Ideas/Must sees along I 90

[Roy_Lynne]

Next summer going to get the grandchildren ages 11 and 8 and bring them cross country, New York to Seattle We have plenty of time, but just need some ideas on stops that young boys would enjoy. Niagara Fall is on our list, Presque Isles, Badlands and Wind Caves, and Yellowstone. Any suggestions that might be fun along the Mississippi? Also I'd like them to experience some Old West activities. We are planning on taking I 90 but zig zagging a 100 or so miles in any direction would be find. Thanks in advance.

[Horsedoc]

Take a break, eat a snack and have a cup, kick the tires at the Rest Area on I-90 at Chamberlain SD exit 263. Just a rest area, but has a neat little museum about the Lewis and Clarke Expedition that came up the Missouri there. View from the back platform gives a great view and photo opportunity of the river (now a lake)
Take 30 minutes and enjoy.

[ken56]

I-90 basically follows the Lewis and Clark trail and a good starting point for that is St. Louis and the Gateway Arch. It has a great museum about the history of the expedition....and a ride to the top of the arch is something the youngsters would like I think. There are a few other L&C museums along the way too.

If you decide to go US-2 then head up I-75 to the U.P with stops in Dearborn, Frankenmuth and accross the Big Mac bridge. Stop in Mackinaw City and Mackinac island. There is a good maritime/shipwreck museum in Grand Marais and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising.

Take in the Crazy Horse monument and of course Mt. Rushmore in Rapid City SD.
I always order the travel guides from all the states we are going through, just go on line and order them as they are free. Lots of ideas and usually have area specific maps and they list campgrounds too. There is a good KOA campground at Devils Tower too if you take that in.

There is so much to see that you will have to choose wisely and manage your time well. Its a fantastic trip so don't rush it and see if you can engage the kids in choosing what they might like to see and do. Enjoy your planning.

[CharlesinGA]

Stay away from the Black Hills from the last week of July till August 13. The Sturgis motorcycle rally officially runs from Aug 2 to Aug 12, and my one experience, and asking others, is that people show up early but are gone by the mon or tues after the ending day. There will be some 400,000 people in the area for the rally and not something you want to get mixed into while trying to sightsee the Black Hills.

Here is my account of my trip to the Badlands and Black Hills and the Eclipse in August.

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29487108.cfm

Charles

[Crowe]

Forgot Keystone, SD. Kitchy, touristy and lots of fun. There are cave tours in the area as well.

[vermilye]

2X on US 2 rather than I 90 (although a stop at Devils Tower is worth it). In NY, a short hop off I 90 is Letchworth State Park, some pretty waterfalls & a campground with electric hookups. Another highly recommended NY campground along I 90 is the Villages at Turning Stone, although a bit too fancy for my taste...

[Crowe]

Bear Country USA, Rapid City, SD

[donut_dave]

spam museum - Austin MN wasn't mentioned yet. it is pretty cool.
also the visitor center and Missouri River overlook at Chamberlain SD is well worth the stop.

[Skyberg01]

The Butterfly House and Aquarium in Sioux Falls SD.

[esyers]

WOW! I guess people have found that place. As I recall we only waited an hour or 2 about 4 years ago. The Visitor's Center was just a trailer back then.

[Corky12]

esyers wrote:
They might be interested in the Minuteman Missle National Historic Site where they take you down into the launch control room. It's in Phillip, SD. Only a couple hundred feet off I-90.

Make reservations well in advance. We tried last summer over a month in advance and missed out. Still worth a stop even though you can't go underground.

Stop at Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT. (pioneers, paleontology, and a planetarium). Also Little Bighorn Battlefield NM at Crow Agency, MT.

[DrewE]

Here's a good (but unofficial) rundown of what paperwork is needed to take children across the border. Basica)ly, it's just a passport or (cooy of) a birth certificate, and a letter of consent signed by both parents stating that you have their permission.

http://www.ezbordercrossing.com/the-inspection-experience/travelling-with-children/

[ThomBoles]

Roy&Lynne wrote:
I would love to do the Canada trip but as we are the grandparents, not sure what I would need crossing the border. Might be a huge hassle.

I think I'd look at some sort of temporary custody proxy that is signed/notarized by both/all parents involved just because. It used to be that grandparents could take their grands along with them on vacations but the US is becoming a weird place to be lately so I'd not want to chance it. Do the kiddies have Passports or US id's? At least a birth certificate to go with the note from the parents?

Plus, I think, the best part of Niagara Falls is on the Canadian side.

[Roy_Lynne]

Thanks for all the suggestions and I have copied them. I would love to do the Canada trip but as we are the grandparents, not sure what I would need crossing the border. Might be a huge hassle

Have a lot of mappin to do.

[jplante4]

Doing the same trip in the fall. Wright-Pat Air Force Museum is on the list.