Must-see attractions in The Great Plains
St Louis
As a symbol for St Louis, the Gateway Arch has soared above any expectations its backers could have had in 1965 when it opened. Now the centerpiece of its…
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Kansas
Possibly the most surprising sight in Kansas, this amazing museum captures the race to the moon better than any museum on the planet. Absorbing displays…
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota
A tortured region known as the 'badlands' whose colors seem to change with the moods of nature, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the state's natural…
St Louis
New York City may have Central Park, but St Louis has the bigger (by 528 acres) Forest Park. The superb, 1371-acre spread was the setting of the 1904…
Missouri
America's longest rail-to-trail walking and biking route starts in Machens near St Louis and St Charles and ends in Clinton, 70 miles southwest of Kansas…
Nebraska
The riverfront along the Missouri River celebrates the waterway's past and present. Highlights include the architecturally stunning Bob Kerrey Pedestrian…
Missouri
See the simple life Harry (1884–1972) and Bess (1885–1982) lived in this basic but charming wood house. It's furnished with their original belongings and…
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Oklahoma
The 59,020-acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge protects bison, elk, longhorn cattle and a frenetic prairie dog town. Wildlife is abundant; observant…
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Kansas
This 11,000-acre national preserve, 2 miles northwest of Strong City, is a perfect place to hike the prairie, with its 40 miles of scenic trails. Bison…
Oklahoma
Tulsa's beautiful Union Station is filled with sound again, but now it's melodious as opposed to cacophonous. During the first half of the 20th century,…
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Nebraska
The world's largest indoor desert? Check. The world's largest nocturnal exhibit? Check. America's largest indoor rainforest? Check. An aquarium showing…
North Dakota
Straddling the Montana–North Dakota border, the pearl-white Fort Union Trading Post is a reconstruction of the American Fur Company post built in 1828. It…
Kansas City
Enter this impressive modern museum on a glass walkway over a field of red poppies, the symbol of remembrance of WWI. Through detailed and engaging…
Scotts Bluff National Monument
Nebraska
Scotts Bluff has been a beacon to travelers for centuries. Rising 800ft above the flat plains of western Nebraska, it was an important waypoint on the…
Nebraska
Just across the river from Omaha in the cute little downtown area of Council Bluffs, IA, this highly interactive museum tells the story of the world's…
Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site
Kansas
It took real guts to challenge the segregationist laws common in the US in the 1950s and the stories of these courageous men and women are here. This…
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Nebraska
Some 20 million years ago, this part of Nebraska was like the Serengeti in Africa today: a gathering place for a rich variety of creatures. Today the…
South Dakota
The Corn Palace is the king of roadside attractions, enticing more than half a million people to pull off I-90 each year. Close to 300,000 ears of corn…
South Dakota
Wall Drug is a surprisingly enjoyable tourist attraction of the old school. It really does have 5¢ coffee, free ice water, good donuts and enough…
St Louis
Possibly the wildest highlight of any visit to St Louis is this frivolous, frilly fun house in a vast old shoe factory. The Museum of Mirth, Mystery &…
Great Platte River Road Archway Monument
Nebraska
Arching unexpectedly over I-80 east of Kearney, the multimedia light-and-sound exhibits here tell colorful tales about the people who've passed this way,…
South Dakota
Stroll along the grass-lined paths to Sioux Falls' star attraction – its rambling namesake waterfall – at this picturesque park. Popular with amorous…
Kansas City
Giant badminton shuttlecocks (the building represents the net) surround this encyclopedic museum, which has standout European painting, photography and…
Oklahoma
The excellent Cherokee Heritage Center features Native American–led tours through a re-creation of a pre-European-contact woodland village and 1890s…
South Dakota
Pinnacled rock formations with vivid color bands, sharp-edged cliffs with tiptoeing bighorn sheep, and sprawling colonies of feverish prairie dogs are…
South Dakota
Badlands National Park's North Unit gets the most visitors; this stunning road is easily reached from I-90 (exits 110 and 131) and you can drive it in an…
Missouri
With lush forests and facilities befitting a top-tier national park, Echo Bluff is a true Ozarks highlight. Opened in 2016, this state park has a soaring…
Fort Larned National Historic Site
Kansas
Six miles west of town, Fort Larned National Historic Site is a remarkably well-preserved 1860s fort in an evocative setting. It's well worth the trip to…
Oklahoma
Northwest of downtown, off Hwy 64, this superb museum sits on the manicured estate of Thomas Gilcrease of the Muscogee Creek Nation, who discovered oil on…
Iowa
From the sparkling gold dome to the spiral staircases and stained glass in the law library, every detail at this bling-heavy capitol (1886) seems to try…
Kansas City
This comprehensive museum covers the lesser-known history of African American teams, such as the KC Monarchs and New York Black Yankees, that flourished…
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Oklahoma
You can tour the only Frank Lloyd Wright–designed skyscraper ever built, the 221ft Price Tower (1956). Inside and out it is like Architectural Digest…
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Iowa
Dating back to the 1880s, this old-fashioned lakeside amusement park is pure fun. The Legend is the seventh-oldest wooden roller coaster in the world and…
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Missouri
Many Missouri state parks cater to fun and games like fishing and tubing. Not this one. You can scale the state's highest peak, Taum Sauk Mountain (1772ft…
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Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
Nebraska
Upstream of Grand Island, the Platte River hosts 500,000 sandhill cranes (80% of the world population) and millions more waterfowl during the spring…
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Nebraska
The soaring art deco Union Station train depot is a sight to behold with its cathedral windows, geometric chandeliers, ornate ceilings and reliefs of…
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Oklahoma
Part museum, part souvenir store, part bookstore, part candyland, this multifaceted place should be your first stop in downtown Tulsa. All things art deco…
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Oklahoma
Woody Guthrie gained fame for his 1930s folk ballads that told stories of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. His life and music are recalled in this…
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Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
Missouri
This museum presents eight buildings, including two homes Twain lived in and that of Laura Hawkins, the real-life inspiration for Becky Thatcher in The…
