Branson, the Vegas of the Ozarks

Obviously the pandemic has changed a lot of plans, resulting in missed opportunities to spend time with loved ones. As a way to deal with the disappointment of not spending the Christmas holidays with family, we immediately began planning a summer trip. I think we've all heard enough about COVID silver linings, but shaking us out of our typical last-minute plan-making certainly was one.

My mom has been talking for years about renting a big house or condo in some vacation destination, and her request was granted this summer. An added bonus was that we were able to schedule it around her milestone birthday.

So, in early June (before Elsa was even out of school!), we loaded up the car and headed to Branson, Missouri. The excitement was palpable...at least until someone got sick from driving on windy roads. But after that minor setback, we were back on track and in a celebratory mood to (finally!) see family and enjoy a vacation.

On the road...before someone lost their lunch

I did not grow up near my cousins, but every time we did get together, it was as if no time had passed. It fills my heart with such joy to see my children have that same experience with their cousins. Within minutes of arriving, they all disappeared together on some mission or adventure. 

Because we had planned in advance (amazing!), we were able to secure two condos essentially next door to each other in a complex near the mountains and other attractions. Also, it had a pool, so we were all set. 

The first evening was spent getting reacquainted and celebrating my mom's birthday. I hope she felt as special as she is, and I'm so glad we were all able to be together.

The festive mood continued into the next day as we geared up for Silver Dollar City, Branson's legendary amusement park. My family had traveled to Branson at least once when I was a kid, and Silver Dollar City is pretty much all I remember from that trip. It did not disappoint this time around.

So, we are not "Disney people", and the only experience our kids have with rides is from the fair and the carousel at the children's museum, so going to an amusement park was a big deal. (Yes, Jon, we'll go to Worlds of Fun someday.) Silver Dollar City was great because it is manageable in one day. Since we had multiple adults, we were able to split up into groups to accommodate all of the different ages--and heights--of the kids. For instance, I hung back with Erik while everyone did a water ride but then got to sneak off with my sister-in-law and eldest niece for a roller coaster.

The entire day was pretty fluid like that, and we shut the park down, happy and exhausted. As a result, the next day was spent in a more leisurely fashion, with plenty of time in the pool. We went back into Branson in order to take my mom out to dinner for her birthday.

Our little fish

Clearly we were out of practice at dining out in a big group (inside a restaurant!)...but so was our server. It was maybe not the best experience, but we'll leave it at that. What was the best was the epic photo shoot of the cousins. With the exception of Erik, who only wanted Dad or Mom, we have one photogenic crowd. 

Branson, Ocean's Eleven-style

We closed out the night with a stop at one of the many, many souvenir shops so the kids could find something to commemorate the trip. That was really our only foray into the tourist town, and I'm kind of glad. We didn't partake in any of the shows or activities that have turned Branson into an Ozark Vegas, and I didn't really feel like we missed much. 

The next morning--my mom's actual birthday--consisted of all the usual frantic packing activities. My older brother and family had to head back pretty early, but we were able to go out for breakfast--er, brunch--with my mom and younger brother. We waited a long time and the weather was surprisingly windy and cold, but it was nice to have just a little more time together.

On our way out of town, we had to make one last stop. When we rode on similar rides in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, we called it the rodelbahn, but sometimes it's known as a mountain coaster or Alpine coaster. Regardless of the name, it's super-fun. The kids had a blast, and it was the perfect way to cap off our adventure.

Some things may have been different on this trip, but the things that mattered stayed the same. Our Branson vacation was full of family and fun.