Branson, MO Outdoor Activities

Chopper Charter Branson's flights range from aerial photography to scenic tours and hands-on instruction and training. Each student learns on the Robinson R44 helicopter, touted as the most popular helicopter in the world. The FAA-certified air carrier meticulously maintains their choppers, taking all safety precautions and plopping them onto a treadmill for at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week.

Celebrated by Golfweek as one of the 40 Best New Courses of 2010, the site where Civil War–bushwhacker Alfred Bolin and his gang once ambushed unsuspecting travelers is now John Daly’s Murder Rock Golf and Country Club. The 18-hole course plots an oscillating, 6,727-yard path over the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The first hole sets the tone for the round with an elevated tee box that looks out 363 yards downhill into the mountainous contours that ripple against the horizon. The par 71 course concludes at the daunting 18th hole—the course’s longest par four and most difficult hole—where an aggressive drive can cut off the corner of a dog-leg right on the way to a severely sloped green and portal into Space Jam.

Legs weary from ascending steep hills or squat-thrusting golf carts can take a load off at Glenn’s at Murder Rock. Amid dark-stained wood paneling and leather-upholstered chairs, the eatery serves an inventive grill menu including steak flatbread sandwiches and pitas stuffed with Cajun-seasoned chicken or shrimp.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course

• Length of 6,727 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 72.0 from the farthest tees

• Slope rating of 129 from the farthest tees

• Four tee options

• Scorecard

At Greatest Adventures Miniature Golf, an Egyptian sphinx, a towering dragon, and a waterfall cave present fun challenges for anyone from casual mini golfers to skilled putters competing in the US Pro Mini Golf Association, which has been hosted at the 36-hole facility. The USPMGA rated facility showcases two distinct 18-hole courses, both with their own themes and characters. Knights and a giant dragon roam the grounds of the medieval course, whereas a giant ape heckles players as they putt around Egyptian structures at the jungle course. In 2011, the USPMGA invited players to put their skills to the test at Greatest Adventures Miniature Golf for the US Open Championship. Though competition was fierce, the then-16-year-old Olivia Prokopova took home the win with her precise shots, determined swing, and ability to pick out the luckiest color golf ball.

Between games, guests can visit the onsite Pizza Haus for sustenance. The menu features pasta, meatball hoagies, wings, and from-scratch pizza made fresh daily and baked in a brick oven.

The guides at Moto-Zip of Branson show how to navigate the treetop canopies year-round. While zipping between platforms at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, guests get unique views of the surrounding Ozarks and the unsung puppeteers that control them. The secure lines use a backup-cable system that prevents accidents, ensuring trips along the 2-mile tracks occur without snags.

Zip Line USA’s steel cables carve more than three miles of winding trails through Ozark Mountain treetops, all ripe for exploration by guests. Designed by the respected brains at Universal Zipline Technology, the ziplines soar higher than 350 feet in the air at some points—just high enough to make eye contact with low-flying spaceships—and are dissected into chunks as long as 3,250 feet. Between each section stands a sky bridge or platform, where guides securely hitch tourgoers to cables, which they inspect each morning. Patrons zoom through the open skies for up to two hours during the day or 90 minutes at night, when only the soft glow of lanterns beckons them to the next platform like a lightning-bug mother welcoming its family home at night.

Beneath towering trees, paintballs and laser beams soar across Bill’s Extreme Paintball and Laser Tag’s 2-acre outdoor arena. Tippmann 98 quality markers and masks arm paintball players as they scale sniper towers and dive into hideouts, while professional-grade laser-tag guns allow future hair-removal experts to shoot lasers up to 700 feet. Vigilant referees stave off tomfoolery during matches, and picnic tables scattered around the facility provide platforms for snacks or birthday feasting. Bill's can also tote equipment to a customer’s chosen venue, allowing a partygoer to host a game in their own backyard, local park, or favorite alderman's office.