We ended 2020 with a visit to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. This theme park is styled after the American frontier of the mid 1800s. While it boasts of some great thrill rides, it is also home to a number of different craft areas where visitors can come and watch a blacksmith, glass blower, wood carver, and others show their skills. Coming here is a wonderful mix of a step back to a bygone era combined with the coaster exhilarations.

We arrived early for our timed entry at 10:30 and got in line to have our temperatures taken. They gave us a wrist band signifying that we had passed the test in case there was any question about it while we were in the park. We then queued up in front of the entrance waiting for the gates to open at 11. While we waited we enjoyed checking out the ingenious water wheel clock that was created hundreds of years ago.

We explored through the frontier style stores enjoying the smells of fresh cinnamon rolls from the bakery and peppers and sausage cooking in large cast iron skillets. Every building was covered in lights and even through the day the lights shine on the visitors adding a little extra sparkle to the beautiful buildings.

Our first ride of the day was Fire In The Hole, fashioned after an old fire station. We then got in line for the Powder Keg which is a launch rollercoaster without any loops. We passed by the line for the parks newest claim to fame- The Time Traveler. This record breaking coaster is a spinning coaster with multiple inversions and multiple launches. { Know if you go:: If you’re wanting to ride the Time Traveler, then be sure to get in line as soon as you can. The line is long and by the time you ride it you would have time traveled through a couple of hours of waiting}. We didn’t want to wait in the long line so we went to the one next to it called the Thundernation coaster.

By this time the park was crazy busy, so we decided to forego on riding anything else. Between the crowds and the cold, waiting in line just didn’t seem worth it. So we got some lunch and wandered through the shops some more. We watched a glass blower as they created some incredible glass snowmen that then could be found in the glass store next to it. We watched a few music groups perform including an jug band group performing some original folk songs and hillbilly music and some Victorian clad performers sing traditional songs of the season. We saw the Wilderness Chapel subtly decorated for the season with their big windows overlooking the hills beyond the park. And of course I had to make a bee line for the pulled taffy shop where we watched the taffy being pulled by hand and then were faced with the dilemma of what of the hundred flavors of taffy to fill our bag with. They have a couple of Christmas shops set up filled with ornaments and decorations for any taste. They even have a parade dedicated to the classic movie Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer where the characters make their way through the main street area of the park for all to enjoy.

We ended up not staying too long at the park because we were too cold to really enjoy much more than we did. But we loved our day at Silver Dollar City and the lovely reminder of the past that it gives to its visitors.

To find out more about this park and planning a trip there, check out :: silverdollarcity