If its out there, I've got an opinion on it!

Written by Julie Henning
Website:  http://www.roadtripsforfamilies.com

Until we went to Branson, Missouri on our “big” family road trip this summer, preconceived notions for the Live Music Show Capital of the World included buffet meals with bottomless decaf coffee and television advertisements for the Gerber* life insurance policy on every other channel.  Determined to shift a few paradigms, staying at Welk Resort Branson seemed like a fine place to begin.

Lawrence Welk greets three new fans

From someone who remembers watching re-runs of The Lawrence Welk show on our black and white TV set, my general feeling is that kids today really under appreciate the humble beginnings of bubble machine! Located on Champagne Boulevard and tucked in the majestic foothills of The Ozarks, the Welk Resort Branson is nearby (but gloriously away from) the hustle and bustle of the main attractions.

In an impressive 2,300 theater adjacent to a restaurant, lounge, and hotel is the aptly named Welk Theater, one of Branson’s biggest venues for shows and performances spanning multiple genres. Guests of the hotel with three young kids during the hottest month of the year, we ditched the culture and went right for the swimming pool—ah one and ah two and ah three…jump in!

Enjoying the indoor/outdoor pool at the Splash-A-Torium

To begin, the resort has a lovely traditional pool, playground complex, and miniature golf course. If you are fair-skinned like us, note the mature shade trees on the back lawn. Truly, though, the highlight of the aquatic refreshment is across from the main hotel lobby at the Splash-A-Torium.

Champion miniature golf course

Considered a “water attraction,” the Splash-A-Torium holds an oversized indoor/outdoor pool, 100-foot indoor water slide, two hot tubs (one indoors, one outside), a zero-depth splash zone, and a water table my four-year-old would not leave alone. You’ll find snacks, life guards, and plenty of seating in the shade and the sun (or move your chair as the hours pass away). Gated to contain kids, you’ll still have over 10,000 square feet to burn calories and tire everyone out.  My personal strategy included just yelling “slow down!” from inside either hot tub. Trained lifeguards are a Godsend.

Our personal home video featuring several trips to Splash-A-Torium is on You Tube here. Although, someone with professional training and a much more expensive camera than ours posted a video/photo tour on the resort website here.

Adding to the “all inclusive” resort experience, free (or low cost) Splash ‘n’ Schedule activities ranging from water aerobics to crafts, bingo, under water treasure hunts, and yogurt facials (?) are also held throughout the day at the water attraction area (pick up a schedule at the front desk).  Dragging the kids away from their idea of a perfect vacation, we found the on-site laundry room/ video arcade and fancy-schmancy free coffee machine in the lobby (no decaf for this mom).

Also staying at The Welk Branson during our visit was a 50-year high school reunion, friends gathering from New England, enlisted soldiers and officers of the United States Army (and their families), and embarrassed-looking teenagers next to parents in matching shirts. A short drive to breathtaking Table Rock Lake and the roller-coaster shortcut known as Fall Creek Road (kids and passengers will love this one), the Welk Resort Branson was truly a vacation oasis.

* A word of caution: Gerber is relentless in advertising to their target market—parents, grandparents, and kids (together in Branson having a great time).

Julie Henning is the Feed Me and Geocaching editor for Road Trips for Families, a site for families who love the open road. An expert in family-friendly Wisconsin, she has written two iPhone apps, Madison Loves Kids and Milwaukee Loves Kids. A member of the Midwest Travel Writers Association, Julie is a regular contributor to her hometown newspaper in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband and three young children.