Where Should You Head for Family Fun? Visit the Ozarks!

I enjoy summertime and all there is to do in the Ozarks.

It’s a unique region—one with a vibrant history, some cultural diversity, and a host of friendly folks. Life moves at a different pace in my neck of the woods. We work hard, but we also know how to have fun. (The Ozarks are the beautiful backdrop for my novels so I have a lot of fun in the name of research. And yes—just like historical novelists, contemporary fiction writers must do this, too.)

Regarding the Ozarks, our family is blessed to live  in an area that still celebrates faith, family, and freedom, and we’re only a stone’s throw from one of our favorite little getaways—Silver Dollar City. SDC, you may remember, is a Christian, family owned theme park in Branson. (I talked about it here and here.)

Well, over the weekend we trekked on down the highway to SDC for the final days of the Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival.

So. Much. Fun. We had a ball!

Here’s a quick recap in photos:

 

 

As we moseyed farther into the park, we came upon the sampling station where all the delicious barbecue sauces were displayed. There were mini straws for sampling the dozens of sauces. (Our daughter was dismayed that her favorite—Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce—had sold out, but it was toward the end of this particular festival and I wasn’t really surprised. That one always goes fast–which must mean it’s a favorite!)

Take a look at the others…

 

 

 

Onward to our next destination…

After we’d sampled many of the sauces, we made our way down the hill to—wouldn’t you know— where some real food was! And as we dined, we listened to some fabulous bluegrass music played and sung by some super talented kids and their mama. (Even if you weren’t a bluegrass fan, you couldn’t help but adore this fine group. I could have listened all day!)

My husband and I chowed down on some deelish beef brisket sandwiches from the award-winning HawgWild Barbecue gang.

Our daughter went for something a little offbeat—spicy barbecue nachos—complete with pulled pork, shredded cheese, pickles, and barbecue sauce—and topped with homemade cole slaw and served over a huge bed of chips. Sooo tasty! (And before that, she had a potato twist drenched in parmesan and garlic powder. Go figure. Ohhh, to be a teen again!)

Some other sights from around the park included these lovely “peace poles.”

Besides listening to music and eating, we managed to do so much more—rides, shops, and general sightseeing and memory-making.

We wound down our day with a free music concert in Echo Hollow—one that was cut short because of the approaching rain, but we totally understood and appreciated the park’s early dismissal. Since our family has SDC season passes, we’ll visit again soon.

And we’d love to have you join us, too.

The Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival ended on Sunday, June 1st, but now the All American Summer Festival kicks off. Lots more fun in store!

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What’s your family’s idea of fun?

Have you ever visited the Ozarks?

Which BBQ sauce would you like to try?

See you back on Wednesday, friends!

Blessings Always,