Autumn in the Ozarks is one of our four favorite seasons! And Branson has some of the prettiest fall drives in the Ozarks. It’s hard to go anywhere without catching a glimpse of the beautiful foliage tucked inside of the Ozark Mountains. And sometimes, a pretty drive is exactly what you need to relax. Luckily, Branson is full of beautiful roads to drive- especially in the fall.

You can find both long and short scenic driving routes in the Ozarks! We have gathered a few of our tried and true favorite routes for you to travel on your next Sunday drive! Here are a few of the prettiest fall drives in the Ozarks!

• Ozark Mountain Highroad, otherwise known as Hwy 465, is a short, eight-mile ride overlooking Branson’s Hills. The Highroad not only provides great access to many of Branson’s activities, it is a stunning example of fall beauty in the Ozarks.
• Highway 165– a winding road with incredible views, and many great scenic overlooks. Don’t forget to stop at the Dewey Visitor Center and Table Rock State Park along the way!
• Sugar Camp National Forest Scenic Byway is a 28 mile highway, providing travelers views of Table Rock Lake and Roaring River State Park. The stunning vistas and wooded valleys and hills make an amazing experience you shouldn’t miss.

Make us your home base for your next trip to the Ozarks!
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Thanksgiving is around the corner and we could not be more excited! This is one of our favorite holidays and we love spending it with friends and family. Each year we end up having both a Thanksgiving meal with family and a Friendsgiving meal with friends. {There is still time for you to book a pre-Thanksgiving or post-Thanksgiving getaway with family or friends} In an attempt to help you elongate the holiday, we are sharing a few of our favorite easy Thanksgiving recipes and treats!

What are some of your go-to holiday meals?

It’s officially October, which means it’s safe for you to start eating and drinking all things pumpkin! We’ve already shared our favorite homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe and now we are sharing the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe! We’ve tried over 10 recipes (literally) and found this one was the team favorite! Trust us, you and your family and friends will love it too!

Do you remember waking up on Christmas morning to the exciting possibility of finding the toy you really wanted under the tree? Relive those childhood memories and bring your little ones to experience a place they’ll never forget at the World’s Largest Toy Museum in Branson. You’re sure to be in awe. And with more than 1 million toys under one roof, you may feel as if every toy you ever dreamed of is on display just for you!

Find out more about all the fun near Amazing Branson Rentals when you check out our Things to Do page. It’s full of the best recommendations for things to see and do, like enjoying an afternoon at the World’s Largest Toy Museum.

The World’s Largest Toy Museum is Full of Childhood Memories

Come and relive the excitement you had as a child and relish the nostalgia of seeing your favorite childhood toys! Bring the kids and grandparents for a fun-filled day of reminiscing and storytelling. With toys as old as the 1800s and as new as the latest Star Wars saga, there is something for everyone. Here are a few examples from the World’s Largest Toy Museum.

• Action figures have long been a bastion in the toy industry. Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, He-Man, Spiderman, Superman, and Power Rangers are just a few of figures you’ll see. Everything from rare action figures to the most popular versions is on display for the action figure lover in the family!
• Model trains are synonymous with the “best Christmas present ever” for many generations. The World’s Largest Toy Museum has several rare trains, as well as an extensive collection of planes, fire engines, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Nascar, and Tonka Trucks. There are even a few life-size vehicles like the 1959 British Embassy Rolls Royce!
• Barbie is the ubiquitous brand for girls toys. Since 1959, Barbie has sent moms careening through toy stores for the latest Barbies for their daughters. The huge collection of Barbies headlines the category consisting of Cabbage Patch Kids, Betsy Wetsy, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Raggedy Ann, and more.
• No other name dominates kids entertainment like Disney. Friendly Mickey and Minnie Mouse join their pals Pluto, Donald Duck, and Goofy. In a nearby case, you’ll also find Snow White and her Seven Dwarves, and several more familiar Disney friends.
• Cast Iron toys are some of the earliest examples of firetruck favorites. Check out the collection of cast iron, antique tin, and pressed steel fire engines. See if you can spot your favorite childhood firetruck!
• Prepare for blastoff with the World’s Largest Toy Museum’s collection of space toys. Aliens, robots, NASA, and intergalactic space toys mystify the imagination. Check out your favorite Star Wars and Star Trek toys, too. Captain Kirk will encourage you to “Play Long and Prosper.”
  

Located on West Highway 76 in Branson, MO, the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Sunday.

Fun for the Whole Family

The World’s Largest Toy Museum is just one attraction that makes Branson the ultimate family vacation destination. At Amazing Branson Rentals, we offer the best in vacation rentals and cabins. We also know the most amazing attractions Branson has to offer. So, check out our available cabins and rentals and contact us. You can book today!

Photo Credit George Doyle//Getty Images

You’ve officially figured out the basics for your family’s spring break & have completed the planning! Yay! Now it’s time to start packing for your family’s perfect spring break! So where do you start?

1. Check the weather. If you are packing, you are likely near your departure date. Check for rain, heat, etc.
2. Think about your activities. Does anything require special equipment? Ski clothes, hiking gear, swim suits {hot tubs require swim suits too}, etc.
3. Toiletries. Think medicines, bug sprays, sunscreens, makeup, razors, toothbrush/toothpaste, etc.
4. Paperwork. We like to pack confirmation emails, arrival details, directions, and contact numbers. It’s always easier to over-print than it is to dig through emails last minute.
5. Clothing. Think about each day and pack accordingly. Many vacation rentals {like ours} have washing machines so you can do laundry during your stay too!
6. Other. Phone/Phone chargers, camera/camera charger, computers/computer chargers, sunglasses, etc.

If you are staying with us at Amazing Branson Rentals, we have a detailed packing list for you here! We are here for you and want to help you “Make memories and start traditions!”

So you’ve officially figured out the basics for your family’s spring break! Congratulations! Now the fun planning begins. We’ve not only planned our own family’s spring break trips for years, but we also have years of experience helping others plan their family trips! So what is needed to plan the perfect spring break? We’re here to help you set your itinerary!

1. Check the weather. You might have to save this until closer to your departure date, but check to see if there is rain in the forecast- this might impact your itinerary.
2. Decide what is important to your family. Think about these questions- do you all need down time to relax, do you want a full itinerary with options of what to do each day, how active do you want to be, etc. Think about each member of the family. You may even want to sit down and ask each person what they want. Let each member of the family choose one item one their must-do list! Then create a list of options in your chosen destination {and keep weather in mind!}. We like to plan downtime during our trip, but always have a list of adventurous options for every day of the trip as well- just in case. Plan on booking a few items in advance- think about items that might sell out in advance.
3. Think about food. Do you want to cook at home or eat out? Make a list of restaurants you might want to visit as well as a list of meals you might want to make. We are big fans of making breakfast and dinner at home and eating out at lunch.

Yay! The trip is getting real! Now all that is left is packing! Stay tuned, we will be sharing tour tips on what to pack soon. You won’t want to miss these tips! We are here for you and want to help you “Make memories and start traditions!”

Starting to plan your family’s spring break and feeling a bit overwhelmed? After years of planning our own family spring breaks and now years of helping YOU all plan the perfect vacation, we have come up with a few tips on how to plan the perfect spring break for your family!

Since planning a big vacation can be overwhelming, we’ve broken down our tips into a few different parts. So where do you start? Let’s start with the basics!

1. Confirm your family’s dates. Work and school schedules may very- especially if you have kids at different schools. Make sure you have specific dates set that work for everyone!
2. Decide on your budget. Once the budget is set, decide where you want to spend most of the money. Is it more important for you to have a cozy home for your family to spend time in or would you prefer a small space so you can spend more money on activities?
3. Decide your priorities. What is important to your family? Do you need to have a full kitchen because you all want to cook at home? Do you want to be in the hustle-and-bustle or do you want a quiet retreat?
4. Location. Now that you’ve got a start, what kind of getaway do you want? Beach, log cabin, ski, etc.
5. Make sure your family agrees.  Once you’ve set the basics, sit down with your family and make sure everyone agrees on the basics.

Congratulations! You’ve gotten through the least fun part of planning a trip! Stay tuned, we will be sharing the next steps to planning the perfect spring break for your family over the next couple of weeks. You won’t want to miss these tips! We are here for you and want to help you “Make memories and start traditions!”

Looking for an adrenaline rush? How about climbing the new ropes course at Big Cedar Lodge? 40 feet below the course you will find live alligators and pythons! Don’t worry, it is completely safe! The course will have more than 60 different elements- from rolling logs to swaying ladders! This four-story Big Cedar Lodge Sky Trail is definitely something you want to experience!

The ropes course will be located on the back for the Fun Mountain and is expected to open this summer. Have kids who are too small for the adult size rope course? No problem! Big Cedar already has a Sky Tykes for kids 2-7 years old!

Intrigued? We certainly are! Grab your family or friends and book a home with us so you can be one of the first to experience the new ropes course! But hurry, we are booking up quickly!

Branson is full of fun things to do- from the lake and rivers to the shows and museums. And of course, you can’t miss Silver Dollar City! We love summer at Silver Dollar City! They have a plethora of fun events set up for you to enjoy- from both daytime activities to evening activities! And they have a special “Star Spangled Summer” from June 9- July 22 that you won’t want to miss! It’s going to be an All-American Summer full of fun and excitement! Be prepared to enjoy over 40 thrilling rides & attractions, meet your favorite cartoon characters in person and more!

Need a place to call home while visiting Silver Dollar City? We have you covered! Check out our many homes!

A stunning fountain lightshow with Lake Taneycomo in the background, accompanied by music, fire and more – we’re talking about the Branson Landing Fountains Show! Branson Landing is the city’s premier shopping attraction, and is home to an incredible fountains show that you don’t want to miss.

The Branson Landing Fountains Show

Skeptical as to how could a fountains show could be so entertaining? What if you knew that the production team behind the Branson Landing Fountains Show produces world-famous shows?  According to Branson Landing’s website, Wet Design, the company behind the fountains shows at Downtown Disney, The Bellagio and Universal City Walk, is the same company that produces the show in Branson! That alone should convince you – this a world-class performance.

The Fountains Show is held daily, starting at noon. Every hour, a different performance starts, featuring both patriotic tunes, classic rock, and more. The fountains, lights, fire and music are all choreographed, combining for a spectacular performance. The fountains shoot high up into the air (120 feet, according to Branson Landing’s website), while the lights change to match the feel of each song. At just the right moment, fire cannons shoot off to emphasize certain parts of the music (the start of the chorus of “Kung Fu Fighting,” for example). To get an idea of what the show is like, check out this video of The Doobie Brothers “Listen to the Music” being performed.

The show begins and ends with Whitney Houston’s great rendition of the Star Spangled banner, and songs including “Hoe Down,” “Living On a Prayer,” and many more are featured throughout the day!

Other Events at Branson Landing

The Fountains Show might be the most visually stunning attraction at Branson Landing, but isn’t the only the exciting thing that goes on! One glance at Branson Landing’s schedule of events, and you’ll find live music, 5K races, dates for the Branson Farmers Market, festivals, and more!

About Branson Landing

Located on the Taneycomo Lakefront, Branson Landing offers an impressive of array shopping options, dining and live entertainment. From name brand stores like Francesca’s, New Balance, and Bass Pro Shops, to dining options including Black Oak Grill, as well as live music and 5K races, there’s something for everyone. Branson is known for its world-famous entertainment and attractions, and Branson Landing only adds to the city’s exciting attractions!

Branson Landing is located at 100 Branson Landing, Branson, MO. For more information, visit their website or call (417) 239-3002.

Experience the Branson Landing Fountains Show and More When You Stay with Amazing Branson

Located only minutes the Branson’s theatre district, Table Rock Lake and more, Amazing Branson Rentals offers the best vacation cabins in the area! Enjoy everything that Branson has to offer, while staying in our vacation cabins. Whether you’re looking for a quiet getaway, or a fun-filled family vacation, Amazing Branson has a vacation cabin that will fit your needs. Fully-equipped kitchens, hot tubs, large back decks perfect for cookouts, WiFi, and more – they’re all part of the Amazing Branson experience. Our rustic cabins come in 2-6 bedroom options, and can accommodate up to 16 people! Check out our full list of our Branson vacation cabins, then contact us online or by calling (972) 849-6363. We’d love to help you start planning your Branson vacation!