Finding Faith in Branson
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Branson, Missouri, is well known as a destination that puts “faith, family and flag” at the forefront, so it’s not surprising that faith groups — both faith-based travel groups and faith-forward conventions and conferences — flock to the city.
“The faith market is really attracted to Branson because of those values,” said Sierra Delrosa, sales manager for Explore Branson. “We put our faith at the forefront of everything we do, whatever that faith may be. We’re a community that leads with our heart, and that shows in our hospitality. We’re a city that likes to take care of our guests.”
As a mecca for music and musicals, Branson has no shortage of shows and productions that will appeal to faith groups. Sight & Sound Theatres is one of the city’s major draws. The theater is known for its visually stunning productions of Biblical stories, such as “David,” which is playing through Oct. 8. Beginning the first week of November, “The Miracle of Christmas” will take the stage through the end of December, retelling the story of Jesus’ birth.
Next year, Sight & Sound’s “Daniel” will come to Branson for the first time, Delarosa said. The show opens March 19, 2027, and runs through year-end, closing on Dec. 31. From the fiery furnace to the den of lions, the show tells the story of Daniel being exiled in the kingdom of Babylon, where he must navigate his new life inside a palace filled with golden statues and shifting empires. Like all Sight & Sound shows, “Daniel” will feature opulent costumes, spectacular sets and even live animals, like camels and horses (but no lions), in the 360-degree stage production.
Another new attraction that will appeal to faith-based travel groups is Truth Traveler, which opened in Branson in 2025. The 5D attraction transports guests to pivotal moments in Biblical history. Viewers are immersed in breathtaking virtual reality with motion seating, sensory effects and interactive storytelling. Cutting-edge VR technology places guests in the Garden of Eden, aboard the Ark, at the foot of the Tower of Babel, in the manger at Jesus’ birth and outside the tomb at Christ’s resurrection.
“It has been popular, and it’s very busy with group business,” Delarosa said.
One of the biggest projects in Branson in recent years is the expansion of Silver Dollar City. The theme park plans to invest $500 million over the next 10 years — the largest investment in the company’s 65-year history — in a strategic plan that begins with the debut of Silver Dollar City Resort, slated to open next year. Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts recently appointed Erling Acosta as general manager and is now accepting group bookings for the 262-room resort for May 2027 and beyond. Reservations are expected to open later this year for individuals.
The resort will feature a full-service restaurant, indoor and outdoor pools, and 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, all surrounded by views of the Ozark Mountains. Shuttles will transport guests between the park and the resort, Delarosa said.
Branson also welcomed a new 123-room Element by Westin last fall. The extended-stay hotel opened in October 2025, featuring studio and one-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and spa-inspired bathrooms. The property, which was designed with wellness and sustainability in mind, includes a fitness center, an outdoor saline pool and fire pits, and is located near attractions like Branson’s Theater Row and Silver Dollar City’s White Water water park.
At Shepherd of the Hills historic homestead and outdoor theater, groups can catch the Historic Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama. The action-packed show is a live re-enactment of “The Shepherd of the Hills,” a historical novel by Christian minister Harold Bell Wright, which depicts life in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains in the late 1800s. During the park’s historic tour, visitors will ride in an open-air, Jeep-drawn tram through the wooded 160-acre park with an Ozark native tour guide to learn about Branson’s history. Groups can even tour Old Matt’s Cabin, the original historic home of one the main characters in Wright’s book.
In addition to its flagship show, Shepherd of the Hills offers a variety of other live entertainment, including dinner theaters, comedy shows and chuckwagon dinners. At the adventure park, groups can take in views from the 230-foot-tall Inspiration Tower or zip line from its observation deck on the Vigilante Extreme ZipRider. The park also offers a mountain coaster, an aerial ropes course and a treetop canopy zip line tour.
About 45 minutes west of Branson, in the town of Lampe, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a 10,000-acre preserve that was started by Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops. Owned and operated by a nonprofit today, the park offers hiking, biking, trout fishing and horseback riding. Planners can book a private wildlife tram tour for their group, guided by a park interpreter, then enjoy a meal at the park’s streamside chuckwagon site and shop for gifts and souvenirs at the general store. The Dogwood Dinner Tram takes groups on an after-hours ride through towering bluffs and cascading waterfalls before serving guests a barbecue buffet at the chuckwagon site.
Explore Branson also sends faith-based travel groups to College of the Ozarks, a Christian college in the nearby city of Hollister. The school offers group dining on campus at The Keeter Center, so the Branson CVB points planners there for group dining, she said.
“They’re known as Hard Work U,” Delarosa said. “All the students work on campus to pay for their tuition so they can graduate debt-free.”
Faith-based travel groups return to Branson year after year, not only because the tourist destination offers loads of attractions and activities as well as bountiful natural beauty, but also because of the community’s values.
“I think because we hold our values so close to our heart, we represent them very well throughout the destination,” Delarosa said. “The planners just feel comfortable coming back — not just faith-based groups, but also families. They feel very comfortable doing so, so I think those values are a huge thing for everyone who comes to Branson.”
For more information on planning your next group trip to Branson, contact:
Explore Branson
Joslyn Schott
417-243-2109
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