Category
- Art 2
- Bike Rides 10
- Boondocking 3
- Capitals 4
- Food on the Road 2
- Hikes & Trails 4
- History & Architecture 2
- History & Culture 14
- Kayaking 1
- Museum 3
- National Park 5
- Natural History 1
- Nature & Outdoors 28
- Photography 8
- Sculptures 1
- Shorelines & Water 1
- Travel Journal 38
- Van Life 59
- capitals 11
- hike 1
- historic sites 6
- parks 3
- photography 3
- trails 2
Katy Trail – Rocheport, Missouri
My overnight at the Rocheport trailhead led to a 60-mile ride on the iconic Katy Trail—through tunnels, past river bluffs, and alongside friendly strangers. From early-morning owls to the kindness of fellow riders, the day reminded me why this 240-mile Missouri treasure is more than just a bike path—it’s a journey through time, nature, and community.
Nelson-Atkins Art Museum
I explored the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, wandering its sculpture gardens, discovering Noguchi’s stone pieces, marveling at El Anatsui’s Dusasa I, and losing myself in Monet’s water lilies. This mix of outdoor whimsy, modern masters, and Impressionist calm made for one of my most rewarding museum stops.
Joslyn Art Museum
I expected little but found a lot at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. Free admission, diverse collections, and even a Kenneth Snelson sculpture made this Nebraska stop far more rewarding than I imagined.
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
I spent a day at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Nebraska, exploring Cold War bombers, the legendary SR-71 Blackbird, and even a high school robotics competition. Aviation history, engineering, and inspiration all under one roof.
Homestead National Park
I visited the Homestead National Historical Park to see Daniel Freeman’s first claim site, learn how diverse settlers pursued land on the prairie, and wander the restored grasslands around the Freeman homestead.
Nebraska State Capitol & Sunken Gardens
A visit to Lincoln starts at the Nebraska State Capitol, with its mosaics, marble floors, and murals telling the story of the state. The tour highlights Nebraska’s unique unicameral legislature and even the governor’s office, complete with a life-size pig in a Huskers jersey. Just across town, the Sunken Gardens—once a neighborhood dump and later a Depression-era project—now bloom with flowers, ponds, and statues. Two very different places, but together they capture the history and character of Nebraska.
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park
Ashfall Fossil Beds preserves entire herds of rhinos, horses, and camels buried in volcanic ash 12 million years ago. The Rhino Barn, exhibits, and trails reveal Nebraska’s Pompeii, a window into prehistoric life and a perfect vanlife adventure stop.
Cowboy Trail / Smith Falls
Cycling a short stretch of the Cowboy Trail from Valentine offered prairie views and a dramatic railroad bridge over the Niobrara River. Later, a stop at Smith Falls State Park brought Nebraska’s tallest waterfall, quiet trails, and a glimpse into the Krzyzanowski family’s history of preserving this landmark.
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies deep in Nebraska’s Sandhills, far from towns and paved highways. Visitors who brave the rough roads discover a landscape of quiet lakes, prairie dunes, and birdlife. It’s one of the most remote refuges in the lower 48, where solitude and sweeping skies define the experience.
Carhenge, Courthouse & Jail Rocks
From Bayard’s free camping and historic Courthouse & Jail Rocks to the oddball wonder of Carhenge and the ghostly ruins of Antioch, this stretch of western Nebraska packs history, humor, and unexpected roadside stops into one memorable drive.
Scotts Bluff & Chimney Rock
Scotts Bluff and Chimney Rock were key landmarks on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. From sheer cliffside hikes to stories of fur traders, emigrants, and frontier art, these sites bring the hardships and hopes of westward expansion into focus.
Agate Fossil Beds
Agate Fossil Beds preserves Miocene mammals, while Toadstool Geologic Park offers strange hoodoos and badlands trails. I explored both before camping lakeside in Nebraska.
Fort Robinson & Toadstool Geologic Park
I started the day with a deep clean of the van before heading to Fort Robinson in Crawford, Nebraska. The museum and film walked me through the fort’s long history—from Crazy Horse’s death to Buffalo Soldiers, cavalry horses, and even German POWs in World War II. Later, I drove north to Toadstool Geologic Park, where a rough road and a hike on the Bison Trail led me through Nebraska’s strange badlands and geologic puzzles.
Mammoth Dig, Hot Springs SD
I spent the day in Hot Springs, SD, starting with the Mammoth Site’s incredible dig, then partially walked the Freedom Trail, tried farm-to-table ice cream and a burger at Two Cows Creamery, and drove into a stormy night on my way south.
Wind Cave National Park
From washing the van in Custer and grabbing a burrito at Maria’s Mexican Kitchen, to learning the history of Wind Cave National Park and camping in the Black Hills, this day was a mix of chores, discovery, and quiet time under the stars.
Jewel Cave
My Black Hills day began with a Jewel Cave tour, where a ranger guided us deep into the underground world of crystals, geology, and history. From there I headed to Custer State Park, caught Kevin Costner’s Spirit of Tatanka film, and went for a bike ride past deer, pronghorn, buffalo, and a plaque about South Dakota’s first poet laureate, Charles “Badger” Clark.
Crazy Horse Monument and Buffalo
A morning at the Crazy Horse Memorial offered history, art, and the powerful story of Crazy Horse and the Ziolkowski family. In the afternoon, I drove Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop, where I found myself in the middle of a massive bison herd, surrounded by cars and animals moving as they pleased across the plains.
Sturgis to Mt. Rushmore on 9-11
What I thought would be a two-hour visit to Mount Rushmore turned into an all-day adventure—coffee in Sturgis, history lessons, a stormy evening light show, and an overnight at Crazy Horse.
Fort Meade
Fort Meade is where the daily playing of The Star-Spangled Banner first began, a custom that spread across the Army and helped establish our national anthem. I spent time exploring the fort, photographing Bear Butte at sunset, and walking through Black Hills National Cemetery in golden light — three places that carry the weight of history and memory in the Black Hills.
Sturgis & Belle Fourche
The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame brings motorcycle history to life with custom bikes, early models, and the inspiring story of Mary McGee. A short drive north, Belle Fourche marks the Geographic Center of the United States with a monument and a local history museum. Two stops, one theme—South Dakota’s deep connection to heritage and adventure.