This incredible tour is centered around the once a year Buffalo Roundup in Custer State Park in South Dakota. If you've never heard of it, each of these two links will take you to a short video and see how exciting this annual event is.
1st Day: Today, we travel west across the Great Smoky Mountains and into Tennessee. We'll be overnighting in KY, just over the state line.
2nd Day: We depart this morning for St. Louis to see some local sites before we head to Columbia, MO for the night. The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot-tall monument in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch, it is the world's tallest arch and Missouri's tallest accessible structure. Some sources consider it the tallest human-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. The Museum at the Gateway Arch traces the story of the Native Americans, explorers, pioneers, and rebels who made America possible. Featuring six themed exhibit areas, this innovative and interactive museum celebrates America’s pioneering spirit. We will also have a great view of the Mississippi River. We will also visit Grant's Farm which is a historic farm and long-standing landmark in Grantwood Village, Missouri. Built by Ulysses S. Grant on land given to him and his wife by his father-in-law, Frederick Fayette Dent shortly after they became married in 1848. It has also served as a residence of various members of the Busch family. (CB)
3rd Day: After breakfast we depart for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We will be passing through Kansas City, heading north through Iowa, and then into South Dakota. Before stopping for the night, we will visit the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center - an interactive & animated exhibit exploring the July-September 1804 portion of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition.
4th Day: Today is going to be a most interesting one with such highlights as the Corn Palace and the South Dakota Badlands with the colorful hills and canyons. The World’s Only Corn Palace is located in Mitchell, and is redecorated annually with corn, grain and grass to showcase a new theme. The Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway (SD 240) passes through some of the most amazing buttes, cliffs and multi-colored spires of Badlands National Park. Our home for the next two nights will be in Rapid City, SD. Evening is free to rest and relax, and get ready for a full day of touring tomorrow. (CB)
5th Day: Our day begins with a pancake breakfast at a chuckwagon at 6:30 AM. Next, we begin a narrated Black Hills tour with stops at Custer State Park. We’ll see the Wild Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park. Watch the cowboys and cowgirls as they round up and drive a herd of over 1,500 wild buffalo into the buffalo corrals to get branded, sorted, and vaccinated for the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Auction. Feel the thunder and join the herd at the Annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup! Keep your camera ready and your eyes on the lookout over the hills of Custer State Park as you feel the ground shake and hear the thunder of buffalo coming over the hill tops. See the dust fly. Relish the spectacle as one of the last great traditions of the Old West unfolds before your very eyes. Our lunch stop is in the corrals of the Buffalo Roundup. After the roundup, we’ll visit Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest mountain carving in the world. You can visit the memorial and learn about the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, in his home studio museum. Our final stop on the tour is at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. There is plenty of time to see all the park has to offer, including the Lincoln Borglum Museum and the sculptors’ studio. We end the day with a dinner show at Fort Hays Dances with Wolves film set. The supper bell rings loud to call all cowboys and cowgirls to bring their appetites. We serve up the best chuckwagon menu in the West, and it’s sure to make your mouth water. It’s all served on handmade tin plates with drinks poured into tin cups. The Rockin' Wranglers take the stage to entertain you with the Black Hills’ most popular music variety show! Get ready for a foot-stompin’, belly shakin’ good time! Family fun for everyone! Bring your camera and take some pictures. (B, L, D)
6th Day: We begin our journey back east today, traveling across South Dakota and into Minnesota. We’ll stop en route at the world famous Wall Drug, in Wall, South Dakota. Wall Drug is a wonderland of free attractions, western art and photo collections. It has a fantastic restaurant and 18 unique retail outlets, and you can get a 5-cent coffee. It’s the #1 Roadside attraction in the world. We will also visit Falls Park in north central Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The park includes a cafe, an observation tower, and the remains of an old mill. It comprises over 128 acres just north of downtown, along the Big Sioux River. Continuing on to our home for the night in Worthington, MN. (CB)
7th Day: After breakfast at the hotel, we will continue on our way, but first - no visit to Minnesota would be complete without stopping to see the Jolly Green Giant (Ho, Ho, Ho)! Another stop along the way will be at the Cedar Falls Ice House - a historic building located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1921 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977. The building currently serves as the Ice House Museum. We will continue on, stopping in Iowa City for the night. (CB)
8th Day: Continuing home, we’ll leave Iowa, travel cross Illinois and into Indiana. Our home tonight is in Louisville, KY. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner at the Huber’s Family Restaurant in Starlite, Indiana. In 1967, Joe and Bonnie Huber started a 2-acre U-Pick farm that has blossomed into a 300-acre operation. Fresh produce from the farm is used to cook the delicious meals. (CB, D)
9th Day: After breakfast we will start our return trip to North Carolina. This is a sad day as we say “Good-bye” to all our friends until we travel together again with Holiday Tours. Arriving home approximately 8:00 PM. (CB)
Special Notice: $100.00 deposit is required to reserve your space. Balance due 30 days prior to departure. Cancellation within 30 days of departure will result in payment forfeiture. Trip Cancellation Insurance is advised.
Drive For Holiday
Bus for Sale
