Feel at home in the heartland as you travel through the Midwest. Ride a paddleboat on the Mississippi and shop for handcrafted goods in Iowa. Find an adventure below and then book a stay at a nearby RV Park (click on the links for more information).
Iowa
Get Handcrafted Goods in the Amana Colonies
The Amana Colonies in Central Iowa were founded by German Immigrants seeking to create a communal way of life. Today, the preserved buildings and crafts of this vibrant community live on. Check out the Amana General Store. Once an integral part of communal life, the general stores were the windows to the outside world where Amana Colonies residents could buy goods that were not locally produced. Today, the Amana General Store stocks its shelves with the best of contemporary and handmade collectibles. Its International Christmas Market celebrates the holidays year-round. If you want to take a step back into time, visit the High Amana General Store in High Amana to experience an Amana Colonies general store as it appeared over 100 years ago. Local and imported handcrafted gifts set the tone for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
Photo: Clarence Alford
Ride a Riverboat in Davenport
You’ve all heard of those mythical steamboats that cruised the Mississippi during the 1800s. In Davenport, you can travel back in time when you step aboard a paddlewheeler. Take a cruise or roll the dice on a riverboat casino. Explore the rest of the Quad Cities to experience art and culture, outdoor recreation, wineries and microbreweries, live music, entertainment, festivals and more! You can also take a day trip to the Windy City of Chicago for some of the best shopping, dining, museums, and of course, the famous Navy Pier!
Stay here during your Iowa visit:
Interstate RV Park, Davenport
Crossroads RV Park, Mount Pleasant
Nebraska
Check Out Exotic Animals in Omaha
Go wild in Nebraska. Experience Asian highlands, African grasslands or ocean shores — all without leaving Omaha. The Henry Doorling Zoo exhibits animals from across the world along with exotic sea life in a massive aquarium. The zoo’s centerpiece is the 13-story-tall Desert Dome, the world’s largest glazed geodesic dome, which replicates environments of the Namib Desert in western Africa, the Great Sandy Desert in Australia and the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States.
Outside a desert dome at Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. Photo: Getty Images
Celebrate the Wild West in Ogallala
The Wild West lives on in Ogallala, a town that proudly celebrates its roots as a vital frontier community. See where many early Ogallala gunslingers found their final resting places at Boot Hill (not to be confused of the cemetery of the same name in Deadwood, South Dakota). Although the “residents” have since been relocated, historical markers tell the tale of many an outlaw drawn to Ogallala by the booming cattle trade of the late 1900s.
Stay here during your Nebraska visit:
Pine Grove RV Park, Greenwood
South Dakota
Beam at Bison and Burros in Custer State Park
Custer State Park is one of the true gems of the West, and visitors should take their time exploring everything it has to offer. Billed as one of the “World’s Top Ten Wildlife Destinations,” the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road is the best way to experience firsthand the massive herd of 1,300 bison that roam the landscape. Lucky visitors can also see antelope, bighorn sheep, coyotes, prairie dogs and more along the way. Keep snacks on hand for the “beggin’ burros” who hound drivers for morsels.
Photo: WikiImages/Pixabay
Come Face to Face With Four Presidents
This iconic sculpture appears regularly on postcards, in print, online and on postage stamps. But nothing beats seeing it in person. Located 16 miles west of Hill City this is the undisputed main attraction in southwestern South Dakota, so expect big crowds year-round. An average of three million people flock to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial annually, making it one of the more popular attractions in the entire country. It’s worth it. Beyond jaw-dropping views of the mountain’s famous 60-foot-tall carved faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, the site is home to an informative Visitor Center, the Presidential Trail (a must for those seeking up-close views of the faces) and a trio of Native American Heritage Villages.
Stay here during your South Dakota visit:
Oasis Campground, Chamberlain
Beaver Lake Campground, Custer
Rafter J Bar Ranch Camping Resort, Hill City
South Dakota Dept Of Game, Fish & Parks, Pierre
Rushmore Shadows Resort, Rapid City
Chris’ Camp & RV Park, Spearfish
Wisconsin
Do the Dells
Slip and slide for days at the ultimate family vacation spot. Located on the Wisconsin River in the heart of the Badger State, the Wisconsin Dells is the “Waterpark Capital of the World,” with the most indoor and outdoor water parks per capita than anywhere else on Earth. Speed down the Scorpion’s Tail and Black Anaconda at Noah’s Ark, the largest water park in America with three miles of waterslides. The Wilderness Resort is the size of 12 football fields, with four indoor and four outdoor waterparks. Raft rides, bumper boats and extreme plunge slides are sure to keep the adrenaline going all day long.
A lifeguard stands guard at Noah’s Ark Water Park. Wisconsin Tourism
Drink Brews in Door County
Wisconsin’s Door County occupies a peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan, and its quaint homes and beautiful countryside has given it the nickname, “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” When you’re done exploring, check out the area’s wide selection of brews. Make sure to check out Door County Brewing Company. The Baileys Harbor brewer, established in 2012, has made a tremendous reputation for itself as a brewer of distinctive beers. The taproom serves up a number of selections for the sophisticated beer sampler, including farmhouse ale, a pale ale, a smoked imperial stout and a witbier.
Stay here during your Wisconsin visit:
Sherwood Forest Camping & RV Park, Wisconsin Dells