Great Plains Travel Guide
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  • Home
  • Attractions
    • Food & Drink
    • National Parks
  • Destinations
    • Colorado
    • Kansas
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • New Mexico
    • North Dakota
    • Oklahoma
    • South Dakota
    • Texas
  • Routes
    • Route 66
    • I-10
    • I-20
    • I-25
    • I-27
    • I-29
    • I-35
    • I-40
    • I-44
    • I-70
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    • I-94
  • Woman Exploring Badlands National Park
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 7 National Parks in South Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    August 20, 2021 /

    South Dakota is special among states in the Great Plains. It is home to not one national park – such as North Dakota, New Mexico, or Texas – but two: Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park. Oh, and it's where white Americans of European descent carved Mount Rushmore into the ancestral sacred mountain of Tunkasila Sakpe Paha, now called Mount Rushmore...

    Read More

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    National Parks in Kansas Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Kansas:
    Get to Know Each One

    March 26, 2021
    Visit Mount Rushmore Hero

    How to Visit Mount Rushmore,
    South Dakota’s Top Sight

    March 5, 2021
    Oklahoma Cattle Hero

    The 6 National Parks in Oklahoma:
    Get to Know Each One

    May 21, 2021
  • Kansas Sunflower Fields Hero
    Attractions

    15 Must-See Sunflower Fields in Kansas [Summer/Autumn 2021]

    July 30, 2021 /

    Here we are, in the heat of summer – and you know what that means, right? The sunflowers are in bloom! Across the Great Plains, both wild and cultivated sunflower fields are at their peak; towering stalks and brightly-colored heads look skyward and you can't help but smile when you see them...

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    Haunted Places in Oklahoma Hero

    21 Eerie Haunted Places in Oklahoma (including Haunted Houses!)

    September 10, 2021
    National Parks in Nebraska Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Nebraska:
    Get to Know Each One

    June 18, 2021
    National Parks in the Great Plains Hero

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021
  • National Parks in North Dakota Hero
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 4 National Parks in North Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    July 9, 2021 /

    Most people might not know much, making the Dakotas perhaps the most underrated parts of the country. Located in the heart of the Great Plains, these two states are critical to the agricultural industry today – and represented much more for the Indigenous peoples who called them home, and pioneers and explorers who came later. Today...

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    You May Also Like

    Woman Exploring Badlands National Park

    The 7 National Parks in South Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    August 20, 2021
    National Parks in Nebraska Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Nebraska:
    Get to Know Each One

    June 18, 2021
    National Parks in the Great Plains Hero

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021
  • National Parks in Nebraska Hero
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 10 National Parks in Nebraska:
    Get to Know Each One

    June 18, 2021 /

    To many people, Nebraska is flyover country – but we know better than that. While Nebraska may not have a reputation as an outdoor wonderland or historic site, it actually has both! There are 10 national parks in Nebraska, protected as part of the National Park Service (NPS). These range from stunning rock formations to sparkling waterfalls to historic trails and the still-standing homesteads along them...

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    National Parks in the Great Plains Hero

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021
    National Parks in North Dakota Hero

    The 4 National Parks in North Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    July 9, 2021
    Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota

    The 12 (Other) National Park Units in the Great Plains

    September 17, 2021
  • Things to Do in Sioux Falls Hero
    Destinations,  Food & Drink

    The 11 Best Things to Do in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

    June 11, 2021 /

    Everyone knows the big cities across the U.S.: New York, Chicago, L.A. Heck, they even know the big cities in the Great Plains like Omaha and Oklahoma City. But what about Sioux Falls? This town is home to over 117,000 people but gets overlooked...

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    Things to do in Casper WY - Photo Credit Mike Guile

    The 17 Best Things to Do in Casper, Wyoming

    May 14, 2021
    Things to Do in Carlsbad Hero

    The 9 Best Things to Do in Carlsbad, New Mexico

    July 2, 2021
    Things to Do in Broken Bow Hero

    The 9 Best Things to Do in Broken Bow, Oklahoma

    May 12, 2022
  • Roadside Attractions Along I-80
    Routes,  Attractions

    The 11 Best Roadside Attractions along
    I-80 in the Great Plains

    June 4, 2021 /

    In my time, I've done the drive along Interstate 80 many times. I went to college in Iowa and my parents lived in Colorado; I became intimately familiar with the long, straight, flat, featureless drive through the Platte River Valley. But is it actually that featureless? It turns out...

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    Roadside Attractions Along I-29 Hero

    The 11 Best Roadside Attractions Along
    I-29 in the Great Plains

    June 20, 2022
    Drive Between Dallas & San Antonio Hero

    Drive Between Dallas and San Antonio: Road Trip Tips & Info

    June 2, 2022
    Drive Between Omaha & Denver Hero

    Drive Between Omaha and Denver:
    Road Trip Tips & Info

    November 26, 2021
  • Oklahoma Cattle Hero
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 6 National Parks in Oklahoma:
    Get to Know Each One

    May 21, 2021 /

    If you're a national park fan, you might typically overlook Oklahoma. After all – Oklahoma doesn't have any National Parks, that coveted distinction given to sites of particular natural beauty and in need of protection. But while Oklahoma doesn't have any National Parks, it does have national park units – other locations protected and preserved by the national park service....

    Read More

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    National Parks in North Dakota Hero

    The 4 National Parks in North Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    July 9, 2021
    National Parks in the Great Plains Hero

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021
    National Parks in Kansas Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Kansas:
    Get to Know Each One

    March 26, 2021
  • National Parks,  Attractions

    How to Visit Badlands National Park in Otherworldly South Dakota

    April 9, 2021 /

    It looks like an alien planet: hills striped with bands of red, brown, and yellow all reach precipitous peaks stretch as far as the eye can see. This is Badlands National Park, located in South Dakota. It’s a dramatic landscape carved by wind and water over millions of years; like so many national parks, we are lucky to experience it at this point in geologic history. If you’ve ever wanted to visit Badlands National Park...

    Read More

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    Visit Mount Rushmore Hero

    How to Visit Mount Rushmore,
    South Dakota’s Top Sight

    March 5, 2021
    National Parks in North Dakota Hero

    The 4 National Parks in North Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    July 9, 2021
    National Parks in Kansas Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Kansas:
    Get to Know Each One

    March 26, 2021
  • National Parks in Kansas Hero
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 10 National Parks in Kansas:
    Get to Know Each One

    March 26, 2021 /

    When you think of Kansas, what comes to mind? Sweeping flat plains and ruby slippers, of course! Kansas is home to so much more though: did you also know that there are 10 national parks in Kansas? While there are no National Parks in Kansas, there are other protected lands and sites...

    Read More

    You May Also Like

    Visit Mount Rushmore Hero

    How to Visit Mount Rushmore,
    South Dakota’s Top Sight

    March 5, 2021
    National Parks in the Great Plains Hero

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021
    National Parks in North Dakota Hero

    The 4 National Parks in North Dakota:
    Get to Know Each One

    July 9, 2021
  • National Parks in the Great Plains Hero
    National Parks,  Attractions

    The 5 National Parks in the Great Plains: What You Need to Know

    March 8, 2021 /

    In the United States, our national parks are one of the greatest heritages we have. Thanks to the foresight of previous generations, many natural wonders across the country have been protected so we can enjoy them today. This includes the popular parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. While those national parks get a lot of the glory, there are national parks across the country – including national parks in the Great Plains states! There are five national parks in the Great Plains states; each offers a unique and awe-inspiring experience of the beauty in this part of the country. You might be surprised to note that Mount Rushmore…

    Read More

    You May Also Like

    National Parks in Nebraska Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Nebraska:
    Get to Know Each One

    June 18, 2021
    National Parks in Kansas Hero

    The 10 National Parks in Kansas:
    Get to Know Each One

    March 26, 2021

    How to Visit Badlands National Park in Otherworldly South Dakota

    April 9, 2021
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Explore the Plains

About

Hi there! I’m Valerie! 👋🏻

I started this site to help people explore one of the overlooked regions of the U.S.: the Great Plains.

I’m a long-time travel writer and love sharing stories and resources to help you have unforgettable journeys.

I hope my articles help you plan incredible trips in this region.

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Explore the Great Plains

Article Types

  • Attractions (22)
  • Destinations (21)
  • Food & Drink (2)
  • Information (1)
  • National Parks (9)
  • Routes (19)

States & Routes

Colorado (8) I-10 (1) I-20 (1) I-25 (4) I-27 (2) I-29 (3) I-35 (6) I-40 (2) I-70 (2) I-76 (1) I-80 (3) I-90 (4) I-94 (1) Kansas (15) Montana (3) Nebraska (11) New Mexico (9) North Dakota (11) Oklahoma (12) Route 66 (1) South Dakota (15) Texas (17) Wyoming (8)
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