Six Days in Branson, Missouri: Silver Dollar City, Day Two

This is the second post of a new travel series to Branson, Missouri.  To start at the beginning, go HERE!

In last week's travel post, I shared all about how we got two days at "America's #1 Rated Theme Park" for the price of one.  Because we were there during the park's Southern Gospel Festival, we needed two full days to enjoy all the rides plus the shows!  Being there during the festival doubled the fun;  I felt we were at a Christian Music festival plus a theme park rolled into one.

Silver Dollar City does so many things I find very admirable.  Every day, before they open the park visitors and employees gather around the flag pole to sing the national anthem.  Everyone stops moving, puts their hand on their heart, and sings the anthem.  It is such a moving experience.

Another thing they do every morning (and also throughout the day if you missed the first one) is gather in the old "Wilderness Church" and sing hymns.  What a great way to begin your visit to the theme park!

After the hymn sing, we headed straight for the train.  This was a ride we really wanted to do the day before but the line was too long.  It was Labor Day weekend when we were there and Sunday had record crowds.  Monday however, was much less populated as everyone was headed home so we were able to get on all the rides much easier.

You have to wait in the cutest train station before boarding your train.

So excited to finally get a train ride!😀

The train is a narrated tour through the wooded property and around the back sides of the theme park. 

The train does stop in the woods and you see a little hillbilly show.  My hubby and I didn't care for the show.  It was too long and kinda silly.  

After the train ride we headed over to the "Saloon" to see a musical comedy.  While walking over there, we enjoyed all the hillbilly shacks filled with things for sale or food and other attractions like a mill and old homes.

The "Homestead Pickers" are a talented musical group.

The Saloon holds an old time musical comedy show with root beer refreshments!

They have a live band and dancers.

The old-fashioned saloon bar which serves root beer instead of actual beer:  keeping the theme park family-friendly.

The actors perform throughout the building: on the stage, the main floor, and the bar.  I wish I would have known this ahead of time, because then I would have chosen to sit in the balcony. Instead, I sat right on the main floor right in front of the stage and I had to keep turning around to see everything. 

After the saloon show, we went on the "Mystic River" water raft ride.  This ride was a blast!

By now, we were soaking wet and hungry so we grabbed one of Silver Dollar City's famous Tater Twists!  It's a baked spiraled potato with a hot dog inside!

We stopped to watch another musical group called "Horse Creek".  I loved it when they performed "I'll Fly Away".

After watching "Horse Creek" we watched a street performance.

Now it was time to head back to the old section of the park to the Opera House to attend another concert

"The Sound" is a father and two sons trio.  They have an amazing harmonious blend!

After the concert,  we headed over to the only part of the park we hadn't seen yet.  It is where the petting zoo is held, but we missed seeing the animals.  They close the petting zoo early, before the park closes, so if you want to see the petting zoo be sure to get there at least two hours before the park closes for the day.

In addition to the petting zoo, this area of the park does have a lot of historical buildings to explore, like this old one room school house.

I remember seeing old barns like this when we went to Smokey Mountain National Park.

This is an old cabin of an actual settler named "Birdie".

This beautiful old log home is a store that sells apple butter and other homemade goodies.  I picked up a few jars of preserves and apple butter.

And that concludes our second day at Silver Dollar City.  We loved our time there, and definitely needed two full days to see everything and enjoy some shows.  We really appreciated the Christian atmosphere being there during the Southern Gospel Festival, it made the whole weekend feel like a taste of heaven.

Next week I'll begin to share all the other fun things we did during our week in Branson!  

For more posts on Branson, Missouri, check out these posts:

Six Days In Branson, Missouri:  Silver Dollar City, Day One

Day Four of Our Vacation in Missouri - A Visit to Branson

A Return to Branson, Missouri, Part One

A Return to Branson, Missouri, Part Two

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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