The cave was amazing to see!!! I was disappointed that although we were told it was a slow day that they packed 28 people onto the trailer behind the jeep. We sat in the back and could not see several formations, see the movie they played and the stage they highlighted. I could also barely here the guide. I wish we would have been given the option to wait for the next tour. read more

A fun time to be had!! We had Mark as our tour guide. He's a great guy in general who also knows his tour guide manual as he says lol. We will definitely come back and take advantage of our season pass we bought. Would be great to have him as a guide again. Thank you for the experience! read more

Fantastic Caverns - Hall of Giants - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

No reservations accepted so walk up only. If busy could encounter a wait. Basic gift shop to look through but all items are massed produced. Would be nice if some local artist items for purchase. Trip into minds is via a tram pulled by a jeep. Tram holds approximately 24. Seating in jeep for two is available but only if you ask! We sat in jeep and had very good views of all sights. Cavern is cool at 60 degrees. Brought a blanket but didn't need it. Recent rains caused lots of drips from the ceilings onto our heads- but it is a cave. Because of the rains we were able to see the rivers flowing under the cave which is something you don't get to see often. Cavern is very open, few spots one side of tram or other will need to duck down but 98% of tour is very open. Very well lit throughout. Few spots the driver will turn lights off to experience full darkness. But they are brief. Great experience of kids. Tour did not go very deep into the cave. Kevin, tram driver, was great story/history teller. Highly recommend getting him if you can. read more

Fantastic Caverns - Everyone gets a free photo of your group! - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Super fun day trip from KC! These caverns are, in fact, fantastic! I've been wanting to make the journey to the Fantastic Cavern since moving to KC since I see constant billboards all over the city! I feel like the 1 hour tour is worth the $30 adult admission! The tours leave frequently, so we didn't have to wait long, and it's super enjoyable to just sit in the tram and enjoy the views inside the cave! The tour guides were super informative - good mix of history and science and fun stories! You pile in to the trams pretty tight, so there wasn't great social distancing. There was also a really annoying family that was loud and disruptive during the tour, but the tour guides were loud enough to hear still. Definitely recommend this fun tour if you're driving by the area! read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

We are from metro Detroit area, and our first time in MO. In town for a few days and kept seeing signs for the caverns. Once we found out it was dog friendly, we went almost right away and It did NOT disappoint! The caves were gorgeous, the staff were all so incredibly friendly. Everyone was super informative with good senses of humor. They we're so happy to see dogs, and even gave out some treats and allowed us to sit in the Jeep part instead of the trailer, with a high school group on too. They had popcorn for the ride, and other souvenirs. I learned so much about the Fantastic cave system on this tour, and about caves in general that was fascinating. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting a low energy and impact ride to see some interesting underground sights that you don't see all the time. Especially if you are traveling with dogs! read more

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Melody was a FANTASTIC tour guide. We had a wonderful time!!! Easy access for those who have trouble walking, the kids loved it!!! No physical post cards which I thought was a little weird. But they do have epostcards. read more

This place was awesome! You get in a long trailer you sit in and drive through the cavern instead of walking. Supposedly this one of four caverns in the whole World that you drive in. We board the tram, which is a propane-fueled jeep pulling a couple of trailers with long metal benches Their are really cool formations and apparently back in the 20's they even had a dance club! This was a great tour full of interesting information and beautiful formations. Also, this is the only tourist place I know that takes a photo of you and they do not charge you for it!!!! Totally free photo! After the Cavern tour we walked a Nature Hije Trail. It was really pretty. It's a nice relaxing walk with beautiful views of nature. If ever in the area of Fantastic Caverns, totally a site to read more

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A cool cavern experience with a unique offering of driving you through to do the tour! We were able to get into a tour that was happening within minutes of our arrival, which was nice since we didn't have to wait at all. Tours are about 1 hour in duration and they talk about various points of interest and formations you will want to note / take pics of as you go. It's challenging to maintain social distancing if the tours are fuller, so you'll want to be sure to have your masks handy and worn at all times. The entry building also serves as their gift shop, so be sure to look through their for any keepsakes you may want after your adventure! There is also a spot to send a free e-post card to yourself or others at a computer in that area, so stop and do that if you want. Overall: A Great experience trying out a drive through cavern tour. Definitely a must try for the tourist thing! read more

I revisited this beautiful cavern after more tha 10 years. It really is fantastic. It's a beautiful wonder of our world. Yes, admission seems a bit pricey but it's not to be missed and they give a free photo with you in it, they don't try to sell it to you like a lot of places. They don't ask for tips either. Just go, relax and enjoy. read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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An amazing experience well worth the cost for the tour!!! It's super nice that each group gets a image of the tour group they had. Do follow their tip and bring a light jacket as it does get cold in the caverns. read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

What a fun detour! This was on our route so we said why not?! When we arrived they had just opened for the day and there were only a few cars so we said let's go! Tickets were reasonable at $28 per person. You board a Jeep trailer and head into the caverns. We had a very small group and everyone wore masks on the tour. They take photos at the entrance which they let you take your mask off if you want. At the end of the tour they give you the photo for free. Very cute gift shop. The popcorn smelled amazing. There were a few photo spots throughout the property too. read more

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This is a MUST do tour! You don't have to walk you get to sit in a trailer that is pulled by a Jeep through the cave, the tour guides don't rush through the tours they ask if any one has questions all the time and answered all the questions that were asked by someone. It extremely neat to learn about this stop in and give the tour a try it's great. read more

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Fantastic Caverns had been on my husband and I's list of things to do in Springfield for quite awhile. I'm sad it was so disappointing and to leave this less than good review. THE GOOD: The cave is beautiful. Our guide, Mark was enthusiastic and knowledgeable! We were glad to be on his tour. THANKFULLY our tram did not have any screaming and crying babies or kids. Beware that that's possible as other reviewers have mentioned! We also enjoyed the walking trail on the premises. You can walk down below the visitor's center to Little Sac River. There's a nice boardwalk along the water and it's peaceful. THE BAD: Overall, the experience was lame. It did not hold up to my expectations. We came on a Thursday afternoon and surprisingly they were busy. I was under the impression that you rode in the back of the "Jeeps". Turns out they cram you onto a tram trailer that's pulled by a Go-kart made to look like a Jeep. When I say cram, you are literally shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee with the other passengers. I could smell the stench of the people next to me, gross. Due to this and also due to the seats facing inward you are straining your neck to turn and see everything. It's hard to take photos without peoples heads in them, too. It's also difficult to see most of the points of interest because you are sitting down, other passengers are in the way, and you're constantly on the move. Because of all this I don't feel it was worth the price. Honestly, I don't see the point of the trams other than it makes for a shorter tour and I feel they do the trams just to be different from other tourist caves in the area. A walking tour would have been a much nicer experience. read more

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Handicapped UNFRIENDLY !!!! If you are at all mobility challenged this is NOT the place for you. We didn't even get as far as the cave because just to get to the visitor center from the parking lot handicapped slots....you have to walk down a ramp all totaled probably 300 feet from the car...Then you have to traverse a winding path with no railings to where you get to the jeeps. I don't know how far that path went since I couldn't see the end... but at least another 800-1000 feet downhill. Maybe much more - I couldn't tell, it was past wh I could see. Then you Jeep. After you Jeep you get to limp, trudge or somehow drag yourself back up...UP...and more up, the path without railings to your car. They don't mention this little detail in all the glowing literature that shows Jeeping. We saved about $65 or $70 but were truthfully disappointed that we didn't get to see the caves. They should be more honest about this ... it would have saved us hours of driving and a painful walk to the visitor center. A word to the wise. read more

We have plenty of caverns in Texas, but we certainly don't have one where you can ride in a car through one! This propane-powered vehicle goes all throughout a beautiful cavern and from the comfort of your seat can see all the stalagmites and stalactites your heart could ever want! And the best part? No carrying your kids when they get tired of walking! You'll be amazed by the story of the 12 year old girls that first explored the cave and the size of the opening they went through to get in! And they're open 362 days per year, so you have plenty of opportunities to check it out! read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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$30/ adult. Definitely a nice unique experience. They say the tour is 50ish minutes long, but 3-5 minutes of that is an old video played at the bottom of the cave. It is a 100% driving tour, so do not expect to get out of the trailer to wander around. The guide/driver seemed fairly knowledgeable about the cave features and history of the cave. I personally didn't care for being loaded into a trailer with other groups of people, as shown in the photos. Odds are that you will be next to a loud younger child, which is normally ok, but there is no speaker to help you hear the driver if he talks as he drives. Most times you hear the driver is when they stop the beep and get out to talk (which is the majority of the stops). The features of the cave are nice and some are unique that I haven't seen in other caves. They also take your photo at the beginning, and give a member of your party a copy of the entire trailer of people. So overall, a unique and fun experience. They of course have a gift shop where everything is on some kind of discount. They signs for the discounts seem permanent to me, like they never get rid of them because some of the "deals" are just the regular going price of the items. read more

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Great site to visit. I was here 55 years ago also, just as interesting now as then if not even more so now. Excellent guide as well.

Loved this place. The cave is amazing, kind of cold for some people, so bring a jacket. The history is presented well, the guide knew all the information. It was a great start to our trip and we would highly recommend. read more

Very good educational trip. Not too long, not to short. If you are afraid of the dark or confined spaces; this is not the place for you. read more

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This place was fabulous. I also appreciate that they are accomodating for pets. They let me bring my dog along because it was too hot to leave her in the car. read more

I've gone here at 7 and 37 lol both times were amazing! The fossils, history, science and stories are amazing! Note that this place is accommodating for people with disabilities snd service dogs which is a huge plus. read more

Way too expensive.....was a real let down at $32 a person plus tax. Short tour and you'll see same stuff at Marvel Cave at Silver Dollar City.... read more

I'm from Arizona where we have Kartchner Caverns and Colossal Cave so cool caverns and their histories are my thing. This one was definitely cool, and well developed but rather short. The price of the tickets were a bit steep but it was an informative tour and a fun way to spend the morning. Once you've done the tour I don't know that there would be enough of a draw for a second visit, but if you live in the area I would say it's worth doing at least once. read more

Woohoo!! My 800th review!! So this has to be for something I thoroughly enjoyed! Fantastic caverns IS fantastic!! It is located not far from the Springfield, MO metro and very easy to get to. The signs going there are very clear and there are many signs!! It is hard to get lost despite the many turns and curves. Just pay attention to the signs! The tours are $25/person and you cannot reserve online. It is all walk-in tickets. If you have a large group, make sure you call ahead though! One of the best things about this tour is that it is dog friendly and dogs are free!! They have tours every hour. I am not sure how busy it gets, but we went towards the end of the day and it was not overly packed. The cave was discovered by the owners dog, therefore they welcome dogs! There is no walking in this tour, as this is a cave drive though tour. The tour guide drives a jeep with wagons attached. There was another dog on our tour, so they kept us separate. My dog and I got to ride shotgun in the front wagon so we had our own private cubie, while the other dog rode in the longer main wagon. There were 4 different parties in our tour and there was plenty of space between people. My dog has never been in a cave before, but he was a trooper and stayed where I told him to stay. He is pretty big though, so the first wagon, while it was fine for just him and me, would had felt much more crowded with a 3 person. The other dog sitting in the main longer wagon had much more room to stand and move around. However, I really appreciated that they separated us and I did like the private one better. I just wish there was a gate or something to prevent you from falling out. There are some parts where it is a bit bumpy so I kept my dog away from the open side. The tour itself is roughly an hour long. Before you start your tour, they take a picture of the entire group before entering the cave. I thought it was going to be something they would try to sell to us after the tour... but to our surprise, it was free!! They printed one copy for each party! I really loved that! That meant I had more money and was more willing to spend in the gift shop! Tour guide was very informative. I love going into caves. This cave is not as intense as other caves I have been to. However, being able to take my dog with me was priceless!! The midpoint of the tour stops at this wide flat opening where they build a movie screen in and they show you a short movie about the cave. I was really hoping we could step off the wagons and take pictures standing in the caves, but we were not allowed to get off unfortunately. I think they would had taken the experience over the top. They had a bench area where I guess they used to have people sit at while someone spoke. Outside, there are some areas to walk around. There was construction going at the time I went, so some parts were closed of. There is plenty of free parking also. The gift shop sells a decent amount of items and some are actually quite cheap!! They had $10 t-shirts and $5 hats!! I bought several items. Everyone was friendly and they admired and welcomed my dog! The tour guide even complemented my dog saying he was super well behaved and he was impressed! The other dog on the tour was very anxious and kept whining throughout the tour and did not want to sit still. My dog was quiet and looked around attentively taking in his experience! He did want to get off and go around exploring as did I, but we were not allowed to. If I am in the area again, I would come back to this cave tour. This is a great stop and if you are traveling in the area, I think it's a must see. Hopefully in the future, they will allow guests to step off the wagon to take pictures inside the cave. read more

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I was going to start this review with fantastic taverns were truly fantastic and then got embarrassed because I imagine like half the reviews here say the same cheesy thing. BUT, for the record, the visit was fabulous and absolutely worth it. The tour is $26 person and lasts about an hour. You go on a Jeep led cart and the guide has tons of information on cave formations, history, its discovery, cave purposes, and more. The cave is massive and beautiful. I've been to Karchner Caverns in Arizona and this was much larger. Also, our tour had a cute bb German Shepherd joining us so it's fine to bring your dog! (Please do) (there were screaming babies to though, pls don't) read more

After seeing about a 1000 billboards on the interstate we had to stop in. The price is a bit steep at $26 each to get in but worth it. It was a fun tour, our tour guide was very nice and well informed. I would recommend stopping in. read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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If you're like me and you enjoy a good adventure, but not getting sweaty, this trip is for you. For about $25 per adult, you jump on a tram/trailer and get to enjoy a guided drive thru tour of the 60 degree cave. The tour guide provides a brief lesson on the history of the cave as you drive through natures structural masterpiece. The tour lasts a little over an hour and you are allowed to bring drinks and snacks. In fact, they sell popcorn in the gift shop. There is also a soda machine that accepts dollar bills. Parking is free and there are bathrooms on site. You can purchase a photo of your group in the cave while riding the tram for $12. read more

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Well worth going. We learned a lot and enjoyed the unique beauty of this cave. It is $30 a person so not cheap. But absolutely worth the trip and I'd highly recommend it to anyone. Really a unique experience that you won't get elsewhere. read more

Such a great tour! Our driver, Andy, was fantastic. The way he shared the information about the cave kept everyone engaged and laughing. The cave has such an interesting history. As the only ride thru cave tour in North America, this is perfect for people with limited mobility or small children. Some parts of the cave ceiling are quite low and require you to duck, more so if you are sitting on the driver's side. read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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this is advertised as fully wheelchair accessible however as a wheelchair user this was not my experience. the truck that you ride in sits very high and there is no chair lift or staff support to get in so you must be very good at transferring yourself in order to get into the truck. Also, the ramps at the entrance are very steep and I needed assistance to use them. lastly, there are no accessible restrooms anywhere. read more

On our way to Ozark, we kept seeing signs for this along the freeway. 30 miles until Fantastic Caverns, 25 miles until Fantastic Caverns, 20 miles....you get the point. So we decided to visit the Fantastic Caverns!!! Advertisement at its finest. The tour lasted about an hour and they give a free photo momento for you and your party (not one per person which is fine) so that gives them extra bonus stars. Most places charge you for every extra thing so this was a nice surprise. Our tour - guide Anne or Annie was super awesome. Gave us a lot of info and was super personable. Would recommend for anyone passing by! read more

We went to the caverns, learned a bit about formations and the history of their discovery. Got a free group photo, that was a bonus. I would recommend. read more

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Amazing! Awesome! Beautiful & extraordinary formations. Driver & guide went above & beyond to educate & enlighten in an entertaining way. One of the best caves I've experienced in my 80+ years! A big plus was being in the safest & most comfortable mode of travel = a real treat. Wonder-filled for all ages. I really want to go back. Safe & easy parking. The gift shop was clean and sales clerks were efficient & helpful. Highly recommend. read more

We had so much fun doing this! The cave is beautiful, and I regret not bringing my DSLR with me. I assumed that flash photography would not be allowed, but they do allow photography in many places. My cell phone pictures never quite did justice to it. It's also a cool and comfortable temperature inside. We had wonderful, knowledgeable, and funny tour guides who shared with is the history of the cave and kept us entertained the whole time. There are spots where you have to watch your head, but the guides were good about giving us a heads up and making sure we're safe. We finished in about an hour and at the end each party gets a free group photo, which is nice. I'm glad we decided to try this unique experience. They try to make it fun for the whole family, but it does get quite crowded as the day goes on. I recommend getting here as close to opening as you can. We got here about an hour after opening and were able to walk right up to the counter to get our tickets and go on the next tour. However, once we got back an extensive line was already forming that extended out the door. They have a nice area to walk around outside while you're waiting and bathrooms on site at the visitor center. Kids three and under are free, so that saved us some money with our youngest. read more

The caverns were awesome and the experience was great. My children really enjoyed the tour. Withholding the last star because our tour guild refused to answer questions, I think he was probably just having a bad day as he seemed pleasant enough outside of guests asking questions about the caverns. If you are in the area stop by! The moment of total darkness is worth the ticket price itself. read more

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This is a ride thru cave. You get on a tram and the tour begins. It's beautiful with all the formations inside. The temp is a cool 67 degrees or close to that year around. Our tour guide was great, she explained everything about it and even how it was first discovered. They have a nice gift shop st the visitor center where you buy your tickets. Plenty of parking, clean restrooms and they have snacks you can purchase and take on the tour. The tour last about an hour maybe a hour and a half. We all enjoyed it so if your anywhere around you should come take the tour. This is about 45 minutes from Branson read more

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Our guide Chad was excellent! His tour through the caverns was very informative. We will definitely be recommending this tour our family and friends. read more

This was so much fun! My boyfriend and I enjoyed every second of it. The cave was a warm 68 degrees despite it being colder outside. The tour guide's jokes and knowledge kept the ride interesting. One of the stops is to turn off all the lights and feel true darkness, which was a one of kind experience I'd pay for again. The ride consistently gets more interesting. Highly recommend! read more

Fun times and beautiful scenery. The staff was friendly too. We enjoyed the tour and the experience! read more

Fantastic Caverns - Historical Tours Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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We had an amazing experience while riding and viewing the cave. The guide was knowledgeable about the history of the cavern. Great for all ages. read more

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