vacation ideas

We are going to a wedding in Des Moines in august and looking to take a week long trip after the weeding any ideas on how to plan the week we would like to dive somewhere and see as much as possible like Mt. Rushmour etc.

vacation ideas

It%26#39;s about a 10 hour drive minimum to Mt. Rushmore. That%26#39;s pretty far off. Are you wanting to see anything? St. Louis is maybe 6 hours away, Chicago is about 6 hours. Kansas City is about 3. Omaha is maybe 3-4. Minneapolis is about 4 hours, I think. So with all those cities, there is plenty to do and see.

vacation ideas

A week long road trip from Des Moines to the Black Hills of South Dakota, including Mt. Rushmore, and back is possible if you don%26#39;t mind spending a couple of long days on the road. We have driven from Des Moines to Sioux Falls, SD and then to Rapid City, SD in one long day. Rapid City is a good base from which to explore the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, Wind Cave Nat%26#39;l. Park and Badlands Nat%26#39;l. Park. You could also make a side trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower, WY before returning to Des Moines.

If you have any interest in rural middle America, you may be able to attend the Iowa State Fair which is held over a two week period in mid-Aug. in Des Moines. Within a two hour drive from Des Moines you can see Amish settlements (Kalona area, near Iowa City), the famous bridges of Madison Co. (near Winterset, IA), the Field of Dreams (near Dyersville, IA) or the Henry Doorley Zoo in Omaha, NE. As the previous poster mentioned, Kansas City or Minneapolis are within 3 - 4 hours drive of Des Moines and both offer plenty of historical and cultural attractions.

Enjoy your trip!

I currently live in Des Moines and have relatives in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In my opinion, the drive to Mt. Rushmore during a week long trip is just not worth it. You%26#39;re looking at about 12 hours one way (with no stops), and there%26#39;s very little between the two cities except for a few possible stops in Omaha and Sioux Falls.

As a previous poster said, I%26#39;d strongly encourage you to attend the Iowa State Fair for a truly midwestern experience. Otherwise, you could travel south on I-80 to Kansas City or go east to the Mississippi and work your way down to St. Louis. With the cost of gas, however, it might be cheaper to fly into Des Moines and out another city instead of trying to work your way back. Hope you have a good trip!