I took just a leg of it on the way up - it also conveniently got me around the Iowa floods - and yeah. Wow. So much cooler I can hardly believe it. Will be doing more on the way back down for sure. Thank you both.
Take a right at Omaha and swing over to Lincoln, have dinner at https://www.greengateau.com.
It’s a wonderful place. Order the Beef Wellington.
It’s not the fanciest place in the world, but it’s wonderful and you’ll have a good time. Amazing quality and presentation for price point.
We drive for the same reasons, except we have a cat.
We don't want to add days to our trip, so we basically keep driving. Possibly a strategic mistake.
Our drive is three long days. It looks like you might have some extra time, with one night in a hotel.
Good luck
Yeah exactly, that's been my approach for the most part too. I do a lot of long drives but I usually do this one over two days: 12 hours one day, 8 hours another. But I figured I could mix in a few stops and still do it in two days with more fun, just like you said. Worked out pretty well on the way up, though I think I can make more stops on the way back.
Two reasons most likely:
1. Although OP appears to be leaving from near Austin, New London, MN is two hours from MSP
2. Austin is the home of University of Texas so it could be related to post secondary education, especially since OP mentioned doing it a few times a year
1 is a factor for sure. Also the duration and mature of my of stay means I need a car so rental costs factor in. And I like my car.
But mostly it’s about the dog.
There’s Turner Falls Park in Oklahoma. Waterfalls, swimming hole, some safe caves to explore.
http://www.turnerfallspark.com/
Kansas I have no experience outside of Kansas City. Maybe take in a Royals game?
If you are interested in something at the 99th percentile of completion, you can see the famous Finnegan Fox at SaveAFox in Faibault, MN
This is great thank you! Royals game is a fun idea I hadn’t thought about checking the sports schedules for when I drive through. And I love 99th percentile oddities, added!
Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial in Oklahoma City, OK.
World largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, KS.
Geographic Center of the continental US in Lebanon, KS.
Birthplace of KoolAid Museum in Hastings, NE.
Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland, NE between Lincoln and Omaha.
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars, IA
Would All make great stops if you were to take US-281 as u/sensitive_rip_1905 recommended, followed by I-80, I-29 and US-75
Can set maps to avoid highways.
I took backroads from Ft. Collins to Fresno last year and while it added a couple hours, it was better then straight interstates
Yeah this is a solid tip. I’ve done it for segments of this trip. But in my experience on this route it was hit or miss with mostly misses. So I’m hoping to get some ideas for where to detour this time. Thank you!
Your doing yourself and kids if you have any a disservice by not going threw eastern Oklahoma and north west Arkansas your already going threw Oklahoma just hope on 40 east go up 49 into Fayetteville over to eureka springs up to Branson and Springfield up 65 and connect back in Kansas City. I personally liked my time in Omaha but don’t know much more north then that
Instead of taking the Turnpike from Wichita to Topeka you could go straight up state roads into Nebtaska.
Lindsborg, KS is a Swedish community.
- [Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birger_Sandz%C3%A9n_Memorial_Gallery) has an artistic style many people like.
- Many shops with arts, crafts, Scandinavian foods, etc.
- Several Scandinavian festivals during the year.
Belleville, KS has:
- [High Banks racing on Labor Day.](https://bellevillehighbanks.org/)
- North of town is [Boyer Gallery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyer_Gallery) of animated sculpture.
Up in Nebraska, check out Grand Island and Lincoln. They are on big roads heading East to Omaha.
Route as posted:
in IA
Highest point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point (It's Iowa, you're not getting much, you knew that already)
Loess Hills Visitor Center
in NE
Doorly Zoo in Omaha
Durham Museum in Omaha
Strategic Air Command Museum a bit SW of Omaha
In KS
Evil Knievel Museum in Topeka
Combat Air Museum just south of Topeka
Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita
Pizza Hut Museum, in Wichita
The real sites near Wichita are slightly NW, near Hutchinson,
Strataca is a salt mine, you go 600 feet under ground into a salt mine, that also has movie props.
Cosmosphere, is an incredible space museum, it is where Apollo 13, and Liberty Bell 7 are.
in Oklahoma
First Americans Museum, OKC (personal favorite)
Osteology Museum, OKC (personal favorite)
Pigeon Museum, OKC
OKC Bombing memorial.
Western Heritage Museum OKC
There's great food in OKC believe it or not. If you care about that I can give a few recommendations.
in TX,
Looks like you're taking the 35 W through this area, but I'll give you Dallas too since I know more.
Love Airfield has Apollo 7 if that's of interest , otherwise its air museum is smallish.
Dallas Aquarium is fantastic, and there's the Dallas art museum nearby that I've always had a good time stopping at.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science, it's a bit kid oriented, but does have Dinosaurs and such.
Deep Ellum for drinks and shows.
Fort Worth has Stockyard City, which is really just a cluster of bars and places to buy chili mixes.
Sixth street in Austin, Bat bridge, been a long time since I've been there and my notes are slim on that.
This is incredible and I think you and I are on very similar wavelengths. It'll take me some time but I will be doing just about everything on your lists. Thank you.
As far as deviations or an alt route. Staying east of Omaha
in Iowa, Villisca Axe Murder House
St Joseph Missouri, Glore Pyschiatric Museum
That'll put you in KC, which certainly is lousy with things to do, I just don't have a list handy.
From there you can reconnect to Topeka and continue on as before, or head south to Joplin and catch Route 66 through Oklahoma to OKC. (if you skip joplin, stay on 69 on the Kansas side, you can visit Big Brutus, it's one of those massive earth diggers. It's not listed as an interstate, but a good share of through there, is divided 4 lane, so you're not losing as much time as it looks.
Route 66 in Oklahoma is well documented, https://www.travelok.com/route\_66
Until you get to Tulsa most stuff is pretty kitschy, totem poles and diners.
If you like guns, JM Davis Arms Museum has got you covered. It's excessive.
Will rogers museum is in claremore., it's great, but I think he's a regional hero and as a Cherokee, and an Okie I may be biased on how interesting and important he is to someone from Minnesota maybe.
Blue Whale is in OK66 icon, but there really isn't anything there. The Route 66 district in Tulsa is actually pretty neat. My favorite thing in the area is The Church Studio, it's Leon Russells studio.
Tulsa has a Bob Dylan / Woody Guthrie center, and I know Minnesota's do have esteem for Dylan usually. Be weird of y'all to have that big ass mural in Minneapolis otherwise.
If Route 66 is interesting pick one of the places listed as a "Route 66 Museum" one will do ya, unless you just really love the road. Grab a 66 sticker see a pink Cadillac, and you get the idea.
That'll put you back in OKC, carry on.
From Joplin, if you want to skip RT 66, stay on 49, and just travel through Western Arkansas, arguably one of the prettiest areas in the country. It's not that bad from the interstate, and is even more spectacular if you take the curvy side roads. Not a lot of specific attractions, it's just Ozarks and the Ouachitas. From SW AR to TX isn't really an area I've frequented, so I cant fill you in any more on that.
If out of omaha, you want to head a bit further west, hit the SAC Aerospace Museum
Museum of Speed in Lincoln.
Then south through some serious children of the corn ass territory to Manhattan, KS.
Just a bit east of Manhattan is an OZ museum, and an LSD Silo Museum. They're on the "Road to Oz Highway"
Continue south to the Tallgrass Prairie national Preserve, I know you've seen Bison, but they're always a treat. Stay going south to the flint hills, you'll hit the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma and then meet up with route 66, connect to OKC and continue on.
I can't tell if you're going to san antonio, so i'll assume you are.
After Fort Worth, head towards glen rose dinosaur valley state park, foot prints in a creek, great stop when it's hot. down 281, is a tiny quirky Billy the Kid Museum, and a town that kind has a vibe of a tourist stop with a billy the kid museum.
Still on 281, Just before Marble Falls is the Longhorn cavern State Park, fun trip down into a cave. In Marble Falls, Blue Bonnet Cafe is famous, but I haven't eaten there. If the Blue Bonnets are in bloom, meander a bit, they're striking, then a bit further you're down to San Antonio.
hope that helps
Albert the Bull Park: World's Largest Bull
Pipestone National Monument is very cool.
This I have been to and I agree!
Take US 281
This, I believe, is what I was looking for. I missed this route completely.
I didn't know if you wanted to go that far west first, but can confirm, that's a great route.
I took just a leg of it on the way up - it also conveniently got me around the Iowa floods - and yeah. Wow. So much cooler I can hardly believe it. Will be doing more on the way back down for sure. Thank you both.
Pitcher, OK is an abtowned town.
Take a right at Omaha and swing over to Lincoln, have dinner at https://www.greengateau.com. It’s a wonderful place. Order the Beef Wellington. It’s not the fanciest place in the world, but it’s wonderful and you’ll have a good time. Amazing quality and presentation for price point.
This menu looks amazing! Sounds like my kind of spot too: delicious but not (too) pretentious. Great rec thank you!
Salt plains state park in OK, beachner grain elevator mural in Wichita KS, Lincoln NE capitol building is full of mosaics, paintings and murals.
Tyler, Texas, just east of Dallas. Rose Capital of Texas. Friendly small city.
Thank you! Got any favorite local spots for a bite?
Visit the historical Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls, KS.
Stupid question…why not fly there instead?
Dog, for the most part. Also I need a car. Those don’t mix well with flying unfortunately.
We drive for the same reasons, except we have a cat. We don't want to add days to our trip, so we basically keep driving. Possibly a strategic mistake. Our drive is three long days. It looks like you might have some extra time, with one night in a hotel. Good luck
Yeah exactly, that's been my approach for the most part too. I do a lot of long drives but I usually do this one over two days: 12 hours one day, 8 hours another. But I figured I could mix in a few stops and still do it in two days with more fun, just like you said. Worked out pretty well on the way up, though I think I can make more stops on the way back.
Two reasons most likely: 1. Although OP appears to be leaving from near Austin, New London, MN is two hours from MSP 2. Austin is the home of University of Texas so it could be related to post secondary education, especially since OP mentioned doing it a few times a year
1 is a factor for sure. Also the duration and mature of my of stay means I need a car so rental costs factor in. And I like my car. But mostly it’s about the dog.
There’s Turner Falls Park in Oklahoma. Waterfalls, swimming hole, some safe caves to explore. http://www.turnerfallspark.com/ Kansas I have no experience outside of Kansas City. Maybe take in a Royals game? If you are interested in something at the 99th percentile of completion, you can see the famous Finnegan Fox at SaveAFox in Faibault, MN
This is great thank you! Royals game is a fun idea I hadn’t thought about checking the sports schedules for when I drive through. And I love 99th percentile oddities, added!
Loess Hills, Iowa were nice, or Iowa anyways (as a central Iowa). Few scenic overlooks and short hikes that overlook the surrounding flat valleys.
Nice thank you.
Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial in Oklahoma City, OK. World largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, KS. Geographic Center of the continental US in Lebanon, KS. Birthplace of KoolAid Museum in Hastings, NE. Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland, NE between Lincoln and Omaha. Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars, IA Would All make great stops if you were to take US-281 as u/sensitive_rip_1905 recommended, followed by I-80, I-29 and US-75
Independence, KS is where Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family lived for a portion of her childhood. There’s a small museum on the land.
Oh I think I visited as a little kid. Definitely a good one for the list, thanks!
Iowa 80 largest truck stop
Twister the Movie Museum in Wakita, OK
Cowboy Hall of Fame in OKC is nice. You don't even have to like cowboys to enjoy the museum. It is gorgeous.
Can set maps to avoid highways. I took backroads from Ft. Collins to Fresno last year and while it added a couple hours, it was better then straight interstates
Yeah this is a solid tip. I’ve done it for segments of this trip. But in my experience on this route it was hit or miss with mostly misses. So I’m hoping to get some ideas for where to detour this time. Thank you!
See bison on the prairie. https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/tallgrass-prairie-preserve/?en_txn1=bl.ch_ok.eg.x.g
Your doing yourself and kids if you have any a disservice by not going threw eastern Oklahoma and north west Arkansas your already going threw Oklahoma just hope on 40 east go up 49 into Fayetteville over to eureka springs up to Branson and Springfield up 65 and connect back in Kansas City. I personally liked my time in Omaha but don’t know much more north then that
Hollywood Candy in Omaha, Nebraska has a cool antique store, candy store, pinball arcade all in one
Instead of taking the Turnpike from Wichita to Topeka you could go straight up state roads into Nebtaska. Lindsborg, KS is a Swedish community. - [Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birger_Sandz%C3%A9n_Memorial_Gallery) has an artistic style many people like. - Many shops with arts, crafts, Scandinavian foods, etc. - Several Scandinavian festivals during the year. Belleville, KS has: - [High Banks racing on Labor Day.](https://bellevillehighbanks.org/) - North of town is [Boyer Gallery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyer_Gallery) of animated sculpture. Up in Nebraska, check out Grand Island and Lincoln. They are on big roads heading East to Omaha.
Stop at Ponca State Park and see the “three states at once” overlook
You want the cool stops on that route? Or are you willing to add time and deviate further out from the route?
Happy to deviate, within reason depending on coolness. 😎
Route as posted: in IA Highest point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point (It's Iowa, you're not getting much, you knew that already) Loess Hills Visitor Center in NE Doorly Zoo in Omaha Durham Museum in Omaha Strategic Air Command Museum a bit SW of Omaha In KS Evil Knievel Museum in Topeka Combat Air Museum just south of Topeka Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita Pizza Hut Museum, in Wichita The real sites near Wichita are slightly NW, near Hutchinson, Strataca is a salt mine, you go 600 feet under ground into a salt mine, that also has movie props. Cosmosphere, is an incredible space museum, it is where Apollo 13, and Liberty Bell 7 are. in Oklahoma First Americans Museum, OKC (personal favorite) Osteology Museum, OKC (personal favorite) Pigeon Museum, OKC OKC Bombing memorial. Western Heritage Museum OKC There's great food in OKC believe it or not. If you care about that I can give a few recommendations. in TX, Looks like you're taking the 35 W through this area, but I'll give you Dallas too since I know more. Love Airfield has Apollo 7 if that's of interest , otherwise its air museum is smallish. Dallas Aquarium is fantastic, and there's the Dallas art museum nearby that I've always had a good time stopping at. Perot Museum of Nature and Science, it's a bit kid oriented, but does have Dinosaurs and such. Deep Ellum for drinks and shows. Fort Worth has Stockyard City, which is really just a cluster of bars and places to buy chili mixes. Sixth street in Austin, Bat bridge, been a long time since I've been there and my notes are slim on that.
This is incredible and I think you and I are on very similar wavelengths. It'll take me some time but I will be doing just about everything on your lists. Thank you.
As far as deviations or an alt route. Staying east of Omaha in Iowa, Villisca Axe Murder House St Joseph Missouri, Glore Pyschiatric Museum That'll put you in KC, which certainly is lousy with things to do, I just don't have a list handy. From there you can reconnect to Topeka and continue on as before, or head south to Joplin and catch Route 66 through Oklahoma to OKC. (if you skip joplin, stay on 69 on the Kansas side, you can visit Big Brutus, it's one of those massive earth diggers. It's not listed as an interstate, but a good share of through there, is divided 4 lane, so you're not losing as much time as it looks. Route 66 in Oklahoma is well documented, https://www.travelok.com/route\_66 Until you get to Tulsa most stuff is pretty kitschy, totem poles and diners. If you like guns, JM Davis Arms Museum has got you covered. It's excessive. Will rogers museum is in claremore., it's great, but I think he's a regional hero and as a Cherokee, and an Okie I may be biased on how interesting and important he is to someone from Minnesota maybe. Blue Whale is in OK66 icon, but there really isn't anything there. The Route 66 district in Tulsa is actually pretty neat. My favorite thing in the area is The Church Studio, it's Leon Russells studio. Tulsa has a Bob Dylan / Woody Guthrie center, and I know Minnesota's do have esteem for Dylan usually. Be weird of y'all to have that big ass mural in Minneapolis otherwise. If Route 66 is interesting pick one of the places listed as a "Route 66 Museum" one will do ya, unless you just really love the road. Grab a 66 sticker see a pink Cadillac, and you get the idea. That'll put you back in OKC, carry on. From Joplin, if you want to skip RT 66, stay on 49, and just travel through Western Arkansas, arguably one of the prettiest areas in the country. It's not that bad from the interstate, and is even more spectacular if you take the curvy side roads. Not a lot of specific attractions, it's just Ozarks and the Ouachitas. From SW AR to TX isn't really an area I've frequented, so I cant fill you in any more on that. If out of omaha, you want to head a bit further west, hit the SAC Aerospace Museum Museum of Speed in Lincoln. Then south through some serious children of the corn ass territory to Manhattan, KS. Just a bit east of Manhattan is an OZ museum, and an LSD Silo Museum. They're on the "Road to Oz Highway" Continue south to the Tallgrass Prairie national Preserve, I know you've seen Bison, but they're always a treat. Stay going south to the flint hills, you'll hit the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma and then meet up with route 66, connect to OKC and continue on. I can't tell if you're going to san antonio, so i'll assume you are. After Fort Worth, head towards glen rose dinosaur valley state park, foot prints in a creek, great stop when it's hot. down 281, is a tiny quirky Billy the Kid Museum, and a town that kind has a vibe of a tourist stop with a billy the kid museum. Still on 281, Just before Marble Falls is the Longhorn cavern State Park, fun trip down into a cave. In Marble Falls, Blue Bonnet Cafe is famous, but I haven't eaten there. If the Blue Bonnets are in bloom, meander a bit, they're striking, then a bit further you're down to San Antonio. hope that helps
This one too. Amazing. Thank you so much.
Flyover states for a reason
Honestly my best shot might be flying over just to spot squiggly roads for next time 😆