South Dakota had been on my travel list for years. The Badlands, ghost towns, the Black Hills, Needles Highway, and Custer State Park all sat at the top of places I hoped to see someday.
Travel & Places
Explore nature-focused travel, historic places, and scenic backroads through thoughtful observations. This travel section highlights state parks, rural landscapes, historic buildings, barns, small towns, and lesser-known destinations worth slowing down for.
From quiet river trails and waterfall hikes to old structures and rural relics, these posts blend exploration with storytelling. You’ll find practical travel inspiration, regional insights, and a closer look at the architecture, landscapes, and natural spaces that shape each place.
Whether you’re planning a weekend road trip, searching for historic sites, or simply enjoying rural photography and field notes, this collection is designed to help you discover meaningful places and appreciate the stories they hold.
Many destinations featured here are located throughout Wisconsin and the surrounding regions, with occasional travels beyond.
Washington Island Wisconsin
Washington Island is about 7 miles off the tip of Door County, Wisconsin, and feels like a world of its own. Reached by ferry across Death’s Door from Northport Pier in Ellison Bay, the island is known for its slower pace, scenic shoreline, Scandinavian heritage, quiet roads, and memorable places to explore.
Wequiock Falls Green Bay
Wequiock Falls County Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin is a small roadside park that features a scenic 25-foot waterfall cascading over a limestone cliff. Located in Brown County along Bay Settlement Road, it makes a perfect quick stop when traveling between Green Bay and Door County.
Cave Point County Park Door County
Cave Point County Park Door County, Wisconsin Cave Point County Park in Door County is located in the thumb of Wisconsin, and in the tourism industry, it is known as the Cape Cod of the Midwest. General Info General: County Park features underwater caves, hiking trails & limestone cliffs, and miles of rocky shore along … Read more
Grand Island Michigan Ice Caves
Grand Island Ice Caves Near Munising, Michigan The Grand Island Ice Caves near Munising, Michigan are one of the most dramatic winter sights along the Lake Superior shoreline. During particularly cold winters, massive curtains of ice form along the cliffs of Grand Island, creating frozen walls, caves, and towering formations that can reach over 100 … Read more
Devils Punchbowl
Devil’s Punchbowl Preserve near Menomonie, Wisconsin is a small but memorable natural area known for its sandstone rock amphitheater, seasonal waterfall, and short trails that lead both above and down into the bowl. Even though it is only a brief stop, it is one of those places that feels dramatic the moment you arrive.
Toft Point for an Afternoon Hike
Toft Point is located on Toft Road in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, on a beautiful 732-acre natural area managed by UW–Green Bay. This quiet preserve is one of Door County’s hidden gems, with boreal forest, mossy woods, historic remnants, rocky Lake Michigan shoreline, and peaceful hiking trails.
Door County Anderson Dock
Anderson Dock in Ephraim, Wisconsin, is one of Door County’s most recognizable waterfront landmarks. This historic dock and warehouse sits along Eagle Harbor and is best known for the colorful painted names and messages that cover the building’s exterior.
Dells of the Eau Claire County Park
Dells of Eau Claire County Park is a scenic county park in Marathon County, Wisconsin, known for its rocky river gorge, small cascades, hiking trails, and broad stretches of exposed stone along the Eau Claire River. Located in the Town of Plover east of Wausau, it is one of those places that feels both rugged and peaceful at the same time.
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park
Cherney Maribel Caves County Park in Maribel, Wisconsin, is one of the most interesting parks in Manitowoc County. This 75-acre park combines wooded trails, dolomite cliffs, sinkholes, cave features, river scenery, and even a natural spring, making it a memorable place to explore for hikers, nature lovers, and curious families.
Fayette Michigan Historic Town
Fayette Historic Townsite in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Fayette Historic Townsite is one of the most fascinating historic locations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Located along the shoreline of Big Bay de Noc on Lake Michigan, this preserved industrial town tells the story of iron smelting, immigrant workers, and life in a remote company town during the late 1800s.
Today, the former industrial community is preserved as part of Fayette Historic State Park, where visitors can walk through restored buildings, explore the massive stone blast furnaces, and enjoy one of the most scenic harbors in the region.
Longtail Point Lighthouse Green Bay
Longtail Point Lighthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is one of the area’s more unusual historic sites. The remaining stone tower stands on Long Tail Point, a low island north of the mouth of the Fox River, where shallow water, sandy stretches, reeds, and thick summer growth create a landscape that feels part beach stop and part adventure.
Sand Point Lighthouse Escanaba Michigan
Sand Point Lighthouse in Escanaba, Michigan
Sand Point Lighthouse in Escanaba, Michigan, is a scenic and easy stop along the northern shore of Lake Michigan. Located inside Ludington Park, this historic lighthouse combines waterfront views, local history, and one of the most photogenic landmarks in the Escanaba area.
Sherwood Point Lighthouse Door County
Sherwood Point
Sherwood Point Lighthouse Door County is located in northeast Wisconsin on the western shores of Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Robert La Salle County Park Door County
Robert La Salle County Park in Door County, Wisconsin, is a quiet stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline where rocky views, cooler lake air, and seasonal wildflowers make it a peaceful stop along the peninsula.
Exploring Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota
Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota offers a very different side of the Black Hills. While many visitors come for the cave itself, the park also protects rolling prairie, ponderosa pine forest, prairie dog towns, bison, elk, and scenic drives that make it worth exploring above ground too.
Palisades State Park South Dakota
Palisades State Park is one of the most scenic natural areas in eastern South Dakota. Located near Garretson along Split Rock Creek, the park is known for its dramatic pink Sioux quartzite formations, scenic creek views, historic bridge, and opportunities for hiking, photography, picnicking, fishing, and camping.
Corn Palace and County Road Driving
Corn Palace and South Dakota Backroad Driving
Traveling across South Dakota often leads to unexpected discoveries. While exploring county roads in search of old homesteads and prairie barns, we were told by a local that we absolutely had to stop in Mitchell to see the Corn Palace.
Wall Drug in Wall South Dakota: A Classic Badlands Road Trip Stop
Wall Drug is one of those places that almost every South Dakota traveler has heard about long before they arrive. Billboards for hundreds of miles promise free ice water, five-cent coffee, and a stop that has become something of a roadside legend.
Custer State Park South Dakota
Nestled in the heart of the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer State Park is one of the most scenic and wildlife-rich parks in the Midwest. Granite peaks rise from pine forests, bison roam the grasslands, and winding scenic drives reveal breathtaking overlooks around nearly every corner.
We spent part of our South Dakota road trip exploring this beautiful park and quickly discovered why it is considered one of the must-see destinations in the Black Hills.