Fly Drive USA

Depart the UK on your chosen scheduled flight to Rapid City. Upon arrival, transfer independently to The Rushmore Hotel.

Make your way east toward Badlands National Park which contains 244,000 acres of striking landscape and boasts a maze of buttes, canyons, pinnacles and spires. Make sure to travel the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway and stop into the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. If time allows, for a more historic stop, try the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. It consists of three sites along a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 90: the Delta-09 missile silo, the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility and a visitor center. Why not make a stop at Wall Drug on your way back to Rapid City, which has evolved into a 76,000-square-foot wonderland of free attractions, including the Western Art Gallery Restaurant. Rapid City is home to the Journey Museum and a newly-revamped downtown scene.

Today you will visit the majestic Mount Rushmore National Memorial – a 60-foot-high mountain carving of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. You will also have chance to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial – a massive granite carving honoring the Native American warrior will stand 563 feet high and 641 feet long when complete. It’s then on to Custer State Park, the second largest state park in the nation and home to 1,500 bison and granite outcroppings. Drive the 18 mile Wildlife Loop Road. Head to the Old West town of Deadwood where the legends of Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane live on. Why not visit the Days of 76 Museum or try your luck at one of the town’s numerous gaming parlours.

Head north to Medora, diverting slightly east en route to admire the Enchanted Highway, a 32-mile stretch of paved county highway that features spectacular giant concrete and metal sculptures. In Medora take in the nightly outdoor Medora Musical and Pitchfork Fondue dinner in the summer with the dynamic landscape of the North Dakotan Badlands as your backdrop.

Spend the day exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park and North Dakota’s Badlands which have been shaped by millions of years of wind, rain, erosion, fire and the meandering Little Missouri River. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the most beautiful places in North Dakota, with herds of bison, majestic wild horses and a landscape that will take your breath away. Here, you will find great scenery, unique wildlife and quiet areas to hike or have a picnic dinner. A major feature of the South Unit is the paved, 36-mile Scenic Loop Drive with pullouts and interpretive signs that explain some of the park’s historical and natural features. Bikers will love the Maah Daah Hey trail, a single-track dirt bike trail that runs through the South Unit and up to the North Unit. The park roads follow the contours of the Badlands, allowing riders to fully experience the scenery.

Make your way into Montana, known as Big Sky Country, and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The monument memorializes the site of the battle that took place June 25-26, 1876, between the United States Seventh Cavalry Regiment, led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, and the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes, under the political and spiritual leadership of Sitting Bull. The museum features exhibits of the history of the battle, Custer, weapons, archaeology, Plains Indian life and a walking tour with interpretive markers. A 4.5-mile self-guided tour road connects the Custer Battlefield and the Reno-Benteen Battlefield.

Explore downtown Billings before heading across state borders into Wyoming toward Buffalo Bill’s Cody. Lose yourself in the expansive Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a complex of five thematic museums, visit the Old Trail Town, view the live shootout performances in front of the Irma Hotel, and take in the daily Summer Cody Night Rodeo.

An early start is required for the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone – best known for the geysers, hot springs and mud pots that make the park one of the most active geothermal areas on the planet. The awe-inspiring landscape covers 2,000,000 acres with over 10,000 thermal features and hundreds of animal species. Popular sites include Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, Lamar and Hayden Valleys and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with its inspirational view of Lower Falls.

Sightseeing in Yellowstone National Park

Today you visit Grand Teton National Park, dominated by the Tetons, a 40-mile mountain range that is part of the famed Rocky Mountains. Grand Teton National Park’s 310,000 acres include lush valley floors, mountain meadows, alpine lakes and the rising peaks of the Teton Range. While iconic locations like Mormon Rowand the Moulton Barns may be the most photographed destinations in the park, Grand Teton’s celestial peaks also provide the perfect setting for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers who are looking to explore the park’s incredible landscapes. The park offers hiking, climbing, boating, kayaking and numerous photography opportunities. A road winds through the park, but the best way to experience it is by taking one of its shorter hiking or biking trails. Visitors can watch wildlife, including bison, elk, moose, bears and bighorn sheep; explore 230 miles of hiking trails; cast a fishing line on the Snake River; bike along the multi-use path that connects nearby Jackson to South Jenny Lake; and climb impressive mountain peaks. In addition, Jenny Lake Scenic Drive and Signal Mountain Summit Road are two not-to-be-missed scenic drives. Tonight you overnight in Jackson.

Crossing the border today, you commence exploration of Idaho! It is a beautiful drive through the south of the state to City of Rocks National Reserve. This is a 14,407-acre paradise of pure Idaho wilderness perfect for world-class rock climbing and backcountry adventure. Views of sage meadows and aspen groves amidst the reserve’s defining granite sculptures grant non-stop exploration and scenery for hiking, biking, climbing, bird watching and photography. A variety of trails for hikers of all skill levels intersect through the central area of the granite formations known as the Inner City. The reserve is also home to historical trails, replica wagons and markings from pioneers traveling the California Trail during the Gold Rush. Following your stay in Twin Falls you have a second day of out door excitment. Traverse the unique landscape at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve to experience a true natural curiosity. Navigate through the volcanic remains via a loop drive or by taking the network of trails on foot. Marvel at the expansive lava flows and take an exploratory hike through caves and craters. Come nightfall, cast your eyes to the sky for another astronomical wonder. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a designated International Dark Sky Park, where limited light pollution preserves the night sky for pristine stargazing.

Today you make your way north into the west of the state, home to Hells Canyon. Carved by the powerful Snake River and physically separating the borders of Idaho and Oregon for more than 100 miles, Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America at over 7,000 feet. Access Hells Canyon via Lewiston for a guided jet boating excursion to leisurely cruise through the waves in comfort. Off the water, there’s plenty of outdoor adventure to be had at Hells Canyon National Recreation Area with hiking and mountain biking through dramatic terrain vegetation. No matter which route you chose, you’re sure to be treated to some fantastic canyon views including Nez Perce pictographs, bighorn sheep, black bears, deer, eagles and other wildlife. On your second day you head for Nez Perce National Historic Park. It was established in 1965 and stretches across 34 sites in four states. Take a journey back in time to follow the story of the Nez Perce Flight of 1877, the 126-day journey across four states, and discover the legends of Nez Perce peoples who were forced to leave their land when their reservation was reduced to one-10th of its original size after the 1863 Treaty. Historic sites, archeological remains, interpretive trails, museum exhibits and films offer a look into the 10,000-year history of the Nimiipuu people. Visitors can immerse themselves in the customs of this native culture through interactive storytelling, land and water excursions, food, song, drum and dance. Should you wish to join one, tours in­clude visits to historical sites, jet boat tours and traditional dinners. Then, visit the Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center to learn the deep history of the horse breed iconic to Idaho. Make your way through exhibits, hands-on activities and historical archives to see early evidence of spotted horses in art and literature and the connection between Appaloosa and the Nez Perce tribe.

Today you leave Idaho behind and cross the border into Montana, with a destination of Whitefish. Named one of the ‘Top 25 Ski Towns in the World’ by National Geographic, Whitefish is located on the shores of Whitefish Lake and at the base of Big Mountain. A short jaunt to Glacier National Park, Whitefish is a year-round destination with plentiful attractions and a mixed array of shops, coffee houses, restaurants, accommodations. Visitors can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, boating and live professional theater, as well as stellar dining. 

Spend two days in spectacular Glacier National Park, to explore glacial-scoured valleys, towering peaks, tumbling waterfalls, verdant forests and wildflower-strewn meadows. Keep an eye out for grizzly bears, elk, mountain goats and bighorn sheep.  With more than 700 miles of trails, Glacier National Park is a hiker’s haven. Five self-guided interpretive walks with brochures and signs let visitors experience Glacier’s outdoor wonders at their own pace: Trail of the Cedars, Huckleberry Mountain, Hidden Lake, Sun Point and Swiftcurrent Nature Trail. In addition to these, you can find scores of day hikes throughout the park, but the Lake McDonald, Many Glacier, St. Mary/Logan Pass and Two Medicine areas in particular are popular. Other favorites in Glacier include horseback riding, scenic boat tours and cross-country skiing.

There may be time for some last minute sightseeing, before making the journey back to Glacier Park International Airport for your return flight to the UK.