From the sweeping plains of Kansas to bustling boiler rooms of Nebraska, the Midwest is a travel opportunity like no other.
Kansas
Flint Hills' Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
SEE: Anyone fascinated by bison and their preservation needs to spend some time in the Flint Hills’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (nps.gov/tapr). The 44-foot Keeper of the Plains steel sculpture in downtown Wichita (visitwichita.com) is also a sight to behold, overlooking two rivers.
DO: Drive the Western Vistas Historic Byway (westernvistashistoricbyway.com). You’ll find among other points of interest the Monument Rocks National Landmark, a landscape-photo-worthy Niobrara chalk formation that might make you think you aren’t in Kansas anymore.
EAT: One word: Barbeque. Kansas City is a town known all over the world for its sweeter-sauced grilled and smoked meats.
STAY: The guest-ranch offerings for a “cowboy-cation” in Kansas are abundant. Start looking at travelks.com/places-to-stay/ranch-experiences.
DAY TRIP: Founded in 1872, Dodge City was dubbed the Cowboy Capital of the World. Nowadays, it’s one of the best places in the world to learn about and get a taste of Old West history. visitdodgecity.org.
Minnesota
Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
SEE: Anyone, regardless of faith, can appreciate the monumental proportions of Classical Revival-style architecture. The Twin Cities — Minneapolis and St. Paul — are home to two shining examples. Minneapolis has the Basilica of Saint Mary (mary.org), and a 10-mile drive from there will take you to the Cathedral of Saint Paul (cathedralsaintpaul.org).
DO: Leave the land behind. Board a boat with a ranger and tour the interior of Voyageurs National Park (nps.gov/voya), which is only accessible by water. Or you can rent your own canoe and explore the wonders of Ely’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (ely.org/boundary-waters).
EAT: Elsewhere in this issue, find out about Owamni, Minneapolis’ beloved Indigenous restaurant founded by “Sioux Chef” Sean Sherman.
STAY: A couple of hours north of the Twin Cities in Deerwood, you’ll find Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort (ruttgers.com), a stately, historic family lodge that’s ideal for golfing, beach time, fine dining, and water-adjacent relaxation.
DAY TRIP: Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. A great way to spend a day or two? Explore the activities and sights of the North Shore. Find lots of options at northshorevisitor.com.
Nebraska
Boiler Room
SEE: Historically a guiding landmark for pioneers and Native Americans, Scott’s Bluff National Monument (nps.gov/scbl) stands 800 feet and overlooks the North Platte River. You can hike it or drive it, but don’t forget your camera.
DO: Cowboy Trail — 187 miles of crushed limestone surfacing between Norfolk and Valentine (where Smith Falls is located). visitnebraska.com/norfolk/cowboy-trail.
EAT: Omaha’s Boiler Room (boilerroomomaha.com) sources the ingredients of its elegant yet hearty dishes from local farms and ranches. For the casual lunch crowd, grab a burger and fries at Honest Abe’s Burgers and Freedom (honestabesburgers.com), a Lincoln staple with four locations.
STAY: You can train-watch, trail-ride, stargaze, fossil-hunt, and more at Heritage Guest Ranch (ourheritageguestranch.com) in northwest Nebraska’s Pine Ridge foothills.
DAY TRIP: Get closer to Western history at the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park and State Recreation Area in North Platte. Tour William F. Cody’s 1886 house at the park, and camp, fish, or hike the North Platte River at the recreation area. visitnebraska.com.
North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
SEE: A 32-mile drive between the towns of Gladstone and Regent — on what’s known as the Enchanted Highway — reveals large-scale art installations all along the way. You’ll see a scrap-metal wonder called “Geese In Flight,” a 40-foot-tall rooster pheasant, a giant Teddy Roosevelt next to his stage coach and horses, and much more. Head over to Jamestown from Gladstone while you’re at it to check out the National Buffalo Museum (buffalomuseum.com).
DO: Bask in Native American, Western, and contemporary art at the Plains Art Museum in downtown Fargo (plainsart.org).
EAT: Outdoor dining options and around-the-fire family-style meals are two of the high points of Rosewild, the fine-dining establishment inside Fargo’s elegant Jasper Hotel. Staff prides itself on the “farm-to-Fargo” approach to the menu. jasperfargo.com/rosewild.
STAY: We’d recommend a guided fishing trip at Devil’s Lake, and you can stay lakeside at Woodland Resort (woodlandresort.com), which offers grand suites, lodge rooms, cabins, and even motel-style lodging.
DAY TRIP: Medora’s (medora.com) badlands terrains helped to shape one of our greatest and influential presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. You can take a deep dive into his story and his affinity for the area by visiting and getting active in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. nps.gov/thr.
South Dakota
The "Mighty Mo," Missouri River
SEE: Bigger-than-life sculpted faces of historic leaders delight travelers of all stripes at both Mount Rushmore National Memorial (nps.gov/moru) and the Chief Crazy Horse Monument (crazyhorsememorial.org), which are a half-hour apart in Western South Dakota and can be visited in the same day.
DO: Aside from the painted peaks and big-sky views, Badlands National Park (blackhillsbadlands.com) is known as one of the richest fossil beds in the world. Consider accessing the park via its 58-mile Badlands Loop Scenic Byway. nps.gov/badl.
EAT: Hungry after a day playing among the waterfalls at Falls Park in Sioux Falls? Get gussied up and experience fine dining at Parker’s Bistro (parkersbistro.com), or load up on casual Americana classics at the Phillips Avenue Diner (phillipsavenuediner.com).
STAY: Traditional Native American décor (inspired by the Lakota-Sioux tribes in the area) is a prominent feature at Rapid City’s 1920s-built Hotel Alex Johnson (alexjohnson.com), which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Or get closer to the beauty of the Black Hills with some adventures at Spearfish Canyon Lodge (spfcanyon.com).
DAY TRIP: Transport yourself back to the Old West of the 1800s with a day in the historic prospector’s town of Deadwood, which lies in a canyon in the northern Black Hills. You won’t lack for gambling, dining, and entertainment options there. deadwood.com.
