DRANSON, Missouri ; Leaving Brown's Candy Factory, Mom felt a little homesick for Silver Dollar City.
His first visit in 1977 was when I was teaching at ABC and his younger brother was in elementary school (that's how big Catholic families intersect). He and my dad took us to an 1880s amusement park in the Ozarks.
"I remember everything was concentrated on the main road and it wasn't very big," he said as we waited for a ride on the Time Traveler. "There were many types of art, such as quilting, wood carving, and glass blowing. There was always a train ride. I love to travel by train."
My mother likes to travel by train. This is the oldest attraction in the park, and the mother asks all her children and grandchildren to go there.
As our family grew, so did Silver Dollar City, which opened in 1960. It currently covers an area of approximately 100 acres and includes 12 entertainment venues, more than 40 attractions, 60 shops and 18 restaurants.
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For about 15 years this has been an annual trip for my family with my mom and sister's family. Nine people with spouses and children are obtained. It may not be an exotic vacation, but it's a comfortable and affordable trip we can rely on for low-stress collaborative activities.
It's just over a four-hour drive from Tulsa, and there are plenty of hotel options, especially if you're looking for discounts. Branson has a variety of shows ranging from Dolly Parton's Stampede, Irish singers, country music, magic shows to many tribute shows.
There's the popular Tanger Outlets, where you'll find great deals, and the more luxurious Branson Landing, just across the river from the White River system. But our family can't get past Silver Dollar City.
It differs from other amusement parks in the country in that it is located in the hills; lush landscaping dominates the aesthetics and architecture. It all started not with a concrete slab, but with nature.
Our extended family recently returned to Branson after spending the day at the park. I thought the kids would grow more from this trip. It's not like this.
When kids were kids up until middle school age, they couldn't get enough of Firemen's Wharf in the park. Firefighter motifs decorate the children's attractions, and the two-story firehouse is filled with dances and hands-on activities.
Then the kids turned into teenagers and started riding the rides, and Silver Dollar City has some great options. Now we can let them roam and they will come back happy.
Download the Silver Dollar City app before you go. This will make it easier to know your expected wait time or show start time. The waiting time for the trip depends on the popularity. While on some we waited less than five minutes like the train, we stood in line for about 45 minutes on the boat.
The list of favorite children is headed by "Time Traveler". The steampunk ride spends most of its time in reverse, twisting the 95-foot ramp at breakneck speed in between.
When my 15-year-old daughter took her first trip on the Time Traveler, she couldn't describe it: “What was that? I have to do it again." I went at least three times.
The next favorite roller coaster was Wildfire, which soared high above the Ozarks just before diving into the loops. The Powder Keg is fastest, hitting 53 mph in 2.8 seconds. The male cousins loved it and my daughter was a little worried.
Another family tradition is the Tronador, located at the entrance to the park. Built in 1993, it's a go-to for teenage kids who want to ride roller coasters. It's not the scariest or fastest, but it's his favorite memory.
My favorite roller coasters will be gone by the end of the year. Fire in the Hole opened in 1972 as an innovative indoor ride in a dark cave with various twists and turns. More than 25 million people passed through the temporary caves.
The bikers learn about the real-life mining town of Marmaros and a group of vigilantes called the Bald Knobbers, who look creepy in both photos and old photos. The effect of aging sounds a little silly, but that's the fun part. By today's standards, traveling is boring, or as my kids would say, "boring."
My father, who died in 1989, loved to ride his bike with me as a child, and it made me very old. He exaggerated his fear for my benefit and we laughed at our own absurdity. It was a little sad to say goodbye to Fire in the Hole, but everything that replaces it will leave new memories.
Silver Dollar City is not complete without a boat ride. If you do, head to Mystic River Falls, but be aware that you will get wet. An eight-person raft travels through the waterway and then ascends an eight-story revolving elevator with four platforms.
When it opened three years ago, the ride was billed as the "tallest raft in the Western Hemisphere." But as with roller coasters, the view from the top is incredible.
A seasoned teenager in line, clearly a park veteran, smartly switched from socks and slippers to Crocs. I learned the hard way that a nearby attraction allows visitors to pay 25 cents to pump a bucket of water on the cyclists.
Although I was drenched to the skin, I felt fine except for soaking feet on a hot day. Consider flip flops or something waterproof.
Of course, we all took a 20 minute ride around the park on the Frisco Silver Dollar Line steam locomotive, which made for a nice break and view. There is a short stop to the "looting" of the city hooligans, repeating the script of old jokes.
But we took the actors on a day off when their props weren't working and everything that could go wrong was working. It made sense for them to go off script, which made it fun.
As I got older and more prone to motion sickness, I became drawn to musicals.
Frontier Follies celebrates 50 years in theater. When I visited it as a child with my grandparents, I remembered this show with awe of the high dancers.
The play has not lost its charm and comedy. Five times a day, the performers put on a truly hilarious show that revolves around the story of two vaudeville producers, Roots and Koontz. The revamped show includes an anniversary song referencing stories and characters from the past fifty years, including Carrie Nation, Ming Murphy and Red River Ronald.
The Nick Wallenda Circus returns until July 16 with zipline stunts, breathtaking stunts and aerial acrobatics mixed with comedy.
Like me, Silver Dollar City is nostalgic. This summer, some of your favorite characters will come to life in the park and roam Main Street, chatting and entertaining passers-by.
Teachers will demonstrate their skills throughout the day. In addition, in addition to checkers, corn or classic board games, there is a new garden with rocking chairs.
Food plays a major role in the park, offering a wide variety of options including traditional fried foods, barbecue, pizza, burgers, frozen lemonade, fries, funnel cakes and ice cream.
The cinnamon buns sold at Clara Belle's Bakery near the Rivertown Water Rides are worth a stroll. We ate at Rivertown Smokehouse, where a meal costs $12-$25. Smoked turkey, sausage and pork chops pair perfectly with delicious desserts like blueberry pie and bread pudding.
Another dining option is to add $35 to your Summer Tasting Passport. It allows you to select one of five items from a list of restaurants. While the portions aren't always the full size, they're more than enough for a day at the park.
The park changes seasonally throughout the year. In the fall, a harvest festival is held, during which tens of thousands of pumpkins are burned. The celebration is impressive: more than 6.5 million LEDs are lit in every building in the park. All this led to Silver Dollar City being called the number 1 amusement park in the world. 10 Best in America Readers Choice Awards by USA Today.
Last time we were at a Christmas festival, my mom and I watched about 45 minutes of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol in Prose. This is one of my favorite memories with him.
That's what family vacations are supposed to do: create warm feelings of nostalgia.
Tip: If you come here more than once a year, the season pass is the best deal. For example, a one-day park ticket costs $85, and a season ticket costs $154. Discounts are available for pensioners, military personnel and children under 11 years old.
For information or tickets, call 417-336-7100 or visit silverdollarcity.com.
