Yellowstone and The Dakotas
August 21 - September 1, 2011
Many of our long-time travelers will tell you that this 12-day trip to Yellowstone and The Dakotas is their personal Travel Crazy favorite!
It begins with a swift jaunt to Wisconsin Dells where a relaxing sightseeing cruise will bring our first day to a close. Continuing west, we will stop for a few hours of shopping and lunchtime at the mammoth Mall of America before continuing on to Fargo, North Dakota. After spending the night in Fargo, we will head for the old-west town of Medora, North Dakota.
The historic town of Medora is most noted for being the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We will spend some time driving through the park to view its multi-colored badlands and stop at its panoramic overlooks. We will hunt out a playful prairie dog village that resides in the park, and if lucky, we might get to see Wild Horses roaming upon the rolling hills of Theodore Roosevelt.
After checking into our hotel and affording everybody a bit of time to meander into the quaint little historic district of Medora, we will head out to a Pitchfork Fondue. Here, upon a bluff overlooking the picturesque badlands, we will enjoy a steak dinner served picnic-style. Then, we will step onto an escalator that will carry us down a canyon wall to an open-area amphitheater. Here, we will be treated to an exhilarating evening performance of the Medora Musical--a beautiful production that chronicles the story of Teddy Roosevelt and the time he spent in the North Dakota Badlands.
From Medora, we will head to Yellowstone National Park where a 3-night stay in cabin accommodations within the park will literally place us amidst nature. A park guide will be joining us and providing narrative during our two full days of touring this amazing park. Sensational geysers, brilliant colorful mineral pools, inspiring waterfalls, a majestic canyon, sweeping lakes, cold-clear mountain streams, bubbling mudpots, hissing steam vents, and abundant wildlife--these are all things we should see during our tour of the park.
An overnight stay near Devils Tower National Monument will follow. We will visit the foreboding monument and join a ranger-led tour that walks around its base.
Then, a 2-night stay in Historic Deadwood, South Dakota will place us in a casino town quite unlike any other. Once saloons of the Old West (Wild Bill Hickcock was shot here), the casinos that run along the strip of Deadwood are small and quaint.
While in town, a drive through the neighboring Black Hills Region will allow us to view Mount Rushmore National Monument and Crazy Horse Memorial (a monument in the making). A special treat will await us when we enter Custer State Park and hop on open-air jeeps for a Buffalo Safari. The vehicles will take us into the backcountry in search of bison as our guides tell us about the park and its amazing wildlife.
Following our two nights in Deadwood, we will begin heading back east across South Dakota. Along the way, we'll stop at Wall Drug Store, a tourist shopping mecca that became famous when its owners lured weary travelers into its establishment (back in the 1930's) by offering free glasses of ice water. A drive through the majestic Badlands National Park will follow. Before overnighting in Mitchell, we will make a stop at the Corn Palace to take some pictures of the ornately corn-cob clad building and visit some of its surrounding shops.
From Mitchell, we will continue our homebound journey with an overnight stop in Davenport, Iowa, utizlizing hotel accommodations conveniently located within walking distance of the Rythm City casino.
Then, we will be on our way back home, with tons of pictures to be developed and processed, and many wonderful memories of our Yellowstone and Dakotas adventure.
Trip includes: motorcoach transportation, 11 nights hotel and cabin accommodations, baggage handling, admission to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Custer State Park, and Badlands National Park, Medora Musical admission, Pitchfork Fondue meal, Wisconsin Dells sightseeing cruise, 2 day step-on guided tour of Yellowstone, jeep tour in Custer State Park, Breakfast at Mount Rushmore, admission to Crazy Horse Memorial, and Buffalo Jeep Safari
$1,575 per person (based on double occupancy)
Mackinac Island and Frankenmuth
August 29 - September 1, 2011
Trip includes: motorcoach transportation, 3-nights hotel accommodations, baggage handling, ferry to and from Mackinac Island, horse-drawn carriage tour, admission to Fort Michimillimackinac, and luncheon at the Grand Hotel
$529 per person (based on double occupancy)
The reason we take our Mackinac Island trip in Late August is simple. The weather is pleasant and the kids are just getting back into school!
Our trip begins with our arrival in the charming village of Frankenmuth, Michigan. We'll be overnighting in the town's Bavarian Inn Lodge, an adorable resort with sweeping lawns, handsome flower gardens, and a covered bridge that leads leisurely strollers into the Main Street of town. The lodge is fun by itself, with live German entertainment, a bustling games and pools center, and a festive beer gardens. But, a delightful time can be found when exploring the quaint shops and restaurants that reside in Downtown Frankenmuth.
Since no trip to Frankenmuth is quite complete without a stop at Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, we'll make sure to spend a little time browsing inside the largest Christmas store in the country before bringing our day to a close.
Following our overnight stay in Frankenmuth, we will will head to Mackinac Island. Along the way, we will call upon Fort Michimillimackinac, a restored fur-trading post that sits upon the northern tip of Michigan's lower peninsula. Here, we'll meet villagers, soldiers and traders giving us a glimpse of the harsh pioneer life of the mid 1700's. The fun will continue as we stop at a local casino for 2 hours of gaming entertainment. Then, we will board a ferry and head over to Mackinac Island.
When we arrive upon Mackinac and disembark the ferry, we'll encounter something very special. Stunning Victorian architecture, an abundance of horsedrawn carriages, majestic views and a historic ambience combine to make the island a unique place. Our Victorian-style hotel, located in the heart of Mackinac Island, will place us amidst all the shops and activity of Main Street!
During our 2-night stay on Mackinac, we will be treated to a horsedrawn carriage tour of the Island. The tour is a fantastic one, covering Mackinac's historic past, island life of the current residents, and natural wonders hidden in the woods and around the island. The tour will conclude at the historic Grand Hotel, noted for being the location of the 1979 movie, Somewhere in Time, and for having the longest porch in the world. At the hotel, we will enjoy the legendary Grand Luncheon Buffet (a dining experience you'll never forget!)
Following our two night stay on Mackinac Island, we'll reboard our ferry, return to the mainland, and begin heading back to Kentucky.
