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Shuttle info · runs 6 AM–midnight, free
Still open - book from the room
- RESERVE the Osage sunset table for Thursday at Top of the Rock - tell them it's a birthday. (Skip if already booked.)
- RESERVE the Dogwood Canyon tram for Thursday morning - dogwoodcanyon.org.
- BOOK optional add-ons - horseback, spa slot, Kids' Adventure Club: 417-339-5240.
Done ✓: licenses (both), signed temp card, boat booked (T21, Wed 7:30-11:30), groceries in the room.
The shape of the week
| Day | The big thing |
|---|---|
| Sun 26 | Drive down: Osceola Cheese + Buc-ee's, check in, first swim |
| Mon 27 | Fun Mountain + Devil's Pool dinner & night swim |
| Tue 28 | Resort day: dawn kayaks, pool crawl, putt-putt, fire pit |
| Wed 29 | BOAT DAY - the T21, 7:30-11:30 AM from Bent Hook |
| Thu 30 | Dogwood tram + cave cart + birthday dinner + sunset ceremony |
| Fri 31 | Home via Lambert's + Wonders of Wildlife |
Day by day
Sun July 26The Drive Down
9:00a
Roll out of KC. MO-7 → Clinton → MO-13 south → Springfield → US-65 south.
10:45a
Osceola Cheese on MO-13.Hundreds of samples + jerky. Food event #1.
12:15p
Lunch at Buc-ee's Springfield (I-44 exit 84, ~10 min off route).Brisket sandwiches, Beaver Nuggets, the jerky wall. Stock the week's road snacks.
3:00p
Grocery pickup, Branson Walmart.
4:00p
Check in, unpack, claim beds.
5:00p
Swim #1. Scope the pools.
7:00p
Easy dinner at the condo or lodge casual spots. Grounds walk + custard at Truman Cafe.
Route note: Buc-ee's is 4 miles east of the US-65 turn on I-44 - hop east one exit, feast, backtrack.
Mon July 27Big Cedar Day
6:30a
Dawn patrol (Cam + Chels): kayaks on glass water while Phoenix sleeps. Back by 8.
8:30a
Showers, big breakfast at the condo, then Swim #1 while the pool's still empty.
1:00p
Fun Mountain during peak heat.Go-karts, ropes course, arcade, laser tag, bowling - all AC.
6:00p
Dinner at Devil's Pool Restaurant - the lodge classic, five minutes from bed.
evening
Night swim at the Devil's Pool pool + hot tub. Low-key close to day one of the full days.
Moved: Top of the Rock (Lost Canyon Cave cart + sunset ceremony) shifts to Thursday evening - you're already up there for the birthday dinner, so it stacks perfectly.
Tue July 28Resort Day
6:30a
Dawn patrol (Cam + Chels): sunrise kayaks on glass water while Phoenix sleeps. Back by 8 for showers + breakfast.
10:00a
Family round: free kayaks / canoes / pedal boats at Bent Hook; paddleboards rent cheap.Phoenix paddles himself silly. Pedal-boat fishing if the itch hits.
noon
Pool crawl + Swim #1. Swimmin' Hole has the pool bar & grill - lunch without leaving the water. Lakeside + Camp Long Creek after; Brushy Creek indoor is the rain backup.
3:00p
Putt-putt (included), then Swim #2. Shuttle between all of it.
evening
Fire pit + s'mores kit, casual dinner at Truman Cafe or Devil's Pool. Early-ish night - boat call is 7:15 tomorrow.
Add-ons: horseback ride, spa hour for Chelsey, or Kids' Adventure Club for Phoenix = parents' evening.
Wed July 29BOAT DAY - booked!
6:45a
Up + big breakfast. Load the boat kit (Pack tab): cooler, dry bag, towels, speaker, straps.
7:15a
At Bent Hook Marina for check-in + walkthrough. Bring: Cameron's signed temp card, Chelsey's card, both photo IDs, deposit card.
7:30a
The T21 is yours until 11:30. Anchor + tube are on board. First hour = the glassiest water on Table Rock: tube Phoenix immediately, trade driving shifts so everybody rides.
9:30a
Anchor up in a quiet cove: swim off the boat, snacks, float. Engine OFF before anyone jumps.
11:15a
Head back - fuel/return by 11:30.
12:30p
Lunch + the world's most earned nap. Pool later if anyone has juice left.
6:30p
Branson Landing: waterfront dinner + the free fire-and-water fountain show.
Weather check: peek at the forecast strip tonight - if Wednesday looks stormy, talk to the marina Tuesday about shifting the slot.
Thu July 30Dogwood + Birthday Dinner
9:00a
Dogwood Canyon (~25 min): wildlife tram through bison + elk country, waterfalls, trout feeding. Bikes on the paved creek trail if legs allow.
1:30p
Back to the club: lunch, Swim #2, lazy pre-pack.
4:45p
Shuttle up early for Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail: drive your own golf cart through a canyon INTO a cave with a waterfall (~$40/person, incl. the Ancient Ozarks museum).
6:30p
Birthday dinner at Osage, Top of the Rock, sunset table.Best view in the Ozarks.
sunset
Sunset ceremony right there after dinner, then chapel + overlook photos. The full Top of the Rock night, all in one shot.
Low-key alt: Devil's Pool Restaurant at the lodge.
Fri July 31The Drive Home
9:30a
Last swim if the crew's up, check out by 10.
11:00a
Early lunch at Lambert's Cafe, Ozark - they throw hot rolls across the room at you. Phoenix's grand finale.
1:00p
Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield: America's best aquarium, then a lap of the original Bass Pro next door.
4:00p
Point it home. KC by ~7:30 PM.
Swap: Fantastic Caverns ride-thru cave if aquarium'd out - or a farewell Buc-ee's pass.
Table Rock, three ways
Lake Life
The 6 AM ritual (Cam + Chels)
- Kayaks out by 6:30-7 - glassiest water of the entire day, eagles and herons on patrol, Phoenix sound asleep.
- Back by 8: shower, big breakfast, then the family swim. The day hasn't even started and you've already won it.
- At check-in, ask about early kayak access - if the racks are staffed-hours only, ask to keep two by the room overnight.
- Vests on, phones in the dry pouches. Sunrise photos are the souvenir.
Boat Day Playbook
The reservation
Wednesday 7:30-11:30 AM · the T21 · Bent Hook Marina. Anchor + tube are on the boat. Be at the dock ~7:15 for the walkthrough. Bring: Cameron's signed temp card (below), Chelsey's card, both driver's licenses, and a card for the deposit hold. Phoenix rides + tubes; both parents drive - trade shifts so everybody gets tube time.
Cameron's card (carry + show)
Temporary Missouri card K37813693, valid through Oct 11, 2026. Rules on the card itself: carry it signed with a photo ID whenever driving the boat. This copy is the phone backup - bring the signed printout too. If the permanent card arrives in the mail before the 26th, bring that instead.
Where to rent
| Marina | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bent Hook | ON property. Tracker/Regency fleet, couch + deluxe tubes, hourly or daily. Guests-only - confirm Wilderness Club access. Mon/Wed 4th-hour-free promo. |
| State Park Marina | Backup, 15 min, open to all. Tritoons ~$300-400 half day, ~$300 refundable deposit. |
First-summer-captain tips
- Go morning - 9 AM water is glass; 2 PM wakes stack up.
- Tube rules: spotter always, throttle OFF the instant he's off, circle back slow from downwind.
- Cove swimming: out of the main channel, anchor with plenty of scope, engine OFF before anyone jumps.
- Life jackets ON for anyone on the tube or in open water - all three, house rule.
- No-boat lake fix: Moonshine Beach, real sand, 20 min.
Load-out
Packing
0 of 0 done ·
Documents + money
Daily swim kit
Boat day kit
Condo kit (from home)
Walmart pickup order · Sunday ~3 PM
Grocery List
Built around Chelsey: low/no sugar, low-glycemic, protein-forward (PCOS-smart). The boys eat great off the same list.
Protein + breakfast
Chelsey-smart snacks
Drinks + boat day
Easy dinners (condo nights)
The boys' corner
Room comfort
Evenings + backup
Never leave the property
Resort Menu
| Type | What's there |
|---|---|
| Free | 5 pools · kayaks/canoes/pedal boats · putt-putt · pickleball, sand volleyball, horseshoes, shuffleboard · 5K cedar trail · geocaching · fire pits · sunset ceremony · daily calendar (Bingo, yard games, fishing derbies - grab at check-in) |
| Water | Lady Liberty yacht cruises (~$70 day/brunch, ~$120 dinner) · Goin' Jessi 1934 Chris Craft rides · pedal-boat fishing $30/hr · guided fishing |
| Paid | Fun Mountain · Lost Canyon Cave ~$40 · horseback · easy golf: Mountain Top short course / Cliffhangers par-3 with Phoenix (Payne's Valley island 19th = bucket list) |
| Grown-up | Art of the Cocktail class · Cedar Creek Spa · yoga + fitness · Kids' Adventure Club ($85, 4 hrs w/ dinner) = parents' evening |
If the mood strikes
Wild Cards
| Rainy day | Fun Mountain · Aquarium at the Boardwalk · WonderWorks |
| Lake, no boat | Moonshine Beach (real sand, 20 min) |
| Show night | Dolly Parton's Stampede - dinner show, eaten with your hands |
| Free evening | Branson Landing fountain show + ice cream |
Numbers + links
- Resort shuttle: 417-339-5105 (or the JM Nature Resorts Shuttle app)
- Big Cedar main / Bent Hook: 800-225-6343
- Activities desk: 417-339-5240
- Big Cedar Lodge · Activities · Dining
- Dogwood Canyon · Wonders of Wildlife · Lambert's
- MO boater course · State Park Marina
Wendelin-Cox Family · Big Cedar '26 · belated 34th birthday trip