Branson, Missouri, Lights Up for the Holidays

Within a day’s travel for half of the United States, Branson, Missouri, is worthy of a family road trip during its annual Ozark Mountain Christmas. This colorful celebration earned Branson the title as one of America’s most Christmassy towns.

Ozark Mountain Christmas is filled with lights, music and seasonal good cheer engaging all ages. More than 1,500 Christmas trees turn streets and parks into Christmas card scenes, and you can follow a Christmas Tree Trail beginning at a 39-foot evergreen tree covered with nearly 6,000 lights.

Kids will love the Christmas tree treasure hunt to find the biggest and best trees, with holiday quizzes and plenty of photo ops and challenges. Lights are everywhere, especially at Branson’s star year-round attraction, Silver Dollar City. The 19^th-century theme park’s An Old Time Christmas event features more than 6.5 million lights, enough to stretch more than 680 miles.

Christmas In Midtown is a walkthrough experience with 1.5 million lights, and Joy On Town Square is a synchronized display with lights and music, featuring an eight-story Christmas tree with larger-than-life LED projections. Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade also winds its way through the streets.

With 2 full miles of LED displays, Let There Be Lights is a drive-through route at Promised Land Zoo, and Lights of Joy is a 1.5-mile drive-through that includes traditional and whimsical displays. Your family can also walk through the Shepherd’s North Pole Adventure at Shepherd of the Hills, featuring thousands of twinkling lights, Christmas activities and a visit with Santa.