Fantastic Caverns
Fantastic Caverns
4.5
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Discover the timeless beauty of Fantastic Caverns, one of the earth's rarest treasures. There are only four of its' kind in the entire world, and only one in North America. Here, you'll discover one of the world's most beautiful natural wonders; giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals, tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water. And best of all, you'll see it close-up from the comfort of a Jeep-drawn tram!
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Attractions
22 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Victoria P22 contributionsMust do off route 66What a fantastic surprise this place was. Kyle was our tour guide and she was brilliant- her love and interest of the caves shone through. The staff in the visitor centre were also friendly and welcoming. Great attraction on our Route 66 tour.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 4, 2023
- Emily O1 contributionGreat Family Experience……Even the property and grounds surrounding the cave were beautiful! The entire experience exceeded our expectations. The details of the cave tour, and tour guide (Mark) were fantastic. Our kids (3 & 9 yrs) were engaged and enjoyed it. You can’t beat the price of Fantastic Caverns compared to many other tours out there. After the tour for an additional $5 per person- you can upgrade each ticket to a season pass which we opted to do!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 12, 2023
- Kristin M4 contributionsAwesome experienceThe caves are BEAUTIFUL! The tour guides are kind and funny. And they also tell you history about each part of the cave and tell you what is was like way back then. And lastly they give you free photos at the end!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 12, 2023
- Constance CNew Orleans, Louisiana100 contributionsAmazingly safe & comfortable way to explore awesome beautiful caves. Pictures can’t do it justice. U gotta be there!Really amazing experience. We’re older but fit sisters wanting to visit caves safely & comfortably. I didn’t expect that we could have this easy of a journey with the quality of natural beauty. Our guide was extraordinary! His educational dialog had wit & charm & reverence for natural wonders. Our driver gave us the perfect ride w/ enough of adventure to add thrills without worry. I really want to go back. There’s so much to see & feel in these caves that one trip isn’t enough. We’re grateful & wanting more of this company’s excellent customer service & their awe - sharing appreciation for each of us. Don’t miss the gift shop! High quality merchandise & friendly efficient cashier. It’s been a while since I’ve been on this app but I had to share how special this adventure turned out to be. Highly recommend.Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten October 13, 2023
- Teri STulsa, Oklahoma97 contributionsBeautiful CavernFantastic caverns is stunning. Our guide was good and relayed a lot of history re: the cave. I like the fact we could ride rather than walk. The group picture was a nice gift but I wish the people at the back of the tram could be seen better. I only knew it was us because I knew where we were sitting. I didn’t give 5 stars because I thought the price was a little high ($90 for 2 seniors and a 16 yr old) is pricey for a family.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 24, 2023
- Jennifer G240 contributionsFantastic!It's a great way to see the caverns, which was awesome. There were some great views. You ride in a tram and don't have to do any walking in the cavern. Our guide was very knowledgeable so in addition to being an enjoyable experience it was also educational. Our group really enjoyed it and it was a great way to spend some time if you are in the area. They give you a photo of the group in the tram after the tour. We drove from Branson for this experience. I would highly recommend this if you are in the area!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 26, 2023
- Amanda F1 contributionA Great Tour!The road signs got me. I'm the only one in my family of four who wanted to delay our road trip to see this, but in the end everyone enjoyed it. Our wait for the next tour was about 20 mins and there was a nice gift shop with a big popcorn machine selling popcorn for about $1/bag, which the kids loved. Darla was a fun tour guide and she did a great job of including our 5 year old who had lots of questions. I personally would have preferred a walking tour, but my boys appreciated the ride and it was nice to enjoy a cave without having to hear them complain about being tired of walking (even though we had been road tripping for hours on end). There was a whole group 5x7 photo that was included with our admission ticket - not the greatest quality print, but a cool keepsake. All in all, it was a great way to top off our trip on our way out of MO and I'm glad we stopped.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 27, 2023
- Kim P1 contributionEducational and fun!I went with my 7 year old grandson and we really enjoyed the tour! He was fascinated and soak up all the information about the cavern. Our guide Larry was so nice, informative and fun! I’m so glad we went! We had the best time!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 31, 2023
- Vanessa B23 contributionsExcellent!Very nice place. Good flat parking. A couple of old jeeps and stills in the showroom. Also a gift store. This is a driving tour, so very nice for kids, folks with injury, or limited mobility. They load you up in a jeep with a wagon on the back and take you in. The tour lasts about an hour. Our tour guide was Darla I think. She was awesome! Gave lots of historical info as well as science info about the cave. This is a great experience!Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 4, 2023
- Geralyn B42 contributionsA fun, beautiful experienceThis is my first experience with Fantastic Caverns and it was lots of fun. The entrance lobby is bright and beautiful with informative displays. We rode trams into the cavern and it was amazing! A couple times we had to duck our heads as the overhead part of the cave was so low which was actually kind of fun and made it more real. We saw beautiful formations of stalagtites and stalagmites - our tour guide was engaging and very knowledgable. I have visited other caves and this one is a good one, for sure!Visited November 2023Traveled with friendsWritten November 19, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,210 reviews
Excellent
1,414
Very good
517
Average
205
Poor
49
Terrible
25
Gregory Gathright
Austin, TX2 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
Lots of billboards all over the state hyped this cave into visions of a Carlsbad-type experience. Reality set in with an uncomfortable tram (billboards showed a four person Jeep) that stopped every few minutes to give the illusion of a lengthy tour. Without the stops, the entire ride would be about 8-10 minutes. The guide tried to spin tales to increase the allure but the reality is it’s a high-priced ripoff IMHO. The owners have worked this into quite a nice moneymaker.
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RiverlanGone
Slidell, LA717 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
Our guide Brent was wonderful and we so enjoyed the cavern and it’s amazing history. We really appreciated the explanation of how the cavern was first discovered and it’s evolution of use and lighting. There were just the right number of stops for descriptions and so interesting to learn that sometimes the cavern floods when there are heavy rains! It’s a really large cavern and is do beautiful!
A perfect place to learn about caves and to get out of the heat! I also appreciated the group photo we received as part of the tour. We were all told we must wear our masks inside the cave due to the pandemic, and could take them off for the photo if we wished. We and some others chose to keep ours on as part of the memory of the experience.
If you have very young children (5 and younger) they may enjoy a lighted helmet for the tour. A nice variety of items in the gift shop and several were marked down to 1/2 price!
A perfect place to learn about caves and to get out of the heat! I also appreciated the group photo we received as part of the tour. We were all told we must wear our masks inside the cave due to the pandemic, and could take them off for the photo if we wished. We and some others chose to keep ours on as part of the memory of the experience.
If you have very young children (5 and younger) they may enjoy a lighted helmet for the tour. A nice variety of items in the gift shop and several were marked down to 1/2 price!
Written June 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Koland
Invermere, Canada3 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
Very easy to find the caverns, great directions.. friendly staff. Once inside it’s amazing to see, the driver and tour guide was very informative and humerus so made for a fun time, which seemed to fly by. Would go again with family.
Written December 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shane W
Brooklyn, IA88 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
The cave by itself is truly amazing and beautiful! It has great formations and the lighting is perfect to highlight the beautiful stalactites and soda straws on the ceiling. I would love to walk through and see all of this on a walking tour. Instead- you are in a crowded tram and what I felt was rushed through. These tours are truly made by the tour guides and I felt ours was just going through the motions. One time it was hard to hear because we were right behind another group whose guide was also talking. Again, the cave is amazing- but we also went to other lesser known caves for less money and a more pleasant experience than this one. They have great signage (although I could not get the QR codes to work) and a nice and reasonable gift shop.
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hugh V
Peculiar, MO69 contributions
Feb 2020
Fantastic Caverns is a very good option for people who would like an easy tour of a cave/cavern. All tours are done via a tram-like vehicle where everyone is seated. This makes it good for those who are unable to walk, to walk much, or similar restriction. It is a pretty comfortable ride and the atmosphere is good. The temperature is a constant about 60 degrees, so is pretty nice regardless of the temperature outside. You can dress accordingly for what is appropriate for you for 60 degrees. The tour offers the ability to see the formations in the cave, with many enhanced to highly their features, by various lights. The tour guide offers history of the area and the cave during the about 1 hour drive. It is good for families, and pretty much anyone of any age since the only walking required is that from the parking lot to the building, and the building to the tram. Everything is pretty level and handicap accessible. They have a shop with various geological and souvenir options that you can peruse while waiting for the next tram, afterward, or anytime.
Written January 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KCBirdLady
Kansas City, MO115 contributions
Jun 2021
I guess we are getting spoiled, because we didn't find this cave tour very impressive. The guide gave some interesting information about limestone caves in general and the history of this one in particular. But after you have seen Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, this tour seems very short and expensive.
Written June 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie G
4 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
I think the tour was decent. It’s not the best cave I’ve been to for the cost. Not worth $60 for 2 people and the ride was very crowded and just uncomfortable. I wouldn’t recommend this cave but definitely would recommend Meramec Caverns which is a walk through cave, a lot bigger, cheaper and just better!
Written May 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Craig M
Kansas City, MO12 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
Don't be fooled by the cheesy (oversaturated) advertising, this place is the real deal. We visited on a chilly March Afternoon and it was absolutely worth the slight detour.
The cave itself is fascinating, and the buildings are all very clean and comforting. The visitor's center being built in the 70s, but it still felt very modern and is kept in great shape.
Our tour guide "Brent" was very knowledgeable and fun. We brought our small terrier mix and the entire staff was very accommodating. It seems like dogs are a common occurrence.
The cave has an interesting history, and is really quite beautiful.
The cave itself is fascinating, and the buildings are all very clean and comforting. The visitor's center being built in the 70s, but it still felt very modern and is kept in great shape.
Our tour guide "Brent" was very knowledgeable and fun. We brought our small terrier mix and the entire staff was very accommodating. It seems like dogs are a common occurrence.
The cave has an interesting history, and is really quite beautiful.
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbie D
Cedar Lake, IN7 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
We had planned to stop on our way south but sickness caused us to avoid it. So, we tried to squeeze in the stop on our way back - even though at that point we just wanted to get home. But we are so glad we stopped!
My kids 4 and 1.5 loved it. I appreciated that it wasn’t just a ride through the cave. It had various stops along the way with different demonstrations.
Riva was a great tour guide. She stopped to take a photo at the beginning, and I automatically roll my eyes expecting a big sales pitch at the end to encourage me to pay the overpriced photo. And to my amazement, we were handed a FREE photo at the end of our tour!
My kids 4 and 1.5 loved it. I appreciated that it wasn’t just a ride through the cave. It had various stops along the way with different demonstrations.
Riva was a great tour guide. She stopped to take a photo at the beginning, and I automatically roll my eyes expecting a big sales pitch at the end to encourage me to pay the overpriced photo. And to my amazement, we were handed a FREE photo at the end of our tour!
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Austinleigh20
3 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Our Silver Fox of a guide Richard did a a tremendous job showing us all these sweet rock formations out of this cave .My kids are young and they had a lot of fun while enjoying the popcorn. I particularly enjoyed the demonstrations and education parts of the tour. Overall it's quite the experience going under ground in a cave like that it was fantastic!
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We travel with our 11 pound Papipoo. Will he be allowed to come with us? If not is there a kennel we can keep him in while on the tram?
Also, is this wheelchair accessible?
Written January 31, 2024
call them about bringing a pet along and also if you cant, where a vet "hotel" is close by
Written February 1, 2024
It’s under an hour. You are seated throughout in a kind of wagon being pulled by a buggy. We were lucky enough to get to ride in the buggy itself as passengers.
Written December 12, 2023
I wore a jacket & had a hat on. Ask the company about the temperature for more specific information but I would always have a sweater & maybe a scarf when going into a cave. I’m older and from the Deep South & perhaps this makes a difference? The whole experience was lovely.
Written October 31, 2023
The Google map directions we took to get there brought us through very windy, narrow roads through a residential area and to the back of the parking lot so I can't speak for the front way in to the lot. I would call them to ask for sure.
Written April 19, 2023
Wondering if there is a weight or height limit to passengers? My boyfriend is a pretty big dude and we just want to make he’ll be comfortable.
Written September 4, 2021
Agree with above - when the low-ceiling areas come up within the tour, they'll definitely guide you to duck down. They're all about safety so you should have no problems.
Written September 5, 2021
…
Showing results 1-10 of 46
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing