Saturday, August 8 & Sunday, August 9
A westward route through Pennsylvania mountains will bring us to our lodging for the evening in Columbus, Ohio. Our escort will point out the highlights as we cruise through Indiana, Illinois and on to our lodging tomorrow evening in the Mississippi River town of Davenport, Iowa. CB

Monday, August 10
Today’s highlight will be the Amana Colonies of Iowa. A religious community settled in the 1850’s by members of a religious sect from Germany, Switzerland and France; the Amana’s consist of seven closely united villages. We will tour various buildings to gain full appreciation for the Amana’s communal way of life. Our lodging this evening will be in Stuart, Iowa. B, L

Tuesday, August 11
As we travel through Nebraska we will gently rise toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Our route, paralleling the Platte River, will present the subtle change from farming to cattle country. Around lunchtime we will arrive at a former Pony Express Station near Gothenburg where we will enjoy a box lunch and hear a local guide talk about the history of the Pony Express plus visit the Sod House Museum. Continuing to Ogallala for our overnight we will arrive in time to attend the Front Street Revue, an entertaining Western-style show. L

Wednesday, August 12
Today we will have an opportunity to see many interesting sights as we travel to our lodging for the night near the Continental Divide in Riverton, Wyoming. CB

Thursday, August 13
Our touring today will follow the Wind River Mountain Range and across the Continental Divide through Togwater Pass, at an altitude of 9,658 feet, enroute to our morning’s highlight in Grand Teton National Park. We will have time for lunch and to explore in the old western town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After an orientation drive of the Teton’s majestic landscape including lovely Jenny Lake, we will travel to our lodging for the next two nights in Yellowstone National Park.

Friday, August 14
A full day of sightseeing is due us today with a tour of our largest and best known national park, Yellowstone. The central portion of the park is a broad, volcanic plateau with an altitude of between 7,000 and 8,500 feet. Mountain ranges on almost every side rise 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the enclosed tableland. Yellowstone’s most outstanding phenomena are its thousands of thermal spectacles comprising the world’s largest geyser basins. Bursts of scalding water spurt high into the air from some geysers, while others bubble and spit in murky depths

Saturday, August 15
Today’s sightseeing will include Sylvan Pass and Shoshone Canyon enroute to the western town of Cody, Wyoming. This afternoon we will visit the Buffalo Bill Museum plus you will have free time to stroll through town before we are off for an evening at the Rodeo. An optional float trip on the Shoshone River will be arranged for those who are interested.

Sunday, August 16
Shoshone and Bighorn Mountain panorama will enhance our travels as we tour through towns called Greybull, Buffalo, and through Powder River Pass at an altitude of 9,666 feet. A short visit to the Devil’s Tower will be made. This evening we have reserved seats for the famous Black Hills Passion Play. Our lodging this evening will be in Spearfish, South Dakota.

Monday, August 17
Our day will begin with a visit to the Borglum Story. Next we will visit magnificent Mount Rushmore where the heads of our four greatest Presidents - Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt - loom off the face of a 600 - foot granite mountain. We’ll also visit the Chief Crazy Horse Carving which will be the largest statue in the world when completed. Later we will visit Custer State Park which is the habitat for one of the world’s largest free-roaming bison herds. A buffalo dinner will also be enjoyed before we settle into our comfortable accommodations for the night. D

Tuesday, August 18
Between the White and Cheyenne Rivers is Badlands National Park. Irregular ravines, fantastic ridges, low hills and cliffs of variegated color, castles and spires are spectacular examples of weathering and erosion. We will also make a stop in Wall, South Dakota where you may visit the unusual and well known Wall Drug Store. Tonight’s lodging will be in Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Wednesday, August 19
This morning we will have time to visit the Corn Palace, unique because of its Moorish architecture and the use of corn and grasses to decorate portions of the exterior and interior. Minnesota farmland will lead the way to our next overnight in Rochester, Minnesota.

Thursday, August 20
A morning tour of Maywood Mansion, the former residence of Dr. Charles H. Mayo, will be included before we head into Wisconsin and stop for a scenic cruise on the Upper Dells. Here the river has cut a channel through the soft sandstone to a depth of 150 feet. Our lodging this evening will be in Wisconsin Dells. CB

Friday, August 21
The highlight of the day will be a tour of The House on the Rock. This multilevel home stands atop a chimney like rock 450 feet above the Wyoming Valley. The house is an architectural wonderland with several pools of running water, six massive fireplaces and one entire wall of windows jutting out over the valley below; trees grow up through the middle of the house. Our lodging this evening will be in Michigan City, Indiana. CB

Saturday, August 22 & Sunday, August 23
Traveling through Indiana and Ohio countryside will lead us to our lodging for the evening in Columbus, OH. CB Our arrival home tomorrow is scheduled for mid-afternoon. CB

Tour Protection: $80 per person