Boo! ‘Tis the season! We are about to enter the season of pumpkins, scarecrows, and haunted houses galore! For those that enjoy a good fright, Branson is your place! These are a few of the scariest haunted houses in the Ozarks and you don’t want to miss them!
Branson Haunted Hills
Many legends exist about the Corbin place. Strange things occur in those hills. Disappearing farm animals, chainsaws running at night, and most of all: the overly-friendly Corbin family make this place very realistic and original. For youngsters, they offer a “magic wand” to scare away the monsters. Affordable tickets and great hospitality too! You don’t want to miss the Branson Haunted Hills!
Branson’s Haunted Scream Park
So many spooky things to do here! Wander the mirror maze, escape the Doctor of the Dead, elude the Reaper in the Graveyard, brave through the haunted forest, kill zombies in the arcade, and so much more! This Scream Park has 10 new themes this year- so it’s new even if you went last year!
Castle of Chaos
This 5d adventure takes you on an adventure you’ll never forget! Chase robot outlaws or kill the terrifying werewolves with your lazer blaster! Over 400 movements per second, and spooky sound effects make the experience all the more realistic. If you love video games, rides and scream parks- this place is for you!
Haunted Lost Caverns at Top of the Rock This isn’t public knowledge yet, as Big Cedar hasn’t revealed much information about their new haunted caverns yet. Be sure to follow us on social media for updates!
But there’s so much more than Haunted Houses in Branson! Not everyone in your group into the scary stuff? No problem! What’s better than relaxing in your own private log cabin sipping homemade pumpkin spiced lattes while the others go off and take advantage of the haunted houses! For other less spooky activities, visit our Branson Blog! Book your Branson cabin here.
Branson is home to some of the strangest and most unique sights you’ll ever see. Whether it’s the largest chicken statue you’ve ever seen, or an amphibious vehicle with a load of folks blowing duck-beak kazoos at you, there’s never a dull moment. Sights like these are what give our kids a vacation they will never forget. Here are five remarkable restaurants that make for amazing pictures and even better memories. Visit rentbranson.com for accommodations and more photo-worthy places around B-town.
Great American Steakhouse: Remember the largest chicken statue I was talking about earlier? The Great American steakhouse is its home. The 43 ft. rooster is hard to miss going down Hwy 76. Dine out on the deck, or inside, and don’t forget to snap a photo!
Billy Gail’s Café: Billy Gail’s is hands-down the best breakfast place in the area. Ms Billy Gail started the restaurant when her husband complained about small portion sizes when he ate out. So, be sure to go hungry- the pancakes are bigger than the plates! Billy Gail’s fills up quickly so be sure to get there early. They do not accept cards so be sure to bring cash!
Top of the Rock’s Osage Restaurant: With breath-taking Ozark mountain views and homespun touches, Osage Restaurant provides some of the finest food in the area. Be sure to take a walk after dinner to enjoy the sights and take family photos! Resort attire is required.
Sugar Leaf Bakery: There’s just something about a bakery. Whether you need to fill a sweet tooth or decide to treat your kids to brunch, Sugar Leaf is your place. Also, an amazing place for photos! Don’t forget to tag them on Instagram and Facebook! (@sugarleafbakerycafe)
Lambert’s Café: Located in Ozark, about 40 minutes away, “The Home of Throwed Rolls” is well worth the drive. Bad grammar aside, Lambert’s is a local secret. Yes, they do literally throw the amazing, light and fluffy rolls at you- so be sure to catch it! Friendly service, and great southern food has made Lambert’s a favorite for decades.
Be sure to tag us on social media (@rentbranson on Instagram and Amazing Branson Rentals on Facebook)! For other great eats, and fun things to do in Branson, visit our Branson Blog. If you haven’t booked your Branson cabin yet, what are you waiting on? Rentbranson.com
Everyone is excited for the upcoming solar eclipse on August 21 and we have all the details on where you can see it from and what time you should be prepared to look for it! This event is a fun sighting for everyone and we can’t wait to make memories with our family and friends as we prepare for our own little Solar Eclipse party!
Since it is rare to see a full solar eclipse, a lot of people have decided to take off work & take the kids out of school to witness this special event. Sometimes you learn more by witnessing an actual event than by reading about it in a book and we want to help you create memories and start traditions. So we’ve put together our tips on how to have your own solar eclipse party with us in Branson! This can be educational and fun!
Where is the best place to see the eclipse?
Anywhere in Branson where you can see the sun! Just head on outside and look up!
When can you see the solar eclipse in Branson?
Begins: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 11:44 am
Maximum: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 1:14 pm
Ends: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 2:42 pm
How can you create your own solar eclipse party?
Serve sun/moon/space themed food like Sun Chips, Moon Pies, Eclipse or Orbit Gum, Starburst, Milky Ways, etc.
Cut a cake, Rice Krispie treats, cheese slices or fruit into the shape of a sun or moon
Create marshmallow and toothpick constellations {example here}
We have a few cabins left, so book them soon so you can host your own Solar Eclipse Party in Branson on August 21! To make the most of your time, we recommend staying Sunday & Monday night- although we are making one night stays acceptable for Monday!
September is an amazing time to visit Branson. We finally start to get a break from the heat and festival season starts! Here are some September Festivals in Branson and other amazing activities to plan your vacation around this fall.
Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City: Starting August 24th and ending September 4th, the Southern Gospel Picnic is always a great place to be! Amazing food with some of Southern Gospels biggest names—does it get any better?
National Crafts and Cowboy Fest at SDC: September 13th through October 28th is a special time around the Branson area. Barn Dances, authentic chuck wagon cooking, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and horses all come together to make an amazing experience for the whole family!
Outdoor Days at Bass Pro Shops: September 8th-10th Bass Pro Shops will be hosting Outdoor Days at Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. The event is free of charge and dedicated to educating about the outdoors.
Lifted Truck Nationals: Hosted at the Branson Cedars Resort, hundreds of lifted trucks will gather for an exciting weekend of fun, family, trucks, and music! September 8th-10th.
Autumn Daze Fest: September 14th-16th Downtown Branson is the place to be. Artists and crafters from all over the US will visit the area to display their work. Many vendors will also be demonstrating their techniques.
Amazing Branson Rentals has the accommodations for your fall getaway! For year-round activities in the Branson area, and other great info, visit our Branson Blog.
Shepherd of the Hills is one of Branson’s oldest attractions. In fact, Harold Bell Wright’s best-selling book, written in 1907 about the homestead, “Shepherd of the Hills” helped shape Branson into the world-class destination it is today. Visit rentbranson.com for accommodations for your vacation.
With a transfer of ownership, is coming an impressive upgrade, while keeping the historical elements that made the attraction. The Shepherd of the Hills dinner show, performed since 1960, will remain the same. The outdoor theatre in which it is performed though, is getting upgraded. Remodeling the restrooms and concession areas, repairing old, cracking concrete, and seat replacements are making the play itself a more enjoyable experience. One of our Branson landmarks, the Inspiration Tower, will also be getting a face lift. Built in 1989, the 230 ft. tower already provides a breath-taking view of the Ozarks and provides a start to the Vigilante Zipline. Adding a 160 ft climbing wall to the exterior, and cosmetic fixes, such as new tile floors, to the interior is just the start to the tower’s revitalization. New attractions, such as ATV trails and ziplines, will join the classic attractions, such as horseback rides, the Tower and Uncle Matt’s cabin on the original Homestead.
The show is an important part of our town’s history. Come and visit a great show with some fresh, new attractions. For accommodations and other activities, visit our website, rentbranson.com.
Top Tips for Troubleshooting at your Home
Your vacation rental in Branson is ready for your arrival! Many of our homes have great bells and whistles to help make your trip memorable! But that means you might need some instructions on how to use these amazing amenities. We have many videos on our YouTube channel to help you during your stay. If you have a question on how to use something- you might find a detailed video there! We also have more tips and suggestions below!
USING THE FIREPLACE
There are a few different types of fireplaces our cabins may have: electric, gas, or wood-burning. Fireplace season is usually November through February for gas and wood-burning fireplaces. We do provide a starter amount of firewood for wood burning fireplaces seasonally. More can be purchased either from us, a local gas station, or a convenience store.
Electric fireplaces have an on/off switch, a timer or a remote. You can find detailed instructions on how to use your electric fireplace in your welcome book. There is also often a note next to electric fireplaces with instructions on how to use them.
For a gas fireplace, check that the pilot light is on. If it is, use the switch/timer near the mantel to turn on the fireplace. If the pilot light is off: Open the panel near the fireplace, turn the ignitor knob clockwise to put in the OFF position, then turn counterclockwise until in the PILOT position to push in. While pushed in, press the ignitor repeatedly to ignite the pilot. If you have a grill lighter, hold it by the pilot assembly. Once you see a blue flame, stop pressing the ignitor or remove lighter while still holding in the knob for 10-15 seconds. Release the knob, turn counterclockwise to ON, and check the wall timer for ON, OFF, or AUTO. Select AUTO and turn wall timer until flames appear. If this does not work, please call for assistance.
Wood-burning fireplaces are opened by maintenance in fireplace season. We provide a starter amount of firewood. If you would like more, you can either purchase it from us in advance (or by noon for day of delivery) or you can purchase it from a store nearby.
ENJOYING THE HOT TUB
For the best guest experience, our hot tubs are serviced between every guest. If you arrive to a luke-warm hot tub, please note the water was refilled for to your arrival and may need time to heat up fully. If the hot tub is not heating: make sure it is not in sleep mode (SLP or SL on the display), try resetting the GFCI breaker, and make sure the water is covering the jets. If these do not work, please call for assistance. Hot tub jets do not shut off completely. If jets aren’t working, try turning the individual jets left or right to open and close them to your desired strength. If the hot tub lid is left off the hot tub for too long, the temperature will drop. So please keep the lid on the hot tub when it is not in use.
Things to Know:
Sulfur smell (from well water) and sediment (from Ozark water) are safe and normal.
To wake hot tub from sleep mode (SL): press light + temp buttons.
Switch modes with temp and set buttons.
Keep water level above jets using a hose; adjust water flow by turning jets.
The floater contains bromine, which keeps the hot tub clean.
POOL DAYS IN THE CABIN
Some homes have private indoor pools. Pool temperatures are set for optimal performance and to prevent condensation in the pool room. Temperature can’t be raised above that, but if you have an issue with the pool not heating, give us a call. We will do our best to have a vendor check it out for you during your stay. If a replacement part is required, we will schedule an appointment based on vendor availability.
MOTHER NATURE…IN THE CABIN
A cozy cabin in the woods sometimes comes with unexpected pests. While we do have a service that comes to each of the homes regularly, pests sometimes try to relax in our homes.
Ladybugs love Branson as much as we do! If you have a lot in your cabin, you may sweep or vacuum to remove them. If there are too many, we are happy to help come clean them up as well!
You may also experience carpenter bees on the outside of the cabin. Since many of our properties are constructed of wood, the bees love to bore holes for nesting inside the wood. This type of bee is fairly harmless and only the female can sting if provoked, so if you see bees flying around aggressively, it is more likely to be the male protecting his territory – but he cannot sting. Because of the chemicals and spray, we only perform carpenter bee treatments (if necessary) between guest stays.
If you have any issues with unwanted guests, please feel free to contact us.
USING WI-FI AT THE CABIN
If your property has Wi-Fi, the network name and password should be located on the cover of your welcome binder, on the fridge and in your checkin instructions email. You may also find the password on the bottom of the router. Remember: internet service can be spotty or slow in the Ozarks. If you can’t connect, unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait 2 minutes for it to reset. You may also have to reset your own device. If you still can’t connect, give us a call and we’ll contact the provider or help you troubleshoot!
NAVIGATING YOUR TV/CABLE
For TV with no signal: Look for the INPUT button on the remote and flip through the HDMI options. Some TVs require you to turn on both the TV and the cable/satellite box- if you have two remotes, you might need to press the power button on both. If you don’t find signal, try to unplug and plug the box back in to refresh the signal. Be sure the TV, box, and all cords from them are securely plugged in. If there is an error message, let us know and we will do our best to have maintenance troubleshoot for you.
HOT WATER
Some cabins/homes have smaller water heaters, so please note this when taking a shower and/or bath. If someone in your group takes a bath, you may need to give the heater time to back up so you can enjoy a hot shower.
HAVING FUN WITH CABIN GAMES
If a game table in your cabin – air hockey, foosball, darts, pool table, etc. – is broken or missing pieces, please give us a call. We will do our best to help you locate the pieces or send someone to fix or replace the items when available. Because these are provided through 3rd-party vendors, game issues may not be able to be resolved during your stay.
KEEPING YOUR REFRIGERATOR COOL
The refrigerator can take up to 24 hours to cool everything down if you arrived and filled it up. When you keep the refrigerator door open for an extended period of time and load the fridge with all room temperature items, it may take time for everything to cool down. If it’s too warm, remove any non-essential items and do not turn to the highest setting. This can freeze up the unit and make it shut off. If the freezer is working, ice may be clogging the flow of cold air to the refrigerator if you turned the settings up too high.
USING THE HVAC
Once you arrive, the AC needs time to slowly decrease. While you may be warm from unloading vehicles, please do not drop the AC below 68 degrees as it can freeze up the unit and stop working.
WELL WATER
One of the benefits of coming to the Ozarks is enjoying the wooded areas around. you. Many of our properties have well water systems, which can sometimes have different smells and color and contain some sediment since the water is coming from the well tank. Water conservation is key with wells, as the tanks need time to refill after each use. The well pump may stop working at times, so resetting the breaker can help get it restarted. If the electricity goes out, the pump will stop working; the breaker may need to be reset once the power is restored. If the water stops working at your home, please let us know!
The city of Branson is traditionally known for its plethora of live shows. Recently, however, attention has shifted over to outdoor activities. Top of the Rock’s Lost Canyon, located within Big Cedar, is a prime example of this.
Take the electric cart ride all the way to the Top of the Rock! This breath-taking nature trail will take you over beautiful Amish-covered bridges, through natural rock formations, and past waterfalls. End the ride with a tour of a stunning four-story cave! Explore the balconies, waterfalls, and rock formations; or sneak down to the cave bar to try of Top of the Rock’s signature drinks!
Can’t sit still for that long? Take a hike down the 2.5 mile trail to enjoy the Trail! The hour and 45 minute trek will lead you down through the Lost Canyon and up to a magnificent vantage point of Lake Table Rock. You can even end the experience with relaxing dinner on the balcony of Arnie’s Barn.
After a perfect day, be sure to come back and prop up your feet at your Amazing Branson Cabin! We are less than 5 minutes from Top of the Rock and have a cabin to accommodate your needs! Visit our Branson blog to discover other Branson activities! Need to be a homebody? See our list of amenities and activities to do on property!
THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO IN BRANSON ….. FUN FOR ALL AGES.
There is not enough time to do it all in Branson! We have picked the top Amazing Family things to do in Branson to help you plan your trip. With so many activities and places to visit in the Branson area our Amazing Branson Rentals Blog will take the next few posts looking into some new activities. Enjoy this quick summary until future blogs go into more details.
TOP AMAZING FAMILY THINGS TO DO IN BRANSON:
Taking an incredible Ozark Beauty Top of the Rock Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail is a thrilling adventure for your and your family to enjoy. The waterfalls and views are just part of the this Branson attraction. You can rent a golf cart and take as much time as you need to explore the nature trail and cave. More to come in a future Amazing Branson Blog
Want to get wet? 43,000 acre Lake Tablerock or TaneyComo Lake offers great opportunities for you and your family to enjoy. Plenty of Branson marinas and boat rentals available for you. Or you can sit back on a sailboat and let someone else be the captain on the Spirit of America.
Another Top Family thing to do in Branson is to get outdoors. Looking for incredible biking and hiking trails? Top hiking trails are throughout the Ozarks. You can even cross state lines during your hike. Easy trails are available for all ages at Dogwood Canyon too. You can walk, bike, jog, or even take a segway on the trails of Dogwood Canyon. Fishing too!
A top family thing to do in Branson that is indoors is a beverage tasting experience. A new distillery has opened recently featuring Ozark Mountain Moonshine, Whiskey and Rum. The Copper Run distillery and tasting room serving spirits handcrafted in the Ozark Mountains. There are also a few places to taste the local Branson wines.
The Ozarks are a great source for antique store shopping as well as outlet shopping. Branson Tangler Outlet. The Ozark antique shopping can truly take an entire day or more. Branson Landing also offers great shopping with great views of Lake Taney Como.
