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The steam train is the oldest ride at Silver Dollar City, opening in 1962. It's a 20-minute ride and includes a comedy bit.
Mystic River Falls is the latest attraction in Silver Dollar City, opening in 2020, and features a five-minute whitewater-type raft ride.
The classic tater twist is a family favorite.
BRANSON, Missouri — For at least 45 years, I’ve been going to Silver Dollar City.
First, that was as a kid when the park of the Ozarks was largely crafts and mild rides. Now, it’s as a mom, holding everyone’s stuff in a patch of shade next to a silversmith shop while kids take part in multi-million-dollar rides.
OK, maybe I joined them on a few.
Through the decades, the park has maintained a standard that keeps people coming back. It’s freakishly clean (even the bathrooms), and the workers are overly nice (even to stressed out moms, lost and trying to find the Christmas store).
Since 2010, the park has invested more than $100 million in improvements. Each upgrade has kept pace with modern expectations of ride thrills, while keeping with the original aesthetic and architecture. The Ozarks provide a welcomed shade that other concrete jungles of amusement parks don't have in the summer months.
From Tulsa, a Silver Dollar City excursion is just far enough to feel like a vacation but close enough to drive and not break a budget. The trip can be a quick getaway or extended to a week-long destination to include shows, shopping and exploring around Table Rock Lake.
Recently, my 18-year-old son and I joined my mom, sister and two nephews for a mid-week trip. The age range was 9 to nearly 70, and a full day was spent at Silver Dollar City.
For those driving to the park, scope out all the side roads in case of traffic jams. We went on a Tuesday, and the streets were largely unclogged. The park has extensive parking and shuttles to get everyone to the front gate.
The youngest children have the Grand Exposition and the Fireman's Landing with child rides, water features and an interactive playhouse.
For our family, the teens and pre-teens went straight to the grownup rides. The only exception was for their Nana, who was determined to get everyone on the steam train. No one says no to Nana.
The train is something everyone can do. The 20-minute leisurely ride — also the oldest ride in the park, established in 1962 — gives a nice view of the Ozarks and a break from walking and standing. The teens might not have appreciated the campy side show, but little kids totally got into it.
It is Branson. You have to lean into the kitsch.
Easily the most popular ride in my group was the Time Traveler. The $26 million steampunk-style attraction opened in 2018. It spins, plunges, turns upside down and rattles your insides. It has a slow buildup to a fast pace.
The kids were daring each other to keep their eyes open the whole time. Not sure anyone won that challenge. And they kept wanting to get back in the line for another trip.
The 15-story Wildfire skirts around the top of the Ozarks for a dazzling view.
A close second (and my first choice) is Mystic River Falls. The $23 million whitewater-type raft ride is the newest park addition, launching in 2020. It's unlike any water ride I've encountered. The five-minute trip immediately starts to whirl and shoot through the path.
It's touted as the "tallest drop in the Western Hemisphere" and feels that way as the raft climbs up about five stories. Think of it as a roller coaster on water.
You will get wet. Your feet will be soaked. And, on a 100-degree day, that's a happy side effect.
Third on the must-ride list is the Powder Keg, which has been operating since 2005. It's all about speed, going from 0 to 53 mph in less than three seconds. Going around the bends and down a 110-foot drop will have you floating.
The view of the Ozarks on the outer edges is amazing but fleeting. If prone to vertigo, this won't be your thing.
Outlaw Run gives Powder Keg stiff competition with three upside-down twists and a 16-story drop. Again, the scenery is breathtaking but momentary.
Don’t skip the old favorites. Fire in the Hole celebrates its 50th birthday this year and remains my nostalgic go-to at the park.
The kids went on it for the first time and got into the sensory deprivation of being in the dark, meandering through makeshift caverns. There are a couple of unexpected drops, and a turn. For pre-teens dipping their toes into the grownup rides, this is a place to start.
The next step up would the Thunderation, built in 1994 as the park's first roller coaster. It's not as daunting as the other rides and is closest to the entrance.
Something to consider: Get the TrailBlazer pass, which offers front-of-the-line access. There are different price levels based on the number of rides and type of ticket or season pass. But eight uses for one day is a $48 add-on the ticket.
Fireman's Landing at Silver Dollar City has plenty of rides for younger kids.
The wait for Mystic River Falls was about an hour without the pass on a Tuesday during a non-holiday week. With the pass, it was five minutes. The same with Powder Keg.
Now, let’s talk about the food.
As a kid, I just wanted fried stuff, lemonade and ice cream. That’s all there and can hold its own with any state fair fare. But, so much more is available, with some culinary choices surprisingly upscale.
Rivertown is the area of shops and eateries surrounding Mystic River Falls and includes the Rivertown Smokehouse.
Rivertown is the $4 million area of shops and eateries surrounding Mystic River Falls and includes the Rivertown Smokehouse. As the name states, it specializes in smoked meats. The sausage and pulled pork were perfection. Sweet potato tater tots were part of a side dish and went fast at our table. The kids gave the macaroni and cheese high marks.
Among the many sweet treats around the park, the blackberry gooey butter cake and twice-baked bread pudding from this restaurant are the best. Hands down. I'm trying to reproduce that butter cake.
Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread is a must-try.
We then went to Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread nearby for an original cinnamon and an apple version. Apple won our family taste test, but no crumb was left of anything. I regret not purchasing the peach version.
Crossroads Pizza features a stone-hearth oven, daily homemade dough and a recipe heavy on the cheese. The kids went for the pepperoni while the grownups choose the chicken spinach alfredo made with fajita-style chicken. The portions were generous enough to take some home for later.
A popular choice was the meatball sub with a few diners opting for the salads.
A new feature this summer is a “Tasting Passport” for $32.50 that offers five tasting items at eateries throughout the park. My sister and I participated to sample different foods.
It’s worth it. These are not sample-size bites or off-the-menu items. The choices were extensive and were more than enough to share with the group through the day. There are between 35 and 40 choices of food options, from ribs to funnel cakes.
During our seven hours at the park, our group settled on a chicken sandwich, a burger, chicken fajita skillet, cream whip lemonade, cinnamon roll, two other desserts and classic tater twist (the fam favorite). All exceeded our expectations for park food, elevating each to restaurant-quality dining.
The park sets different themes through the year, including a fall and holiday festival. Through July 24, the park is celebrating National Kids Fest with Nik Wallenda’s Zirkus, a high-wire show of aerialists and jugglers, and the interactive New Chuggington Adventure.
From July 23 to Aug. 7, Moonlight Madness will keep rides going until 10 p.m. with nightly fireworks and a street dance party. If you go two times a year or more, a season pass is the better deal.
Silver Dollar City is a 61-acre amusement park near Branson in southwest Missouri. The drive takes about three hours and 15 minutes from downtown Tulsa. The park, which opened in 1960, is not far from the Indian Point peninsula of Table Rock Lake.
For more information, go to silverdollarcity.com or call 417-336-7100.
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Born and raised in Oklahoma, I'm an editorial writer for the Tulsa World Opinion section. Phone: 918-581-8376
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The 900-plus-mile journey will begin May 30 and end June 17 in Tahlequah.
The steam train is the oldest ride at Silver Dollar City, opening in 1962. It's a 20-minute ride and includes a comedy bit.
Mystic River Falls is the latest attraction in Silver Dollar City, opening in 2020, and features a five-minute whitewater-type raft ride.
The 15-story Wildfire skirts around the top of the Ozarks for a dazzling view.
Fireman's Landing at Silver Dollar City has plenty of rides for younger kids.
Rivertown is the area of shops and eateries surrounding Mystic River Falls and includes the Rivertown Smokehouse.
The classic tater twist is a family favorite.
Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread is a must-try.
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