Not long after I moved back to the Ozarks in 2005, I reread Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright. Reading the book as an adult impacted how I look at the Ozarks in a big way. While I enjoy the lakes here and their beauty is breathtaking, the hills call to me and always have since I first started exploring them back in the 1970s. When I look out over the mountains, I often imagine the people who lived in this region before Mr. Wright’s book became a best seller and people came looking for Uncle Matt and Aunt Molly. When I get a chance, I still love finding new trails to explore so when my sister and brother and law recommended the Homestead Trail, I decided to check it out. The Homestead Trail is part of Ruth and Paul Henning Conversation Area (interesting side note – Paul Henning was the creator of The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres). The main parking lot for the conservation area is located right off of Highway 76 and offers wonderful views of the Ozark Mountains and a few moderately difficult trails, while the Homestead Trail is more secluded and can be accessed at the end of Sycamore Church Road off of Highway 248. This 3.5 mile trail is more difficult to traverse but even as a 50 year old woman with a little bit of a spare tire, I was able to make the hike with a few breaks to rest, hydrate and take in the serenity. There are 15 markers along the trail indicating where homes once stood. Other than the markers, there aren’t a lot of signs that people once lived in these remote hills. A few old stone wells, some old barbed wire growing through the trees and some foundations are all that remain of the homes inhabited with real-life people like the characters that helped form Branson into what it is. Even though the homes are no longer standing, there is still plenty to see along the hike. The trail winds through heavily forested areas into glades (or as they are known locally Balds) teaming with wildflowers, reptiles and birds. The whole 3.5 mile trek took us about 5 hours but we stopped many times along the way to try to rest and to look for skinks and lizards. We also pondered about the uses of many artifacts along the trail such as a cement wall about 100 feet long and 2 feet high running along a dry creek bed. If you are looking for a way to connect with the Ozarks that is off the beaten path, I highly recommend this hike. Just wear good shoes and take plenty of water and insect repellent.

With all the natural beauty surrounding our pristine 43,000 acre lake, there is a plethora of activities that you and your family can enjoy on, in, under and beside this lake. Here’s our Top 10 List (in no particular order).

1) Swimming

Take a dip in the warm waters of the lake. Find a secluded cove to splash and play or if you prefer the sand under your feet, check out Moonshine Beach.

2) Boating

If you are bringing your boat with you or if want to rent a boat for the day, State Park Marina or Indian Point Marina can help you out. Be sure to call early though as boat slips fill up fast!

3) Canoeing or kayaking

If you prefer a slower traipse around the lake to really take in the beauty, a canoe or kayak is right up your alley. Ozarks Extreme Outdoors and Kayak Branson make renting a snap.

4) Fishing

For the anglers in the family, Table Rock offers up a variety of fish including bass and crappie. If it’s your first time on the lake, you might consider a fishing guide like Pete’s Professional Guide Service or Branson Guided Fishing Trips to show you the best spots. If you’re ready to go it on your own, check out Pete’s Fishing Report for a weekly update on lake levels, temperature and everything you need to know to get the fish biting.

5) Hiking

Take a walk beside the lake on Table Rock Lakeshore Trail. This easy 2.25 mile trail is so well-maintained and flat that wheelchairs and strollers aren’t a problem. For the more adventurous, the area does offer more challenging trails. Click here for a list of trails along with their maps.

6) Bicyling

If you want to take to two wheels on the trails, our friends at State Park Marina can help out again. They offer bike rentals by the hour or by the day to accommodate your schedule.

7) Parasailing

What better way to take in the splendor of the lake than from a bird’s eye perspective? A tour American Parasail allows you to fly like an eagle over Table Rock. They will even video your experience and private charters are available.

8) Scuba Diving

Go under the surface and explore the depths of the lake. Who knows what treasure may be waiting to be discovered. Or if that doesn’t work, there’s still some pretty cool fish and scenery to take in. For more information, check out White River Dive Co.

9) Dewey Short Visitor Center

This museum offers a respite from the outside on a hot or rainy day but it’s an experience to visit anytime. With interactive displays about the history and construction of Table Rock Dam, local flora and fauna, and Native American artifacts, everyone in the family will find something to interest them.

10) The Showboat Branson Belle

Want a great meal at a great price and a great show all while you’re cruising the lake? Look no further. The Branson Belle serves it all up on a 1890’s style paddlewheeler with tons of fun and flair.

Well, we hope this post offered some insight into a few of the activities and attractions that have made Branson, MO the great city it is. If you find yourself in the neighborhood and need a place to stay, make sure to check out our vacation homes & condos for rent!

You’ve worked hard all year. You look forward to some fun in the sun with the family. Visions of holes in one on Payne Stewart Golf Course and jet-skiing on Table Rock Lake dance in your head. You brave the drive through the Ozark Hills with the kids doing what kids must do on long trips – fighting about who touched whom. You arrive at your vacation rental, get a good night sleep and wake up, relaxed and ready. You open the door and…RAIN…RAIN…RAIN!!!!

What now, sulk in the condo and watch reruns? The family can’t decide on a show you would all enjoy? Don’t fret. Branson has tons of fun to offer when Mother Nature decides not to cooperate. Here’s just a few…

IMax Theater

Located in the IMax Entertainment Complex with live shows, shopping and food, this theater features six story tall screens showing first run feature films as well as visually amazing IMax feature. There’s even one about the history of the Ozarks with some breathtaking scenery. Even if you can’t be out in the mountains, you can still experience them bigger than life!

The Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Experience

This exotic interactive experience is a hit with kids and adults alike. Hang out in the peaceful aviary watching the butterflies feed. Stick around and you may even be able to release one of the newly hatched butterflies to fly for the very first time. Since it’s a self-guided tour, you can take as much time as you want and hang out as long as you like at The Butterfly Palace.

Titanic Museum

Billed as The World’s Largest Museum Attraction, this interactive museum is filled with artifacts and reproductions of items from the ill-fated luxury liner, including a reproduction of the Grand Staircase. There’s even a scavenger hunt for the kids to participate in to keep them occupied while you browse and read all the interesting trivia scattered throughout the ship. More info can be found on The Titanic Museum Website.

World’s Largest Toy Museum

With over a million toys, you’re sure to find your favorite childhood toy on display at The World’s Largest Toy Museum. What a great way to spend a rainy day, reminiscing and sharing memories of your past with your kids. They may even discover that there was a time when toys didn’t have to be connected to the internet – or even plugged in, for that matter.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum

Spread out over 12,000 square feet, this Odditorium features over 450 items from the Ripley Collection. Ranging from the breathtaking to the macabre, everyone in the family can find something to oooh and aaaah over at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.

Celebration City is located just south of the 76 & Shepard of the Hills Expressway intersection. It has been closed since October 2008. If you would like to see the current view from a drone, watch this youtube video here. Did you go to Celebration City at night? Do you see the “special” items in the video?

Black Horse Pub – Hollister, Mo

This Sunday April 26th, The Black Horse Pub in historic downtown Hollister, Mo presents The Smoke Off 2015 Competition

BBQ Buffet starting at 1pm, Judging will be 2-4pm. All-U-Can-Eat $15

All day streetside fun with live music, drink specials and giveaways at 24 Downing Street, Hollister, Mo.

Pick up one of the free Branson Daily Independent newspapers around town to see the above picture more clearer!!

Only in Branson, MO, One of my favorite sandwiches, the New York Club!

You can pick up this $7.75 sub with chips & pickles at East Coast Subs located at 2797 Hwy 248. (Out towards the old Kirby & Mel Tillis theatres).  Turkey, ham, bacon, American cheese, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, with Dijon Mustard on a homemade toasted roll. The bread is so yummy! Try one of their many other subs!

Open from 11-5, M-Saturday. Call ahead 417-334-2601

I love this Crave Food Truck! Located in Hollister, across from the Walgreens in the parking lot of Home & Décor. Fresh, local food. Look for the red picnic tables. Open from 11am – 2pm, M-F. There are 3 lunch selections at just $8.00 each.

Review of Indian Point Zipline Adventure Tour

One thing that Branson is known for is their zip lines, and being the young adrenaline junkie I am, I decided that it was time I finally tried on of these crazy flying adventures. After checking out the various ziplines around town, my best friend and I decided on Indian Point Ziplines at Deer Run.

Indian Point Zip line is located right by Silver Dollar City and the Indian Point Marina so it was not hard to find. When we got there, our guides were super friendly and helpful. They helped us with the harnesses and explained all the rules in a fun way, so it wouldn’t be just another rules lecture that most people simply ignore. They even made the people in our group who were not exactly excited about going feel a lot more comfortable. Once we got through all the rules, we headed out to the course. I will warn you there were quite a few stairs to get up the tower, so be prepared! Once you make it up there DON’T LOOK DOWN! Being 30 feet up in the air can be somewhat scary, so I would focus on looking straight ahead. Once it is your turn to go, just jump! The longer you wait the scarier it gets! However, do not worry, the guides are extremely qualified and trained, and they make it a lot easier and fun!

There are 6 different lines, some starting from towers, and others starting from the ground. Each time they give you a challenge to make you more comfortable, such as keep your eyes open, only hold with one hand, do not use your hands at all, or even go upside down (Upside down was the hardest, but the most fun)! The whole course takes 1-2 hours to go through, depending on how big your group is and how long it takes each person to go. Once you are done with the course there is a half mile hike back, but it is easy and beautiful!

Along with the Zip line, they have a water slide that is 347 feet long! It winds through mountains and different parts of the Ozarks. Unfortunately, we did not have time for the hydro slide, but It looks like a blast!

The Rescued Animals of The Tiger Sanctuary

For all the animal lovers out there, there’s a wonderful gem of an attraction just 10 miles north of Branson: The National Tiger Sanctuary. A non-for-profit organization trying to teach others about the beautiful creatures in our world, they allow people to go on tour and look at a variety of the big cats they’ve rescued.

I had wanted to visit the sanctuary for awhile and Mother’s Day seemed perfect, it wasn’t too hot and there was an abundant amount of sunshine. There are three tours a day (Wednesday through Sunday), one at 10am, and the others at 1pm and 3pm. After briefly glancing at The National Tiger Sanctuary website and deciding that an after-lunch encounter would be best, we chose the 1pm tour time. There are many different kinds of tours to choose from, ranging from $25 for a basic guided tour, to $125 for a “Behind the Scenes” look at animal care, food preparation, and even the chance to feed the cats yourself!

Let the Tour Begin

Arriving at 12:45pm and choosing the “Feeding Tour” for $35 (this package lets you watch the cats eat), we hung around the porch before our tour started. We noticed there is an indoor room to view videos, and a place for the sanctuary’s rescued dogs and domestic cats to roam and play. A very helpful and knowledgeable tour guide named Skylar led us to the area to view the big cats, and it was an amazing experience!

Encountering the Big Cats!

Our first stop was the panther enclosure, and at first, we couldn’t see anything! Skylar started calling out to “Midnight”, and then a low growl was heard. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the most beautiful blank panther came into view. She ate, romped, and rolled around for all of us to see!

Next on the list was Merlin the lion. At first, he wasn’t too interested in us or the quartered chicken being offered to him. But when Judy, one of the owners, came by, you could tell Merlin was smitten with her! With large paws, he lumbered right up to the fence. To note, you stand about 3 feet from the animals, separated by 2 fences. It’s great for up-close photos!

Other animals we saw included Nikki and Madison, the white tiger mother-daughter duo and Willie, a large tiger. There was also Mariah and Sierra, two sister tigers along with Tina, who was very vocal! And, last but not least by any means, Banshee: a mountain lion. Two people in our group happened to pick the “You Feed” tour, so we got to see lots of up-close feeding from all the animals. Crunch Crunch! Bones and all!

As Educational as it is Fun

At each stop, Skylar takes time to talk about each animal and how they came to the sanctuary. There is information given about each different species, and questions are loved and encouraged! There is something to note, though, you may not see any of these animals on your visit: only half are on tour each day, giving the other half a day to rest to minimize any stress.

Visit The National Tiger Sanctuary website for pricing, directions, and tour information.

Am I Sacrificing my Fun for the Kids?

Like all parents I often sacrifice my own fun for the sake of my kids, which is what I expected with Buckets N Boards, but not what I got. After all, it’s billed as a comedy percussion show and the brochure shows two young guys in whacky get-ups jumping around, wearing goofy wigs and shoving things up their nose – who wouldn’t think it’s a juvenile show (appealing only to juveniles)?

I’ve been aware of Buckets N Boards, playing at the Clay Cooper Theatre in Branson, for a few years now, but always managed to side-step it for a show I thought would still be fun for the kids, but fun for Mom and Dad, too – I spend a lot of money when I take my family to a show and want as much bang for my buck as I can get. Just a few days ago, over Spring Break, we “sacrificed” and went to Buckets N Boards – all I can say is WOW!

Talent of Matt and Gareth for All Ages

Sure the kids loved it, but so did the adults. The two man show of Matt Levingston and Gareth Severs delivers on every level. Sure it’s sometimes loud (Hello… It’s Percussion), there’s juvenile antics, jumping around, and crazy cornball comedy… And I loved every minute of it. As expected, my 10 year old said Buckets N Boards was the best show we saw over Spring Break, and I must agree, it was pretty exceptional. These two guys have Charisma plus. They are wickedly talented in percussion, comedy, dance, and music (both sing well and play instruments). I think now, having seen the show, I would say it’s not juvenile – it’s innovative!

Over and Beyond at Intermission

I’m sure I’m not the only parent or grandparent to have been won over. At intermission, both performers made themselves available in the merchandise booth, and intermission ran long so that everyone could get that personal experience with the stars – something I’ve always appreciated in Branson shows. The littlest kids wanted to get an up close experience, older kids wanted to get their own drum sticks and learn to be like them, and the teens and adults just wanted to hang out with two awesomely cool dudes.

My suggestion to readers, especially readers with kids – find a way to see this 2PM show at The Clay Cooper Theater. Buckets N Boards performs out on tour as well, so it is only in Branson in March, June, July and August, and it doesn’t play every day. If you can see them in Branson, or catch one of their shows while touring, do it – you won’t be disappointed.