2019s also a new Ripley\u2019s in Branson \u2013 Ripley\u2019s Super Fun Zone where extreme fun takes on a whole new dimension. Try Lazer Tag, outdoor maze and laserace. Enjoy hours of fun in this high-energy space. Buy your tickets online and save a few bucks.<\/p>\n 10.Butterflies are Free at the Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Butterfly Palace.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll feel free like a butterfly and be glad your admission is good for three days. At The Butterfly Palace<\/strong><\/a>, weave your way through the rainforest where you can feed a critter and pet a lizard. Walk through the butterfly aviary where over a thousand live butterflies fly free. Wear red to attract the butterflies and have them land on your red flower. Be sure to catch the 3-D film and learn more about these beautiful creatures. The Emerald Forest Mirror Maze was challenging, but we found a few kids who helped us navigate our way out!<\/p>\n 11.The Titanic Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n The Titanic Museum. Photo courtesy of The Titanic Museum \u2013 Branson.<\/p>\n People continue to be fascinated with the\u00a0Titanic<\/strong><\/a>, more than 100 years after the massive ship sunk. When you enter the replica ship, you\u2019re given a Boarding Pass with a real passenger\u2019s name. Throughout your tour, you learn more about the passenger and learn their fate. Costumed interpreters show you the Grand Staircase, elegant china, stories of survival, the lifeboat, you can even dip your hand in the 28-degree water temperature. It\u2019s a museum where you can literally spend hours learning more about this ill-fated journey.<\/p>\n 12.Aquarium at the Boardwalk<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo by Aquarium at The Boardwalk<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/urbanmatter.com\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dancing-queen-231x300.jpg\")
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