Minnesota and South Dakota Tourist Stops

We headed out early this morning from Rochester, MN to a sea of farms.  For miles and miles, all we saw were corn fields with an occasional "amber wave of grain."  We needed to gas up and noticed a sign for a 69-foot-tall Jolly Green Giant, so we got off the exit and went to see it.  The town was Blue Earth, MN and it really did have a giant statue located along Green Giant Drive.

We continued our journey along the fields and farms, occasionally remarking about how it must have felt to have to walk this route as a pioneer.  

We decided to stop in Sioux Falls, SD at the Falls Park.  It did not disappoint.  Multiple cascades crashed down the river.  Red rocks lined the sides of the river.  Located along the river was the old grist mill and turbine room, still there to mark its heritage, although it had long since been destroyed. 

 

 

 

 

We had lunch at the Falls Cafe, located in the old electrical room for the falls.  Great sandwiches, especially panini, were enjoyed by us as we overlooked the falls.  We easily could have spent hours in this park, but the endless stretch of farmlands was calling us back to the road.

 

 

 

 

 

Mitchell Corn Palace was our next stop.  With so many billboards along the road, we were expecting big things. The outside was pretty impressive, with ever-changing murals created from ears and husks of corn. Inside was a concession stand, a few cases, and a souvenir shop located inside a gym-a-torium where a local college plays basketball.  Again, the murals were impressive, but that trip slowed down our travel progress.  We can now check off the corn palace.  

 

 

 

We had ice cream at Ashby's Ice Cream Shoppe located across the street.  It was "Homemade-style" ice cream, but everyone from New England knows it is hard to find a real home made ice cream outside of the Northeast. This was mass produced, but still yummy and cool on a hot day!

Walmart in Mitchell allowed us to load up for the next leg of our trip.  On to Badlands!

 

© Cara Parker, 2009.  Photos and text may not be reproduced without the written consent of Cara Parker.