Day 1
PADUCAH • DINNER:
Journey across the frontier where we experience life on the prairie. We travel through Tennessee on our way to Paducah for overnight. We enjoy an included dinner before we check in. (D)
Day 2
GATEWAY ARCH:
This afternoon we visit the Gateway Arch
in St. Louis. It was from here that early pioneers embarked
on their journey west. We board the tram to the top for incredible
views of the Mississippi River. We overnight in Independence.
Day 3
OMAHA • BOYS TOWN • DINNER:
Today we travel to Omaha,
NE. Here we visit Boys Town, established by Father
Flanagan in 1917. This evening we enjoy a delicious Omaha Steak Dinner. (D)
Day 4
SIOUX FALLS PARK • LUNCH AT FALLS OVERLOOK CAFÉ • WORLD’S ONLY CORN PALACE:
We travel to Sioux Falls,
SD and visit the waterfalls of the Big Sioux River. We have lunch near the falls at the Overlook Café. In Mitchell, we visit
the World’s Only Corn Palace, decorated each year with bushels
of corn, grains and native grasses. We overnight in Murdo. (L)
Day 5
WALL DRUG STORE • MOUNT RUSHMORE • CUSTER STATE PARK • COWBOY STEAK COOKOUT • WAGON RIDE:
We take a break at Wall Drug Store known as a thriving oasis. In the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore has been called the “Shrine of Democracy.” We’ll see the faces of George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore
Roosevelt carved in stone. Dinner tonight is at Blue Belle Ranch in Custer State Park. We’ll have a cowboy steak cookout and a wagon ride. We stay two nights in Custer. (D)
Day 6
PANCAKE BREAKFAST • BUFFALO ROUNDUP:
We depart the hotel early this morning for the annual buffalo roundup.
We have time for the pancake breakfast before the roundup begins. Bring your cameras and binoculars. 1,400 head of buffalo thunder by with the help of cowboys and cowgirls herding these giants into corrals. What a sight! Following the round-up, we return to Custer and enjoy a free evening. (B)
Day 7
FORT ROBINSON STATE PARK • CARHENGE • WILD BUNCH
DINNER & EVENT:
This morning we travel to Nebraska’s largest state park, Fort Robinson. The historic outpost and museum is located in the 1905 post headquarters building. The exhibits here trace local history from the 1870’s to 1940’s.
Our next stop is Carhenge. A replica of England’s Stonehenge,
it’s made from vintage American automobiles. Next, we enjoy
the “Wild Bunch Dinner & Event,” an experience with the ‘Wild West’ as Buffalo Bill lived each day; with horses, wagon
rides, ranch-hands, gun fire, law-and-no-order, and more. At
the Lincoln County Historical Museum you’ll have opportunity
to explore and learn about the history of the area. (D)
Day 8
GREAT PLATTE RIVER ROAD ARCHWAY • WICHITA:
Today in Kearney, we visit the impressive Great Platte River Road Archway, a 1,500 ton structure crossing over the interstate. This museum pays tribute to the enduring spirit of pioneers. This evening we overnight in Wichita.
Day 9
THE PIONEER WOMAN MERCANTILE • LUNCH • PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY MUSEUM • WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL MUSEUM:
This morning we spend time in the hometown of the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. The Pioneer Woman Mercantile has a little bit of everything, including clothing, home goods, jewelry, bakery items and
more. This afternoon we’ll have an included lunch in Bartlesville.
Next we visit the state-of-the-art Phillips Petroleum Company
Museum where we learn the history of the oil and gas industry.
We stop in Claremore, where we visit the Will Rogers Memorial
Museum. It’s home to the world’s largest collection of Will
Rogers memorabilia and his entire collection of writings. We
travel to Bentonville, Arkansas, for the night. (L)
Day 10
BACKYARD BILLIONAIRES TOUR • WALTONS 5 & 10 -
WALMART VISITOR CENTER • MUSEUM OF NATIVE
AMERICAN HISTORY • PEEL MUSEUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS:
Today we learn about Fortune 500 companies and the founders
who helped form the success of this area with industry giants
such as Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt. Next, we visit
Sam Walton’s original variety store that was the model for
Walmart. With over 10,000 artifacts housed at the Museum of
Native American History, we glimpse the lives and activities of
the First Americans. We enjoy lunch together. In Bentonville,
we visit the Peel Museum, a historic Italian family home which
includes period pieces and artifacts dating back to the 1800’s.
Enjoy the beautiful botanical gardens that surround the Peel
Museum. We continue to Fort Smith for our overnight. (L)
Day 11
FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE • US MARSHALS
MUSEUM • MEMPHIS BBQ DINNER:
This morning in
Fort Smith, our guide will show us around and give us the
history of this famous town which was once a military post
during the frontier era. We visit Fort Smith National Historic
which houses exhibits on Indian Territories, US Marshals,
outlaws, and regional history. Next we visit the new United
States Marshals Museum which honors the 230 year history
of the Marshals Service. The Museum will tell the story of
America’s Constitution and the Rule of Law. Following a BBQ
dinner, we overnight in Memphis. (D)
Day 12
HOME:
Today we reflect on the many amazing sights
we’ve seen while enjoying ourselves out on the prairie.
We arrive home late this afternoon.
