Central Ohio to Mt. Rushmore

[jess00018]

Can't figure out this leg of the cross country road trip. It's for a move so it will be more rushed than a leisurely trip.

Looking for ideas of places to stay and visit / sightsee between central OH and Mt. Rushmore. Thoughts include St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Madison, or Milwaukee. Have been to Chicago lots, so no desire to stop there. Thinking one trip is ideal between Columbus and Rushmore.

Would love thoughts of veteran roadtrippers.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

The fact is that none of the cities you listed are on the most efficient route between Columbus and Rapid City, and ev3n if you take the most efficient route, it is still farther than can be pleasantly driven with only one stop. In fact if you were a professional driver, driving that far in two days would be illegal. And that's before you start adding "places to... visit/sightsee." So, let's start with the most efficient routing since you say that you will be 'rushed.' Take I-70 to Indianapolis, I-74 to the Quad Cities, I-80 to Iowa City and then I-380/US-218/US-18 to Mason City and I-35 north to I-90 west for the rest of the trip. That avoids every large city except Indianapolis and is shortest in terms of miles while staying primarily on Interstates. Sights along such a route would be fairly low key (state parks, wildlife refuges, local history, and the like) until you got near your destination where there is a host of great parks including Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Wind and Jewel Caves, Devils Tower, and the Crazy Horse Memorial.

AZBuck