Mount Rushmore is the Home of the Four Presidents

Mount Rushmore is the Home of the Four Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and T. Roosevelt. Mount Rushmore is a place that has occupied a high place on my places to visit list. We flew out to Minneapolis and made our way on Interstate 90 to Rapid City, SD in order to make it our base for exploration. Interstate 90 in South Dakota with an 80mph speed limit to be sure is quite a treat for motorists as everyone is going 90 to 100mph with very light traffic. For a real cheap fare to go from here to there in the air, please check out my friends at cheapOair on the below banner.

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Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is the home of the four presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and T. Roosevelt. Mount Rushmore is a national memorial that is imposed on a giant sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore. Gutzon Borglum designed the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in 1927 and eventually finished the project in 1941. The sculpture represents our four greatest US presidents who uniquely appear as 60-foot-tall heads and additionally were chosen to represent the nation’s birth, growth, development, and preservation. Borglum picked Mount Rushmore because it faces southeast for maximum sun exposure. The site has a nice gift shop ( I bought a coffee mug), eating facilities, a museum, as well as an amphitheater for events including a nighttime illumination ceremony. Mount Rushmore is free to visit with only a small charge for using their parking facilities For more information see:https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm

Rushmore Borglum Museum

We stopped off at the Rushmore Borglum Museum in nearby Keystone, SD before visiting Mount Rushmore. This museum focuses on the life of Gutzon Borglum together with his family. This made visiting worthwhile in essence that it gave us more insight into the creator of Mount Rushmore.

Devils Tower Day Trip from Mount Rushmore

We did go to a nearby spot in Wyoming called Devils Tower which is a spectacular free-standing rock formation that rises dramatically to 867 feet (264m) from its base to its summit. We only had to drive 109 miles (about 1 hour and 45 minutes from our hotel in Rapid City to reach the site. For more information, please click on the following: https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Deadwood Day Trip from Mount Rushmore

Deadwood is a nearby “Gold Rush” town that had its “hay day” in the 1870s. In its present-day state, however, it does retain its old-west nostalgic atmosphere.

Sturgis Day Trip from Mount Rushmore

Sturgis is the home of the world-famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally which takes place during August for about 10 days. We did not visit at the time of the rally. However, you can still get some good vibes by visiting some of the biker bars that populate Sturgis.

Wall Drug Top Roadside Attractions

Wall Drug is one of those legendary roadside attractions in the US. It started as a single drug store in 1931 and eventually expanded into a drug store, gift shop, several restaurants, and an art gallery. You can not help noticing the many signs on the road leading to Wall that promote the location. Wall Drug draws 2 million visitors each year and as a result, proves to be an excellent place to break up your long drive.

Corn Palace Top Roadside Attractions

I find that the Corn Palace is a great roadside attraction along Interstate 90 for all those like myself who are fascinated by odd-looking buildings. The Corn Palace is Moorish Revival style and serves as a venue for concerts, sports events, as well as many exhibitions. I like that the Corn Palace contains many unusual features with its many murals and designs adorning the building that is made from corn and maize and other grains.

Fargo, ND Bucket List

We made a stopover in Fargo which enabled me to visit my 50th state since this is a milestone or bucket list achievement. I hear that North Dakota also is many travelers’ 50th or final state.

Local Dining Experiences

After a busy day of sightseeing, we like to treat ourselves to a nice meal.

DAKOTAH STEAK HOUSE/ Rapid City, SD. https://www.dakotahsteakhouserc.com/.Great steak house with a friendly atmosphere.

FUJI STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR/ Rapid City, SD..https://fujisteakhouse-sd.com/...Great sushi and a lively atmosphere.

MINERVAS’/ Rapid City, SD.https://www.minervasrestaurants.com/location/minervas-rapid-city-sd/ Upscale regional chain. We ate at the Rapid City location

THE CROOKED PINT/ Sioux Falls, SD.https://www.crookedpint.com/sioux-falls/..A nice sports bar that has a terrace lacing a golf course.

A word from Steve

I always say that this is only a curated guide featuring an experienced travelers’ insights. For other travel options, please click on the above Viator banner.