5 Must-Include Items In Your Midwest Travel Bucket List
Must-Include Items In Your Midwest Travel Bucket List
The Midwest, referred to as America’s heartland, comprises of 12 of its 50 states. These include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
The Midwest boasts of its charm while not well-known as the other states are always in the spotlight for places to visit in the United States.
When creating your bucket list, you don’t always have to go where everyone else is going. Travel to the Midwest, and you’ll start wondering why they’re not as well-known.
Whether you’re up for culture, art, a city trip, shopping, food, appealing landmarks, and other natural sights, traveling to the Midwest certainly won’t disappoint that travel bug in you.
When you’re ready to embark on another travel adventure, be sure to include any or all of these places on your Midwest travel bucket list.
1. Chicago, Illinois
Also called ‘The Windy City,’ Chicago rightfully earns a spot in every traveler to the Midwest’s bucket list.
It attracts a wide range of visitors yearly, spanning both local US citizens and international travelers alike.
The transportation options are plentiful, making it quite an accessible destination.
A good starting point?
If you’re from a nearby state, you can go and purchase St. Paul to Chicago bus tickets for a reasonable price.
When you’re in Chicago, you’re going to be a busy traveler. Be it sports, arts, shopping, or culture, there’s a whole lot of things to see and do in Chicago.
Where do you begin?
Here are ideas:
- Visit one of its many world-class museums, like the world’s largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex at The Field Museum;
- Walkthrough Millenium Park, with its centerpiece being the ‘Cloud Gate’;
- Try out its famous food, like the deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hotdogs.
2. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of South Dakota’s most popular tourist visits. It attracts over two million visitors annually.
Do a simple Google search today after reading this, and it’s easy to see why.
This scene is one you may have most likely seen in lots of movies and now, Instagram posts, too.
For the USA, it’s safe to consider it also as one of America’s symbols of freedom and hope.
What’s so special about the four faces carved on Mount Rushmore? They’re sculptures of the four presidents representing the first 130 years of America’s history.
3. Chimney Rock, Nebraska
Going back to the mid-19th century, the Chimney Rock in Nebraska served as the marker for wagon routes along with Oregon, California, and Mormon.
At present, the Chimney Rock is preserved as a national monument.
Before going around the area, it’s worth feeding your mind with some information first through a stop at the tourist center in Bayard.
Then be welcomed to the North Platte Valley, which is a standing testament of thousands of years of erosion, with million-year-old clay and volcanic ash.
4. Go Around Iowa
Iowa is one of the twelve states identified geographically belonging to the Midwest. That’s enough reason in itself for you to give this state a visit.
What’s there to do?
Plenty of things, such as:
- If you travel to Iowa in May, you’ll get a chance to experience the Tulip Festival in Pella, Iowa;
- See and explore the covered bridges of Madison County;
- If you travel in August, visit the Iowa State Fair so you can enjoy shows, food, rides, and even livestock displays.
5. Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri
Silver Dollar City is a park to enjoy for everyone in the family, adults included. Your feeling of being welcome to four different parks in that one big area alone.
All includes entertainment, an amusement park, heritage craftsmanship demonstrations, and historic buildings.
Why is Silver Dollar City a must-go?
Here are convincing reasons:
- It has a wide range of craftsmanship demonstrations like baking, candy making, pottery, and glass blowing;
- It’ll have you feeling like as if you’re stepping back in time, with original 1800s buildings relocated and restored in the park;
- It has a lot of shops for you to enjoy shopping, one of the many activities that ties a trip together;
- It has thrilling amusement park rides for all levels of age, like flying elephants, eight-story freefall drop, spinning teacups, the classic carousel, and leaping frogs for young kids.
Are You Ready to Travel to the MidWest?
Now that you’ve dove into the must-include items in your Midwest travel bucket list, you should be ready to hop into that adventure.
It is always a good idea to take the bus on a public commute or drive on your trip to the Midwest.
The list above is not yet exhaustive.
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Once you make it to every state, you have more access to come across about a hundred more places you want to see.
But, who said about rushing?
Take it one item off your list at a time, and soon enough, you are going to travel frequently through the Midwest.
Are you ready to take off on your Midwest travel bucket list?
Let me know, til then—cheers m’deres!
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Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.