Seeking your input for vacation activities, 3 weeks PA to SD.
 

We are starting to make plans for our September 2015 vacation trip and I would like to get some input from the EXcursion community here. We (Wife and I) will be meeting up with another couple from our area in South Dakota, they will be on the road a week ahead of us. Their plans are to explore Glacier NP, Yellowstone and the Tetons for that week before starting to head back East where they will meet up with us in the Black Hills area of SD. The plan calls for us to make our way West as quickly as possible, then enjoy several SD (and area) attractions for a week or so then make our way back East more slowly as we stop for a couple of days here and there to take in some local sights and activities.
We will be traveling in our Ex pulling our travel trailer, our friends will be driving their 40' Class A Motorhome pulling a Honda CR-V. We both prefer full hookup campsites but more 'rustic' sites are OK too, I can always borrow some AC electric from them. ;)
They are coming from South Jersey and we are from South East PA so our travels will have us in or near the following states, PA, OH, MI, IN, IL, IA, WI, MN, SD and WY. So here is your chance to share some must see attractions, little known local locations of historical or weird interest, not-to-be-missed scenic areas and any other special places we may or may not find in a visitors bureau guidebook. We are open to all ideas and have a wide variety of interests and are up for light to moderate hikes of 5 miles or less for a good adventure. We like to keep on the go while on vacations, we can rest up when we get back to work!
I'm really looking forward to seeing your suggestions here and sharing them with the group, hopefully we will be able to meet a few of you good folks along the way! :-drink

If you are willing to drive north through Michigan, there are some very nice places to see, like the Dunes near Traverse City, crossing the Mackinaw Bridge and then the remoteness of the Upper Peninsula. If I remember right, there are some places in the UP where you can mine for copper and keep what you find.

As for the rest of the states, I don't know them that well, but there are some cool old west forts to visit in the CO and WY areas.

Good Luck!

If you come further west you can see UCG PA and me. Oregon and Idaho respectively...

What time in Aug in the Black Hills? I ask because the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is in mid Aug! it will be crazy for at least the week before and after. and good luck finding anywhere within 50-75 miles of the black hills area to stay.


other than that there is many things to see and do on the way both there and back.

PA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conneaut_Lake_Park if it is still open

OH: Akron Empire: Goodyear Blimp Hangar Tour and Pro Football Hall of Fame - Home Page

IN: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

WI: Things To Do

SD: Hot Springs Chamber - W2E - Dining - Blue Bison Best food in the hills in a cool little town

Keep the ideas comming folks, all will be put before the decision makers (wimenz ;))! Time to give up some (more) of those cool hidden destinations in your home state or places you have discovered on your travels! :-X22

Thanks David! I'm hoping to make MI a week long (at least) destination for a future trip, any stops this trip would have to be in Lower MI due to time constraints, 3 weeks is going to fly by.

That trip is going to have to wait a few years till the wife retires, its easier for me to get longer vacation stretches off than it is for her. I have a Niece who just got married in Oct that lives in Portland, so I have the PNW on the long term trip list too.

Good heads up 1 EX, we will be there in the September part of August ;) So it shouldn't be as crowded and I'd hate to be in Sturgis for the rally without my bike!

Some good ones there Mark!
Conneaut Lake Park looks pretty old school cool and it's not too far from Oil City PA, 3 of the traveling crew work in the oil business so that would be a good stop for us.
I was obsessed by the Goodyear Blimp when I was a kid, no kidding! I actually wore a GY Blimp belt buckle for years and had the Blimp on my Birthday cake one year! :-X03 Will definitely look into that tour! :-X22
Football Hall of Fame and the Brickyard sound like good stops also.
Wisconsin Dells was one of my favorite stays from 40 years ago camping with my family, I want to go back!
I am a fat guy and I love good food, must eat Bison, blue or any other color! :-X04 Hot Springs also has a Mammoth/fossil museum that would be of interest to a couple of us.

Keep the ideas coming, I really appreciate them! Reps sent where I'm locked down. :-X22

Tom, about 3/4 mile away (from the GY hangar) is the track for the Soap Box Derby, I forgot about that one.

My great uncle or great grandfather (IIRC) built the Blue Streak @ Conneaut. Since you are a big guy you may want to sign the waiver. :-X22

Don't miss the Scenic Byway in the Black Hills after seeing the Presidents.

I am an hour and a half from the dells here in WI if you want to swing threw let me know. The dells is right off I90/94.

Thanks Brent, I'll make sure it makes it onto the list of "Must sees"!

Thanks Andy, I'm pretty sure the Dells will make the final selection and I'd love to swing by your place, looks like you usually have something interesting in the shop! :)

Reps shared where I could! :-X22

if you are going into NB/Montana border are for any reason, stop at Teddy Roosevelt painted canyon national park

I would recommend the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. The only National Park dedicated to the Cold War. It is 21 miles east of Wall SD on I-90. On you’re way through Wall stop at the Wall drug store. Custer State Park is great for wildlife. I agree with the comments about Michigan, which is a trip in itself. You will not be disappointed on your trip. Have a blast

My dad drove charter busses cross-country when I was a kid (I didn't go, but I got to hear about all the "great" spots)

World's Largest Ball of Twine (Cawker City, Kansas)
World's Largest Ball of Twine - Cawker City, Kansas

Corn Cob Palace (Mitchell, SD)
http://cornpalace.org/

Devil's Tower (Devil's Tower, WY)
The MTN from the movie "ET"
Devils Tower National Monument - Wyoming Travel and Tourism

If you like trains (North Platte, WY). (THIS ONE I've been to !)
8 story tower overlooking "world's largest" RR Yard
http://visitnorthplatte.com/

I just happened to hit all those places last year! But we left the camper in Colorado and roughed it sleeping in the Excursion. We liked the Lamar Valley area in Yellowstone the best!! Glacier we stayed in Two Medicine~! lots of Moose and bear! also don't forget the Going to the Sun Highway! Lots of sheep and goats!

Don't think you can go wrong. Glacier may be better to stay in a campground outside the park, but Yellowstone is so big it takes hours to drive in.

I can offer you a free overnight if it works on your schedule. It's about 450 miles from your home about 30 minutes off of I-80. I can also offer a perch fishing trip on Lake Erie weather permitting, should be slayin' em in September.

Cedar Point is great if you like roller coasters.