Summer trip through the midwest: Must Sees!

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by Bob and Inga

Now were getting on topic. This area is a must and your need several days. Custer SP is a must, you also have Devils Tower a bit west, Deadwood is close by. You said no caves, but for the thread Wind Cave NP and Jewel Cave NM are in the area. SD Air & Space Museum on the way to the Badlands NP & Wall. This area ranks way up there on our favorites, but it is a big area so you do need some time.

Bob

A lot of great ideas there. Don't forget to get your free glass of water at Wall Drugs.

[Scooby450]

How can you forget anything about Wall Drug! They only advertise for miles&miles! The air and space museum sounds good. I said no caves early in the trip because I want to get through the heat of the first leg fairly quickly. I plan on doing caves somewhere...

[George Schweikle]

Since you are going from Traverse city to Mackinaw, this interesting place is sorta along your route Legs Inn - Cross Village, Michigan Really authentic Polish food

[Scooby450]

Update! After further consideration (my girl friend over ruling me ) we have decided to travel across Texas to visit family on the first leg of this trip. Therefore, the itinerary has changed to: San Antonio, Austin, Hot Springs, Nashville (for the fourth) Cinci, Cedar Point, family in Michigan, Mackinac Island, Soo Locks, Tahquamenon Falls, Shipwreck museum, Van Riper State Park, these are UP...Black River Forest Wisconsin, Minneapolis to visit friends, then towards SD for the sights there. Heading back home via Colorado & NM.

[Pepper2]

Maumee State Park just east of Toledo is a nice place for overnight or extended stop over. Large sites seperated by natural growth. Bike trails everywhere and a short bike ride to the beaches. Don't let your GPS take you thru Toledo, really a tight squeeze.

[JimM68]

The last time I was thru the dakota's, I stayed at a campground in Deadwood. Weird lil place, it was late in the autumn and the place was pretty much closed. There was some sort of cowboy museum on the site (closed and under construction) and a rodeo right next door (under the same onwership)

I'm heading that way next week, might try it agasin.

[codgerbill]

You did not say how much time you weregoing to be in Michigan. But...... If you have time the "Henry Ford" museum and Greenfield Village would be a recommendation. If you are up near the Soo and dont want to go on the locks tour,about 40 miles west of the Soo (Munising) there is a terrific Municipal campground where they have several spaces with full hookups that back up to the water and there is the pictured rocks tour and the glass bottom boat tour there also. You can also sample the "pasties" there too.

[Scooby450]

OK, as with most plans, when it comes to hectic lives, things have changed! We only have one month, which is wonderful...now the plan is: Waco to visit GFs Dad over the Fourth, then onto Nashville for about five days (Enough time?). From there to my folks place by Grand Rapids, Michigan. Probably do a day trip to Frankenmuth. Also somewhere in there I have to get two days up at Mackinac....from there we return home via Minnesota to visit friends. Dropped a lot of stops from the trip but family first and I left enough time for flexibility and travel...at least I get out of the desert for a month of summer.

[MartySQ]

Oh... Kansas feels so left out!
Eisenhower museum in Abilene, flint hills are lovely, esp eerie at night when they are burning them. There is a bison Preseve in Alta vista as well as an agricultural museum.
Interested in the Santa Fe Trail, California Trail or Oregon Trail? By Gardener there is a place you can walk on the trail before it splits off into separate ways.... Oh... and central Kansas Hutchinson, the longest national grain elevator, and underneath the area tour-able salt mines, and the cosmosphere... a world class space museum with Apollo 13, Liberty Bell 7, SR-71 Blackbird, Imax, planetarium, and many Soviet space artifacts!.....not too mention how cool the wheat fields look when the wind blows through them, really does look like oceans of grain waving...

[VanDiemen23]

The indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
The Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton - probably second only to the National air and space museum in DC and Duxford in the UK.

[milasman]

A little gem called Warther Carving Museum in Dover, Ohio. Check it out, you won't be sorry.