Has anyone spent any amount of time in the Midwest USA?

[ju_itfc]

Thinking of doing something a little different come August this year and are considering a 2 week holiday to the Midwest USA.

Tentative plans include flying into Denver, hiring a car and then heading into Nebraska for Lincoln and Omaha. Up into South Dakota for Sioux Falls, and then west via Mitchell (the Corn Palace) to Pierre (the capital of SD) and a final stop in SD at Rapid City for as many days as we need. See Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands, Black Hills, Bear Country etc etc.

From there continue west to Devil's Tower National Monument and onto Cody, before spending 4 or 5 days touring Yellowstone NP (probably stay out of the park as accommodation is going to be hard to find now) and the Grand Tetons (base ourselves in Jackson Hole).

Head back down to Denver via a stretch of the Rocky Mountain National Park and fly home.

Anybody done anything similar? I'm guessing people might have done from Rapid City westwards? If so, has anybody got any thoughts or advice, and indeed for the Nebraska part of the itinerary?

Thanks in advance

[bookswin]

Hi. I've spent my whole life in the US Midwest (in Chicago now).

I applaud your notion to get away from the more touristed areas and think it's a great idea. But this strikes me as a very very ambitious itinerary for 2 weeks. You will spend all your time driving, not seeing anything. Much of the scenery you pass will be wheat or corn fields or barren.

Not trying to be obnoxious (my Welsh friend says that this word is known in the UK, but you use "objectionable" instead :d: ). Have you calculated the distances here?

Mapquest is a good online site to find mileage and routing.

Depending how many people you have, it may be cheaper to fly between cities than drive for parts of this. For example, I can often find flights from Chicago to Denver for about $60, and it's over 1000 miles. That would cost more than twice as much to drive for gas alone. Chicago to Orlando is 1220 miles and I have flown it for less than $50 numerous times.

As me anything you like about midwest US travel.

[Scar]

In 2003 we flew to Denver and then drove:
Cheyenne, Wind Cave NP, Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Rapid City, Sturgis, Deadwood, Devils Tower, Little Big Horn, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Jacksons Hole, past Salt Lake City, Arches NP, Canyon Lands NP, Moab, Silverton, Durango. Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Monument Valley, Lake Page, North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Zion and Bryce Canyons, Rachel (Alien Highway), Las Vegas to Phoenix.

That was the best trip we have done.

[BevS97]

I lived in Omaha for a few years when I was younger (1979-1982 so quite a while back). I can't honestly think of anything in Omaha or Lincoln that would be worth a visit.

I can remember many many hours of driving through cornfields to get anywhere. I would miss out Nebraska and spend more time in Colorado.

[catlady]

In 2003 we flew to Denver and then drove:
Cheyenne, Wind Cave NP, Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Rapid City, Sturgis, Deadwood, Devils Tower, Little Big Horn, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Jacksons Hole, past Salt Lake City, Arches NP, Canyon Lands NP, Moab, Silverton, Durango. Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Monument Valley, Lake Page, North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Zion and Bryce Canyons, Rachel (Alien Highway), Las Vegas to Phoenix.

That was the best trip we have done.

Wow this is more or less the trip we did way back in 1994 (before the kids arrived!). This was our fav. trip ever and although you cover a lot of miles Yellowstone, Bryce and zion parks will blow you away! We stayed in the parks at the national park accom. simply amazing!! Jackson hole was great too!

We did our trip in 3 1/2 weeks can you stretch yours as bookswin says it's a lot for 2 weeks.

Hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did.

[bookswin]

Just had a thought: If you can arrange it, you might fly into Chicago and head west through South Dakota, on to Wyoming and then fly home from Denver. That way you'd drive less in backtracking and see more sights.

Chicago is a fantastic city; I've lived here 13+ years. All the UK folks I've met here have loved it.

[ju_itfc]

I wasn't quite expecting such quick replies so thanks for that.

Bookswin, very good idea on the flying into Chicago and out of Denver and it was one I have looked at already. The only downside to this idea would be a potential one way drop fee through the hire car supplier, but aside from that, it would make total sense. I think I was trying to think of a way of getting to Sioux Falls with maybe taking in some other places on the way, and clearly Lincoln and Omaha would be (sort of) on the way.
My Wife and I spent 7 weeks in the USA back in 2006 and visited a lot of the major cities (Chicago included) and we have also seen a fair bit of other places over the past 9 years also, so we are just looking at something a bit different.

I appreciate the distances involved. Denver to Lincoln for example is 6.5hrs. It may be after consideration that we head straight up to Rapid City and tour that area, before heading to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and then spending more in Colorado as Bev mentioned below. We have been to Denver and Golden (hic) but didn't get to the RMNP or any of the other surrounding cities.

Bev, your recollection of Omaha sounds just like the A17 from Kings Lynn to Newark!!!! :pgig: :pgig: :pgig:

Scar & Catlady. I love that itinerary and it must have been amazing. Any longer than 2 weeks is just not going to be possible this year as we are heading to Georgia for 8 nights in a weeks time. That will eat nicely into the holiday entitlement, plus I'm not overly sure either employer would allow us that amount of time off. It has certainly given me some food for thought though, and we could certainly do a mini version of your trip taking in Rapid City and the obvious attractions in that area, head to Yellowstone and the GT's and then maybe onto either Colorado for RMNP or maybe into Utah for Zion NP, a place we very nearly visited from Las Vegas last year.

As for driving distances and time behind the wheel. No problems. We had 3 weeks in NZ in 2006 also (on the same trip) and we managed to tour the South & North Islands in that time, only missing out the likes of Dunedin and Invarcargill in the South, and the Bay of Island in the North.

Plenty of food for thought from your responses. Thanks.

[Tanya934]

We did a mid west trip in 2003.
Flew into Denver & drove up to scotsbluff.
From there we drive to Rapid City via a small National Park where they found lots of Dinosaur bones & stopped off to take a swim a springs complex called Evans Plunge where you swm in crystal clear mineral water.
At Rapid city we visited Mount Rushmore & Custer State park and did The Badlands the following day.
We then drove to Sheridan in Wyoming, stopping en route @ Devils Tower & took a side Trip up to Little Big Horn.
The next day we drove to Gardiner in MT via Cody & Yellowstone Natl Park wher we stayed 3 nights & explored the park.
We then spent 2 nights in Jackson Hole & explored The Tetons before driving up to Thermopolis for 2 nights.
It was then a long drive down to Colorado Springs to explore the area before flying back to Denver & home.

If yopu do the other side of South Dakota you can visit De Smet which is the 'Little Town on the Prarie(sp)@ wher Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up & has a lot of items relating to her family.
Whatever you decide to do, i'm sure you'll have a great time!

[ju_itfc]

Thanks for that Tanya.

Your trip sounds great and pretty much follows the same pattern we were thinking of if we decided to opt away from Nebraska and eastern South Dakota. On reflection, probably more time allocated to Colorado is needed, so the plan has changed a bit to include not only the RMNP but also down to Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Pike's Pass (for the cog railway) and even maybe as south as the Great Sand Dunes National Monument.

So in effect our time will be spent exploring Rapid City and the obvious attractions in close proximity to that area, Yellowstone NP and the Grand Tetons and finishing off with time in the Rocky Mountain NP, and other parts of Colorado.

Or in reverse......something to think about.

Thanka again for your help

[Tanya934]

Try to visit Gardens of the Gods & taste the different waters @ Manitou springs. The tourist office will give you a map & a couple of cups.
We'd like to have spent more time exploring Colorado & may do on a future trip.

[Pedro]

This is turning into a great thread. Interesting to hear about different parts of the US. Would love to tour the Midwest at some stage.

Agree with what's been said about Chicago. We have an office out there (Westmont, just outside Chicago) and it is a beautiful city.

A few colleagues spent time out there on ex pat contracts for 3/4 years and they all loved the place.

Peter

[ju_itfc]

This is turning into a great thread. Interesting to hear about different parts of the US. Would love to tour the Midwest at some stage.

Agree with what's been said about Chicago. We have an office out there (Westmont, just outside Chicago) and it is a beautiful city.

A few colleagues spent time out there on ex pat contracts for 3/4 years and they all loved the place.

Peter

I'm glad I started it then. I must admit I didn't expect quite so much interest as the Midwest is not the obvious choice for a lot of people, although with the likes of Yellowstone NP, Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountain NP and the city of Denver in that particular area, it is obviously ripe for exploration.

We have decided to opt away from Nebraska and East South Dakota and concentrate on a loop involving Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, RMNP, Rapid City (for Mount Rushmore and other local attractions), Yellowstone NP and the Grand Tetons. Fly in and out of Denver.

Early stage planning commences.

[joblot]

We hope to do a mid-west tour in the next couple of years. Had planned to do one a few years ago however it did not come off.