The 7-Day Best of Branson Family Trip with Teenagers

Whether it is simply a weekend getaway or a 7-day family vacation with kids and grandparents, planning any vacation or trip can be daunting. This rings even more true when traveling to a destination with as many entertainment and activity options Branson. Once famous as being the "Show Capital of the World," Branson has grown into a true getaway destination that has something for everyone whether it be a couple, a family with young children or a family with teenage children.

Without further ado, below you will find some ideas for a 7-Day Best of Branson Trip with Teenagers. To view our other itinerary ideas, click the following: 7-Day Best of Branson Couples Trip or 7-Day Best of Branson Family with Young Children.

The 7-Day Best of Branson Family Trip with Teenagers

Where to Stay?

• Branson Cedars Resort
  • Choose between a treehouse or log cabin for a unique experience close to town and the lake.
     
• The Cabins at Grand Mountain by Thousand Hills Golf Resort
  • Luxury log cabins sleep 2 to 16 and feature jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, kitchens and screened porches.
     
• America's Best Campground
  • Pull up your RV or stay in an air-conditioned cabin and enjoy the pool, spa, firepit and BBQ grills.
     
• Thousand Hills Golf Resort
  • Options abound with cabins, condos or brand-new spacious lodges perfect for large families.
     
• Holiday Inn Express - Green Mountain Drive
  • Conveniently located near dining, shopping and entertainment, the property features an indoor pool and hot tub.

7-Day Itinerary

Day 1:

Start your day off by loosening your belt and enjoying some large portions at Billy Gail's Cafe. Pancakes are larger than heads and plates, while biscuits and gravy, and french toast will also fill hungry bellies to start off a great Branson vacation. With your appetite taken care of, slather on some sunscreen and head up to Silver Dollar City to spend the day on over 40 rides and attractions. Enjoy award-winning shows and grab lunch before (well, maybe after?) heading back in time on Time Traveler, the world's fastest, steepest and tallest spinning coaster. Also, don't miss the brand new Mystic River Falls opening in 2020 with the tallest drop on a raft ride in the Western Hemisphere. Don't forget to visit Silver Dollar City again during the Christmas season to take in one of the greatest Christmas light displays in the world. The evening calls for a little friendly competition at Andy B's Bowl Social. Think top-notch restaurant and bar meets bowling, games, entertainment and more. Start with some chicken wings before moving on to burgers with hand-cut fries or a pizza with fresh daily made dough. Your teens can even wash it all down with a mocktail of their choice. After dinner, entertainment options abound with your choice of bowling, virtual realtiy, arcade games, escape rooms and classic table games. You can even debut your shower voice in a private karaoke room.  
 

Day 2:

It is gooey cinnamon rolls to start your second day. The Hungry Hunter Restaurant serves up delicious cinnammon rolls alongside fluffy pancakes and other breakfast staples. Let the teenagers explore the wacky, amazing and unique at Ripley's Believe It or Not!  Eight galleries are filled with an ever-changing collection of over 450 artifacts, unbelievable art, crazy illusions and wacky inter-actives. Where else can you let your teens pose with a vampire woman, lose themselves in a spinning vortex, and see a shrunken head? So, you've made it two days in, and you haven't had any Branson BBQ yet? Quickly change this by heading to Big D's BBQ for lunch. You will fall in love with Big D's Texas-style Brisket and Memphis-style ribs made by smoking low and slow and using their own special blend of dry rub. If there is enough room, don't forget their award-winning desserts made fresh in-house by Mama D. After all, where else can you get a Bourbon and Bacon Pecan Pie or a Salted Caramel Banana Pudding? Speed over to Xtreme Racing Center for some family racing competition. This isn't your average go kart track. Xtreme's custom built karts deliver exceptional performance on the state-of-the-art 3,500-foot raceway. One of the most sophisticated lap timing systems on the market will keep the competition between family members at an all time high. Dinner comes from recipes pulled right from the pages of Paula Deen's cookbooks. At Paula Deen's Family Kitchen guests help themselves to endless portions of delicious Southern food. The dishes are passed around the table in a setting that feels like home. Teens and parents alike will want to off their meal with Paula Deen's famous Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. For an action-packed evening show catch Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama. It is the longest-running outdoor drama in the United States in a historic setting. The family will love show as over 90 actors and actresses perform with live animals, a shoot-out, a burning of a log cabin, mystery, romance, and more.
 

Day 3:

Even your pickiest eaters will be sure to find something they love for breakfast at Grand Country Buffet. The bountiful breakfast includes fresh fruits, cereals, yogurt, farm fresh eggs, bacon and more, reminiscent of a breakfast at grandma's house. It's a great way to start off the day, as fun continues as you take the family on a tour through Hollywood's most famous landmarks at Shoot for the Stars Mini-Golf. You will putt through a movie audition, press tour and paparazzi sighting all on your way to fame. Celebrate some of our nation's heroes while enjoying delicious hand-tossed pizza at Hook & Ladder Pizza Co. The firehouse-themed pizza restaurant will fill the bellies of the entire family while exploring actual firefighter gear. In the afternoon, escape the heat by escaping a room at 417 Escape Room. From spooky campgrounds to murder mysteries, there is guaranteed to be an escape adventure for every interest. You can even partake in dueling rooms which allows teams to race int he same themed room at the same time to see who can get the best time. Home of the original singing servers, Mel's Hard Luck Diner will be sure to entertain. The 1950s themed diner is home to talented professional singers, songwriters and musicians, which accompany classic burgers and large desserts. Enough to feed the whole family, conquer the "Climb Every Mountain Ice Cream Avalanche" if you dare. On a bed of 12 scoops of ice cream, the sundae is topped with cookies, bananas, brownie crumbles, pineapple, strawberries, hot fudge, hot caramel, marshmellow cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, nuts, springs and M&M's. You will need to walk off any of the wonderful desserts, and Branson Landing is the perfect place to do so. Catch the Branson Landing Fountain Show for an amazing merging of water, fire, light and music. The attraction will amaze with dazzing interplay of water fountains shooting 120-foot geysers, as well as blasting fire cannons, all choreographed to light and music. Sit back and relax as you finish another great day in Branson.

Day 4:

Clockers Cafe in historical downtown Branson is where you will find great home-cooked meals like their famous biscuits and gravy. Daily breakfast specials are also available from their friendly staff. Portray an actual Titanic passenger as you walk the recreated hallways, parlors, cabins and grand staircase at Titantic Museum. Experience over 400 artifacts in this unique one-of-a-kind interactive experience including the opportunity to reach your hands into 28 degree water. At the end of the tour, guests will learn the fate of the boarding pass of the passenger they were given. More BBQ is in store for lunch with Championship Ozark's Style BBQ from Gettin' Basted. They pioneered hot & fast, Ozark's style BBQ cooked over live wood coals in 55-gallon barrels. Get started with some Basted Nachos and Championship Wings before moving on to Smoked Brisket, Pulled Pork, St. Louis Cut Spare Ribs or a Wagyu Better-Than-Prime Burger. One of the best extreme adventures in the Ozarks sends you down a mountain at 30 miles per hour. Runaway Mountain Coaster is a scenic trip up a beautiful mountain followed by countless zigs and zags racing back down. The ride can be mild or wild as you control the cart with brakes, but no doubt your teens will try the "no brakes" approach. Expertly grilled steak is on the menu for dinner at LongHorn Steakhouse. Couple your center-cut Flo's Filet or Prime Rib with freshly baked bread, fresh salads, and seasonal sides. Save room for a Molten Lava Cake before your appetite disappears. Don't blink or you will miss some of the most innovative and mind-blowing grand illusions in the world at Rick Thomas' Mansion of Dreams. This is unlike any other magic show you have seen as stunning magic, extreme comedy, exquisite dancers and an inspiring story are woven into one of the most amazing set productions. Your reality will be suspended as one unbelievable effect weaves into another.
 

Day 5:

Signature breakfasts at Branson's Center Stage Grille & Bar include Huevos Rancheros, Branson Benedict, The Lumberjack and Farmer's Feast. If you are in a hurry, visit the Kaffee Haus inside the restaurant for your morning pick me up, including teas, hot chocolates and espressos. Work off that breakfast by plunging into the legendary world of 18th century buccaneers at Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf. Elaborately themed buildings, cascading waterfalls, true tales of buccaneer lore, exotic fauna and a full-scale pirate ship await on two 18-hole courses. Play the Captain's Course, Blackbeard's Challenge or both with the 36-Hole Adventure to see which family member comes out on top. Enjoying lunch can be as simple as a burger, fries and a milkshake. Billy Bob's Dairyland is a funky, retro diner with hand-made burgers always fresh and never frozen. Don't forget to try their house-baked pies as well. Cool off on an extreme boat ride against the backdrop of the spectular Lake Taneycomo. Branson Jet Boats departs from Branson Landing combining fantastic scenery with full 360 spinouts, power stops and slides executed by experienced and knowledgable captains. Grand Country Resort is calling your name again for an evening of dinner and a show. Fill up at Grand Country Buffet with succulent roast, salads, fresh baked breads and desserts before you head over to the Grand Country Music Hall for one of Branson's best shows. Featuring comedy that will leave you doubled over in laughter, powerful vocals, and tight harmonies, Grand Jubilee is sure to surpass all expectations for any age. Emcee Mike Patrick will take you on a journey of spectacular music, family comedy and Ozarks hospitality. You'll hear Top 40, Country & Gospel, classics, as well as Rock & Roll hits from the 70's, 80's and 90's. 

Day 6:

For 45 years, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has been a home-away-from-home with warm, comforting meals. Options like Grandma's Sampler, Momma's Pancake Breakfast, Old Timer's Breakfast and Grandpa's Country Fried Breakfast fill the menu. Don't forget to spend some time in the gift shop finding that perfect treasure for any loved one. Thrills and views are in store at Adventure Ziplines of Branson. The high-flying adventure for the whole family starts with breathtaking views of the Ozark Mountains from high atop the soaring towers. When you muster up the courage to zip away, you will be reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour across seven exciting ziplines. For lunch and some shopping stop by the Branson Craft Mall. At 16,000 square feet, the mall is a one-stop shopping, dining and entertainment experience with vendors, artists, and crafters selling apparel, quilts, leather goods, jewelery, and more. Inside you will find the Pickin' Porch Grill where you can grab a bite to eat and on select days catch some live music as well. Tacos, catfish, salads, sandwiches, and burgers occupy the menu and help fill that void known as hunger. Stop by The Branson Sawmill for not one, but two extreme adventures. Take to the skies on The Branson Buzzsaw which towers 123-feet high pleasing with great views as you swing to new heights. Then jump on The Branson Coaster for a half-mile trek down twisting and turning tracks. You control your speed as you zoom, race, and slide on North America's Original Double Apline Coaster. Take a stroll down the Landing to Mellow Mushroom Pizzeria for an out of this world experience. They serve the best pizza in the universe with hand-tossed, stone-baked, always fresh ingredient pies. While kids chow down on the pizza, parents can enjoy a selection of 24 draft beers and handcrafted cocktails. Incredible music, amazing special effects, and one talented family will fill your evening  as you experience one of the best shows in Branson. The Haygoods put on a show like no other in Branson. Where else can you see upside down guitar players, triple laser systems, massive pyrotechnics, fire effects, and a guitar playing robot? You will hear the talented family perform hits from the 60's trhough today on over 20 different instruments. After the show your family will have the opportunity to meet the Haygoods, take pictures and even get autographs. 
 

Day 7:

Your last day on vacation starts off at Branson's oldest restaurant, the historic Branson Cafe. The cafe has been serving up good eats for the whole family since 1910. Try the Hillbilly Eggs Benedict, Breakfast Skillet or Biscuits and Gravy to energize for a day in the sun. Hope you still have some sunscreen left, as a water adventure awaits. Two million gallons of fun and 13 acres of water rides, slides and waves await you at White Water. The water park has something for everyone in the family as you can enjoy high tide at the 500,000-gallon Surf's Up Wave Pool or simply float your cares away on the Aloha River. For high thrills, take a 70 degree, 40 foot plunge at a screaming 26 feet per second on KaPau Plummet or brave the side by side freefall drop slides at Kalani Towers. The park also has multiple dining options to keep the family fueled during lunch for more water fun. Fuel up with another round of old-fashioned BBQ at Danna's BBQ & Burger Shop. Danna's has something for everyone including a Smoked Pork Plate piled high with tender pork and accompanied by homemade coleslaw and signature Memphis rolls. Your teens will love the BBQ Nachos, burgers, ribs, chicken and more. Every night, Danna's smokes beef and pork for 12 to 14 hours over locally smoked hickory wood to deliver the best flavor to your table. Have you ever heard an orchestra of human voices? Now is your chance, as you enjoy SIX, a group of high-energy brothers who take you on a musical entertainment experience. You won't believe how the brothers sound like a complete band by using only their mouths. Once you experience it, you will understand the power of SIX.