The word ‘picnic’ usually conjures up a nostalgic image of a happy couple or family sitting on a checkered blanket overlooking a grassy vista with the tranquility of nature surrounding them; a large wicker picnic basket sitting in the middle of the blanket might contain any number of goodies like sandwiches, carrot sticks, slices of cake or a plate of cookies, and a pitcher of ice cold lemonade completes the image. While this vision is usually the starting point of any picnic, the great thing about an outdoor meal is that you can tweak it and add your own creative and personal touches to make it your own! Picnics can happen anywhere, at any time, and Branson, Missouri, just happens to be an excellent place to explore your picnicking options. Read on for some great locations in and around town for a Branson picnic.
Table Rock State Park: Table Rock Lake, created by the construction of the Table Rock Dam, and named for a large table shaped rock formation along the shores of the lake, is one of the many things that has made Branson famous. The lake is great for fishing, boating and swimming – plus, it happens to be a prime location for a Branson picnic! Table Rock State Park is a wonderful place to hold an outdoor meal with your sweetheart, your family, or your colleagues. The state park boasts many waterside locations that are great for throwing down that checkered blanket. However, if sitting on the ground isn’t really your style, Table Rock State Park also provides picnic tables for guests to sit and enjoy a meal. If you like to grill during your picnics, the park has you covered there as well – charcoal grills are available for your convenience!
College of the Ozarks: College of the Ozarks, one of the few work colleges in the country where students work to pay for their tuition instead of handing over a check, has a long and unique history rooted right around the Branson area. The college offers visitors tours of the campus grounds, a chance to buy college raised and made produce, milk, meat and crafts at the farmers market, a five star restaurant and an ice cream parlor and so much more. The beautiful campus, which is made so by a very dedicated and talented student landscaping team, is also a lovely spot for a picnic! Many perfectly manicured lawns overlooking Lake Taneycomo, the dairy, or the stunning chapel, provide the perfect spot for your picnic blanket.
Silver Dollar City: While this world famous theme park might not be the first place that comes to mind for a Branson picnic, the theme park is geared towards outdoor meals! The hilly landscape is dotted with picnic tables, just waiting for you and your family to sit down and share some home packed cheese and crackers, or perhaps a tasty skillet meal or hamburger purchased from one of SDC’s eateries.
The possibilities for a Branson picnic are endless – so get creative with where you lay down your checkered blanket!
