Indiana to OK
 

We're driving cross country and are looking for interesting places to stop. I'm looking at our drive from Colombus, IND to the vicinty of Oklahoma City -- any suggestions? We like nice scenery, parks, architecture, museums, interesting rehabs of cities. We plan to drive ~4-7 hours each day and try to stop some place that has something to see. For example we will be going from Pittsburgh to Colombus, IND to see the architecture in Columbus, IND. We don't mind a bit off the direct route. Suggestions? Thanks!

How about the Gateway Arch in St. Louis?
The elevator ride is quite interesting.

St. Louis Cathedral is stunning, with glittering gold mosaics, the most beautiful in the US. Well worth a stop!

Forest Park zoo and the botanical gardens in St Louis are also wonderful.

In Kansas City, the Nelson Atkins Museum is a small museum, but has a collection of really fine art work. It often also has world class exibitions on loan to them.

The Kansas City Repertory Theater is very good if you can get tickets to a play.

Lots of rehabbed and renovated old homes in KC, and great food.

You asked about further West, but coming from Pittsburg, you would surely want to see Falling Water, One of Frank Lloyd Wight's most famous houses.

I'm not blown away by the Arch in St Louis, but the art museum is excellent and has the May Collection of German Exoressionists, maybe the best anywhere?

If you like architecture -- isn't Columbus wonderful? -- (mind just went blank) in Kansas City is recognized as the first shopping center in the US and is very much Coral Gables in feeling, at least in pictures. The new arts complex is also getting raves and is reportedly near the Nelson-Atkins which is generally recognized as one of the best smaller museums in the US

In Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Frank Lloyd Wright designed several buildings for Philips Petroleum. I've only seen pictures, but I would go in a minute if I were near there.

There is still a fair amount of Route 66 architecture in OK, and some modernist buildings in Norman and deco in NW Oklahoma City.

If you have time to go on to Ft Worth, the three museums not only have excellent collections but are all by great architects: the Amon Carter Evans by Philip Johnson in a restrained mood, the Kimbell by Louis Kahn with recent additions by Renzo Piano, and the Modern by Tadao Ando. Pretty nifty to have them all in a row like that!

Thanks, sassafrass! These are great ideas. We love FLW and have seen Fallingwater (as well as Kentuck Knob nearby).

Ackislander, thanks for your ideas. we haven't been to Columbus yet, it's our second stop on this trip. A couple years ago we drove to CO and had been toldon this board about Bartlesville. We stayed in Price Tower which was pretty cool. Interesting tour of the building. I have heard Ft Worth has some great museums, but its a bit out of the way for this trip.

tom, we've done the arch in past years.

ANy other ideas?

Cahokia Mounds, just east of St. Louis.

http://cahokiamounds.org/

Archaeological site of an pre-Columbian native civilization

Larger than London in 1250 AD!

It is Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.

Brain fog lifted.