US road trip thru Kansas City.. (Oakland, Atlanta: retiree, park, market)

[Okey Dokie]

Originally Posted by USAcafe

I don't know if these two seniors are looking for all the excitement of a super-cell or tornado...which route looks the most promising to avoid those things? It would not be so much enduring of boring stretches, as much as see the most interesting things on the most logical route. Right now we are contemplating going up to Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Sturgis, Mt Rushmore, Chief Crazy Horse, then Wall Drug, Corn Palace, Murdo car museum, then routing thru toward Sioux Falls/Omaha/ Kansas City/St Louis, Nashville/Chattanooga, then to N.GA. Initially, from N.CA, It looks like we need to logistically decide between heading directly toward Yellowstone or staying on 80 thru Cheyenne etc... But, we definitely do want to see Mt Rushmore and Chief Crazy Horse (under construction).

It’s the Midwest.....they can happen anywhere. But the chances of you being in one is miniscule.

If you’ve never been to Yellowstone, it would be a shame to miss it when you’re going to be so close.

[Breoul]

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/

[USAcafe]

Maybe those boring stretches are best to plan to drive mostly after daylight, and on our way to our nightly hotel to begin the day with seeing the interesting things.. I think we would choose between 80 and 90. 70 probably is not on our path. That being said, anyone have comments on these two:
1) From N.CA on 80, head directly toward Yellowstone from SLC area, or staying on 80 thru Cheyenne etc (but then we'd have to head North to see Mt Rushmore from Cheyenne).
2) Driving 300-500 miles per day, saving the interesting stuff for day viewing and boring drives for mostly non-daylight hours, where are the logical, safe, economical hotels to stay along the route?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by VietInKC

I think the drive down from 80 to Denver and across 70 is bad. Absolute monotonous drive between Denver and KC. If the drive down to Denver included perhaps 75 miles west of the city east on I-70 I'd say it'd be worth since the descent into Denver through the Eisenhower Pass is an experience I would like to drive one day.

I-80 is probably the most boring interstate in the country. I would take route #1 since it has the less time on I-80 + Mt. Rushmore and as stated before, I-70 across eastern Colorado and the whole of Kansas is bland. You'd hit Omaha with the Henry Doorly Zoo and MUST GO there. A Top 5 Zoo in America easily. Then you'd hit St. Joseph which has a rich history but I don't know any specific attractions there. In Kansas City, the must go to spots are: WWI Museum, Nelson Atkins Museum if you are into Art, Country Club Plaza, Westport Area, and City Market to name a few.

Can't say anything for the other cities.

Yes, I-70 between Denver and Fort Riley is pretty bland, but unless you do take I-90, any route through the heart of the Great Plains (40, 70, 80) will have little in the way of what most consider natural beauty or interesting scenery.

But the central route (70) will also take you through Abilene, which is where the Eisenhower Library and Museum is located. If the Truman Library in Independence will be closed, the museum devoted to his World-War-II-hero successor should be a good alternative.

It also runs through the heart of the Flint Hills, maybe the most scenic part of Kansas, and past the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states, which lies just outside (or is it on the grounds of?) Fort Riley, in Ogden, just west of Junction City.

In the state capital of Topeka, you can visit the school Linda Brown attended when her father sued the Topeka Board of Education to force the schools to integrate. It's now a National Historic Site and museum devoted to the fight for integration.

And it takes you past both of Kansas' flagship universities, Kansas State University in Junction City and the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Personally, I think Lawrence is a very cool town in the way so many Midwestern college towns are, and I'd say that even if I didn't have a Jayhawk mom.

I'd say that it's a defensible choice, especially since you also get to see Denver - and maybe stop in Fort Collins, about a half-hour north of it, to ride that city's vintage Birney streetcar - on the way. (I'm assuming that you'd drop down to I-70 by getting onto I-25 at Cheyenne. Of course, an alternative would be to head south on I-15 at Salt Lake City and then pick up 70 at its western end in Cove Fort. You would then pass through the Rockies and the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, which I understand is a very scenic highway in the Colorado mountains. It would, however, be a little longer distance-wise than taking 80 to Cheyenne and 25 south to Denver from there.)

Don't forget to chow down on some barbecue when in Kansas City. There are dozens of great places to find it all over the metropolitan area.

[USAcafe]

All great insights and thank you, again!! We are planning our route and will leave this next coming week

[RDM66]

Originally Posted by USAcafe

Right now we are contemplating going up to Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Sturgis, Mt Rushmore, Chief Crazy Horse, then Wall Drug, Corn Palace, Murdo car museum, then routing thru toward Sioux Falls/Omaha/ Kansas City/St Louis, Nashville/Chattanooga, then to N.GA. Initially, from N.CA, It looks like we need to logistically decide between heading directly toward Yellowstone or staying on 80 thru Cheyenne etc... But, we definitely do want to see Mt Rushmore and Chief Crazy Horse (under construction).

About 4 years ago I did the exact same road trip as a family vacation from Kansas City (my home) to Yellowstone. There is just one item I would add. --The Badlands in South Dakota, which are near Wall Drug (Wall, SD). Honestly, they're more impressive than the Flint Hills of Kansas. And if you keep driving eastward from the Badlands, you will see spectacular Great Plains prairie that will put the Flint Hills to shame. It seems like some of the people on this thread who are pushing the Flint Hills are trying to veer you hundreds of miles off course to make a separate daytrip into Kansas. I wouldn't do it unless I had unlimited time and money.

These are the sites that you must see: Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Sturgis (which is also near Deadwood), Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the Badlands.

My opinions on the other items on your list: Wall Drug is really kitschy. It's a nice place to stretch your legs and eat lunch, but if you miss it you'll still die happy. The 10,000+ road signs and billboards for Wall Drug become irritating after you pass number 50. The Corn Palace is a nice stop, but it's another campy tourist trap. It takes about 15 minutes to see it. I could easily have skipped it and will still die happy.

I have no opinion on the Murdo car museum because I didn't visit it when I was in that area. Since someone in your family probably likes things that are mechanical, I would suggest riding the Black Hills Central Railroad in Hill City, SD (near Mt Rushmore). It's a fun trip. https://www.1880train.com/

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by RDM66

About 4 years ago I did the exact same road trip as a family vacation from Kansas City (my home) to Yellowstone. There is just one item I would add. --The Badlands in South Dakota, which are near Wall Drug (Wall, SD). Honestly, they're more impressive than the Flint Hills of Kansas. And if you keep driving eastward from the Badlands, you will see spectacular Great Plains prairie that will put the Flint Hills to shame. It seems like some of the people on this thread who are pushing the Flint Hills are trying to veer you hundreds of miles off course to make a separate daytrip into Kansas. I wouldn't do it unless I had unlimited time and money. https://www.1880train.com/

I need to visit the Badlands, etc., and agree that there's more natural beauty there than in the Flint Hills even without the man-made Rushmore sculptures, but if they plan on going via Kansas City - which every one of their original planned itineraries had them doing - then it's South Dakota that's out of the way for a trip from the Bay Area to outside Atlanta.

The main purpose of my post in this department was to show that there were things that would make taking I-70 worth the trip. A few other posters seemed to be of the opinion that there was nothing worthwhile on I-70 in Kansas.

[SunGrins]

You will probably not see a tornado or super-cell on a couple-day's drive across the plains. You have made the trip before through Oklahoma which is tornado alley. In my 65 years in the Midwest I saw one tornado.

The Flint Hills are not worth going out of your way to see -- just a brief respite from the boredom of Kansas if you are going that way. On the other hand, I-70 has the benefit of being a straight shot from Denver to Kansas City. There are some curiosities along the way if you take the time to get off the interstate to find them. If you like churches there is the Basilica of St. Fidelis (Cathedral of the Plains) in Victoria, KS. About 15 miles south of Salina is Lindsborg -- a Swedish town dropped in the middle of Kansas. Stay at the Swedish Country Inn. Of course, there is the Eisenhower Library and home in Abilene. I never stopped in Lawrence because it was usually early on my day's drive but there might be something worth seeing there. Topeka is the capital.

A buddy and I once stopped in Colby Kansas for the night and asked the motel clerk what there was to do for an evening's entertainment. He said there were two options. There was a wedding reception in town and he was sure we would be welcome to attend. Otherwise he would recommend doing what he did - drive 20 miles back down the interstate to Oakley. We had an early night. My guess is that that characterizes a good number of the towns across the plains.

[USAcafe]

Ah, terrific suggestions and input - all of you! Since we don't have unlimited time and money, I did some more research and we have decided on these treasures to see on this trip, as RDM66 suggested:


"These are the sites that you must see: Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Sturgis (which is also near Deadwood), Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the Badlands."


I hadn't considered Deadwood, but that does look like a mighty interesting day stop, for sure!
For the rest of the interesting suggestions, who know what the next trip we take will include!

[KC_Retiree]

Originally Posted by USAcafe

I don't know if these two seniors are looking for all the excitement of a super-cell or tornado...which route looks the most promising to avoid those things? It would not be so much enduring of boring stretches, as much as see the most interesting things on the most logical route. Right now we are contemplating going up to Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, Sturgis, Mt Rushmore, Chief Crazy Horse, then Wall Drug, Corn Palace, Murdo car museum, then routing thru toward Sioux Falls/Omaha/ Kansas City/St Louis, Nashville/Chattanooga, then to N.GA. Initially, from N.CA, It looks like we need to logistically decide between heading directly toward Yellowstone or staying on 80 thru Cheyenne etc... But, we definitely do want to see Mt Rushmore and Chief Crazy Horse (under construction).

I believe the question I was referring to was whether I-80 or I-70 was more interesting. Both cross the Great Plains and you have to take what you can get there in terms of "excitement". Leave age out of the equation, I'm 60 and currently finishing up climbing the last couple of Colorado's 14'ers (among other things) so it's not like the Flint Hills are the apex of adrenaline in my life.

Your route looks fun. I would not worry about crossing Plains - it's simply 9 hours that one must endure to get to the Rockies regardless of route. Going through the Black Hills is very interesting and it puts one further north of either I-70 or I80 but since you will be in Yellowstone, you might as well take I-29 north out of KC to I-90 and cut across the plains in South Dakota. If you are in the Black Hills - the hike to the highest point in the state (Black Elk Peak) is a great side trip and the Needles Highway is an absolute must.
In Yellowstone, I would highly recommend driving up north of the park and entering the park via the Beartooth Highway. It's slightly further but it's one of the most dramatic drives in the United States.