While Branson, Missouri is typically known for being a family-friendly resort city, there are plenty of options for night owls seeking some entertainment. With nearly 50 venues for live shows, there will always be something for everyone. Visitors to Branson, Missouri can find music shows for any taste, from rock and roll, to country, to big band, and much more.

A favorite watering hole among Branson, Missouri locals is Rocky’s Lounge. Located in downtown Branson, Missouri, Rocky’s Lounge is an extension of Rocky’s Italian Restaurant. The bar and restaurant offer excellent food and drinks along with live music. A local favorite piano player is on hand some nights and entertains the crowd with his uncanny ability to recall songs and grant crowd requests.

Another popular destination in Branson, Missouri is Outback Branson, an Australian-themed restaurant and bar and entertainment venue. Outback features an outdoor deck, along with live entertainment 7 nights a week and a selection of over 100 beers. The atmosphere is laid back and perfect for enjoying Branson, Missouri nights or relaxing with a game of pool or trivia.

An absolute must for Branson, Missouri nightlife lovers is Planet Branson, where you’ll find karaoke, ballroom dancing, and a huge dance floor. On Wednesdays, Planet Branson hosts the biggest karaoke night in town where you can test your pipes or enjoy listening to music’s future stars, or wannabes! On Tuesdays, ballroom dancing takes the floor, and the rest of the week the dance floor hops with enough music to make anyone tap their toes.

For a classy place to enjoy the night in Branson, Missouri, visit Chateau Grille at Chateau on the Lake. Known for fine dining and excellent French cuisine, Chateau Grille is a perfect choice for a date night. With an extensive wine list, even the most scrupulous diner will find something to perfectly match the perfect entrée. Branson, Missouri visitors can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just stop by for a drink at this beautiful restaurant.

Visitors to Branson, Missouri who are looking for an entertainment option for kids and adults alike will certainly want to carve out some time to go to Silver Dollar City theme park. Offering a look into the 19th century, Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri has a theme of 1800s Ozark towns. This is one of the most successful theme parks in the country, and it’s easy to see why.

With more than 20 rides and attractions along with over 40 shows, Silver Dollar City has something for everyone who comes through Branson, Missouri. Rides include roller coasters such as WildFire, Powderkeg, and Thunderation, along with the Giant Swings and several water rides. Those Branson, Missouri visitors looking for a thrill will not be disappointed in the rides at this park.

Branson, Missouri guests who are looking for a quieter way to spend their day at the park will also find plenty to do with shopping, dining, and entertainment options. The park’s 60+ shops are a throwback to the past, dedicated to preserving the arts and crafts of the 19th century. Skilled craftsmen and women showcase trades such as glass blowing, candy making, jewelry making, pottery and much more. Branson, Missouri guests can enjoy watching items be made and then purchase some to take home as souvenirs or gifts.

Visitors to Branson, Missouri will really enjoy the variety of food options that Silver Dollar City has to offer. Since the park is family-oriented, there are plenty of options for family-style dining, buffets, cooking demonstrations, and lots of sweet treats to take with you. Along with fried chicken, salads, barbecued ribs, desserts, and more, the Branson, Missouri park also has your favorite festival concessions like funnel cakes and pork rinds.

When it’s time for a break from the rides in Branson, Missouri, there are shows of all types to entertain the whole family. Check out the “Headin’ West” show in the Opera House for a musical that will take you through the history of the American westward expansion. Stop to listen to the sounds of the Horsecreek Band as they play traditional country and bluegrass tunes. Or for a good laugh and some audience participation, stop by the Street Troupe show. Branson, Missouri visitors will find these and much more to enjoy.

For a great time during your stay in Branson, Missouri, be sure to spend some time at Silver Dollar City. It’s worth at least a day—or 2—for your family!

In September, the Branson, Missouri American Presidents Museum participated in the fourth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian magazine. Museum Day is a day when museums and cultural institutions nationwide open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Smithsonian’s Museum Day reflects the spirit of the magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, DC-based properties.

“It is important that our museum to participated in this event, as it again showed our community and surrounding areas that we are a museum and cultural center for them,” said Stormy Lynn Snow, executive director of the museum located in Branson, Missouri. “We have so much to offer our visitors; we are happy that many in Branson, Missouri took advantage of this free day to learn more about our collection.”

The American Presidents Museum in Branson, Missouri is the collection management division of the National Center for Presidential Studies. The museum features dozens of exhibits tied to American history, many unique displays including a partial replica of the Oval Office, and hundreds of political artifacts and memorabilia.

Attendees to the Branson, Missouri museum presented Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Admission Card to gain free entry to participating institutions. The general public, including Branson, Missouri visitors, participated.

The Compton Ridge Fiddlers’ Convention has been an annual event in Branson, Missouri for many years, and many of this year’s participants have been coming for most of those years. According to several of the fiddlers, the Branson, Missouri convention has been going on since the mid-1970s.

One thing that keeps bringing these musicians back to Branson, Missouri over the years is the friendships they have with others across the country. One player said he has been playing fiddle since he was a teenager and these conventions — which happen in May and September each year — are his favorite events.

“We’ve had some good times here in Branson, Missouri and the music is heavenly,” said one attendee. “I never get tired of hearing the fiddle.”

Leroy Harris, of Purdy, who plays the guitar, has been coming to the convention in Branson, Missouri for the past 10 years. “I love this,” Harris said. “I get a chance to play beautiful music with some great fiddle players.”

Another player said the convention is also a good chance for him to spend time with his grandson, a champion fiddle player in Branson, Missouri. The grandfather-grandson pair enjoys spending time together playing music.

Organizers of the Branson, Missouri convention said they expect the event to continue to grow. “Currently, the convention consists mostly of sitting around playing music and eating good food,” said the manager. “Next year, we are looking at expanding the convention to include some contests and prizes. It’s always a fun event here in Branson, Missouri.”

For kids, collectors and the young-at-heart, the World’s Largest Toy Museum is a Branson, Missouri attraction filled with toys and fun exhibits for visitors to explore. With toys from as far back as 1880, a number of the items in the collection are well over 100 years old!

Branson, Missouri visitors are encouraged to bring the whole family to this famous museum, featuring antique and modern toys. Inside, Branson, Missouri guests discover a broad toy timeline, with everything from old-fashioned hand-carved toys to Elvis memorabilia to Star Wars objects.

Items in the museum’s displays range from traditional classics to unique toys that are one-of-a-kind. During your excursion, peruse toys as tiny as a thimble and as large as a genuine full-sized Rolls Royce. Branson, Missouri visitors also frequently comment on the museum’s sheer number of toys, which is well into the thousands.

Among the many sub-collections for Branson, Missouri vacationers to explore within the museum are pedal cars, cap guns and interesting wind-up toys. Also included are toy soldiers, trucks, boats, cars and trains. And the Branson, Missouri toy museum wouldn’t be complete without Barbie dolls and bicycles.

More generally, the World’s Largest Toy Museum entertains Branson, Missouri visitors with a fascinating celebration of childhood. Patrons who tour the exhibits get the chance to see treasures that brought smiles to the faces of young boys and girls around the world, some more than a century ago.

For those enjoying luxury accommodations in the area at such Branson, Missouri resorts as Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, the museum provides a perfect way for vacationing families to spend quality time together. Adults rediscover their favorite childhood toys, while children get a great peak at life before video games – and even before television!

In addition to its lakes, mountains, shows and attractions, Branson, Missouri features a world of opportunities for wine tasting. Guests at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa – Branson’s only AAA Four-Diamond Resort – enjoy award-winning wines and a seasonal wine tasting series in the resort’s elegant Chateau Grille restaurant. The Branson, Missouri area is also home to three wineries, ideal for learning and tasting even more.

Winner of Wine Spectator magazine’s prestigious “Award of Excellence,” Chateau Grille treats Branson, Missouri vacationers to a six-page wine list designed to provide the perfect complement for each of the restaurant’s exquisitely prepared dishes. Chateau Grille exceeds expectations not only with its delicious cuisine, but with its comprehensive and highly acclaimed wine offerings as well.

The restaurant features a stunning view overlooking Table Rock Lake, which is among Branson, Missouri’s largest and most popular lakes for its abundant fishing, water sports and natural beauty. Thus, Chateau Grille provides the perfect setting for Chateau on the Lake’s winter Vintner Series, hosted annually at the resort.

This seasonal wine tasting series is composed of a handful of Vintner Dinners, each showcasing a well-known winery and highlighted by an elaborate five-course dining experience. Featured wineries present interesting wines, facts, observations and recommendations. The events’ menus vary but are always tantalizing, concocted by the Branson, Missouri resort’s experienced Executive Chef and served by Chateau Grille’s attentive staff.

Branson, Missouri hotel visitors can also discover Chateau Grille’s secrets with regard to wine pairings and selections by sitting at the Chef’s Table, which can only be reserved in advance. Here, gain insight on recipes, preparation, spices and flavors – straight from the Executive Chef himself.

Finally, area visitors can absorb even more of Branson, Missouri’s beauty with a visit to the area’s wineries to try locally produced wines. Branson’s options include Branson Ridge Winery, Mount Pleasant Winery and Stone Hill Winery, all offering free tours and presentations pertaining to the craft of winemaking. At each winery, Branson, Missouri visitors can peruse a gift shop to purchase some great Branson wines.

The actual population of Branson, Missouri is somewhere around 7,000. However, a great many people also call the mountain areas surrounding Branson home. It was these mountains that greeted and served as home for Branson’s initial entertaining families in 1959, beginning with the Mabe brothers.

The Mabe brothers started as a Branson family who performed twice a week in a converted roller skating rink on Lake Taneycomo in what once was downtown Branson. This trailblazing Branson foursome blended popular country tunes with traditional Ozark Mountain music. They also treated Branson, Missouri visitors to a bit of comedy for further entertainment.

In 1968, the Mabe brothers built a theater on Highway 76, which runs through Branson, Missouri. Here, their act and audience flourished further. Today, the ‘Bald Knobbers,’ as they called themselves, are recognized for having the longest continuously running show in Branson, Missouri.

However, the Bald Knobbers weren’t Branson, Missouri’s only family with entertainment on their minds. In 1960, Hugo and Mary Herchend fulfilled plans to open a small, old-time Ozark village attraction in Branson, Missouri. The attraction was established on top of Marvel Cave, nearly 10 miles west of Branson on Highway 76.

Marvel Cave, which was located where Silver Dollar City theme park now sits, was the first attraction to draw visitors to the Branson, Missouri area over a century ago. Although various stars, mainly country music singers, began coming to the Branson, Missouri area in the 1980s, the city’s long, rich history shows itself in Branson entertainment – even today.

Visitors began being drawn to the Branson, Missouri area over 100 years ago, enticed by Branson’s inspiring natural beauty and plentiful outdoor recreation activities. However, people did not arrive then in the droves that now make Branson, Missouri one of America’s most popular family vacation destinations.

The early beginnings of the Branson, Missouri area involved minister Harold Bell Wright, who moved to the Ozarks in 1898. While in Branson, Wright lived at the homestead of John and Anna Ross. He later immortalized them as “Old Matt” and “Aunt Mollie” in his famous novel, “The Shepherd of the Hills.” Published in 1907, the novel offers tales of the strong, self-sustaining people Wright encountered in Branson, Missouri and its wooded valleys, among other interesting local discoveries and details.

The book, set in Branson, Missouri, sold millions of copies in multiple languages. It was so famous, in fact, that four movies were filmed – including a version in 1941 that featured John Wayne. It was Wayne’s first Technicolor film. Following the publication of “The Shepherd of the Hills” and particularly upon the release of the movies, Branson, Missouri residents began noticing a greater onset of visitors.

Lake Taneycomo was created with the building of the Ozark Beach Dam (also known as Powersite Dam) in Branson, Missouri in 1913. At this point, the Branson area became even more attractive to outdoor enthusiasts. The Branson area and such Branson resorts as Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa continue to attract vacationers who prefer fishing, boating, swimming, hunting and enjoying the rugged natural beauty of the Ozark Mountains and Branson, Missouri’s plentiful lakes.

Touring the world with their record-breaking show, The Twelve Irish Tenors are sparking a sensation wherever they appear – and performing some of the greatest songs of the 20th Century. Branson, Missouri hotel guests and visitors simply can’t get enough of the group, calling it a truly talented batch of vocal musicians.

Branson hotel guests, such as those enjoying a family vacation at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, who have seen the group agree: “The music will make you melt.” Said David King, the show’s creator and producer, “The individual voices would be enough to hold their own on any stage, but when you combine twelve of Ireland’s finest, the result is breathtaking.” The Twelve Irish Tenors offer Branson hotel guests and area visitors a cleverly constructed selection of Irish folk songs, big Opera numbers, modern rock classics, pop and even a special tribute to the Beatles and Barry Manilow in their eclectic repertoire.

The Tenors sing with perfect harmonies and a touch of Irish charm, captivating Branson hotel guests and audience members of all ages. They move with ease from opera to pop, with each member of the group having the opportunity to showcase his own unique talent through a variety of songs. Branson hotel guests can relax and enjoy the sounds of such famous tunes as Danny Boy, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, Yesterday, Twist & Shout, Mack the Knife, New York New York and the opera classics, Nessun Dorma and La Donna E Mobile.

You’re planning a family vacation in Branson, Missouri – aptly dubbed the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World.” You’re considering which shows to see, but you’re seeking something different; you want something that’s not run-of-the-mill but retains that “Branson” family-style flavor. You’re in luck, with Legends in Concert — a live tribute show featuring a cast of all-star impersonators – loved by Branson resort guests and visitors of all ages.

The “Legends in Concert” theater is located along the famous 76 Strip and has been a part of the Branson entertainment scene for 12 years. Two hours of engaging entertainment is guaranteed for the Branson resort guests, couples and families who take in this amazing show. The production showcases talented impersonators who recreate legendary performances…and themselves as legendary performers.

From the looks of the original celebrities to the characteristics of their showmanship – including the movement, mannerisms and sounds of their voices – the Legends’ cast nails every detail in a most authentic way. The voices being heard are the performers’ actual voices – no recordings or karaoke tricks are used. Branson resort guests claim that it’s as if the stars themselves are truly right in front of you, serenading you in person.

You’ll be captivated by such stars as Garth Brooks, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe, George Strait, the Blues Brothers, and Elvis – from the 50s, of course. With fascinating shows that change four times a year, it’s easy to see why Legends In Concert remains such a popular production in Branson, Missouri among vacationing families and resort guests – including those who stay in ultimate luxury at Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, Branson’s only AAA Four-Diamond resort.