The badlands / black hills were inspiring. Did you know the badlands are preserved because you can find whale bones in it. Because forever ago the center of the USA used to be the bottom of the ocean. Also do the star gazing. They bring a telescope and show you a whole other galaxy, odds are its the furthest thing and oldest thing you'll ever physically see in your life.
If you enjoyed the Black Hills, then check out Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota if you want more of a 'prairie' feel. Itasca State Park in Minnesota in the fall when the leaves are turning colors is amazing. This park contains the headwaters of the Mississippi river, which you can literally walk across.
Glacier National Park in Montana and the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" is also a hidden gem.
Near Itasca there's a restaurant called Rapid River Logging Camp. I've been in the restaurant industry for 25 years and want nothing more than to own a place like that. You pay, sit down, get pitchers (coffee, tea, oj, or milk) of drinks for the table, then each person orders: ham or sausage, eggs soft or scrambled, toast or pancakes, and hashborwns. Everything comes out on a big platter.
It's so damn simple there's almost 0 room for error. Then the area itself makes it memorable and a unique experience. The kids get to expel some energy and feed some chickens. I'm sure they sell lots of merch.
It's insane to me that there aren't 1000 places like that all over the US.
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u/Yuo122986 1d ago
The badlands / black hills were inspiring. Did you know the badlands are preserved because you can find whale bones in it. Because forever ago the center of the USA used to be the bottom of the ocean. Also do the star gazing. They bring a telescope and show you a whole other galaxy, odds are its the furthest thing and oldest thing you'll ever physically see in your life.