With an early morning departure of 5AM, I have set out for my week’s vacation out west.  The estimated number of miles I plan on traveling today are approximately 925 (Now that’s a lot of driving!). Estimated drive time is 13.5 hours with an added 2 hours for stops.  Arrival time estimation is 8:30PM Central time (will gain one hour).   Today I will pass through the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.  My route will take me from  I-70 West catching  I-74 West in Indianapolis.  Next I will take I-80 East and finally I-29 North.

Darkness continued to cover the sky as I left my home state of Ohio.  I made my first gas stop in Clayton, Indiana where I purchased a $20 tank of gas.  In Le Roy, Illinois, I payed $25 for fill up the tank and I was good until making a stop at the Taylor Pick Quick in Mo Valley, Iowa to refuel, costing me $24.

My drive was uneventful and I had great weather!  Overcast and no rain, what a perfect day to be on the road!  Most of the drive is flat and I find myself passing by farmlands and long stretches of land.

I have made great time as I pull into the hotel and check into the Days Inn, Sioux Falls which is located on Gateway Boulevard, conveniently located off of the highway.  It is 6:30PM Central taking me about 13.5 hours including stops.  I made great time but it was definitely a LONG drive!  Left OH at 5:10AM;  arrived in Indiana at 6:36AM;  arrived in IL (8:51AM, eastern);  arrived in IA (12:04PM, eastern);  arrived at the SD border (5:36PM, eastern/4:36PM central).  Wanted to check out the Falls tonight instead of waiting until the next day (which was scheduled for tomorrow).  The sun was just starting to set and it was a beautiful evening.

Sioux Falls, SD weather:  High 82 and Low 63 with a chance of an evening thunderstorm

Stopped at Taco John’s on the way to seeing the falls for a couple of tacos and a diet coke. This cute little taco place has been in business since 1969, and is a spicier version of Taco Bell.

Have you taken a long road trip?  Where did you go?  I would love to hear about your cross country travel trip if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below!  Thanks for following my trip out West and wishing you many Happy Travels!!

What to See and What to Do:

Falls Park, Sioux Falls
131 E. Falls Park Dr.
Sioux Falls, SD   57104
Telephone:  605 367 7430

• Admission Fee:  There is no fee for visiting Falls Park.
• Hours:  Open daily from 5AM to 12AM
• Amenities:  waterfalls, observation tower, picnic shelters, sculptures, restrooms, restaurant, open air shelter, bike trail access point, historic displays, drinking fountains and visitor center
• Scenic View: Spectacular views of the falls and an observation deck for incredible scenic views of nearby Sioux Falls.
• Length of Visit:  1 hour
• Tips for Your Visit:  Wear comfortable shoes and be careful on the rocks.

Where to Stay:

Country Inn & Suites
200 E. 8th Street
Sioux Falls, SD   57103
Telephone:  605 373 0153

Where to Eat:

Taco John’s
1920 W 12th Street
Sioux Falls, SD  57104
Telephone:  605 338 8518

I ordered two tacos which tasted like Taco Bell with a little more heat.

What to Eat: 

• Buffalo:  A meat substitute for beef which is much healthier to eat.
• Chokecherries are a Native American cherry that is made into jam, preserves, butter, wine, jelly and sauce.  Wojapi is a chokecherry sauce.
• Dakota Martini is made of three-fourths beer and one-fourth tomato juice
• Fleisch Kuchele is a meat pie originating from Germans who lived in Russia.  The dough is filled with meat and onions, then deep fried until the pastry is hot and flaky.
• Hot Beef Commercial, also known as hot beef sandwich, beef combination, hot beef combo and hot beef combination.  This is a sandwich made of real mashed potatoes and chunks of seasoned roast beef sandwiched between two pieces of white bread and smothered with homemade gravy until it floods the plate.
• Indian Fry Bread is the state bread of South Dakota, a recipe of the local Indians.
• Indian Tacos are made with a specially spiced beef and beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, onion, black olives and house made picante sauce on the top.
• Kolache is an amazing Czech dessert made from pastry and filled with fruit filling such as apple, cherry, lemon, apricot, prune and strawberry.
• Kuchen is German for cake and in South Dakota, visitors can enjoy this pastry filled with custard and fruit.
• Lefse is a flat potato bread coming from Norwegian-American origin and served with butter
• Mocha Cakes, also known as Blarney stones, are square or rectangular blocks of light and airy white cake.  Frosted on all sides with vanilla buttercream, they are rolled in lightly salted crushed peanuts for ideal flavor and texture.
• Pasties are savory hand pies.
• Tiger Meat is South Dakota’s answer to steak tartare.
• Wasna is a buffalo and berry dish passed down by the Lakota Indians.
• Zebra Donuts are marbled chocolate and vanilla donuts that is fried, dunked in sweet glaze and hand-dipped in homemade chocolate frosting which feeds 15.

What to Read: 

• The Spirit of Sioux Falls, by Terry Wooster
• The Road to Grace, by Richard Paul Evans
• American Gods, by Neil Gaiman

Photo Guide for Mount Rushmore, South Dakota: 

• The park’s artwork along the Sculpture Walk
• A view of the falls from the overlook or the restaurant
• A close up look of the falls along the outcroppings