Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of those places you always see on television when they show you America. It was one of the many places I have always wanted to visit as a kid. My husband and I were already planning this trip for a long time but it never seemed happen. One Friday I went into work just to find that I had only one hour of work. So I called my husband and asked him if he could take off so we can drive to Mount Rushmore. Sure enough he said, “yes” and before we know it we were in a car with a 14 hours drive ahead of us to see the place I always wanted to! I remember repeatedly saying to my husband throughout the drive, “I am going to see Mount Rushmore!” I was as excited as a child at a fair! And when I finally got the first glimpse of it, it was surreal! My husband managed to capture this excitement perfectly in the photograph below.

Things to do:

Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial

I would highly recommend taking the trouble to get up early to visit Mount Rushmore. There are many advantages to it! No parking fee, you beat the crowd and you get to take amazing pictures without people photo bombing you! The entrance is marked with state flags, so do not forget to take a picture with yours. Also make sure to walk the 0.6 mile long Presidential trail which let’s you meet the Presidents up close 😉

Drive through Badlands National Park

It is a peaceful drive with widespread prairies and a great opportunity to locate different fauna. You will spot bisons, prairie dogs, big horn sheep, antelopes, to name a few. You will also see beautiful geological rock formations here. Click here for more details.

Visit Custer State Park

The drive through the Black Forest is definitely one of the best drives in the USA. The Needles Highway (with rock formations like a needle) and the Iron Mountain Road are a part of the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway. Also do not miss the Wildlife Loop. You will find meandering roads, one lane tunnels, pine trees and several bridges. There are camp grounds, lakes, lake side resorts and many water activities that you can indulge in throughout the park. Drive cautiously and keep an eye out for wildlife! Click here for more details.

Visit Crazy Horse Memorial

Another attraction that you will find in Black Hills is the Crazy Horse Memorial. It is supposed to be the world’s largest mountain carving which is still in progress. Another cool fact is that this project is not funded by the state or federal government. So be generous in your donations! It was built to honor the Indian Americans of North America. When complete, it will depict an Indian Chief on a horse. Wouldn’t it be cool to return to this place a few decades later to see how much it has progressed?

Stop by the Wall Drug Store

While driving on I90, it is hard to miss all the signs for “wall drug store” or “FREE ice water”! This little drug store in Wall was bought by a couple in the middle of a poor town. With business making no headway, the wife of the owner one hot summer day decided to put up a sign saying, “free ice water” for travelers. Soon more and more people started stopping for ice water! That was the beginning of a successful business today consisting of restaurants, novelty stores, shopping centers, wine shops and more.

Visit the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs

The mammoth site was an unique experience for me. This is an active paleontological site with mammoths entrapped in a sink hole. You can see paleontologists at work and appreciate the meticulous work that goes into unveiling our origins.

Must eats:

• Try the local wines, especially the rhubarb wine.
• Bison burger if you are a gamey meat eater!