Faces of South Dakota

Day 1

Welcome Aboard! Today we depart on a journey reminiscent of the adventuresome spirit of the pioneering explorers Lewis and Clark, as we travel west to discover the untamed frontier of the "Mount Rushmore State," South Dakota. The major difference is we will travel aboard our deluxe motor coach and stay in comfortable first-class hotels. After checking into our hotel in Maumee, Ohio for the night, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, at your leisure. A $20.00 gift card is provided for you. (D)

Day 2

After breakfast we depart for "The Hawkeye State," Iowa. Your on-board Gunther Tours Manager will help pass the time by playing games, showing a movie or two, and scheduling quiet time to relax and enjoy the scenery along the highway. Before checking into our hotel in West Des Moines, Iowa for the night, we are treated to a delicious dinner at The Machine Shed, a restaurant honoring the American Farmer. (B, D)

Day 3

After breakfast we visit the Living History Farm, a short ride from our hotel. The nationally recognized historical museum features more than 22 sites including a turn-of-the-century farm, a Native American village, a town with a one room schoolhouse and much more! Later settle back, relax and enjoy the scenery on our drive across western Iowa to our overnight accommodations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with our included box lunch.
After checking into the Country Inn & Suites for the night, relax and enjoy a leisurely dinner on your own at the Falls Landing Restaurant, adjacent to our hotel. (B, L)

Day 4

After breakfast we depart for Mitchell, South Dakota and The Corn Palace. The rich history of this region dates back one thousand years beginning with a tribe of semi-nomadic hunter farmers who first harvested corn in this area. The story continues with the Homestead Act of 1862 and westward expansion of the railroad, and how these events led to the construction of this unique building. More than just a tourist attraction with indoor and outdoor murals made from cobs of corn, this unique building is a community center and serves as a symbol of tribute to the agriculture heritage of South Dakota. Next, we depart for Chamberlain, South Dakota and the Keelboat Visitor Center. Climb on aboard a re-creation of a 55-foot Keelboat that the Corps of Discovery traveled on as they explored the Missouri River and experience breathtaking views from the stern of the keelboat. "Re-live" Lewis and Clark's journey with interpretive panels that explain the Corps adventures traveling through present day South Dakota. We depart Chamberlain for the Town of Wall, home of the famous Wall Drug Store. The drug store first opened as a small pharmacy during the depression and eventually developed into a large roadside tourist attraction. Lunch is included at the Wall Drug Café. After our visit, we depart for Keystone, South Dakota for a four night stay at the K Bar S Lodge, a boutique style hotel nestled in the hills of the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and Black Hills National Forest. K Bar S Lodge offers views of Mount Rushmore and conveniently located to area attractions including Rushmore Cave, the President's Alpine Slide, Custer State Park, National Presidential Wax Museum, the Rushmore Borglum Story and Harney Peak. Feeling adventurous? During your free time you will have the opportunity to hike one of the many nearby trails that will lead you to vistas and landscapes you will not see anywhere else! Tonight, dinner is included at the lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 5

After breakfast we depart for an exciting day of sightseeing in the Black Hills. Don't forget your camera! Our first stop is at Bear Country U.S.A., the home of the largest collection of privately owned black bears in the world. Guests are guaranteed to see more than they bargained for from the comfort of our deluxe motor coach, as visitors watch as these clowns of nature frolic in a pool, climb trees and amble across the road in front of our motor coach. In Babyland, you will see black bear cubs and young wolf pups romp through their grassy enclosures.
Our next stop, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is known in the Black Hills as the Shrine of Democracy, featuring the huge carved faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt looking down. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Studio of Gutzon Borglum, the monuments sculptor, and the gift shop. Later we return to our hotel to relax and freshen up before going out for a fun evening at the Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Variety Show. Enjoy a hearty chuckwagon menu and the most entertaining show in the Black Hills! Experience the Old West like never before with one of the best family-friendly attractions in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is truly an authentic western experience - a present day reflection of the early spirit of western frontier! (B, D)

Day 6

After breakfast we depart for a tour of Custer State Park. Few truly wild places remain in this country, yet Custer State Park is one of them! The 71,000-acre park is home to a variety of wildlife and magnificent scenery. Nearly 1,500 bison, commonly called buffalo, roam the prairies and hills of Custer State Park, which they share with swift pronghorn, shy elk, sure-footed mountain goats and curious burros. Following our tour, we will enjoy a delicious lunch before returning to our hotel. You will have leisure time to unwind, relax and freshen up before we go out for this evening's dinner and entertainment. Later we depart for Crazy Horse Memorial, home of the world's largest mountain sculpture in progress. The Memorial's visitor complex includes the 40,000-square foot Welcome Center and theatres, the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational & Cultural Center, the sculptor's log home studio and workshop, indoor and outdoor galleries, museum gift shop, restaurant and snack bar areas and an expansive viewing veranda. We conclude our day with dinner at the Crazy Horse Memorial before returning to our hotel for a restful night's sleep. (B, L, D)

Day 7

After breakfast get your bearings at the Geographic Center of the Nation, marking the middle of the United States. Cross into Wyoming and view the first national monument - Devils Tower. Stand in awe before this lofty monolith; the Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. Perhaps hiking the 1.3-mile Tower Trail around the base. Although famous as the backdrop in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," historically many of the Northern Plains Indians and indigenous people of the Black Hills regions had connections with the area around Devils Tower. Stories and histories shared by tribal members indicate that the Tower was a sacred site - a place for winter camps, vision quests, and summer ceremonies. Today, many tribes still utilize the park for traditional ceremonies. Visitors will observe prayer cloths and prayer bundles attached to trees around the park, especially along the Tower Trail. Later we depart for Deadwood, South Dakota to explore and experience the rich and colorful history, attractions, entertainment, restaurants, local stores, shops and art galleries. Historic Deadwood, South Dakota was home to western legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock, who all roamed the town's wild streets. Lunch and dinner are on your own. The town's laid-back nature beckons you to pull up a chair, take a seat and enjoy one heck of a good meal before returning to our hotel in Keystone. (B)

Day 8

After breakfast we say goodbye to our host city and depart for Badlands National Park, South Dakota to tour The Badlands National Park. The Lakota gave this land its name, "mako sica", meaning "land bad". This land of sharp ridges, steep walled canyons, gullies, pyramids and knobs has been so ruthlessly ravaged by wind and water that it has become picturesque. The Badlands are a wonderland of bizarre colorful spires and pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges. Erosion of the Badlands reveals sedimentary layers of different colors, purple and yellow (shale), tan and gray (sand and gravel), red and orange (iron oxides) and white (volcanic ash). Following our tour, we depart for our overnight stay at the Country Inn & Suites in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Tonight, dinner is on your own at the Falls Landing Restaurant, adjacent to our hotel. (B)

Day 9

After breakfast settle back and enjoy the movie "Field of Dreams" on our drive across eastern Iowa to The Field of Dreams Movie Site located in Dyersville, Iowa. The Field of Dreams Movie location played host to the 1989 Academy Award nominee for Best Picture of the Year - "Field of Dreams". Since the film's premier, just as foreshadowed in the movie, people from around the world have visited this mystical ball field to experience the magic for themselves. You are invited to play catch on the diamond, explore the gift shop and take a tour of the main floor of the recognizable farmhouse. After our tour, we depart for our overnight accommodations in Dubuque, Iowa. A buffet dinner is included at the hotel tonight. (B, D)

Day 10

After breakfast we continue our journey eastward, passing through the Chicago area, skirting the south shore of Lake Michigan, through Illinois on our way to the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana. Home to a priceless collection of vehicles, artwork, archival material and artifacts spanning nearly 200 years, The Studebaker National Museum displays the first and last vehicles the corporation ever made and boasts the largest Presidential Carriage Collection in the world. Following our tour, we depart for our hotel accommodations in Maumee, Ohio. After checking into our hotel in Maumee, Ohio for the night, dinner is included at a local restaurant, at your leisure. A $20.00 gift card is provided for you. (D)

Day 11

After breakfast we depart for home having enjoyed the fellowship of friends old and new on our 2023 Faces of South Dakota tour. Having had a wonderful sense of adventure and of exploration on our journey through the western frontier, we return home filled with many astonishing experiences, cherished memories, marvelous pictures and distinctive souvenirs! (B)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner