People who go to Branson for shows and shopping are missing the REAL beauty of this place. I did…read morethe two mile loop that takes you down to the lake and back up to the parking lot. The beauty of the Ozarks is breathtaking! There are restrooms and covered picnic tables as well.

Somewhere in Branson, tucked behind the tourist shops and fudge factories, we decided to go full…read morenature mode and hit the Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area--which sounds way more intense than it actually is. I was half-expecting to see a bear with a banjo or a raccoon running a moonshine still. Instead, we got about 140 acres of surprisingly legit wilderness... with signs. Lots of signs. Branson knows how to label a rock. The trail started off innocent enough--wood chips, some chirping birds, a suspicious squirrel staring us down. Then came the stairs. Not like "oh look, a couple of steps," but 315 stone steps carved into the side of a bluff like Mother Nature was training for a StairMaster commercial. Whoever built these things must have been part mountain goat, part lunatic. Down we went, each step echoing with the soundtrack of my thighs weeping. Somewhere between Step 89 and existential crisis, we passed a little cave where I'm 83% sure a wizard lives. It was cool, literally and metaphorically. We didn't go in though--look, we respect magical real estate. At the bottom was a view of Lake Taneycomo so pretty it made me forgive the stair situation. There were trees, chirping birds, and a breeze that whispered, "Hey, good luck going back up." We lingered at a little waterfall trickle (emphasis on trickle--it hadn't rained much) and contemplated faking an injury to avoid the climb. Eventually, we powered back up, legs shaking, pride shattered, but hearts full. Or maybe that was just dehydration. Back at the top, we found a porch swing near the ruins of an old homestead, which felt like a reward from the hiking gods. If you ever wanted to swing gently while staring into the distance and pretending you're in a Nicholas Sparks movie, this is your spot. All in all, 5 stars would hike again. Just next time, I'm bringing hiking poles.

This wilderness area is accessible from the trail head shown at the fire tower, or from the south…read more See the web link. There are two stacked loops through rugged mixed timber and two one-way trails along Piney Creek. The trails are not well marked and there are a few "social" trails that can get you lost. A map and compass are a good idea if you plan on hiking from the north trail head to the south trail head or vice versa. This is a gorgeous and rugged area though, and easy to get to from Branson if you just want to get away for a few hours.

I overwhelmingly recommend this place! I visited Memorial Day on my way home from a weekend at…read moreTablerock Lake which is very close by, and had a an amazing time. I only planned to ride a couple hours but had so much fun I kept getting on that shuttle and stayed the whole day. I've been to a few ski resorts that offered downhill in the summer, and thankfully this is not that! It didn't feel like a corporate cash cow, more like a best friend's personal dream playground on steroids. The trails are epic and well maintained. As expected, they offer a variety of ride levels for everyone. They have trails that are fast and flowy, easy for beginners yet great for more advanced riders that like to go fast. Next, gnarly technical trails with drops, rocks and lots of natural obstacles to test your nerve and suspension. I did manage with my hardtail. Finally, the playground runs, with lots of manmade features and great jump lines. All of which were very well labeled, marked and consistent so you don't have to worry about getting into something you weren't expecting. Shuttle runs up are managed by a fleet of military troop transport vehicles that appeared to be very well maintained, set up with solid racks for the bikes, and plenty of seating. How cool is that? I never waited more than a couple minutes for a ride. The main compound is beautiful and modern with an aesthetically pleasing color palette that compliments the lush forested canyon. Wrenching service is available which I was thrilled about. It looked like a ParkTool factory shop so I popped in there and within a few minutes, I believe his name was Zach, who is awesome, had my chain oiled, tires pressure adjusted, and my whole set-up checked to make sure it was fit for the task. They also offer really nice full suspension rentals that were so affordable, I regretted bringing my own bike. Now for my "second" favorite part of the day, lunch. I ordered the Howler Burger and paired it with an IPA. I am not kidding when I say it was possibly the best burger I've ever had. Seriously! The tables were nicely stained and lacquered. The only thing I would add would be seating options under the canopy of trees as the dining area is in the only open air space and the sun was radiating heat through those new black umbrellas. They have a nice shop, with parts, riding apparel, gifts, snacks,... just about anything you could possibly need and the prices were comparable to my local bike shop!? Not like the aforementioned ski/ bike resorts. In fact, everything there was priced as if I was in the middle of town. Now my favorite part of the day, I was helped by a very beautiful and lovely lady whom I think was named Jan. I hope I got that right as she remembered my name after being there only one other time two years earlier. I'm not that memorable so kudos to her. The parking is behind a medium hill, about the only pedaling I had to do that day. I realized they have a four seater RZR with bike racks for a parking lot shuttle only after I made the trip two times. It was a great trail though. They have a nice stage for events and offer really cool camp sites with decks and glamping tents. In all, I can't say enough good things about the place. All the staff is incredibly friendly and invested in you having a good experience. The facility is beautiful, the food is fantastic and most importantly, they are serving up smiles for miles of downhill. Sorry, I had so much fun I didn't take time for photos.

2nd time going out on that trail and we had a blast. Something from for all families and especially…read morewith teenagers. Worth every moment and getting drenched!

don't expect that everyone has had experience with ATV. The tour guide could have talked more…read moreabout safety, and asked the group and interacted more professional and gave more information as to what to expect. The tour was underwhelming and we only stopped once, maybe there wasn't much to see? Wanted the experience to be much more interactive and more scenic. Not sure why the tour guide got off topic and talked about the amish in a negative way when this could offend people. Stick with topics of the company, area, the business, history of the land etc.

I had the Beef tips special. It was delicious. The other 4…read morehad the patty melt special. All was great. Our server Laurie was fantastic!

Roaring river is a great place! they have bathrooms electric access a Hatchery that YOU CAN SEE!!!…read moreif you love fishing it's definitely for you accessible docks and swimming area nice scenery and cheapish

What a fun place. We came on a beautiful day. We could not ask for better weather. We got our golf…read morecarts reserved online prior so we got to skip the line and went straight to the golf cart line. They quickly showed us how to operate them and we were on our way. Don't think you're gonna go very fast because these are programed not to go over 7 miles an hour, but that's OK. It gave us more time to enjoy the beautiful view. There were a few places along the line that we could stop and get out and enjoy the view. Upon entering the tunnel, there was a menu of drinks that you could have complementary with your admission. That was a nice little added surprise as we were getting quite thirsty by the time we got to that spot. Take advantage of the trip and take your time. Stop at all the stops and enjoy the views and waterfalls. When in line for the golf cart and they stop for you to take your picture one of those is complementary digital picture so make sure that you are all looking and smiling. Honestly, our picture turned out horrible as everyone wasn't looking. They try to sell you a lot of these so I would think that the photographer would've taken a little bit of extra time to get people to look. That was the only downfall of the trip otherwise I would highly recommend it.

Top of the Rock golf cart tour and museum were great. It took about 20 minutes to get our golf cart…read moreand the fun slow started. Then we got to the 1st waterfall and it just got better and better from here. We were very glad we did it. The museum was so much, much bigger than anticipated and was very well done. Also nicely air conditioned.

Beautiful beach! Getting there was pretty awful as the traffic was insane, but it was also early…read moreJune when we went so it may have been a touristy hotspot time. Parking was awful and it was one car in, one car out so it took us almost an hour to get parked. The playground was nice, but aimed towards older kids and not toddlers. There was enough space to relax on the sand and swim without feeling overwhelmed or overcrowded.

Super fun, laid-back beach that's perfect for spending the day relaxing in the water! There are…read morepavilions, picnic tables, and a park area set up, which makes it great for families or anyone wanting to make a full day out of it.The sand is pretty rocky and can get hot quickly, so we kept our water shoes nearby. There were also lots of small seashells in the water, the kids had fun finding. There's plenty of space to bring tents, umbrellas, chairs, and set up your own little spot to relax.The beach area is large enough for floaties, and I even saw people with small kayaks enjoying the water. The $5 per carload fee is very reasonable, especially since it's good for the entire day. Definitely a great spot for a fun, affordable beach day!

Really cool trip down the White River! Pack some water and snacks and float on down for a few…read morehours. It's located next to the Wanderloo Lodge and you can grab some food from The Gravel Bar to take with you. Relaxing day on the water but don't jump in, the water temp is probably 50 degrees.