08/17/2026
What an Adventure! 🏔️🤠
What an incredible 11 days and approximately 4,400 miles round trip on the road! I had the absolute pleasure of leading our group on an unforgettable journey through South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and beyond, and I’m still smiling thinking about all the amazing sights, experiences, and memories we made along the way!
We started our western adventure with a stop at the colorful Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, followed by a delicious dinner at the Depot Grill. From there, we headed into the spectacular Badlands Scenic Loop and made our way to the legendary Wall Drug.
Then came a little change to the original plan—and one we certainly couldn’t pass up! Deadwood, South Dakota, made us an offer we couldn’t refuse, so we traded our planned stay in Rapid City for TWO nights in historic Deadwood! 🤠
We took full advantage of this legendary cowboy town, exploring its historic streets, soaking up the Old West atmosphere, and enjoying an included dinner and casino package at First Gold Resort. It was a fantastic addition to our adventure and gave us even more time to experience the character and history of Deadwood.
Friday brought some truly unforgettable wildlife encounters! At Bear Country USA, we got an up-close look at some amazing animals, but our wildlife sightings didn’t stop there. Throughout our journey, we were fortunate enough to see 3 moose, bighorn sheep, LOTS of bears, a TON of bison, and plenty of prairie dogs! 🐻🫎🐏🦬🐾
Watching huge herds of bison roaming through the landscape was absolutely incredible. And those little prairie dogs popping up all over the place certainly kept us entertained! Our trip turned into quite the wildlife adventure, with something exciting around practically every corner.
Of course, we also visited the magnificent Mount Rushmore and the incredible Crazy Horse Memorial. We returned to Mount Rushmore that evening for the lighting ceremony and film presentation, and seeing those iconic faces illuminated against the night sky was truly unforgettable.
Then it was off to Cody, Wyoming, where we stepped back into the Old West with dinner at the historic Irma Hotel and its famous porch “gunfight.” The next day brought one of the biggest highlights of the entire trip—Yellowstone National Park! From geysers and waterfalls to breathtaking landscapes and wildlife, every turn seemed to offer another incredible view.
We continued on to Jackson Hole before settling in for the night in Pinedale. Our western adventure continued through Laramie, the beautiful Colorado mountains, and aboard the Georgetown Loop Scenic Railroad. We enjoyed time exploring the charming town of Georgetown before heading to Boulder for dinner and an evening strolling along Pearl Street.
And the adventure didn’t end there! We made our way through Kansas, enjoyed lunch at the Welcome Home Café, and had some fun in Wamego, the Wizard of Oz-themed town. In Kansas City, we visited the fascinating Steamship Arabia Museum, an incredible glimpse into life from the 1800s, before beginning our journey back east.
Finally, after 11 days, approximately 4,400 miles, countless miles of incredible scenery, historic towns, amazing wildlife, great food, plenty of laughs, and so many wonderful memories, we arrived home—with a farewell dinner at Der Dutchman in Bellville, Ohio to finish things off in perfect fashion.
A Special Thank You! 🚌❤️
A trip of this size takes an incredible team, and we absolutely have to give a huge THANK YOU to Dean from Myers Coach, who was behind the wheel for this entire adventure.
Dean safely guided us through approximately 4,400 miles of highways, mountain roads, winding scenic routes, and everything in between. His professionalism, patience, and dedication helped make our journey smooth and enjoyable from beginning to end.
Dean, we truly can't thank you enough for getting us there and back safely! We appreciate you more than you know! 👏🚌
As a tour director, there is nothing better than watching a group experience these incredible places together. I’m so grateful I got to share this journey with such a wonderful group of travelers. ❤️
Our Western Adventure Checklist:
🏔️ Mount Rushmore
🐎 Crazy Horse Memorial
🌄 Badlands
🤠 Deadwood
🌋 Yellowstone
🐴 Cody
🦬 Jackson Hole
🏔️ Colorado Rockies
🚂 Georgetown Loop Railroad
🌆 Boulder
🧙♂️ Wamego
⚓ Steamship Arabia Museum
And let’s not forget our wildlife checklist!
3 moose 🫎 • Bighorn sheep 🐏 • LOTS of bears 🐻 • A TON of bison 🦬 • Prairie dogs 🐾
4,400 miles. 11 days. Countless memories. One AMAZING adventure! 🚌❤️🇺🇸
What a trip! What a group! What memories!
Until our next adventure…keep traveling! ✨
