Silver Dollar City (SDC), despite its misleading name, is a theme park located near Branson, Missouri. The amusement park is an 1880s-style attraction that has gained international attention. With 40 live shows daily, SDC is an ideal destination for music and entertainment lovers of all ages. The park transforms into a Christmas wonderland each year and attracts millions of travelers who want to bask in its cheerful glory. Silver Dollar City has festivals and rides that are unique, offering guests exciting Yuletide adventures.
Some of the festive events are open from the very beginning of November until the end of the year. This extended period of celebration gives visitors the chance to choose what type of weather they want to be immersed in and appreciate the changing seasons of Missouri. Travelers coming to Branson can appreciate both the holiday celebrations at the park and the surrounding natural environment. Branson, Missouri also has a plethora of outdoor activities including fishing, hiking, camping, horseback riding and canoeing. The town is a great place to visit for family fun, but especially so during the holidays.
How To Get to Silver Dollar City
Branson is the closest city in Missouri to Silver Dollar City (which is about four hours from the popular city of St. Louis). The Branson Airport (BKG), is the nearest airport to the park with a driving time of about 30 minutes via car, so most tourists simply use ride-sharing apps to get to their accommodations or rent a car to get around.
Getting around is not very hard since SDC is a popular tourist destination. The Branson area has plenty of accommodation options, including affordable hotels. The park even operates a nearby campground where guests can stay in log cabins or park their RVs at a site. A complimentary shuttle goes to and from the park, which helps travelers save money on transportation (if they stay at nearby lodging options).
Things To Do in SDC for Christmas
Silver Dollar City is the go-to hub for Christmas activities like holiday movie showings, holiday shops and themed rides. There is an ample amount of festivities that occur in SDC during Christmas time. Here are just some of the most popular activities that keep visitors coming back.
An Old Time Christmas Festival
The annual Old Time Christmas Festival is an 1880s-themed event where guests of the park can see many attractions. The special effects Christmas tree towers over the dazzling park, which is filled with holiday treats fit for the whole family and 60 unique shops all throughout the park. The festival has Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, which is very popular with children. The parade celebrates the season with music, floats and many North Pole characters to spread the Christmas cheer.
Christmas in Midtown Light Display
There are nearly 6.5 million lights up at the SDC’s famous light spectacular. The display is the largest lighting display in all of Silver Dollar City’s history (which is significant since it has been in operation since the 1960’s). They can be seen while guests explore the 100 acre park. The breathtaking lights present Christmas scenes and an array of cute characters.
Character Meet & Greets
Throughout the park guests can meet characters like Rudolph, the Abominable Snow Monster and Santa. These one on one meetings are a great way to get the cutest holiday photos. To ensure visitors do not miss greetings that they want to be at, the park even provides a schedule that can be checked via mobile app. Those with youthful hearts will be elated to take photos with the North Pole’s most famous residents at SDC.
Best Times to Visit Silver Dollar City
Weather
The most popular time to visit Branson, Missouri is near the fall season. The autumn weather and vibrant colors are ideal from September to October. Since the holiday season begins nearly as soon as November starts, travelers may get to experience the cool weather. During Christmas time, visitors of the area will experience temperatures around 40 degrees. Branson does experience snow a few times a year from November to February, but only about a few inches. For travelers who want to experience a white Christmas (and who keep up with the weather forecast), Branson is the perfect destination for the holidays.
Best Days
With the increased popularity of Silver Dollar City, it is expected that travelers may experience some delays or crowds. To avoid crowds, travelers should aim to visit the park during weekdays. During the weekends in the Christmas season the park reaches capacity, especially on Saturdays. If the weekend is unavoidable, travelers should try to get to the park either a bit before it opens or late in the evening after the popular festivities end, so there are less crowds. In general, Travelers should aim to visit the park Monday through Thursday.
Holiday Admission
The park is officially open for the Christmas season beginning at the end of October. Through the end of December, travelers can buy tickets and visit SDC to appreciate the holiday decor from 1:00pm to 9:00pm. All the rides are usually open during the Christmas season excluding water rides. Single day tickets range from $79 – $89, but travelers can buy two day tickets or season passes for more budget friendly fun.
