How to Plan an Amazing Big Cedar Lodge, Missouri Getaway

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If you haven’t marked off a weekend on your fall or early winter calendar to visit Big Cedar Lodge, Missouri, along with Top of the Rock, do it now! My family and I had the absolute best little weekend getaway to Big Cedar Resort in Missouri. While there, we took at afternoon excursion to Top of the Rock. It was the most gorgeous weekend ever for exploring this peaceful and gorgeous area!

My Hubs whisked me away – and our daughters – for an anniversary getaway to Big Cedar Lodge. I wouldn’t have pictured taking our daughters with us for our anniversary trip, but we were coming out of a very strict pandemic year. Our girls deserved a getaway too.

two little girls look over the overlook at Big Cedar Lodge

Plan Early for a Getaway to Big Cedar Lodge

Whether you are hoping to rent a room at the lodge or stay in the Big Cedar Lodge cabins, I recommend you book your reservation early – especially during late fall and holiday times.

A lot of people tend to think Big Cedar Lodge is in Branson, Missouri. But Big Cedar Resort is in Ridgedale, Missouri – a little further away from Branson.

We stayed in the Big Cedar Lodge during the first week of November. There are three lodges at Big Cedar Lodge. From what I gathered, each lodge gave a slightly different vibe. We stayed at Falls Lodge which gives wilderness lodge vibes.

What a sweet surprise to find a lit Christmas tree in our room when we walked in!

a Christmas tree inside a guest room at Big Cedar Lodge

a room with double beds at Falls Lodge at Big Cedar Lodge

The lobby also had a huge beautiful tree lit up for Christmas.

a large Christmas tree in the lobby of Falls Lodge at Big Cedar Lodge

It is a glorious sight whether at night with the darkness staring in or during the day with the sunlight streaming through.

Coffee on the Balcony in the Mornings

The best part of a stay at Big Cedar is starting the day with a cup of coffee on the balcony, taking in the beauty and serenity of the area.

a woman holds a cup of coffee while overlooking the property at Big Cedar Resort

Visiting Fun Mountain with Kids

During the morning on Saturday, we took the girls to Fun Mountain which is a short drive from the Big Cedar Lodge property. This venue features an arcade, go karts, laser tag, a ropes course, a bowling alley, other individual adventure stations, and a restaurant. The place is huge and there are so many things to choose to do!

The girls had a blast! And so did their parents! I would any Fun Mountain is great for adults even without children present.

The first thing we did was go bowling. Little One won which was good since things go south when she doesn’t win. Kids.

two girls at the bowling alley at Fun Mountain

a dad and daughter bowling at Fun Mountain at Big Cedar Lodge

arcade in Fun Mountain in Branson Missouri

Lunch at Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill

For lunch, we ate outside on the patio at Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill restaurant at Fun Mountain. The patio area is neat because you can watch people on the outdoor rope’s course and also watch people down below on the go kart track at Fun Mountain.

Little One and I went on and got a table since it was busy day while the Hubs and Scooter Britches were in line to ride a go kart. We got to watch them while we waited at our table. It was a great spot for videoing them with my phone.

dad and daughter riding in a go kart at Fun Mountain at Big Cedar Lodge

little girl stands in front of the ropes course at Fun Mountain in Branson Missouri

For lunch, all four of us split a huge platter of the gutter ball nachos from the Uncle Buck’s menu. Loaded with smoked brisket, pico, and cheese dip, it was delicious!

dad and daughter with the nachos from the Uncle Buck's menu

gutter ball nachos from Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill restaurant at Big Cedar Lodge

Restaurants at Big Cedar Lodge

We visited two Big Cedar restaurants during our weekend stay.

Devil’s Pool Restaurant at Big Cedar Lodge

On the first night of our arrival, we ate at Devil’s Pool. We had reservations, luckily. The downstairs floor does take walk ins, but it seemed quite crowded down there. One perk was a live band that was playing on Friday night. The upstairs dining room was more elegant with low-lit lighting, white tablecloths, and heavy tables and chairs with admirable craftsmanship. A large lit fireplace added a nice ambiance.

The southern home cooking at Devil’s Pool was delicious! I enjoyed my chicken fried steak meal. The Hubs enjoyed his salmon.

The Devil’s Pool menu changes between lunch and dinner. There are also some special seasonal/holiday menus offered as well.

Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill at Big Cedar Lodge

I already went into detail about Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill above. But just know we enjoyed our lunch there so much that we returned for dinner on Saturday night! On Saturday night, the restaurant was not nearly as crowded as it had been during the day. Playing various college football games on the TVs led to a casual vibe in the place which was to be expected for a restaurant inside Fun Mountain!

For dinner, I had the cheesesteak and the Hubs enjoyed a cheeseburger. The kids had mac and cheese. Again…kids.

People sitting near us were delivered a most incredible looking milkshake while we tried the chocolate cheesecake.

Taking the Top of the Rock Golf Cart Tour

On Sunday, we took the shuttle from the Big Cedar Lodge Visitor’s Center to Big Cedar’s Top of the Rock. What a marvelous day we had for this excursion! Talk about an incredible fall day for exploring Top of the Rock!

Once we arrived at Top of the Rock, we went into the Top of the Rock Welcome Center. There was a $10 fee for entering Top of the Rock which was a card only purchase. We bought the girls a couple of Top of the Rock t-shirts.

Then, we bought tickets for an electric cart to go on the Big Cedar Top of the Rock golf cart tour – exploring the 2.5 mile Lost Canyon Cave tour on Top of the Rock. I think it is recommended you buy your electric cart tickets online in advance to ensure that you get one. We didn’t do this and we managed to get a cart anyway. The tickets are a bit pricey, but the tour was worth it – especially if you are blessed with a gorgeous day like we were.

We weaved around the Top of the Rock trail, seeing amazing rock formations and waterfalls on the Top of the Rock Lost Canyon and Nature Trail tour. There are also areas for seeing Table Rock Lake. Every single thing was just gorgeous. The most fun part was entering the Lost Canyon Cave and discovering the Bat Bar with human servers inside!

family in electric cart at Top of the Rock Big Cedar Lodge

family in front of waterfall and rock formation at Big Cedar Top of the Rock

two girls in golf cart on the Big Cedar Top of the Rock golf cart tour to explore Lost Canyon Cave

man and children walking at Top of the Rock lookout point

dad holds daughter to look in telescope at Top of the Rock

father and daughters looking at view at Big Cedar Top of the Rock

We also visited the Top of the Rock Museum where we learned some fun Top of the Rock history. The museum gift shop was fun to explore as well.

Although we didn’t eat at any of the Top of the Rock restaurants since we still had to drive back home to Little Rock, the restaurants appeared to be popping on the Rock! If we are lucky enough to visit again, I would definitely love to try out the Top of the Rock Osage Restaurant. This place looks super rustic chic with menu items such as lobster ravioli and brown sugar glazed salmon.

Top of the Rock golf is a definite attraction for many visitors. Although I don’t play golf, I can see why golfers would want to play on the breathtaking golf course!

Other Things to Do at Big Cedar Lodge

When many people think of this area, they think of Big Cedar golf. Definitely, that is a big draw for many people. But for families with kids, there are so many other things to do!

Things to Do at Big Cedar Lodge

Play Mini Golf – There is a mini golf area at Big Cedar Lodge that your family can play with no extra fees.
Play on the Playgrounds – There are several small playgrounds at Big Cedar Lodge.
Play Pickleball – Near the mini golf area, there is a pickleball court at Big Cedar Resort.
Swim in the Indoor Swimming Pool Year Round – You can pay a small fee to swim in the indoor swimming pool during your stay.
Swim in the Outdoor Swimming Pools and the Outdoor Lazy River at Big Cedar Lodge – These outdoor swimming pools and lazy river at Big Cedar are only open in the warmer months.
Check the Big Cedar Activities Calendar – There are a ton of organized events and seasonal recreational activities organized by the resort. Every season is full of fun activities!
Take a Walk on the Paved Trails at Big Cedar – There are tons of paved walking trails to explore while staying on the property. There are various displays – like the Memorial display to explore as well.
Drive Through the Drive Through Christmas Lights Display in Late Fall and Early Winter – In November and December, you can drive through the Big Cedar Lodge Christmas light display.
Go Ice Skating at Big Cedar Lodge in November and December – The ice skating rink was open while we were there during the first weekend of November. There is a fee to skate, but it looked so fun!
Adults can reserve a time (in advance, of course) for the Big Cedar Lodge Spa for some relaxation and pampering.