Sights to See in America

[imthefoolonthehill]

I'm going on a roadtrip later this year. I'll be going from YellowStone to Mt. Rushmore, through the Badlands, and then on to Chicago, then to the D.C. Area.

Any ideas on places to visit? Specifically along the route I'm taking (I-90 to Toledo)

Any roadtrip advice? Places to eat?

[Virgil]

Well that sounds fabulous. If you're going to Yellowstone, make sure you go a little further south and visit the Grand Tetons National Park. http://www.grand.teton.national-park.com/. In my opinion, as great as Yellowstone is, Grand Tetons is even better. Through the Dakotas you might want to ask Idril for info. She lives in there somewhere.

[Mortis Anarchy]

D.C.!!! When are you going on this adventure? Too bad you won't be hitting up the best state in the USA! If you for some reason end up in Oklahoma, check out Norman and the Arbuckle mountains...yeah. Or, the pan handle for some cool dinosaur digs. I'll be in DC later this year...early september(?) or late august....

But since you will be in DC, if you go to Annapolis, Maryland--specifically in the downtown harbor area there is an AWESOME seafood restaurant. Order the bucket of mussels. Delicious. And around the corner there should be this really, really and I mean REALLY tasty frozen yogurt. It is a little hole in the wall place. Get the key lime frozen yogurt. And if you are a organic freak/person (like me), then you will really like them. In D.C., for something sweet check out Sticky Fingers Bakery. Yum. Shopping type places, check out Oya's Mini Bazaar and Crooked Beats Records are really cool. Uh, that is all I can think of off the top of my head. My best friend goes to George Washington Uni there, so I'll email her and see what else she has to add.:)

[LadyWentworth]

Well, it looks as if you will be traveling through Wisconsin then. And that, as far as I am concerned, is the best state! :D

I've traveled I-90 a couple of times. I don't know what your exact interests would be, but I know what I liked. I've never been to Yellowstone. Mt. Rushmore is OK, but I wasn't overly impressed. Yet, it IS Mt. Rushmore. You kind of have to go to it at least once in life. :) I thought the Badlands were kind of creepy. I couldn't brave myself enough to actually drive through them. :p I did seem them from afar, though. :) I was a little irritated that I couldn't just pull off to the side of the road that was going east on I-90 in SD. There is this big dinosaur along there, and it looked so good with the Badlands as the backdrop. I would've liked a picture of it.

Anyway, the best places are the ones that are a little off of I-90. At least I think so. :) You should go to Deadwood. I was unable to get there when I was in SD. I would be curious to hear someone else's view of the place other than my brother's :). If you're going to Mt. Rushmore, you could see both Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse monument. You could go to Wall Drugstore (in Wall, SD) just to say you've been there. A lot of people like to stop in Mitchell, SD to go to the Corn Palace, but I think that is kind of a waste of time. Yet, that is something along the way.

I don't have much to say about Minnesota because the places that I would recommend are just too far from the path that you are taking.

Then there is Wisconsin. :) If you are going straight on I-90, you will cross into LaCrosse. That is a city along the Mississippi River. If you have any extra time, it is a lot of fun to drive a little further north on the river through some of the river towns in Wisconsin. I believe you will be driving through the land that transforms from trees to farmland. So you will get somewhat of a variety in the scenery. :) That will take you through Wisconsin Dells. I personally don't like the place as much as I used to (they just changed it too much), but still, it is a place to see. And a Dells Duck Ride is worth the stop there! That is a lot of fun. Then there is Baraboo, which has the big deal Circus World Museum. The fun part about that is seeing all of the amazing circus wagons. Also, the Al Ringling theater is there. It is very interesting to take a tour of that. Devils Lake is a beautiful place to see. Another place to see, if you have the time is The House On the Rock. It is actually an hour, or so, southwest of the Dells. People flock there. It is a freaky place. It really is. But it is a very interesting place to go to if you make it to Wisconsin. http://www.thehouseontherock.com/ Then there is Madison. If you stop there, make sure to see the Capitol. It is a nice prelude to the Capitol in DC. ;)

Now, are you taking I-90 to get to Chicago? Or do you think you will branch off and take I-94? If you take I-94, you will drive through Milwaukee. A very nice city that is overshadowed by Chicago because they are only 90 miles away from each other. I could recommend many places there :), but if you are sticking to I-90, then I won't say a word about any of it.

If you are going the way that I think you are, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is a place that I like to recommend to people. It is interesting there.

I LOVE DC!!! I wanted to get back this summer. Alexandria, VA is very nice. Baltimore is, too. Just the whole area surrounding DC is so nice.

When are you going to be taking this trip?

[B-Mental]

I used to live near Yellowstone National Park years back. I would take both 90 and 94 east to my place of origin in Wisconsin. The best places to see. Leave the north east exit of Yellowstone, and take the Beartooth highway (elev. 11,000 ft) towards Montana and I-90. This will take you to Billings, Montana. You will pass Custer's last battlefield.

I would try to catch Devil's Tower (from the movie Close Encounters), if you have the time. Another truly must see stop is The Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota... http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/

I really can't think of any must see stops in eastern South Dakota, but for literary I think that one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder houses is along the way...
"Walnut Grove, Minnesota (On the Banks of Plum Creek) and further west to De Smet, South Dakota (Little Town on the Prairie)." Actually, I found three not too far off of I-90. Wisconsin has Wisconsin Dells for a tourist destination (water slides and casinos).

The trip through Chicago will take 2.5 hours in good traffic, and up to 5 in rush hour due to accidents and construction. Be ready for tollbooth highways in parts of Illinois.

Bon voyage, and happy trails
B

[Hurricane]

In DC, I'd check out Arlington National Cemetery. If you pass by Dulles, the Udvar-Hazy center is crazy and worth a visit.

If you do go to Annapolis, I would suggest:
Nostalgia Cupcakes
Annapolis Ice Cream Factory (It has penguins in the windows)
Chick and Ruth's Delly
McGarvey's

And if it's a nice day, walk around the Naval Academy and watch noon meal formation.

[imthefoolonthehill]

How do tollbooth highways work?

[skib]

They suck. Don't take them if you can help it. The only way I understand of how they work is that you will be either A) racking up an incredible bill on your credit card or B) spending hours wringing every last quarter out from between your seats, under the floor mats . . . you get the idea.

[LadyWentworth]

I really can't think of any must see stops in eastern South Dakota, but for literary I think that one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder houses is along the way...
"Walnut Grove, Minnesota (On the Banks of Plum Creek) and further west to De Smet, South Dakota (Little Town on the Prairie)." Actually, I found three not too far off of I-90. Wisconsin has Wisconsin Dells for a tourist destination (water slides and casinos).
I have been to all of those "Little House" sites (I have an album in my profile of pics from the places :)). I would only recommend these places if you have a big interest in the stories. They are actually farther away from the interstate (they are on Highway 14, to be exact) than you think. I only think that they are worth the trip if you are a big fan. Although, the Ingalls Homestead is fun (it is more of an interactive place). That is in De Smet along with the Ingalls' Home and the gravesites (all but Laura's, Almanzo's and their daugther's). It is a lot bettter than Walnut Grove, but WG is a MUST for the die hard fans.

B-Mental mentioned the Dells again. So now you have two people who think it is worth a stop. :) But if you were to go to any casino in Wisconsin (granted you care to gamble your toll money away ;)), I would recommend going to Potowatomi Casino in Milwaukee. :)



The trip through Chicago will take 2.5 hours in good traffic, and up to 5 in rush hour due to accidents and construction. Be ready for tollbooth highways in parts of Illinois.
Yes, prepare yourself for rush hour. I think it took me about 90 minutes to get through there last summer (it was the morning rush) when I was going to NC. I was surprised by that because there was so much going and stopping. Bascially, I'd drive about 10 inches and then stop again because of the cars coming onto the interstate. But once you get past downtown, it seems to be easier.

If you go through Pennsylvania, they have tollbooths, too (at least they did when I was last there). But I agree with skib. Avoid them if you can. If you can't, then I recommend coming with a roll of quarters. Just be prepared. I only had to pay an actual person once. Basically, I just throw my money into the basket-thing that catches it.

[papayahed]

But if you were to go to any casino in Wisconsin (granted you care to gamble your toll money away ;)), I would recommend going to Potowatomi Casino in Milwaukee. :)


Hey I've been there!!!!

[Mortis Anarchy]

In DC, I'd check out Arlington National Cemetery. If you pass by Dulles, the Udvar-Hazy center is crazy and worth a visit.

If you do go to Annapolis, I would suggest:
Nostalgia Cupcakes
Annapolis Ice Cream Factory (It has penguins in the windows)
Chick and Ruth's Delly
McGarvey's

And if it's a nice day, walk around the Naval Academy and watch noon meal formation.

Ditto.:D

[LadyWentworth]

Hey I've been there!!!!
But if my memory serves me right, it has been a little while since you've been here, right? Well, they have really re-vamped it. They have made it Vegas style now.

[imthefoolonthehill]

alright, you guys have all been very helpful, and so far I have planned my trip all the way East to Sioux Falls.

From there, I think I will take 29 to Kansas City, 70 to St. Louis (see the arch there), then take 64 to Richmond.

I am, however, open to other routes. Is there anything cool to see in that area? (the only thing is, I do want to see the Gateway Arch)

[papayahed]

alright, you guys have all been very helpful, and so far I have planned my trip all the way East to Sioux Falls.

From there, I think I will take 29 to Kansas City, 70 to St. Louis (see the arch there), then take 64 to Richmond.

I am, however, open to other routes. Is there anything cool to see in that area? (the only thing is, I do want to see the Gateway Arch)

I can't think of anything on I-29 but off the top of my head if you're in Kansas City you must go to Arthur Bryants for the best BBQ ever and the Harry S. Truman museum is close by in Independance, MO.

I'll be back with more.

[librarius_qui]

Machu Pichu
I'd like to go to Iquitos ... it's a very personal wish
Rio de Janeiro, you shouldn't loose this :D (however .. there's people who seem not to have liked)
the Mississipi
the Grand Canyon
the Apple