We begin our fun-filled grandparent’s/grandchildren trip to the Black Hills and Badlands this morning. It is sure to be a memorable trip as we tour some of the most scenic and historic areas of the Midwest. Our travel day takes us through Iowa and into Nebraska. We will make a stop in Kearney at the The Great Platte River Road Archway Museum. While you have traveled underneath to get to it, you will be amazed when you step inside and ride the escalator back in time to the good ole days when stagecoaches were the main mode of transportation. You will learn about the pony express riders, witness a buffalo stampede and much more. We continue on through Nebraska, heading north into South Dakota. Our overnight stop will be in Mitchell at the AmericInn. After check in we will gather for a pizza party.

After breakfast we head to the Corn Palace, the world's only Corn Palace which stands as a tribute to the agricultural heritage of South Dakota. The original Corn Palace, called "The Corn Belt Exposition" was established in 1892. Early settlers displayed the fruits of their harvest on the building exterior in order to prove the fertility of South Dakota soil. Our next stop will be at Wall Drug, the little drug store that has turned into America’s favorite roadside attraction. We are now in the heart of Badlands National Park, which offers unique geologic beauty and Native American culture. Our home for the next three nights will be at the Country Inn and Suites of Rapid City. Don’t get too comfy as tonight we will enjoy an authentic chuckwagon dinner and show at the Flying T Ranch. Start off with a hearty western meal with all the trimmings followed by old time music including cowboy ballads, country swing, and bluegrass favorites.

Be sure to grab breakfast this morning as we have a full day of activities planned. We start with a visit to Custer State Park, one of the largest state parks in the country where we’ll board open-air jeeps for a leisurely ride on the scenic wildlife loop in search of the buffalo and other wildlife that roam free in the Hills. This morning’s drive will bring us to Crazy Horse Memorial, this work-in-progress mountain carving is dedicated to Native Americans. We will also tour Jewel Cave, a unique world of sparkling calcite crystals, delicate strands of gypsum, and other spectacular cave formations. It contains large rooms strewn with boulders, tight crawlways, and dark fissures leading into the unknown. This afternoon you are in for a real treat as we take a ride on a historic 1880 Steam Train. No visit to the Black Hills would be complete without a visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is host to almost three million visitors a year from across the country and around the world. They come to marvel at the majestic beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and to learn about the birth, growth, development and the preservation of our country. Over the decades, Mount Rushmore has grown in fame as a symbol of America-a symbol of freedom and a hope for people from all cultures and backgrounds. We will be on hand to witness the highlight of the evening which is the slow exposure of light to the monument until it is fully illuminated.

Once again we have a full day of touring awaiting us after breakfast. Today we begin with a stop at Devil’s Tower before exploring the rich and roistering gold camp of Deadwood, which provided the setting for the last great gold rush in America. Legalized gaming has returned to the storied gulch where the likes of Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane and Poker Alice once walked. We’ll tour historic Mount Moriah Cemetery where the legends now rest. Tonight we have reservations for dinner at the Deadwood Social Club followed by The Trial of Jack McCall, the re-enactment of the assassination of Wild Bill Hickock l with a gunfight on Main Street and the subsequent trial.

It’s time to bid farewell to the Badlands after breakfast. Before departing Rapid City we will make a stop at the Journey Museum. It is set up as a journey through the history of the Black Hills, starting with the Native American creation stories, moving into the 2.5 billion years of history in the rock record with the geology exhibit, paleontology, archaeology, Native American inhabitants, and concluding with the pioneers that traveled west. We continue our journey eastward arriving in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and the Marina Inn, our home for the evening.

After breakfast we check out of our hotel and travel to Omaha, Nebraska. We will visit the Henry Doorly Zoo. Henry Doorly Zoo is nationally renowned for its leadership in animal conservation and research. Evolving from the public Riverview Park Zoo established in 1894, today the Zoo includes several notable exhibits. It features the largest cat complex in North America; "Kingdoms of the Night" is the world's largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp; the Lied Jungle is the world's largest indoor rainforest, and the "Desert Dome" is the world's largest indoor desert, as well as the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world. We return home in the early evening.