A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in questioning how much farther it would be to visit Mount Rushmore. Umm… like another 5 hours driving. This conversation continued and evolved into a 5 day, 4 night road trip through Nebraska, up to the Mount Rushmore area, back through South Dakota, and down hone. After deciding on a big plan, I got to work finding lots of optional activities and sites to see. I’m huge into weird roadside attractions and offbeat sites and made sure to include a ton in my planning. We just got back from our trip this weekend and now it’s time to document our trip. I plan on doing a mini scrapbook album with pictures and ephemera, but first I’m going to document our travels here.
Day #5: Sioux Falls, SD to Home
Stop #1: Des Plaines Zoo, Sioux Falls, SD - With our Omaha Zoo membership, we got 50% off admission here. It’s a nice little zoo although J and both remarked on the lack of planning when it came to walking paths. Lots of dead ends and views behind the scenes. We probably would have stayed longer but it was ridiculously hot so we moved on.
Stop #2: Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SD - We passed through SF on our way to California 7 years ago, but didn’t stop at the falls. Very impressive sight! Even with the flood damage evident. We made sure to get a pic of Arthur right at the edge of the water.
Stop #3: Bank robbed by the Dillinger Gang, Sioux Falls, SD - I popped out of the van to check out this historical marker. Fascinating story!
Stop #4: Lunch at Cherry Creek Grill, Sioux Falls, SD - No pictures. Not amazing, but decent bar food.
Stop #5: Ice Cream at Stensland Family Farms, Sioux Falls, SD - J immediately spied this option on the itinerary and made sure we stopped. Such incredibly good ice cream!!! We each got something interesting and delicious: Tobe - Lemon Poppyseed Scoop, J - Wake Up Call (coffee) Scoop and Key Lime Scoop, Arthur and Quentin - How Now Brown Cow (chocolate), Nick - Salted Caramel Pecan, Alex - Udder Me Mint Chip.
Stop #6: Marker at the corner of Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota - Had to check out this random marker and stand in three states at once!
Stop #7: Sergeant Floyd River Museum, Sioux City, IA - This dry-docked boat has become a welcome center and museum to boating along the Missouri River and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The real Sergeant Floyd was the only member of that expedition to die during the years exploring the west. Great little museum!
Stop #8: Mural of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Tekamah, NE - Once last random roadside attraction on our trip.
And we made it back home! Such a great road trip! I wonder what we will do next summer?