My granny brought me to Silver Dollar City for the first time in the early 90's, and many of my favorite memories of her are from our trips to SDC together. I think that connection with my past makes SDC feel like the perfect backdrop for future memories with my daughter.

My family has been coming to SDC for many, many years. One of my fondest memories is coming here for the first time in the spring of 1977. It was right after my husband and I were married. We've been hooked ever since. I now come with not only husband, but my children and grand children as well. We all love SDC and come several times a year. It's a wonderful place to bring the whole family and I am blessed to live in such a close proximity to it.

My favorite early memory of SDC is going with my friends in junior high. We loved to ride Fire in the Hole over and over again! We also always dipped candles in the candle shop and ended the day shopping in the Ozark marketplace for a souvenir. Today, I really enjoy taking my girls and their friends to SDC for the same wonderful experiences. Although the City has changed over the years, some of my personal favorite things to do are still there!

Since I can remember when Silver Dollar City was free, I belong to a select group of Ozarkers who remember the amusement park in the early days. Although I did not yet live in the Ozark region, I first visited Silver Dollar City in the early 1960’s in the company of my parents and grandparents. Granny and Pop were annual Ozark visitors and came each year to the region that they held dear to their hearts. They had discovered Silver Dollar City as soon as the operation expanded from Marvel Cave to a frontier village next door.
Silver Dollar City opened for the season last week and our family made the trip down to the park on the second day it was open. This year, the day happened to be my son’s birthday so he got a major surprise when we turned off Highway 76 and approached the park. Although much needed road construction is ongoing to widen the road, he immediately recognized the familiar surroundings and declared the day to be “the best birthday ever”!
Once inside the park we headed for the train, a family favorite. When I told Patrick that I had been riding the train since I was much younger than he is now, he couldn’t believe it so I shared a little of my own early memories of the park with my children. I can remember when the main attractions were Marvel Cave, the Frisco Silver Dollar train, and the stagecoach. Although park admission was free until 1969, guests bought tickets for any of the attractions and as a small child, I experienced all three.
I also remember when Hannah’s Ice Cream Parlor on the City Square was the hotel and when Silver Dollar City became the hometown for the Clampett clan on one of my childhood favorite television programs, The Beverly Hillbillies.
Other perennial favorites that have lasted through the years include The Wilderness Church, the McHaffie Homestead, and Grandfather’s Mansion. The craft demonstrations like black smithing, glass blowing, and candy making never fail to intrigue and delight me as well. The traditional music is another soothing constant over the years and the addition of various festivals throughout the year just add to the fun. My favorite festival is the upcoming World Fest; my kids are still young enough that the annual Kid’s Fest during the summer months is their number one choice.
As I grew older, Silver Dollar City grew as well. The train station that was once on the far bottom edge of the park has shifted to somewhere near the middle and the number of rides has increased. Shootout in the Flooded Mine, Fire In The Hole, and Tom Sawyer’s Landing are all “old” favorites now but I can remember well when each was new. One of the largest expansions to the park came a couple of years ago with “The Grand Exposition” area of the park that offers family friendly rides and rides for smaller kids.
Whether it is the fried chicken at Mollie’s Mill, the country comedy of the train robbery, the sound of fiddle music, or the happy laughter of children, Silver Dollar City has become a place for me where time slows and memories emerge every time, new and old.
When we leave the park, we always know that we will be back and keeps Silver Dollar City high on our list of family favorites.

I love Silver Dollar City. I remember visiting as a child (don't remember the year). It was such a treat. I now live in Missouri and go anytime I can. I am also friends with several bands that perform there. A couple years ago, I met up with them and after their show at the end of the day we still had time to ride some rides. It was great! There were 8 adults, and we became "kids" again riding the Powder Keg, which we rode 3 times in a row. SDC brings out the "kid" in all of us. It's such a family-oriented atmosphere. My own children, who are adults now, really enjoy going as well. At any given time, there may be three generations of us there at one time.

My childern and I are ready to head to SDC for World- Fest, the weather forecast for this weekend is sunny! I really need to spend some time in the outdoors after this long winter.My girls are already planning which rides we will do first. I will report back all the fun we are going to have.

The first time I was at SDC I must have been about 5 years old and I fell in love with the sheriff, he must of liked me too because the best I can remember he spent almost the whole day with us. He was so tall and handsome wearing a black leather vest but he wouldn't let me hold his colt 45. My family went back about every year but we never saw that man as the sheriff again. Several years later my brother and I were getting excited about our yearly visit when my dad came home from work one night and told us "Since you kids like Branson so much we are just going to move there". Boy was he a much loved dad at that moment. Turned out his job transferred him to that area, the years living there are our greatest growing up memories. Fire-in-the-Hole opened while we lived there, we could spend our whole day riding, it was so exciting. I guess I have passed it on because when my daughter and I go we never leave before riding at least a half dozen times. I have loved Silver Dollar City every since that first visit, and in the last 40 years still have never visited an amusement park that could top it.

My parents started going to Silver Dollar City when they lived here in the late 60's. Then they moved my family to Minnesota...they finally took me to the place I had been hearing about all those years when I was 9 yrs old...that was in 1977 and we went every summer until 1987. Sadly I didnt get to go back until 1991 and then again in 1999. I have finally moved to Missouri...mostly to be close to the ozark mountains that I love and we are taking our 2 smaller boys who are 4 and 7 over Mother's day weekend. My best memory of the city is when I was 15...my mom and dad and I were in the saloon...one of the guy bartenders was singing...the lights went low..and all of a sudden this handsome man was sitting in front of me singing right to me! When he was done singing he kissed me on the cheek and everyone in the room said Awwwwwww...I was the typical teenager and was horribly embarrassed but now when I think of that I remember what a wonderful thing it was...I am hoping to get to the city alot this year...and for the years to come!