Hello Midwestern Fodorites!

After two years of renovating The Farmhouse, we are ready to hang up the sledge hammers; clean the paint brushes; and hit the road for our first ever Midwest Tour.

Our 12-16 day September vision is something like what I've drafted below. I know there are some lengthy driving stretches and we're prepared to flex if weather or Godzilla strikes (we're ponying up a small country's GDP for our in-home house/DDog sitter for the duration so we won't have that variable to manage). Along the way we'd like to make the most of any roadside attractions or unexpected delights. I've listed some that appeal to us and would welcome other suggestions. Restaurant suggestions would be appreciated, as well, though mostly for the driving segments. We'll be with family and friends for the long stretches and will work out the usual sightseeing and dining itineraries.

Days 1-2 (Two nights). DC to West Lafayette IN.
Our DS and his new and always lovely wife recently decamped from the Bay Area to greener (and safer) pastures in West Lafayette IN.
Giant Buckeye in Columbus
Kennedy Assasination Air Force One Plane (Wright-Patterson)

Days 3-6 (Four nights) West Lafayette to Kansas City MO, via a couple of hours (?) in St. Louis. Or should we overnight in St. Louis?
Nike Missle Complex Remains
Hallmark Visitors Center (family members worked for Hallmark, so it's a must-do)
National Frontier Trails Museum

Days 7-10 (Four nights) Cedar Rapids IA.
Grant Wood Museum
National Czech & Slovak Museum
Maytag Repairman Statue, Newton IA
Amana Colonies
Vinton (Laura Ingalls Wilder School)

Days 11-12 (Two nights). Back in West Lafayette

Days 12-13 (One night) Knoxville to visit friends via the Buc-ee's near Lexington KY.
We were not planning on any stops, as we visited the area in '21, but if we missed something important I'd love to know!

Day 14 Return to DC.
We'll meander home via a favorite winery or two.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions. Thank you.

Three hours west of Kansas City is an Atlas F nuclear silo you can visit or stay in. https://www.atlasadastra.com/ Kansas City has some of the best BBQ in the world, so try some it.

A somewhat peculiar and personal itinerary, missing the 4 highlights of the Midwest.

1. The Great Lakes, esp the northern half

2. Chicago

3. One of the great art museums, there are 5 or six, the one in KC is a good one, Nelson Atkins.

4. The Hiawatha Valley portion of the Mississippi, from Red Wing MN to a bit north of Clinton IA.

So you could add the Nelson Atkins Art Museum in KC easily. You could detour to NE Iowa to see the Mississippi w/bluffs, if you are up for a good hike the views of the river from Effigy Mounds National Monument are spectacular.

Although I haven’t visited the Czech Museum and I have heard it’s good, that’s a lot of nights in Cedar Rapids, an industrial town known as something like, “The city of 5 smells.” Consider basing in Iowa City instead, it’s a nicer city with a leading university.

Adding I was puzzled by the Laura Ingalls Wilder reference, since there are sites dedicated to her in many states (WI, MN, SD, KS, MO) her father must have had issues to drag the girls from state to state every year or 2 like that. But I haven't heard of a Vinton Iowa reference before so looked it up, and see you mean Mary Ingalls' blind school site. I guess go for it.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/0...lder-road-trip

tom_mn,

A somewhat peculiar and personal itinerary, missing the 4 highlights of the Midwest.

Peculiar is a good word for this itinerary. Not one we would have thought to do, but DS now "in the area" has the family asking, "So when are you coming to visit?"

1. The Great Lakes, esp the northern half

Born in; raised in; attended University in Michigan (Go Blue!). Family still has the cabin "Up North" and for many years we had boats. I've seen pretty much everything from Belle Isle to Isle Royale several times over.

2. Chicago

Interned there one summer. Toured the city several times. We have friends now living there, but they'll be on holiday while we're in the neighborhood.

3. One of the great art museums, there are 5 or six, the one in KC is a good one, Nelson Atkins.

Yes, museums are on the list, including Nelson Atkins and the Jackson County Historical Society to view a handful of items the county was interested in that we discovered after the passing of an elderly family member. I'm working out specific itineraries with family and friends.

4. The Hiawatha Valley portion of the Mississippi, from Red Wing MN to a bit north of Clinton IA.

So you could add the Nelson Atkins Art Museum in KC easily. You could detour to NE Iowa to see the Mississippi w/bluffs, if you are up for a good hike the views of the river from Effigy Mounds National Monument are spectacular.

I believe Effigy Mounds is on the itinerary with the Cedar Rapids friends. I'll investiage Clinton IA.

Although I haven’t visited the Czech Museum and I have heard it’s good, that’s a lot of nights in Cedar Rapids, an industrial town known as something like, “The city of 5 smells.” Consider basing in Iowa City instead, it’s a nicer city with a leading university.

With every location but West Lafayette (don't want to impose on the newlyweds in a barely unpacked house) we'll be staying with family and friends (hard to pass on complementary lodging!). In Cedar Rapids we're splitting our time between family and friends, so the four nights will be fine.

And thank you so very much for the Wilder references! I'll map them and try to work as many in as possible.

I'd definitely add the Nelson Atkins museum in KC.

I have no idea what you've seen in Knoxville or Lexington on your earlier trip. I'd recommend the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

Believe it or not, DH has visited the Atlas F site. No need for a repeat!

And definitely, Kansas City BBQ is on the list!

We lived in Knoxville for 2 years and toured the surrounds extensively; mostly we're dropping in for an overnight to visit friends. I've noted the Shaker Village; it could be a easy detour on our route. Thank you!

Clinton is a large industrial town not really worth a stop. The bluffs start north of here, around Sabula which is funky enough to drive through. I can't find a good map of the Hiawatha Valley but it dovetails the Driftless Area shown (perhaps a little generously) in this map https://driftlessareamag.com/unicdn/...the-driftless/

In Dubuque is the Fenelon Place Elevator
On Hwy 57 highway between Clinton and I-80 is a pretty river town called Le Claire.
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Adding a short documentary about the Driftless Area,
I looked for an hour long one I know but couldn't find it, at least for free, here's the preview https://www.sustainabledriftless.org/