Don’t we all look for some magic during the holidays? According to our Hospitality Editor, Ron Stern, it’s easy to find during the holiday season, and year-round, in Silver Dollar City, in Branson, Missouri.

Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan your visit to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Photos courtesy Silver Dollar City. Graphic by Real Food Traveler.

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A Silver Dollar City Getaway: Branson Missouri’s 1880s-Style Theme Park Welcomes Travelers for the Christmas Season

Looking for something new this Christmas? It’s possible that you have never heard of Silver Dollar City. If so, there’s no time to waste! This 1880s-style theme park nestled in the gently rolling Ozark Mountains in Branson, Missouri, is awash in holiday cheer and beckoning you to visit. The park is so popular; it’s the reigning 5-time champion for USA Today’s 10Best Theme Park Holiday Events for its An Old Time Christmas running from November 5- December 30. With Broadway-style shows, world-class roller coasters, millions of colorful lights, and some of the best theme-park food you will find anywhere, make haste and book your holiday adventure in time for all the holiday fun!

One of my favorite Twilight Zone stories was episode 30, A Stop at Willoughby. It featured a salesman in the big city with an ulcer from a high-stress job, an abusive boss, and unsympathetic wife. Each night he takes the train home in the snow, falls asleep, then wakes up and looks out the window to find a turn-of-the-century town called Willoughby. The sun is shining, a band is playing, and barefoot kids with fishing poles gesture for him to join them. The conductor tells him that this is a place where a man can “slow down and live life full measure.” Before he can get off though, he is jolted back to reality by the train’s movement.

It’s not real, you say? I beg to differ. Silver Dollar City seemed like such a place. A throwback in time, you can relax and enjoy what life was like, even for a day or two, in this beautiful respite from big city life. But I‘m getting ahead of myself.

The story begins with a hole in the ground. Originally called Marble Cave (1880s) in the hopes of finding marble (they never did), it was later changed to Marvel Cave and is situated about 300 feet below the surface of the current “City.” The stunning Cathedral Room is the largest cave entrance room of its kind in the country. Owned by the Herschends family, they conducted cave tours in the 1950s. As its popularity grew, as many as 50,000 people per year came to see this beautiful limestone cavern.

Experience Marvel Cave in Silver Dollar City. Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City.

Since there was usually a wait to descend into the cave, the Herschends got the idea to open a small Main Street on the surface. By 1960, they had a blacksmith, wilderness church, a town square, general store, and street performers. It was a huge success, reportedly doubling business, and the family now realized that they were in the theme park business!

As more attractions were built atop the cave, a writer and publicist named Don Richardson suggested that they name the town “Silver Dollar City.” With no funds for advertising, they decided upon a brilliant marketing plan. They would offer real silver dollars from the U.S. Mint for customer change. The resulting word-of-mouth was all it took to launch this burgeoning new theme park, and today Silver Dollar City sits above what is now a National Landmark. They still offer cave tours where you can explore Missouri’s Deepest Cavern and learn all about the rich history of this fascinating natural wonder.

If this is your first visit, there is so much to take in that you might want to do it over several days. The sprawling property is approximately 100 acres in size. There are 40 rides and attractions, a demonstrating crafts colony with 100 artisans, award-winning roller coasters, loads of entertainment, a variety of seasonal festivals, of which Christmas is the crowning glory, and of course, the food.

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Foods Galore at Silver Dollar City

Since I’m hungry just thinking about all the taste-tempting goodies here, I will try to whet your appetite as well. Unlike most theme parks I have visited where the food is mostly forgettable, I found the opposite here.

Let’s start with something you wouldn’t expect to find—succotash. You read right. Someone offered a recipe from one of the original families, whom they affectionately call “citizens,” and it was an instant success! Prepared in huge 5-foot cast iron skillets, their Family Feud (Succotash) is prepared with sautéed corn, yellow squash, breaded okra, peppers, onions, and seasoned roasted chicken. Hungry customers gobble up 100,000 pounds of this vegetable-heavy dish every year.

Don’t miss the local specialty, Succotash. Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City.

At Eva and Delilah’s Bakery, the baking starts before the sun comes up. Preparing yeast rolls, bread, and huge cookies is what they are known for, creating a loyal following. Down the way at Sullivan’s Mill, you have to try a park staple, their warm cinnamon loaves with vanilla icing.

Brown’s Candy Factory is one of many family-run businesses in the City. June Ward, known as “The Queen of Candy,” is the inspiration behind the scenes. Since 1969, she and her family have been making tons of fudge, brittles, clusters, toffees, and more. Visual demonstrations pack the house, with the peanut brittle being a crowd favorite along with their own brand of Ozark humor. Each season, they sell more than 90,000 pounds of sweet happiness.

Enjoy something sweet at Brown’s Candy Factory. Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City.

Located along the waterfront, Rivertown Smokehouse is one of the newer districts in the park. Here you can dine on some tasty smoked meats while watching rafters come to a splashing end on the Mystic River Falls ride. Choose between baby back ribs, brisket, pork, chicken, and sausage entrees.

With about 25 dining choices, you won’t leave hungry. During the Christmas Season, you can feast at two all-you-can-eat buffets. The first is at Reunion Hall, featuring smoked prime rib, root beer glazed ham (delicious), moist fried chicken, and a host of sides. Molly’s Mill Restaurant offers a Traditional Holiday Buffet including hickory smoked turkey, crispy fried chicken, sweet potato carrots, and apple raisin dressing, to name a few.

You can also select their Christmas Tasting Passport. For just $32.50 plus tax, you can choose five tastes from 23 eateries across the City. There are way too many to list, but I wouldn’t miss these: Wassail (Oscar’s Wassail Stand), apple dumplings with cinnamon ice cream (Apple Dumpling Stand), handmade peppermint ice cream in a peppermint waffle cone (Hannah’s Ice Cream Parlor), red velvet funnel cake (Cakes & Cones), gingerbread dusted churros with peppermint dipping sauce (Dockside Concessions), and during the chilly weather, a large hot chocolate (Hot Chocolate on the Square).

Are you hungry yet? I’ve just scratched the surface, so bring your appetite along with some comfortable walking shoes and warm clothes. The park is on a hillside and is basically a large circle, so it is hard to get lost. This might help: If you are headed uphill you are going to the top near the entrance, if downhill, to the bottom.

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Silver Dollar City Lighting Gone Wild

Somebody here must have had a love for illumination as well as an unlimited budget. Each year, starting in June, they painstakingly install an unbelievable 6.5 million colorful Christmas lights for An Old Time Christmas that would stretch for 700 miles!

An 80-foot Christmas tree at the top of the park is a real showstopper. Each night during the season, the Joy on Town Square Sight and Sound Spectacular puts on a joyous display of its own. Outfitted with the latest technology, this tree features 350,000 high-resolution lights that constantly change into various animated shapes and images. Combined with music and colors, I have never seen anything quite like it, and you probably won’t either.

In the Christmas in Midtown® district alone, they used 1.5 million energy efficient LED lights, some of which are nine stories tall. Walking under a green-lit arched wreath portal leads you to a magical world with flying angels, stars, snowflakes, and musical trees that delight both the eyes and soul. Children all around me were mesmerized by the dazzling displays of light.

It’s lights everywhere you look in the Midtown area of Silver Dollar City. Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO.

There are no dim or barely lit bulbs here, like there would be on my tree. Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade showcases nine musical floats laden with colorfully costumed characters spreading Christmas cheer. Starting at City Square, this spectacle winds its way twice each night around the parade route (just look for the snowflakes on the park map).

See Broadway-Style Shows

One of the many things that surprised me about Silver Dollar City was the superb quality of their various entertainment venues. Rivaling anything I have seen on Broadway, they offer 30 varied shows each day and evening, including carolers and street performers.

Their all-new production is called Coming Home for Christmas. Fourteen singers and dancers wowed the crowd with old-time Christmas carols, along with some moving stories and heartfelt songs about holiday traditions. I had to wipe my eyes several times during their rendition of “O Holy Night.” I probably just had too much hot sauce on my nachos.

Another long-time traditional favorite, A Dickens’ Christmas Carol sets this classic tale to song. Everything is done with precision, and the level of musical accompaniment was spot on. All the performers were outstanding, especially little Tiny Tim, who resembled my grandson. “God bless us, every one!”

See the “Coming Home for Christmas” show in Branson, Missouri, at Silver Dollar City.

Rides and Attractions

Not surprisingly, Silver Dollar City was named the #1 Amusement Park in America for good reason. In addition to the other entertainment and food, they have top-quality rides and attractions for the whole family.

At their Grand Exposition, they devoted two acres to world’s fairs and expositions from the turn of the century.  The ambiance, colors, and décor closely match the era, and I was once again transported back to my thoughts of Willoughby. Ten family-friendly rides include a smaller-sized roller coaster, and a high-flying swing that tilts and whirls for some centrifugal fun. There are also kiddie-sized rides where parents can accompany their children.

Okay, now for the adrenaline junkies. On the wooden Coaster called Outlaw Run® your stagecoach is about to be robbed. As you make your escape, you twist and turn while flying across the Ozark landscape. Voted “Best New Ride of 2013” worldwide by Amusement Today, this $10 million roller coaster features a number of industry firsts.

To begin with, it is the only wood coaster to twist upside down three times. Then, when it opened, it was the world’s steepest wooden coaster with a 16 story–stomach in your throat first drop of 162 feet at an angle of 81 degrees (Guinness Book 2015). As if all that isn’t enough, it reaches a top speed of 68 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest wood coasters in the world!

The Time Traveler® is another heart-pounding, record breaking attraction. Here are the facts: The coaster reaches a top speed of 50.3 mph; has a 10-story, 90-degree drop, and a height of 100 feet. There are three inversions, which is the most ever on a spinning coaster. Then there’s a 95-foot tall vertical loop and two launches, guaranteed to wake you up without coffee!

There are many others, of course – 40 in total. At Mystic River Falls in Rivertown, learn the lore of a mysterious river found deep inside Marvel Cave. This river-rafting adventure has the Tallest Drop of a White Water Raft Ride in the Western Hemisphere. Then there’s the Flooded Mine, Powder Keg, Thunderation, Wildfire, and so much more.

Demonstrating Craftsmen in Silver Dollar City

In the 1950s, when the Herschends were looking for ways to expand their vision, they scoured the hills and countryside for mountain people who had specialized skills passed down from one generation to the next. These close-knit communities made products that they and their neighbors needed, such as horseshoes, brooms, wood carvings, and baskets.

Today, they have kept that tradition alive by incorporating a demonstrating craft colony into Silver Dollar City. With 100 resident artisans, you can not only shop for quality, hand-made products but also learn about America’s heritage by watching how many of these items were made from scratch.

At Hazel’s Blown and Cut Glass Factory, expert glassblowers use simple elements such as water, fire, sand, and human breath to create beautiful vases, bowls, and ornaments.

The Wilderness Road Blacksmith Shop is one of the perennial favorites among park goers. Most people take mass-produced nails for granted now, but back in the 1880s they had to be made individually by hand. Kids and adults alike can watch this simple hand-on process by the village “smithy.”

Making grain the old-fashioned way is what you will find at Sullivan’s Mill. It seems a traveling salesman named Charles Sullivan donated an authentic water-powered gristmill to the city. Now the huge stones are used to grind wheat or corn into flour that is used to create some of the tempting bakery items you will find at the park.

The grain for all of the baked goods around Silver Dollar City is milled on-site. Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City.

This preservation of an important part of America’s history is such a local treasure that the U.S. Congress named Silver Dollar City “The Home of American Craftsmanship.”

Without giving away the surprise ending, in the Twilight Zone episode I referenced earlier, the haggard salesman does finally leave the train and escape to Willoughby. While this was the dream of someone’s fantasy, Silver Dollar City is real. You can still find that same spirit of freedom and adventure that you and your family will cherish. It is a place where you can slow down and live life full measure, even if only for a day or a week.

When you go: 

For more information about Silver Dollar City, visit the website, here. To learn more about Branson, Missouri, visit the Explore Branson website, here. A great place to call homebase when you visit Silver Dollar City is the Hilton Branson Convention Center. 

This hotel is centrally located in Branson and just walking distance to the downtown shopping district and Branson Landing. The rooms and bedding are very comfortable and the property also has room service, pet-friendly rooms and an indoor/outdoor pool. One thing I couldn’t help notice in Missouri is how friendly people are. This includes the staff that goes out of their way to ensure you have an enjoyable stay.

The Branson Convention Center is a great place to stay when visiting Silver Dollar City. Photo by Ron Stern.

–Story by Ron Stern, “The Global Gumshoe” and RFT’s Hospitality Editor

Please note: This was a sponsored visit; however, the author’s opinions are based on a fair and honest assessment.