Most people agree, that the holiday season is magical. And Branson really goes above and beyond! Christmas in Branson starts immediately after Halloween {and in some locations slightly before}. You could say we’re a little over zealous and we love it! Branson puts on a terrific Christmas show for the whole family. Below are a few places you don’t want to miss if you are coming to Branson in November or December. Trust us- the whole family will love it!
Here are the best places to see Christmas lights in Branson:
- Shepherd of the Hill’s Trail of Lights: Rated one of the Travel Channels top five drive-through Christmas displays, the Trail of Lights is a Branson classic. A beautiful display comes complete with a 230 ft Christmas tree. $32.99/per car.
- Branson’s Gift of Lights: Off of Shepherd of the Hills Expressway is a stunning 1.2 mile drive through light show. Over a million LED lights! $20/car.
- Ozark Mountain Christmas Lights and Village: This is a light show not easily forgotten! Drive through the Magic Mile, ride on the Noth Pole Express, sip on hot chocolate, take a selfie with Santa, or check out the life sized nativity. $20/vehicle.
- Silver Dollar City: We truly saved the best for last here. Branson’s premier attraction certainly sets a high standard for all other Christmas displays. 5 million lights, a thousand trees, including one 5 story Christmas tree, parades, carolers, a Broadway-style shows. Be sure to visit SDC during this holiday season!
Sometimes you just need a change of scenery. And you deserve a getaway. So what do you do when you can’t go take the vacation days, but need to getaway? Plan a ‘Workation.’ Yes, that’s right- a work vacation. We’re here to help you plan the perfect work vacation.
We have everything from lakefront 1 bedroom suites to lake view 12 bedroom homes! And all of our homes have wifi- so you can work while enjoying the fresh air of the Ozarks, stunning lake views, secluded log cabins and so much more! Plan your work vacation with your family, your coworkers, your friends or on your own.
You can work by day and relax by night. Most of our homes have private hot tubs, full kitchens, an indoor fireplace, outdoor fire pits, TV/cable, and more. Want to stay near downtown Branson? We have homes all around the Branson area- so whether your are looking for a home near Silver Dollar City or a cabin near Big Cedar Lodge, we have something for you!
Few things say log cabin getaway like fresh s’mores. Don’t you agree? We love making s’mores every time we go on vacation. But sometimes, we get the urge to make s’mores even when we aren’t on vacation and we don’t have easy access to a fire. Luckily, we found the perfect alternative! You can now make a s’more at home and will love our new S’more Bark recipe! It has all the yummy-ness of a regular s’more without the mess and need for a fire! You can make these while staying in a cabin or you can make them from the comfort of your own home!
What is your go-to vacation treat? Would you ever make a s’more at home?
be sure to pin this image and save it for later!
The holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to get family photos done for your Christmas cards! And what better place to get them done than in the Ozarks? There are so many stunning and unique places in Branson!
Don’t need a photo for your Christmas cards? No problem! We believe photos are the best souvenirs from a vacation. We love hiring a photographer to document our family vacations- even if just for 30 minutes!
These are a few of our favorite places in Branson for photos:
- College of the Ozarks : College of the Ozarks has a stunning 1,000 acre campus filled with lakes, waterfalls, chapels, historical sites, water wheels, and so much more! Such a perfect place for family photos- or any type of photo shoot, really.
- Downtown Branson/Branson Landing : For more of an urban feel, hit downtown Branson. Quaint shops, historical buildings, fountains, a brick walkway through the Landing, the welcome Branson mural painted on the side of a building and the boardwalk beside Lake Tablerock all make for fun settings.
- Table Rock Dam : When the gates are open on the dam, this makes for a very fun background. If you go early morning, you can get the steam rising off of the lake. Very beautiful.
- Big Cedar Lodge : Stunning views every way you look! Waterfalls, amish bridges, natural beauty, fountains, lake views, beautiful buildings, and gorgeous greenery—Big Cedar has it all! Our favorite time and place is sunset at Top of the Rock. Endless photo opportunities.
- Your Amazing Branson Rental : All of our properties {the cabins, Tall Pines, Red Bud Cove & Chateau Cove} have beautiful photo opportunities. Stay inside your vacation home for photos or go outside and use the great outdoors for your backdrop! We also love seeing guests include our Tall Pines vintage pickup truck & the bears in their photos! Plus, we believe this is the perfect way to memorialize your vacation! We have a few guests who’ve made it their goal to stay at every single one of our properties!
There are so many great photographers in Branson who would love to help commemorate your time in Branson. We’ve worked with or have heard good reviews for the following photographers: Brooke Noel Photos, Tiffany Kelley Photography & Amy Fillinger Photography.
Book your vacation rental now!
Are you ready for fall? We sure are! Bring on the cozy blankets, warm drinks and evenings by the fireplace. Anyone else agree? In preparation for the coming fall, we’ve put together a handful of our favorite fall quotes!
“Autumn… the year’s last, loveliest smile.” –William Cullen Bryant
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” -Stanley Horowitz
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies.
I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” – Nora Ephron
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty,
as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”– Lauren Destefano
What are your favorite fall quotes?
It seems more people are traveling and posting their luxurious travels on Instagram and Facebook. But how do they really afford it? We have the inside tips on how to have a luxurious vacation on a shoestring budget. Because if you are like us, you enjoy the finer things in life, but really don’t want to break the bank. So here are our tips!
- Rent a home. This might sound crazy, but we promise it isn’t- especially if you are traveling with family. It is often far cheaper to rent a home than it is to rent two or more hotel rooms- even at discount hotels. Plus- then you get the benefits of all the extra space, extra amenities, and privacy you deserve. And posting a photo in your private hot tub is much more luxurious than posting a photo in a community hot tub, don’t you think?
- Cook at the home you rented. This is another reason to rent a home. When you rent a home, you often get a full kitchen. We’ve found eating out can be one of the most expensive parts of a vacation. We recommend saving your money and cooking at your home. Then you not only have extra money to spend on activities, but you can also share photos of you grilling out as a family on your private back deck and eating under the stars. I mean, does it get any better?
- Plan activities you can do at the home. Many vacation rentals offer amenities on property- from frisbee golf and scavenger hunts to a pool and a fire pit. We love the idea of spending the day hiking and reading, then spending the evening making s’mores outside at your own private log cabin.
- Find a couple splurge worthy items. Discuss what items you really want to fit into your trip and plan accordingly- whether it be see a show, go to a fancy restaurant, zipline through the treetops or wine tasting.
- Ask your host. Often times your host will have the inside scoop to local discounts! Don’t be afraid to ask!
Need a large home or maybe even a few large homes? We have 5 homes that are 8 bedroom and larger all located at Chateau Cove! These homes are located near Chateau on the Lake and have amazing views of Table Rock Lake.
See videos of them below and click the home name to see more photos and information about each home!
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12 Bedroom Home
Chateau on the Cove with a private indoor pool
{12 bedroom,14.5 bathrooms, sleeps 50}
12 Bedroom Home
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Staycation Lodge with private indoor pool & indoor basketball court
{12 bedroom,14.5 bathrooms, sleeps 50}
Staycation has an almost identical floorpan to the Chateau on the Cove home & is decorated with similar furnishings. Video coming soon!
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10 Bedroom Home
Lakeview Chateau Lodge
{10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, sleeps 38}
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9 Bedroom Home
Dogwood Lakefront Lodge with private indoor pool
{9 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, sleeps 35}
Dogwood Lakefront Lodge is decorated with similar furnishings to the Chateau on the Cove home. Video coming soon!
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8 Bedroom Home
On the Rocks Retreat
{8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, sleeps 26, allows 2 dogs}
Thinking about staying at one of our Red Bud Cove homes or suites? Come take a virtual tour by watching these videos!
Lake Escape Lodge
3 bedroom, 2 bath
Red Bud Cove Farmhouse
3 bedroom, 2 bath
Full Barnhouse
Ground Floor
Fisherman’s Favorite
Second Floor
Lakeside Landing
Goose’s Gander
Third Floor
No Wake Zone
Sm’Oars
What are you going to remember from the summer of 2020? Has your summer been full of laughter and joy like this? There is still time for you to come ‘Make Memories and Start Traditions’ with us!
You only have 18 summers with your kids. This is one of them. Have you made memories as a family yet? We’ve shared a handful of ideas here, here, & here for you to start making memories. Or you can come stay with us and make memories like this!