Summer Road Trip, Day 2: Goodbye Minnesota, Hello South Dakota
Highlights along Interstate 90 across Minnesota and South Dakota
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at 3,020 miles. It is in the northern section and runs from Boston, Massachusetts to Seattle, Washington.
Today is our longest driving day of the entire trip (fingers crossed) as long as everything goes as planned. To break up the driving, we stopped at some of the fun and quirky roadside attractions on our way out of Minnesota into South Dakota.
The Jolly Green Giant Statue
Where can you stand in between the legs of a 55-foot high green giant? Blue Earth, Minnesota, that’s where!
The giant weighs 8,000 pounds, wears a size 78 shoe and has a smile that stretches 48 inches across.
It started to rain heavily as we left Blue Earth and Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” song came on the radio. How fitting as he lived and died in Minnesota. Just a reminder, to live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. Man, I love road trips!
Like quirky places? Read about 8 Quirky Restaurants across the U.S.
Falls Park in Sioux Falls
Stop number two on Interstate 90 is Falls Park in Sioux Falls. This was my introduction to the state of South Dakota and what an introduction it was!
The falls are beautiful and the rocks are unreal! We weren’t sure we wanted to attempt to drive in the city (Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota) with the pop up trailer in tow, but we took an indirect route on the outskirts of the city and it was completely fine.
Corn Palace in Mitchell
When I read the words, “World’s Only” in front of Corn Palace I thought it sounded a little strange. I wouldn’t think there would be much competition in that category, but we came to find out that wasn’t the case from the 1880’s to the 1930’s.
To celebrate their prosperity of dodging the drought in 1887, Sioux City in Iowa created the first palace made of local crops. Throughout the Midwest, there were 34 “prairie palaces” in existence in the midwest. The Corn Palace in Mitchell is now the only one left.
The palace is decorated in a different theme every year with 2016’s theme being Rock of Ages. The wall is decorated with an enormous guitar-playing Willie Nelson and a singing Elvis Presley.
Inside the Corn Palace, you learn about its history and can purchase anything you can think of, related to corn: corn t-shirts, popcorn, corn jelly, ornaments, corn cozies, shot glasses and the list goes on.
Wall Drug Store
Just northwest of Badlands National Park, you will find Wall Drug Store and you cannot miss it, as signs line the interstate miles and miles before arriving. The family-owned drug store has been opened since 1931.
Some say it’s America’s all-time favorite roadside attraction.
![Wall Drug Store Awning[1]](https://www.dangtravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wall-Drug-Store-Awning1-1024x576.jpg)
Being budget travelers, the drug store was one of the highlights of our Interstate 90 drive. It offers free ice water, 5-cent coffee and cheap delicious homemade donuts. That’s maple on the right!
![Wall Drug Store Donuts[1]](https://www.dangtravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wall-Drug-Store-Donuts1-1024x576.jpg)
Did I mention fun things to do and wacky props to take pictures with?
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- Jackalopes are real right?
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- Kissing George!
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- Riding to the New Frontier!
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- All Aboard!
Western Art Gallery Restaurant at Wall Drug Store
For dinner, we ate at the Western Art Gallery Restaurant which seats over 520 people. Thankfully, it was not that busy when we visited. Only half the rooms were filled with patrons.
Tip of the day: during peak seasons try to eat at slow times like in between lunch and dinner or after the dinner rush hour. Western motif enriches your meal as it has the largest privately owned western and illustration art collection in the country.
![Western Art Gallery[1]](https://www.dangtravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Western-Art-Gallery1-1024x683.jpg)
We had the buffalo burger and of course, could not pass up donuts for dessert. Visiting Wall Drug Store was a perfect way to end our day after driving across Interstate 90!
![Wall Drug Store Restaurant[1]](https://www.dangtravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wall-Drug-Store-Restaurant1-1024x505.jpg)
Next Stop: Badlands National Park in South Dakota
Miles Driven Today: 525, Total Miles Driven: 922, Average Gas Price per Gallon: $2.25, States: Minnesota & South Dakota
And so our epic 80 day summer road trip continues – 13 U.S. states, 2 Canadian provinces and 13 national parks. You can also follow our journey via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
If you would like to see our full itinerary, start at the beginning here. And Day 1 here.
Thank you South Dakota CVB and its associates for hosting us at Wall Drug Store. All words and opinions, however, are my own.
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Dana Camp
I’m so excited to follow your trip, as I’m making a similar trip in July. I’ll be taking my 13 yr old son from Georgia up to Minneapolis, then over to California and back across to Denver where he will fly home to start school. Your trip is helping me plan stops on my trip! Thank you!!!
Dang Travelers
I’m so happy to hear that we can help with some of your plans!! My husband did a similar trip with his family when he was 15 so all those old memories are flooding back…he speaks of them fondly so I’m sure your son will appreciate it and have a great time! Thanks for reading! Badlands, Custer State Park and Yellowstone are all up next!
David Gerard Kuhn
I’m getting ready to go car camping across our great country and I always thought North Dakota or South Dakota would be a great place to start I’m from Michigan Ypsilanti Ann arbor when I saw your post and exactly what I’m looking for thanks for sharing
Dang Travelers
Awesome! We have a bunch of other articles on both states so look around. We also used to truck camp, but now have a minivan turned camper van that we use. Excited for you, you’re trip will be amazing!
Ron R
Hi Angela and Dave we stopped there at Wall drug store it was very cool and really good donuts
Dang Travelers
We had so much fun wandering around! Oh yea, the donuts were so good. Even kept one for breakfast for the next morning and it was still fresh tasting.
Chris Travels
I never knew any interstate went fully from east coast to the west coast without changing. Your pictures are always great, and I always admire the nature and food photos. But I was amazed in particular by the Corn Palace! Never thought it could be so artisticly created with all the natural color variations of something as simple as “corn”! Will look forward to continue traveling with you this summer via the internet.
Dang Travelers
We didn’t know that any highway did either until we were planning the trip! Loved all the quirky stops along the way.
K
Aww you missed Custer State Park and Spearfish Canyon,they are gorgeous!
Dang Travelers
We did both and had a good time exploring 😊
https://www.dangtravelers.com/custer-state-park-wildlife-loop/
Kim B
Hey Travelers,
Wall Drug has changed little since my 1st visit there 47 yrs ago. I still stop though & enjoy the nostalgia. The falls are always a place to stop & stroll &/or for lunch.
Onward.
Kim B
Dang Travelers
I’ve always heard so much about Wall Drug so it was so much fun to stop there!