Trip around Madison (Superior, Niagara, Belgium: rent, motels, calculated)

[gc001]

Hi all,

I need to travel to Madison during the month of June for work. After that I've 14 days free and I want to travel around but I've no idea about what to do and what to see.

Initially I thought to make a circle from Chicago --> Madison --> Minneapolis --> Des Moines --> Indianapolis and then back to Chicago...

I don't know if it's a good idea... It's nice to visit different cities but I want to see nice scenery.

Someone have some suggestion?

Thank a lot!

[r_k]

14 days is a long time. I mean, you could go to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park and still not be rushed. If you like urban centers, then your plan is not too bad. I would consider adding St. Louis and/or Nashville, or maybe do a circle tour of Lake Michigan plus Niagara Falls, visiting Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh along the way. A lot depends on your interests, and whether you've already been to these places before.

[gc001]

Thank for the suggestion... Well I'm not sure that I want to drive a lot and the Yellowstone or Glacier National Park seems really far away. Especially because I've calculated and I've 10 days... leaving from Chicago to head back in Belgium.

How long do you think it takes from Madison to the Yellowstone? I've check on googlemap and it says it takes 21 hours through South Dakota and 22 hours through North Dakota. It's seems true?

[r_k]

Assuming you don't want or plan to drive non-stop, it's really more like a 3-day drive from Chicago or Madison to Yellowstone, with brief stops to see the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower along the way. That gives you about 3 days to explore Yellowstone and the Tetons, which seems like a lot but actually you would just see the highlights because those are large parks and there's a lot to see. Then about 3 days to drive back, perhaps with a short tour of Minneapolis, and you could be back in 10. Still, it will be a tight schedule. If you don't like driving this would not be ideal for a 10 day trip, though quite doable. A trip to Niagara Falls would be shorter, or a visit to other midwest cities as you thought originally.

If you're not committed to driving you could fly from Chicago to Vegas, spend a few days there, then rent a car, drive to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and Arches, and still be back within 10 days. That's probably what I would do, personally.

[gc001]

Definitely you'd a good idea... I didn't thought to travel to Yellowstone when I looked the map (seems really far away). But I think it's better... I like cities but I prefer seeing scenery... and one of the most beautiful area is the Yellowston..

Moreover is it better to take the highway when I travel there or I'll be able to see more interesting area if I take the smaller roads?

What's about taking the road by North Dakota and then to come back by South Dakota?

If I'm right you advice me to travel by the South Dakota (Badlands, Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower). Because it's faster or there is more think to see?

[r_k]

If you make that trip, there isn't much scenery before the Badlands, so I'd take I-90 as directly as possible. From the Badlands take Hwy 44 to Rapid City for a nice detour. From Rapid City go to Mt Rushmore then take US 385 to Lead and back to I-90. After visiting Devil's Tower, stay on I-90 until Sheridan, then cross the Big Horn on US 14 and on to Cody and Yellowstone.

On the way back it'll be almost be better to come back via Cheyenne and I-80 to Chicago. It will be less driving than I-94 through N.Dakota and at that point you'll probably be eager to get back.

[gc001]

Great! Sounds really good and not too much drive I like the idea to come through Cheyenne and you are right it's less driving than I-94 through N.Dakota.

I guess there is enough Motels around to just make a stop and rent a room. No need to plan and make some reservation a couple of days before (except for the Yellowstone)? It'll be cheaper also!

A first stop near Sioux Falls seems acceptable? If I'm right it's 90 miles per hours on the I-90.

[r_k]

It is a substantial drive, but spread over 10 days quite doable. If you're on the Interstate you should have no trouble finding motels, but I do the following: each morning I have a good idea of where I would want to end up that night, so I call ahead and reserve a room at the destination for that night.

The exception to the above is in and around Yellowstone itself, where you should book all rooms as much in advance as possible once you know your dates. That park is very popular.

Re. speed limits, I last drove that way a while back, and the speed limits were as follows: WI: 65, MN: 70, SD and WY: 75, MT: no limit. I think MT does have a limit (75?) these days.

June is a great month to be in Yellowstone and out west in general. A lot of wildflowers, the streams have plenty of water, and the peaks have snow. It can get into the 30's at night so take a jacket.

[Ragnar]

You could also spend some time exploring the Lake Superior lakeshore in Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Penninsula. It's very beautiful, and there are a lot of state parks and a few national parks up there, but 10 whole days may be a lot of time to spend in the area.

Alternatively, you could go straight south and spend some time on the gulf coast of Florida or in New Orleans. You really do have quite a bit of time to explore these and other options. It just really depends on what type of trip you want and what you hope to see. I definitely would not hang out in Madison for all 10 days, that's for sure.