South Dakota and Minnesota driving vacation

Last month we spent two weeks visiting South Dakota, including Mt Rushmore, the Badlands and Jewel Cave, and Minnesota, mostly in Park Rapids, a vacation destination in the north west part of the state. Three awesome things happened in this vacation:

1. We rented a stand up paddle (SUP) board from Lake Surf in Fargo, ND. Michael arrange to get the board out to us in Park Rapids, and it was an ideal lake sport. Mornings and evenings were best, when the motor boats had gone to bed and the water was calm and smooth. And various kids in our group enjoyed it too, definitely a family activity.

Stand Up Paddle in Minnesota

2. We saw some amusing attractions along the road, including:

Purple Pie Place

Wall Drug, South Dakota

Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

And 3. We had some good food. But more about that later this week.

Mt Rushmore with thunderstorm

Our trip started with visits to National Parks in South Dakota. We felt patriotic watching the evening performance at Mt Rushmore (especially with thunder and lightening amplifying the show); then we moved onto Jewel Cave National Park, where we had a lantern tour underground (duh, that is where the caves are!) and an overnight in Custer State Park; and finally ended our trip with a visit to the Badlands, where we saw buffalo, donkeys, prairie dogs, and lots of wide-open spaces. I even talked the husband into stopping at Wall Drug, an amazing mecca of touristy knick-knacks in Wall, South Dakota, worthy of a visit. The highway leading up to Wall is plastered with signs promoting Free Ice Water and loads of other goodies.

On our drive through South Dakota, on our way to Minnesota, we stopped in Mitchell for the night (lots of hotels to chose from, good stopping place) and I was able to visit the Corn Palace. My family declined to leave the car. Oh well.