DAY ONE:  Welcome aboard!  We depart St. Louis in the morning via deluxe motor coach and our journey begins across the Show-Me State.  Our overnight will be in Council Bluffs, IA for one night.

 DAY TWO:   Our morning begins as we cross into South Dakota - The Mount Rushmore State. South Dakota offers one of the most diverse landscapes in the country.  Here the Badlands jut into the sky out of the vast prairie lands giving way to the rugged granite peaks of the Black Hills.  This afternoon after a lunch break, our journey into the Dakota prairie lands leads us to the world’s only Corn Palace in Mitchell. SD.  Built originally in 1892 as a way to highlight South Dakota’s healthy agricultural industry, the building features murals made up of only corn.  Unique and beautiful, the Corn Palace is a must see in the Dakotas.  Our next stop is to see the new “Dignity” statue. The 50’ tall sculpture of a Dakota Native American woman is a stunning combination of art and history.  She casts a peaceful gaze across the waters of the river, and during the day the South Dakota wind brushes the diamonds in her star quilt causing the shades of blue to twinkle in the sunlight. Our overnight will be just across the Missouri River at the iconic Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain/Ocama, SD.  An included delicious dinner will be enjoyed in Al’s western dining room. 

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DAY THREE: After breakfast our journey west enters into Badlands National Park. Mesmerizing in every direction, our tour drives through the entire park loop to experience its dramatic landscapes spanning layered rock formations, steep canyons and towering spires. Bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs inhabit the parks sprawling grasslands. We will visit the National Park Visitors Center in the park.  Exiting out of the park to the west we enter into the town of Wall, SD which is home to famous Wall Drug! This original American roadside attraction became popular for offering Badland travelers free ice water!  We will enjoy shopping and lunch time in this fun western town. This evening we check into our beautiful Black Hills hotel  accommodations in Rapid City for the next two nights.  Dinner will be included at a local favorite.

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DAY FOUR: After breakfast our exploration of the magnificent Black Hills begins.  Our first stop is the most famous attraction in the state and one of the most iconic American destinations - Mount Rushmore!  This National Monument is a colossal sculpture carved into the Black Hill’s granite featuring George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.  Sculptor Gutzon Borglum and native tribal representatives settled on this spot for the monument which tells the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of our country.  We will have plenty of time to explore the National Parks Visitors Center, movie, walking trails, museum and bookstore.  We will have lunch in the western Black Hills town of Keystone prior to this afternoon’s visit to the ever changing Crazy Horse Memorial. Once completed, this privately held land and monument will depict the Ogalala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. The mission of the monument is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians.  We are lucky to witness the construction of something of this magnitude and historical relevance in our lives.  The park features a visitors center, a movie and shops featuring Native American crafts. This evening we will partake hearty supper prior to returning to our hotel.

DAY FIVE: After breakfast we will depart our hotel and visit the largest Black Hills Gold factory for a tour and shopping time.  During our tour we will learn about the fascinating and intricate process it takes to create the much sought-after gold. Our next stop is at the beautiful Chapel in the Hills which is an exact replica of the famous Borgund Stavkirke in Norway. Built in 1969, the chapel is surrounded by the peaceful wilderness of the Black Hills and offers a museum, gift shop and meditation trail.  This afternoon we will overnight in southwest South Dakota near Ogallala, NE.  

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DAY SIX: After breakfast our journey East across the prairie lands for our overnight accommodations and dinner in Nebraska City, NE.

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DAY SEVEN:  After breakfast, we will depart our hotel for our final day of this amazing journey. We will have several breaks along the way while enjoying the Missouri scenery. We will return to St. Louis by early evening.​​​​​