Thanksgiving weekend is one of the most popular times of year to visit Branson, and the majority of shows and attractions will be open on Thanksgiving Day itself. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy some great food and celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season.
Restaurants
More than 30 restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving, with many serving a special menu of turkey and all the trimmings. See our full list of Where to feast on Thanksgiving Day in Branson for details.
Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City IS open on Thanksgiving Day from 4 to 10 p.m. The park also serves a special Thanksgiving buffet beginning at 2 p.m. A park admission ticket or season pass is required to access the restaurants, so you can arrive early to eat and then stay for their full Christmas celebration featuring over 6.5 million lights, shows, Rudolph’s Holly Christmas Light Parade, and more! More info on Silver Dollar City here.
Drive-Through Light Displays
All of Branson’s Christmas light displays are open on Thanksgiving night.
- Let There Be Lights at Promised Land Zoo
- Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills
- Branson’s Lights of Joy
- Big Cedar Lodge
Live Christmas Shows
Most of Branson’s Christmas Shows will be operating on Thanksgiving Day. Here’s the list:
- Dolly Parton’s Stampede Christmas Dinner & Show
- Showboat Branson Belle Dinner Cruise
- Miracle of Christmas at Sight & Sound Theatre
- The Haygoods
- A Brett Family Christmas
- Hughes Family Christmas Show
- Presleys’ Country Jubilee
- Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular
- SIX Christmas
- The Petersens
- Legends in Concert Christmas Spectacular
- Grand Jubilee
- Baldknobbers Jamboree Show
- A Shepherd’s Christmas Carol Dinner Show at Shepherd of the Hills
- A Christmas Story Dinner Show at Shepherd of the Hills
- Cassandre Haygood’s “Voice of an Angel” Christmas Spectacular
- Comedy Jamboree
- Christmas Wonderland
- Clay Cooper’s Country Music Express
- Sanders Family Christmas
- Dean Z – The Ultimate Elvis
- Reza – Edge of Illusion Magic Show
- Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai
- Hamners’ Unbelievable Variety Show
SEE ALSO: Branson Christmas Attractions & Activities
Attractions
The following attractions are planning to be open on Thanksgiving Day. We do suggest always suggest calling to double check hours and availability if it’s not clear on the website.
WonderWorks
2835 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Located in the upside down building right along Hwy. 76, WonderWorks is similar to a science center, featuring 48,000-dquare feet of “edu-tainment.” Purchase discounted WonderWorks tickets here.
Aquarium at The Boardwalk
2700 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Aquarium just unveiled a new fountain show, which is free to enjoy outside. Purchase discounted Aquarium at the Boardwalk tickets here.
FlyRide Adventure & Beyond the Lens
3115 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Open 12 to 10 p.m. Special for the holiday season, the FlyRide Adventure features a virtual 4D ride to the North Pole on The Polar Express! Purchase discounted FlyRide and Beyond the Lens tickets here.
Hollywood Wax Museum
3030 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Open regular hours. Take photos with your favorite stars and pop culture icons, and enjoy the adjoining Castle of Chaos, Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors, and Shoot for the Stars Mini-Golf. Purchase discounted Hollywood Wax Museum tickets here.
Titanic Museum Attraction
3235 W Hwy 76, Branson, MO 65616
Take a self-guided tour of the world’s largest museum attraction, featuring fully re-created cabins, parlors, and the famous $1-million Grand Staircase. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Purchase discounted Titanic Museum tickets here.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
3326 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Purchase discounted Ripley’s Believe It Or Not tickets here.
North Pole Adventure at Shepherd of the Hills
5586 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Opens at 3 p.m. This attraction includes a walk-through Christmas light display, real live reindeer, a petting zoo, bounce houses, 9-hole mini golf, a “little elves” playground, repurposed animated displays from the classic drive-through, a life-size nativity scene, and more. Purchase North Pole Adventure tickets here.
Shepherd of the Hills Inspiration Tower
5586 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Take a ride to the observation deck of this 230-foot structure with 360-degree views. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Purchase discounted Inspiration Tower tickets here.
Branson Ferris Wheel
3325 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Take a ride on this historic ferris wheel and enjoy the “Electrify Christmas” sound and light show at the top of every hour after dark. Purchase Branson Ferris Wheel tickets here.
Holidays on Ice Skating at the Branson Ferris Wheel
3325 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Opens at 4 p.m., unless the weather is too warm to maintain the ice. Purchase discounted Holidays on Ice tickets here.
Snowflex Tubing Hill at Wolfe Mountain
2339 US-65, Walnut Shade, MO 65771
Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go “snow” tubing year-round on this synthetic Snowflex tubing hill. Purchase Snowflex Park tickets here.
SEE ALSO: 10 FREE things to do in Branson at Christmas
Fritz’s Adventure
1425 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
When it’s too cold to play outside, Fritz’s brings the outdoor adventures inside to their 80,000 square-foot facility with activities for all ages. Explore the slides, tunnels, water tower, ropes courses, zip line, climbing walls, and more. Purchase discounted Fritz’s Adventure tickets here.
World’s Largest Toy Museum
3609 W 76 Country Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Enjoy seeing all the toys from your childhood and years past. Purchase discounted Toy Museum tickets here.
Talking Rocks Cavern
423 Fairy Cave Lane, Branson West, MO 65737
Take a walk through one of the many caves in the Ozarks. Purchase discounted Talking Rocks Cavern tickets here.
Seasonal Encounters Branson
3125 Green Mountain Drive, Branson, MO 65616
Choose from a variety of interactive activities in Santa Adventureland or Jurassic Land (or both). Enjoy cookies with Mrs. Claus, meet Santa Claus, attend Elf University, build a toy in the workshop with elves, play many Christmas games, meet real reindeer, write a letter to Santa and receive a reply, throw snowballs in the snow activity area, and enjoy the petting zoo and nativity Scene.
Gingerbread Village at Chateau on the Lake
415 N State Hwy 265, Branson, MO 65616
Open 24/7. Stop by the resort’s lobby to view an incredible display of candy houses, all created in-house by the hotel’s culinary team. While at Chateau, also check out the beautiful nativity scene (a twin of the set featured in Home Alone) just around the corner from the village, and catch a glimpse of Santa sliding in from the rafters! See photos of the gingerbread village display from past years here.
Big Cedar Lodge
190 Top of the Road Road, Ridgedale, MO 65739
The resort is impressively decorated for the holidays. You can take a tram tour of the holiday lights, go skating on a synthetic “ice” rink, and more. Read more about Big Cedar’s Home for the Holidays here.
Branson Landing
100 Branson Landing Blvd., Branson, MO 65616
Most retailers will be closed at the Landing on Thanksgiving Day, but you can still enjoy many of the restaurants, stroll around the shopping district, or enjoy views of the lake from the walking trails. A new 63-foot state-of-the-art animated Christmas tree on the main square is choreographed to music. A 10-minute show runs every 20 minutes from dusk until 10:50 p.m., including Thanksgiving night. The fountain show runs at the top of the hour, weather permitting.
America’s Christmas Tree City Tour
Various locations
Explore over 700 decorated trees throughout the area, many of which are located outdoors and able to be be viewed and enjoyed any time. Check out the Branson Christmas Tree Tour Interactive Map here.
Hiking & Nature Trails
Various locations
Branson is home to hundreds of miles of beautiful year-round hiking trails. Some of the most popular spots include Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Ruth & Paul Henning Conservation Area, or Table Rock State Park.
Branson IMAX & Elite Cinema III
3562 Shepherd of the Hills Expwy, Branson, MO 65616
The movie theater is fully open on Thanksgiving Day. Find schedules and tickets here.
SEE ALSO: Ultimate Silver Dollar City Christmas Travel Guide
Grocery Stores
Walmart and Target are CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day, but the following local grocery stores are open.
Rhodes Family Price Chopper
2210 W 76 Country Blvd, Branson, MO 65616
Open 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
417-334-2101
Country Mart of Branson
1447 State Highway 248, Branson, MO 65616
Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
417-334-2101
Country Mart of Hollister
200 Southtowne Blvd., Hollister, MO 65672
Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
417-334-3383
Country Mart of Forsyth
15720 US Hwy 160, Forsyth, MO 65653
Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
417-546-2101
King Food Saver of Branson West
18128 State Hwy 13, Branson West, MO 65737
Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
417-847-4155
