Just a few of the things at Branson Attractions that you might not know about.

“The quality and quantity of Branson’s live shows, its spectacular Ozarks beauty, pristine lakes and major attractions, such as the 1880s styled theme park, Silver Dollar City, the Branson Titanic Museum Attraction and major national attractions like the Hollywood Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” are well known,” said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. “It has dozens of other attractions, that while perhaps not as well known, add to the excitement, fun and adventure that is available for Branson visitors to enjoy on a daily basis,” she added.

Here’s a list of five of those attractions, most of which are unique to Branson, that you might not have heard about:

1.  Branson’s Wild World: Bull Sharks, crocodiles, alligators, wolves and snakes in the middle of the Branson Strip? Well the location of this incredible interactive animal attraction, unlike any most have ever seen, certainly is. Its “aquarium is filled with all sorts of exotic sea creatures; including eels, a full reef tank, and of course, Sharks. Branson’s Wild World is one of a very few places in the USA to display bull sharks” along with the only Sea Turtle in the Midwest that you can feed and that’s not mentioning the other animals, snakes, opportunities to interact with some of the animals and other activities the attraction offers. It’s worth noting that this attractions, as is the case with the majority of Branson attractions, is not weather dependent and is contained totally within its own environmentally controlled building.

2. Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure:

Another thing Branson visitors do not expect to find in Branson is a tropical experience such as the “Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure.” The unique Butterfly Aviary, located in its own palace overlooking Branson, features hundreds of living, flittering exotic butterflies carefully imported following strict USDA regulations, sharing their forest environment with a unique collection of birds and other botanical specimens. And that’s not all, “you’ll find a Living Rainforest Science Center, an Emerald Forest Mirror Maze, a Rainforest Theater, and the Banyan Tree Bungee Adventure. It’s a unique, beautiful, fun, educational, and challenging experience that the whole family will enjoy.

3. Lake Taneycomo Ozark Natural Beauty Sightseeing Cruise on the Lake Queen

Main Street Lake Cruises’ L”ake Queen” is a riverboat replica reminiscent of the boats and the White River that played such an important part in Branson’s early history. While many destinations offer cruises none offer the blend of boarding at a modern shopping attraction like Branson Landing and witnessing a $7.5 million dollar spectacular water attraction featuring the first-ever merging of water, fire, light and music with water fountains shooting 120-foot geysers into the air and “fire cannons,” all choreographed to lights and music as part of their itinerary. And that’s just the first 15 minutes! From Bald Eagles and the other birds and wildlife abounding on Lake Taneycomo’s shore line, amazing natural bluffs stretching back into the eons of time and the spectacular majesty of Ozark vistas this 1.5 hour cruise is a unique experience not seen by the vast majority of the millions of visitors who come to Branson each year. Produced primarily by Mother Nature it is one of Branson’s most extraordinary shows and will provide memories that will last a lifetime. The Lake Queen offers a full set of modern amenities, is fully handicap accessible, has full sized modern restrooms; a full bar, snack food service and a fully enclosed environmentally conditioned lower deck and open air upper deck.

4. The National Tiger Sanctuary: Most people coming to Branson don’t expect that there will be a chance to meet a lion or tiger up close and personal, but thanks to the National Tiger Sanctuary, a non-for-profit organization established in 2000 to create a safe and protected environment and a safe, stress free, forever home for the big cats such as lions and tigers, that too is a possibility. To limit the stress on the animals under their care, there is a limited number of guided tours conducted Wednesday through Sunday that provide a unique opportunity to meet these large cats and learn how they ended up at the sanctuary as part of this educational experience that is unlike any other. This attraction is weather sensitive.

5. The Track Family Fun Parks: Ok so go-karts and fun parks are not unique to Branson, but having four unique parks and the number of go-kart tracks Branson has creates a choice of go-kart opportunities that some have called a “go-kart paradise.” In addition to the traditional go-karting there’s the steel and concrete, 1,200 foot and four story tall “Heavy Metal High Rise,” the four-story spiral climb of the “Wild Woody” the spirals and “blind peak” of the “Lumber Jack!” And there’s more, everything from Bumper cars, batting cages, laser tag, mini-golf, arcades to the incredible “Skycoaster,” a 100-foot-tall super swing that combines the elements of skydiving and hang-gliding into its 70 mph swinging adventure. “The Track” also has plenty of kid-friendly rides and lots of fun for the little ones.

For information on the attractions in this article or any of Branson’s attractions, shows or lodging feel free to contact the Branson Tourism Center by calling 1-800-785-1550.