And which one is your favorite(s)? And why? We're looking to, hopefully, visit a National Park this Summer or Fall. Yellowstone is on the radar as neither of us have ever been there. Currently, our "favoritest" NP is Yosemite. Breathtaking! Plan to get back in the coming years. Oddly, we made it to Moab, but never visited Zion, which was SO close! As it turned out, just didn't have time.
I've been to GC, but that was before they built the skywalk. Heard it's amazing! Didn't a Japanese firm design it?
Been to most if not all the “majors” (that lifetime senior park pass....for only $10 at the time.....is the gift that keeps on giving) but the one I enjoyed the most (mainly because I was only vaguely familiar with it AND it was virtually deserted) is the Teddy Roosevelt Badlands National Park. In its own way it is every bit as impressive as the Grand Canyon. Awesome geological formations and canyons, bison up close and personal and several prairie dog towns which are incredibly entertaining. I’d love to go back. The only “downside” is that it is in far western North Dakota, close to absolutely nowhere (which is why it is so uncrowded). So it is definitely one of those places you have to go out of your way for. But I highly recommend it, for whatever that might be worth.......otherwise, Yellowstone is a bucket list destination....or should be (though even the off season can be extremely busy itself)......
My parents are from South Dakota. Went there a few times as a kid....including the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, etc. I have a great family photo of me as a little kid holding hands with some Indian Chief with all the garb! Heh, my Uncle was even Mayor of Deadwood at one time. I think he even brought casinos to the area. He then got into real estate and made a killing. Man, what a segue that was! LOL
I’m trying to convince my cousin (and travel partner) to make Rushmore our next road trip. He’s never been there and I’d love to see it again. Nature is the greatest artist in the world, but sometimes man gets it right. Too, I only passed through Deadwood and Spearfish, while avoiding Sturgis. If I get back there I’d love to spend quality time in all 3 places (not to mention Rapid City, which seems to be an impressive and up and coming little burg). You can have the eastern half of South Dakota (billboards and all), but the western half (minus the abomination called “Wall Drug”) is some of the prettiest country I have seen........
Going to Wall Drug convinced me beyond all doubt that humans can be incredibly stupid.....and that I am just another one of them......
Yellowstone, Yosemite, badlands, devils tower, Rushmore, redwoods national park, Olympic national park, Tetons, crater lake, Rainier. Hopefully will be able to do more this summer
Nah. My mom always talked about it, though. She said it was a-maize-ing. Don't even know what it is, actually. Just remember the name. Don't feel like Googling. BTW, you had mentioned that lifetime pass. I think I've been to 5 or 6 NP's and EVERY time I visit one, I threaten to bite the bullet for the pass. Next time for sure!
My maternal grandmother and grandfather were from the Dakotas....my grandmother grew up around Deadwood....grandfather around Yankton....spent alot of time hunting in the Dakotas growing up....the Black Hills area is gorgeous....I have family all through Iowa, the Dakotas and Minnesota...Minnesota in the summer has some beautiful lakes and forests...winter is brutal in all those places ..I doubt I'll travel east again in this lifetime....have some great old photos of Old Faithful Geyser and Mt Rushmore with my mom and dad and siblings....what I probably miss most about the midwest is the sky...those vast sunsets and sunrises....also night birds and fireflies.
Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Craters of the Moon, Grand Teton's. We went to Yellowstone last year right after the west Entrance opened, was amazing. If you are going there, go as early in the summer as possible. The later in the summer you go, the further from the roads some of the animals get.
Unfortunately, the Senior Lifetime Passes are like $100(??) or so now. I got mine a few months before the $20 deal ($10 if you applied in person) ended. The thing has saved me a fair amount of money (the government always recoups in the gift shop) in entrance fees........
The corn palace is like some cheesy feed store barn....we hunted pheasant around there and the place was a joke or the definition of a tourist trap for those who grew up around there....there are quite a few of them (tourist traps)....it was a popular post card item though...they sold a lot of postcards...I remember being super disappointed in the Abe Lincoln house in Springfield Illinois...it's basically an old house with a small desk and some old books on a shelf....a photo would've done the trick.
