I have had many people ask me about getting the best rates, so I thought I would share. NEVER call directly and reserve through the resort, itself. We always book on Ebay. There are tons of timeshare owners who sell their nights for great deals. You can book rooms in a Lodge, which is more like large hotel rooms....or you can rent the cabins, which are our favorite. Really, you can't go wrong with anything at Big Cedar. Heaven on earth, I tell ya.
The kids signed up for a couple afternoons of "Kids Club". They LOVE this and would go every single day if we would let them. Unfortunately for them, their parents actually prefer to SEE them during family vacations...so we compromised and signed them up for two.
They nervously waited in the lobby to meet their counselors and new friends they would make.
One day they learned about rocks and fossils and the other day they went fishing.
We picked them up and had dinner at our favorite Diner....and then some fun to work off their last bit of energy.
History was made when Bryce drove a Go-Kart, ALONE, for the first time. He was apprehensive and took every corner very carefully. He was so proud of himself!
Bradley graduated to the "big kid" Go-Karts. Time is passing through my fingers like sand.
Along with Bryce's disdain for being "made" to do something...we also discovered that he also inherited my hatred of teacup rides. Poor Kid.
We enjoyed the usual sites of Branson...
and the kids were also enthralled with all of the tornado damage there was to see along the strip.
It was a 4th of July vacation to remember...the good, the bad, and the ugly. We hope our cubs know how much we love them and how much we love spending time together as a family. We know that are years with them in our nest are numbered and we are striving to fill their minds with happy memories full of laughter, silliness, and love.
We had never traveled on the 4th...but we picked the perfect year to skip town. Record high heat and a burn ban helped us to know that we made the best decision possible!
We spent the entire week there and above all else, enjoyed the R & R.
Sadly, we discovered that our favorite family vacation activity (swimming) ....is no longer our favorite thing to do. Since we have had the blessing of swimming in our own pool all Summer...we discovered that swimming in public pools has lost it's appeal. I have heard it described as "Human Soup"....and that's what it felt like. It was officially depressing.
Another low point of the trip was our meal at The Hard Luck Diner. Wow, was it nasty. It lives up (down) to it's name.
Branson, MO is not known for being a hub of culinary excellence. It's a mecca of senior citizen buffets, diners with questionable live entertainment, and some unique "holes in the wall". I speak literally and figuratively.
After years of searching...we have our list of favorite places to go that are actually really good. It was a weak moment. We were hungry and confused, and in a moment of weakness, we betrayed our better judgement and pulled in. The Hard Luck Diner....where you place your order...and listen to your server sing about 12 songs before delivering your plate of gristle.
After years of searching...we have our list of favorite places to go that are actually really good. It was a weak moment. We were hungry and confused, and in a moment of weakness, we betrayed our better judgement and pulled in. The Hard Luck Diner....where you place your order...and listen to your server sing about 12 songs before delivering your plate of gristle.
We found a great spot to wait for the fireworks to begin. The kids ran laps until their shirts needed to be wrung out.
The fireworks show at Big Cedar is nothing short of amazing. Sadly, I have not mastered the art of fireworks photography. Every picture I have ever taken ends up looking like a petri dish of "critters" under a microscope. See exhibit A.
The fireworks show at Big Cedar is nothing short of amazing. Sadly, I have not mastered the art of fireworks photography. Every picture I have ever taken ends up looking like a petri dish of "critters" under a microscope. See exhibit A.
Putt Putt was on the kid's Summer Bucket List. On another sad note...(depressing post)...I spent the month of July battling bronchitis, which turned into pneumonia. I spent several weeks in bed and the bucket list is only partially completed. We decided to extend our SBL through the end of Fall and hopefully we can still accomplish everything on the list.
Some Putt Putt Highlights.
Cool course. The train drives you to the top of the "mountain", where you start golfing. Kudos to Bryce for trying to smile. Sadly (again)... my children have all inherited a strong trait from my side of the family. We don't like to be told what to do...and that includes someone telling you to "Say Cheese".
Some Putt Putt Highlights.
Cool course. The train drives you to the top of the "mountain", where you start golfing. Kudos to Bryce for trying to smile. Sadly (again)... my children have all inherited a strong trait from my side of the family. We don't like to be told what to do...and that includes someone telling you to "Say Cheese".
(In the Cave)
Bryce was interrupting my photos shoot, asking if we were going to golf some more. "Goofy Golf" tops the list of his favorite things to do.
The highlight of this outing, was finding the airplane that once stood on top of the Putt-Putt mountain. A recent tornado had ripped it apart. We found it "parked" behind the building. Don't think they will be repairing it any time soon.
They nervously waited in the lobby to meet their counselors and new friends they would make.
One day they learned about rocks and fossils and the other day they went fishing.
We picked them up and had dinner at our favorite Diner....and then some fun to work off their last bit of energy.
History was made when Bryce drove a Go-Kart, ALONE, for the first time. He was apprehensive and took every corner very carefully. He was so proud of himself!
Bradley graduated to the "big kid" Go-Karts. Time is passing through my fingers like sand.
Along with Bryce's disdain for being "made" to do something...we also discovered that he also inherited my hatred of teacup rides. Poor Kid.
We enjoyed the usual sites of Branson...
and the kids were also enthralled with all of the tornado damage there was to see along the strip.
It was a 4th of July vacation to remember...the good, the bad, and the ugly. We hope our cubs know how much we love them and how much we love spending time together as a family. We know that are years with them in our nest are numbered and we are striving to fill their minds with happy memories full of laughter, silliness, and love.
Great reporting Sar Bear! I loved all your adventures and all the pictures, but......... my favorite of all times was Bryce on the tea cup ride. I so understand exactly what he was feeling. Is that his tongue hanging out??? I am laughing so hard but feeling so badly for him.
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