Tell Us Where to Go

[Big Daddy]

We need help! My wife and I are planning a Chevy Chase type Family Vacation in mid July, but without the kids. We live in Seattle, and have travelled all over the USA. We are looking to possibly go into Minnesota, the Dakotas, Yellowstone, and wish to find quirky fun and interesting places along the way to add to our travel website.
We thought maybe in the two weeks, we could go as far as Minnesota, or Yellowstone without overdoing it.

We need your help, tell us where to go! We will take your suggestions, and add them to our website of travel, called Northwest Travel and Dining. (http://groups.msn.com/NorthwestTravelandDining)
Our vacation fate is in your hands....nothing is too creepy for us (like Wall Drug, and the like) So PLEASE!....tell us where to go....and be nice....thanks! :)

- Since Deadwood is gaining popularity thanks to the HBO show (it's on right now). Watch Bill Hickock buy it at the #10 Saloon in Deadwood, SD every day on the hour. Then go to where he really bought it, up the road a bit. They do something special in the summer with shoot outs and what not, not sure of the details. I was in town in the fall.

- Can't beat having to wait for buffalo to cross the road at Custer State Park. There's a cool stretch of a road through the park where you can see Rushmore through a tunnel. Freaked me out when I saw it through the rearview.

- There's some cool tourist trap not too far from the Badlands on I-90 on the way to Sioux Falls. It's called something like the 1800 Town or something. Fun to walk through (at least in the fall, when it was 9am and I was all by myself). They had the horse from Dances with Wolves there...Duke, I think...but something tells me he's in your kids glue bottle by now.

- Corn Palace in Mitchell is bizarre enough to check out. Not to far off the beaten path (I90).

- Twins got a good team this year. Check 'em out.

- Or take the northern route and check out Roger Maris' Hall of Fame up in Fargo.

- Stay in Glendive, MT and watch TV. Number 210 of 210 market areas monitored by the Nielsen ratings people.

In Minnesota it's a beautiful drive from Duluth up the coast with short hikes to waterfalls and lighthouses. We didn't go all the way up to Isle Royal National Park, but I wish we had had the time. We went inland and visited Voyageurs National Park, only we were there in May and that was to early in the season to take any of the boat tours.

The International Peace Gardens on the N. Dakota - Manitoba border was really nice and they hadn't even planted the flowers yet...again...May was to early!

We enjoyed both the N. and S. sections of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in N. Dakota.

I hope you have at least 4 or 5 days to enjoy Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.


Utahtea

[Big Daddy]

Yah, I especially like the idea of going all the way north to the Lake of the woods drive, then into Canada. Has anyone done that route? I hear you can really see the Northern lights from there..

[Lori Hein]

Hi Big Daddy:

I envy you your upcoming journey. (Isn't the planning such a sweet part of travel?)

I'm Lori Hein, author of "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Across America." The summer after September 11, I and my two kids traveled 12,000 miles of American back roads, and some of the places we visited might fit well into your itinerary. We left from Boston, traveling a southern route on the outbound journey and a northern route on the return.

Some ideas that might fit into your Seattle to Minnesota plans, if you dip a bit south on your outbound or inbound leg include:

- Craters of the Moon, Idaho. A volcanic wonderland between Ketchum and the Tetons. Camp here and nab site #30 if it's free. Incredible view of the North Crater lava field. Dawn and dusk are majestic.

- the Tetons. If you're going to Yellowstone, don't miss the Tetons. Next door neighbors. A tenting cabin at Coulter Bay affords majestic views. Hang out for a few hours in the Great Room at Jackson Lake Lodge. Sip wine, listen to the piano and look out the floor to ceiling windows at the world's most perfect mountain range.

-Little Big Horn, Montana - "Last Stand" is a double entendre. Yes, it was Custer's. But it was also the last stand for that battle's victors, who were incarcerated and asked to draw depictions of the battle on ledger paper from the military commissary... paper white men used to make an accurate and precise accounting of things.

- Devil's Tower, Wyoming. To the Sioux, this is Bear Lodge, a column of earth that lifted 7 maidens into the heavens, out of reach of a hungry bear. Walk the Ponderosa pine forest around the tower's circumference. See the Sioux prayer bundles tied in the trees. (Sundance, Wyoming is a great town to stay in if you're visiting Devil's Tower. If you're there in July, maybe you'll have the good luck to catch the Crook County Regional Fair, complete with kick-butt rodeo.)

-South Dakota: Custer State Park near Rushmore. Ride the Needles Parkway. See buffalo. The Corn Palace in Mitchell. A building made of corn... The Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo. You could spend days in this place. An amazing labyrinth of fantastic vintage autos. A destination unto itself.

- Duluth, MN - a hard-working Sandburgesque city of Rust Belt-colored clapboard spilling down a hillside to the Superior shore. Take Old Route 61 ("Old" or "Scenic" - there are two parallel routes - you want the "Old" one...) up the shore to Two Harbors. Superior practically laps at your car door. But, be forewarned! While Minnesota may have 10,000 lakes, it has NO vacancies on a summer weekend on Lake Superior's shores. None. Take that to the bank. Unless you have a reservation, you will find no quarter from Silver Bay all the way past Bayfield, Wisconsin. And campgrounds are filled, too. PLan accordingly, or try your luck.

Have a wonderful trip, and feel free to contact me.

Lori Hein
author, "ibbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Acorss America"
www.lorihein.com
LHein10257@aol.com

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[Lori Hein]

Hi Big Daddy:

I envy you your upcoming journey. (Isn't the planning such a sweet part of travel?)

I'm Lori Hein, author of "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Across America." The summer after September 11, I and my two kids traveled 12,000 miles of American back roads, and some of the places we visited might fit well into your itinerary. We left from Boston, traveling a southern route on the outbound journey and a northern route on the return.

Some ideas that might fit into your Seattle to Minnesota plans, if you dip a bit south on your outbound or inbound leg include:

- Craters of the Moon, Idaho. A volcanic wonderland between Ketchum and the Tetons. Camp here and nab site #30 if it's free. Incredible view of the North Crater lava field. Dawn and dusk are majestic.

- the Tetons. If you're going to Yellowstone, don't miss the Tetons. Next door neighbors. A tenting cabin at Coulter Bay affords majestic views. Hang out for a few hours in the Great Room at Jackson Lake Lodge. Sip wine, listen to the piano and look out the floor to ceiling windows at the world's most perfect mountain range.

-Little Big Horn, Montana - "Last Stand" is a double entendre. Yes, it was Custer's. But it was also the last stand for that battle's victors, who were incarcerated and asked to draw depictions of the battle on ledger paper from the military commissary... paper white men used to make an accurate and precise accounting of things.

- Devil's Tower, Wyoming. To the Sioux, this is Bear Lodge, a column of earth that lifted 7 maidens into the heavens, out of reach of a hungry bear. Walk the Ponderosa pine forest around the tower's circumference. See the Sioux prayer bundles tied in the trees. (Sundance, Wyoming is a great town to stay in if you're visiting Devil's Tower. If you're there in July, maybe you'll have the good luck to catch the Crook County Regional Fair, complete with kick-butt rodeo.)

-South Dakota: Custer State Park near Rushmore. Ride the Needles Parkway. See buffalo. The Corn Palace in Mitchell. A building made of corn... The Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo. You could spend days in this place. An amazing labyrinth of fantastic vintage autos. A destination unto itself.

- Duluth, MN - a hard-working Sandburgesque city of Rust Belt-colored clapboard spilling down a hillside to the Superior shore. Take Old Route 61 ("Old" or "Scenic" - there are two parallel routes - you want the "Old" one...) up the shore to Two Harbors. Superior practically laps at your car door. But, be forewarned! While Minnesota may have 10,000 lakes, it has NO vacancies on a summer weekend on Lake Superior's shores. None. Take that to the bank. Unless you have a reservation, you will find no quarter from Silver Bay all the way past Bayfield, Wisconsin. And campgrounds are filled, too. PLan accordingly, or try your luck.

Have a wonderful trip, and feel free to contact me.

Lori Hein
author, "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Acorss America"
www.lorihein.com
LHein10257@aol.com

-
-

[Lori Hein]

Hi Big Daddy:

I envy you your upcoming journey. (Isn't the planning such a sweet part of travel?)

I'm Lori Hein, author of "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Across America." The summer after September 11, I and my two kids traveled 12,000 miles of American back roads, and some of the places we visited might fit well into your itinerary. We left from Boston, traveling a southern route on the outbound journey and a northern route on the return.

Some ideas that might fit into your Seattle to Minnesota plans, if you dip a bit south on your outbound or inbound leg include:

- Craters of the Moon, Idaho. A volcanic wonderland between Ketchum and the Tetons. Camp here and nab site #30 if it's free. Incredible view of the North Crater lava field. Dawn and dusk are majestic.

- the Tetons. If you're going to Yellowstone, don't miss the Tetons. Next door neighbors. A tenting cabin at Coulter Bay affords majestic views. Hang out for a few hours in the Great Room at Jackson Lake Lodge. Sip wine, listen to the piano and look out the floor to ceiling windows at the world's most perfect mountain range.

-Little Big Horn, Montana - "Last Stand" is a double entendre. Yes, it was Custer's. But it was also the last stand for that battle's victors, who were incarcerated and asked to draw depictions of the battle on ledger paper from the military commissary... paper white men used to make an accurate and precise accounting of things.

- Devil's Tower, Wyoming. To the Sioux, this is Bear Lodge, a column of earth that lifted 7 maidens into the heavens, out of reach of a hungry bear. Walk the Ponderosa pine forest around the tower's circumference. See the Sioux prayer bundles tied in the trees. (Sundance, Wyoming is a great town to stay in if you're visiting Devil's Tower. If you're there in July, maybe you'll have the good luck to catch the Crook County Regional Fair, complete with kick-butt rodeo.)

-South Dakota: Custer State Park near Rushmore. Ride the Needles Parkway. See buffalo. The Corn Palace in Mitchell. A building made of corn... The Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo. You could spend days in this place. An amazing labyrinth of fantastic vintage autos. A destination unto itself.

- Duluth, MN - a hard-working Sandburgesque city of Rust Belt-colored clapboard spilling down a hillside to the Superior shore. Take Old Route 61 ("Old" or "Scenic" - there are two parallel routes - you want the "Old" one...) up the shore to Two Harbors. Superior practically laps at your car door. But, be forewarned! While Minnesota may have 10,000 lakes, it has NO vacancies on a summer weekend on Lake Superior's shores. None. Take that to the bank. Unless you have a reservation, you will find no quarter from Silver Bay all the way past Bayfield, Wisconsin. And campgrounds are filled, too. PLan accordingly, or try your luck.

Have a wonderful trip, and feel free to contact me.

Lori Hein
author, "Ribbons of Highway: A Mother-Child Journey Acorss America"
www.lorihein.com
LHein10257@aol.com

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-

[Big Daddy]

I love the idea of seeing the corn palace. Have heard about it before. I think that one will be a must see on the trip. I cant wait to take pics, and post them...

And yes, I do believe Wall Drug is on the itenary already....

[imported_Susan]

I grew up in a little town in Eastern MT and some places just in that general area (if you have time) include Fort Union (they have great a great renactment type weekend called Rendezvous) and Fairview MT has a greatplace called the Powder Keg (short orders and the best pizza in the area) that's open from 4:30-9:30 Tue-Sun. I'll second any of the Medora/Badlands sight seeing,it's awesome country. You can actually get there out of Fairview/Williston area and go through Alexander, Watford City, and then down into the North Unit of the Park.

Feel free to contact me for anything. I grew up in that area and would be happy to share what I know.