Home to over 1,000 different species of butterflies from all around the world, the Branson Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure is one of the area’s favorite attractions. Located in the heart of Branson, Missouri, the Branson Butterfly Palace attracts an audience as diverse as the creatures it is home to, and is the perfect outing for the whole family! It offers everything from an educational experience, to awe-inspiring entertainment, and everything in between. Guests have the opportunity to simply enjoy the beauty of these botanic gardens and the creatures within them, or get into the nitty-gritty biology behind their existence. On your next trip to Missouri, don’t miss the Branson Butterfly Palace!
About the Branson Butterfly Palace
The Branson Butterfly Palace purchases over 500 butterflies in the Chrysalis stage (still in the pupa) per week! That’s a lot of butterflies! The average lifespan of a butterfly is only two or three weeks long, so the entomologists keep busy making sure the garden remains a butterfly paradise, purchasing from farms all over the world, from South and Central America to Malaysia. Not only do the many visitors get to enjoy the beauty of the Branson Butterfly Palace, but their visits mean that the Palace can spend roughly $80,000 annually on butterflies purchased from farms whose livelihoods depend on their butterfly business. A successful butterfly farm also needs a healthy rainforest surrounding it, meaning that the Branson Butterfly Palace’s purchases also work to keep these sought after woodlands safe from harm.
A Day at the Branson Butterfly Palace
The Branson Butterfly Palace is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., seven days a week, with lots of great things to explore and experience. To start, check out the Living Rainforest Science Center where you can learn all about the inner workings of these mystical ecosystems. Critter Encounters talks occur at both 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., with guides giving short informational speeches about different species. Try your hand at finding your way through the Emerald Forest Mirror Maze. Truly the highlight of your trip, the Butterfly Aviary is the place to be at the Branson Butterfly Palace, with live releases daily at both 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Don’t miss this magical moment! The great Banyan Tree Adventure is another great spot, always open to explore.
Educational Videos
There are two educational videos rotating throughout each day to help you learn more about the different species. The “Costa Rica Butterfly Farm” film shares the experience of visiting the butterfly farm there from which the Branson Butterfly Palace sources some of its most beautiful species. This farm is working wonders to help save the gorgeous Costa Rican rainforest. The second film is the “3D Butterfly Lifecycle,” showing the full life of a butterfly through all its stages and transformation.
Don’t miss this stunning attraction in Missouri on your next visit. The Branson Butterfly Palace is going to be one of the highlights of your trip! Head to www.thebutterflypalace.com for more information.
Amazing Branson Rentals
When you visit Branson, there’s no better place to say than in an Amazing Branson vacation cabin! Located only minutes from downtown Branson, our vacation rental cabins are the perfect place to relax while you explore Branson. Shows, museums and natural beauty are all at your fingertips when you visit Branson. Contact us today for cabin rates and reservations – we’d love to have you stay!
What goes together better than the sweet sound of bluegrass and mouthwatering barbecue? Nothing, and if you disagree, then a trip to this year’s Bluegrass and BBQ Festival in Branson, MO will change your mind! Branson’s Silver Dollar City comes alive with the sounds and smells of southern culture for three and a half weeks in May, featuring the biggest names in bluegrass and some of the best bbq you can find. Here’s a preview of what you can expect, and why you don’t want to miss out on the best bluegrass and barbecue festival around!
Bluegrass and BBQ Festival Musicians
Starting on the first day of the festival, May 5, Silver Dollar City will host bluegrass musicians from Missouri and around the country. But these aren’t just any musicians – these are some of the best in the bluegrass business! Multiple performances on several stages every day by highly-talented fiddlers, banjo players and guitarists might actually distract you from the BBQ itself. 2016’s schedule is highlighted by artists like Grammy-winning Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, The Gibson Brothers and many, many more! Musicians travelling from as far as New Mexico and as close as Galena, MO are slated to perform. The KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest will be held on May 28, an exciting competition of the nation’s up and coming bluegrass artists. Click here for a full list of this year’s artists and dates.
Bluegrass and BBQ Festival Food
A bluegrass and barbecue festival that doesn’t feature food as good as its music wouldn’t be worth attending, right? Fear not, hungry festival-goers, because that’s a problem you won’t have to worry about here. BBQ enthusiasts know that Missouri is one of the nation’s most famous regions for the southern dish, and with good reason. From Kansas City to St. Louis, the Show-Me State will show and serve you some of the best barbecue you’ll taste. Silver Dollar City’s Reunion Hall and House of BBQ (better known as the Red Gold Heritage Hall not during the festival) will be the epicenters of festival food. House of BBQ is featuring the all-new Rib Extravaganza (featuring four different styles of rubs and finishes), in addition to barbecue sandwiches, full dinners (including hickory smoked beef brisket!) and savory sides. Head to Reunion Hall for the rib feast, an all-you-can-eat barbecue smorgasbord featuring St. Louis style ribs, hickory smoked chicken and sausage, and more! Included in this feast is a salad bar, sides and dessert and a drink.
If you know anything about Kansas City BBQ, you know that the sauce is no bench player – it’s a key ingredient. Located in Silver Dollar City is Bottle Neck Bros. Sauce Shack, your one-stop shop for all things barbecue sauce. Be sure to stop by and shop their impressive sauce stock!
More Information
Aside from being home to the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival, Silver Dollar City is one of Branson’s most exciting attractions! Plenty of rides, shops, craftsmen and more make this one of the best things to do in Branson, whether you’re here for a festival or not. Tickets for the Bluegrass and BBQ Festival, which will also grant you access to park’s attractions, can be purchased here. The festival runs from May 5-30.
Amazing Branson Vacation Rentals
The best way to enjoy a vacation in Branson is stay at one of Amazing Branson’s rental cabins! Relax in the comfort of one of our spacious, rustic cabins after a long day of music and food, and you won’t want to leave. Call us today at (972) 849-6363 about reservations and specials, including the special we’re running for our 10th birthday celebration!
From April 20-24, 2016, veteran PGA golfers will converge at the Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, MO for the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf Tournament. Competing for a $2.4M purse, renowned participants including Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will bring their game to the Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge Springs golf courses. This year’s tournament is a must-see event for any fan of golf, giving crowds an exciting display of team play by some of the biggest names in the sport.
Part of the PGA Champions tour, the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf tournament pits two-man teams against each other on the 9-hole Top of the Rock and 18-hole Buffalo Ridge Springs golf courses, resulting in a multi-day, 54 hole competition. Top of the Rock’s scenery is a sight to behold, affording golfers stunning views of the Ozark mountains as they play through 9 holes that overlook Table Rock Lake. According to the course’s website, Top of the Rock is the only Par-3 golf course sanctioned by the PGA Tour. The lengthier counterpart to Top of the Rock is the nearby Buffalo Ridge Springs course, designed by accomplished golf course architect Tom Fazio. Both courses are exceptional settings for the tournament’s esteemed participants.
The format for the tournament pairs golfers together, announced the week of the event. Golfers are split into two divisions, the Champions Division and the Legends Division. Leading up to the main tournament is the Pro-Am and Outdoor Experience on April 20 and 21, featuring 52 teams competing on both golf courses, as well as fishing, archery and competitive shooting, according to Bassprolegends.com. Then, at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 22, the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf tournament will officially begin! Golfers will treat spectators to three days of exciting competition, finishing on April 24, Championship Sunday. A full schedule of events can be found here. If you’ve never experienced the thrill of this tournament, last year’s winning duo of Joe Durant and Billy Andrade are a prime example. According to PGATOUR.com, Durant hit a hole-in-one and the team finished up 19 under after completing the tournament’s 54 holes, winning the Legends Division. Throughout the tournament’s duration, excellent competition and fun can be expected.
Any avid fan of golf will want to make sure they secure their tickets to this year’s event! Single-day and tournament tickets can be purchased through Basspro.com, the event’s main sponsor for the third consecutive year. Other notable 2016 sponsors include host Big Cedar Lodge, MasterCard and ExploreBranson.com. Ozarks Heritage, James River and White River sponsorships are also offered. Those looking for a premium, perq-filled experience should consider these options. For a complete list of tournament information, facts, and history, visit Bassprolegends.com.
The Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf tournament is undoubtedly one of the most thrilling events to be held in the Branson area. If you’re making the trip to Ridgedale, we recommend booking your stay with Amazing Branson! After a long day at the tournament, the best way to recover is from the peace and quiet of your own rental cabin, surrounded by Branson’s natural beauty. Contact us today, and we’ll help you find the perfect place to stay.