50 Best Things to do in Middle America
Middle America is a region of immense national value. From the hardworking people and down-home cuisine, to the vibrant cities and beautiful landscapes, there is much to love about this part of our country. In this article we will discuss all the things to do in Middle America, the Mid-West, or Flyover Country, however it sounds best coming off your lips.
Our family has spent over a year living in this part of the country and we’ve visited dozens of cities. It has been an uplifting experience to say the least. Seldom is Middle America given its due in the court of public opinions. So please allow us to take a little bit of your time to share all the amazing things we’ve experienced.
So, how do you define Middle America?
As far as this article is concerned, Middle America is — East of the Rocky Mountains. West of the Appalachians. Not to include New Mexico, Texas, or the Deep South (see photo below).
To get even more specific, we’re talking about the following states: Eastern Wyoming, Eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Western Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. This constitutes parts of 18 states, or over 1/3 of the US.
Full Disclosure, we didn’t do anything noteworthy in Indiana or Iowa, and not nearly enough in Michigan. Our activity in all the other states ranges from highlights reviewed to relatively scoured.
Roaming our nation’s inner-third has been one of our unanticipated pleasures of the past three years. We’d been raised in the Pacific Northwest and were therefore accustomed to tall trees, gorgeous mountains, and ocean inslets. Like so many others, we figured the rest of the USA would be disappointing by comparison.
Those were the foolish thoughts of much younger people. Having yolked ourselves to the entirety of our nation for a legitimate 3.5 year stretch, we’ve grown to appreciate all that our country has to offer, even the flat and boring parts.
And Middle America has an abundance of flat and boring parts. Of course we’re not going to talk about those much.
While the list is not necessarily ranked from 1-50, (the order is adjusted for aesthetics), the places near the top are generally more beautiful/interesting/profound than those listed further down.
The last handful of places are some of our personal favorites.
We hope you enjoy middle America as much as we have! There are so many things to see and do in Flyover Country. And we hope you enjoy reading this article!
The 50 Best Things to Do in Middle America:
Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota
We admit this massive, stone carving might not be the sexiest thing to do in the USA, but try telling that to grandma. “Hello, Mr. President.” But seriously, a creation of this magnitude is one of the greatest human achievements. It cannot be understood in words and pictures; one must visit the Monument to appreciate how awesome it is. Read more…
Door County, Wisconsin
Located north of Milwaukee, Door County occupies the better part of a rocky prominence that pierces Lake Michigan like a thorn. The draw here is the pastoral beauty, capricious town and country stores. Cherries are a big deal in these parts, as are goats on rooftops. The highlights were Sister Bay, Washington Island, Cave Point County Park, and Peninsula State Park.
Related Article: A Complete Guide to Door County, Wisconsin
North Shore Scenic Drive, Minnesota
The North Shore Scenic Drive is a gorgeous, 140-mile stretch of highway along Lake Superior’s western shore. The highway runs from Duluth, Minnesota to the Canadian Border. Along the way are seven state parks. Grand Marais is the crown jewel (photo above), and one of the best places to travel in the US. Grand Portage is the primary access point to Isle Royale National Park.
Related Article: North Shore Minnesota Sights and Stops
Black Elk Peak, South Dakota
The natural beauty of the Black Hills region climaxes in the Black Elk Wilderness. At the very top of the highest mountains stands Black Elk Peak at 7400′. This is the highest peak in the state, or until you reach the Alps in Europe. The payoff vantage is an exhilarating, 360-degree, mountaintop view.
Related Article: How to Hike Black Elk Peak
City Museum, Missouri
This might just be the coolest thing we’ve ever done. The warehouse is five floors of industrial relics organized into the world’s most interesting playground. Hidy-holes, ladders, and slides enter and exit rooms through the walls, ceilings, and floors. Dragons, whales, and dinosaurs mingle with skateboard ramps, pianos, and pinball machines to form a demented nirvana that invites every man, woman, and child to get on their knees and crawl into some dark opening leading to who-knows-where. Read more…
Kansas City Barbecue, Missouri
I reckon we spent the better part of $900 on Kansas City BBQ when all’s said and done. As you can imagine, it was a glorious, life-changing event. KC and Austin are the two best cities for BBQ. Feel free to disagree in the comments. Here are the 12 Best BBQ Restaurants in Kansas City.
Henry Ford Museums, Michigan
The Museum of American Innovation focuses mostly on planes, trains, automobiles, and machinery, with features including championship race cars, President’s Kennedy’s Dallas limo, and Rosa Park’s bus. Abraham Lincoln’s death chair is also on display. Greenfield Village is 80-acres highlighting the formation of America, including Thomas Edison’s laboratory, historic homes, and working farms.
Related Article: An Honest Review of Detroit
Rock~N~Roll Hall of Fame, Ohio
If you are a Rock and Roll fan and happen to be in Cleveland, and if you don’t begrudge the Rock and Roll HOF because your favorite crappy band hasn’t been inducted, then you will have the time of your life here. This is the ultimate “kid in the candy store” moment. I never wanted it to end. On of our favorite things to do in the Midwest.
Chicago Lakefront Parks and Trail, Illinois
The waterfront in Downtown Chicago has a collection of contiguous parks that rival any US city. All of them backdropped by the magnificent Chicago skyline, the parks flow seamlessly, one into another, composing a ceaselessly strollable milieu. One of the absolute best things to do in Middle America.
The Buffalo of Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
There’s something awesome about a buffalo encounter — it’s thrilling to stand near a rare and dangerous beast that could attack you at any moment. We spent many days tracking and photographing the Wind Cave bison herd. It was the experience of a lifetime. Read more…
Cedar Point Amusement Park, Ohio
Cedar Point is considered the biggest roller coaster park in the USA, which makes it one of the best things to do in middle America. We aren’t sure if it beats Magic Mountain in California or not, but those are the two greatest we’ve found. Maverick and Steel Vengeance are as good as roller coasters get and among the best things to do in the Midwest.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
Some of the biggest views we’ve ever seen are in TRNP, which makes it one of the best things to do in the midwest. The park sees about 600,000 visitors annually, placing it among the least explored parks in the National Parks system. Huge mistake! Take the time to drive up here and you absolutely won’t regret it.
Related Article: Complete Guide to Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Royal Gorge Via Ferrata, Colorado
Cheating a bit here, as Royal Gorge is in the final spraw of the Rocky Mountains. Royal Gorge is home to America’s highest suspension bridge, which traverses the Arkansas River at a towering 956 feet above the water below. If you’re feeling ballsy, they have guided tours of an iron-run ladder system running up the side of the gorge for about 600′.
Oklahoma City Memorial, Oklahoma
For those of us old enough at the time, the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 was seared forever in our memories as a dark and tragic day. And the monster of the story, Timothy McVeigh, made for the most unforgettable villain. In the footprint of the former Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is a heartbreaking memorial that celebrates each life that was lost that day, and across the reflection pond is one of the best museums in the USA.
Related Article: 10 Best Things to do in Oklahoma City
Graceland, Tennessee
Elvis was 22 when he purchased his famous home. After we spent a day learning about The King we realize that Elvis Presley was quite possibly the coolest cat to ever walk on two legs. This was the best thing we did in Memphis and one of the best things to do in the Midwest.
World War I Museum, Missouri
Kansas City’s top-rated museum is the worlds’ most comprehensive WWI collection. The exterior of the museum is visible from all over town — the tower stands over the city like a sentinel. The interior of the museum is sleek, tasteful, and loaded with artifacts and information. If you are coming to KC you don’t want to miss the WWI Museum.
Related Article: 30 Best Things to do in Missouri
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Hundreds of years ago, Native Americans and early settlers steered clear of this parched region because they didn’t want to die. However, in modern times, tourists flock to the Badlands because it is strangely beautiful (and we have air conditioning). The territory is famous for its maze-like arrangement of sediment-striped mountains. Read more…
Garden of the Gods, Colorado
How many places of such astonishing beauty reside in the middle of a large city? The garden is an easy-to-visit, easy-to-love kind of place; surreal and beautiful like a walkabout daydream. Read More.
Field Museum of Natural History, Illinois
That’s the biggest T-Rex ever discovered. Her name is Sue. She’s pretty fat and the fact we can stand next to her is rad. Easily one of the best museums or things to do in the Midwest.
Meow Wolf Convergence Zone, Colorado
Meow Wolf: Convergence Station is an over-stimulating phenomenon. It’s like going to Trader Joe’s for the first time if Trader Joe’s were a super-weird maze. It’s unbelievable really, a massive achievement of artistry and world-building. Confusion has never felt so good. Learn all about it HERE.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
Found in the SW corner of Lake Superior, about an hour east of Duluth, are the The Apostle Islands, a large archipelago with stunning views in every direction. The red rock sea caves are a primary feature of the region and a handful of outfitters offer guided kayaking tours. The ferry ride to Madeline Island and Big Bay State park is recommended if you can stomach the $100 fee.
Forest Park, Saint Louis, Missouri
Just minutes from downtown reside 1,300 acres of sculpted landscape, creeks and trails, lakes and fields, and beautifully designed buildings, all backdropped by the city skyline. St. Louis boasts more free major visitor attractions than anywhere outside our nation’s capital, including the St. Louis Zoo and Art Museum, and much more. Learn more…
Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Nebraska
Many consider Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium to be the best zoo in the United States, and that includes the Hoffmann family. Several of their exhibits were the by far the best we’ve ever seen, including: The Lied Jungle; Hubbard Gorilla Valley; and of course, the world’s largest desert dome, an 84,000 sq. ft. biosphere. One of the best things to do in Middle America.
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Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
When you walk around the Devil’s Tower, it is hard to take your eyes off of it. The 870′ behemoth looms magnificent, like a celestial throne waiting for its king. The Native tribes have deep cultural ties to Devil’s Tower — they call it Bear Lodge, and the mythical story attached to it is beautiful. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt designated the geologic marvel our nation’s first National Monument. Read more…
Steamboat Arabia Museum, Missouri
This place tells the story of sunken steamboat from 1855 that lay buried 130 years; that is until air conditioning repair men embarked on a treasure hunt for the ages. The Steamboat Arabia would eventually yield the the world’s largest single collection of pre-Civil War artifacts. Learn more…
Sylvan Lake, South Dakota
Sylvan Lake has very few peers — Tahoe, Crater, Powell, the great ones — and assumes its place in the pantheon of heavenly lakes. The best part is, most folks haven’t figured it out. The lake brings every component one could want to a body of water — beauty, variety, activity, accessibility, peacefulness — and does so with a “locals only” intimacy amidst all the Black Hills tourism. Read More…
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain N.P. is defined by 12,000′ peaks, thick forests, and mirrored lakes. Hiking is superlative and abundant all throughout the park, with over 350 miles of trails to wind your ways. The park itself is over 400 square miles, and it quietly nestles to Estes Park. Everyone loves this beautiful thing to do in Middle America.
Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri
Gateway Arch National Park is one of the most prominent features of any US city, akin to the Statue of Liberty or Golden Gate Bridge. It is our nation’s smallest National Park at 192 acres, having been given the designation on February 22, 2018. A barrel-like elevator ride takes you to the top in about four minutes. The museum in the basement teaches all about St. Louis history. Read more…
Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri
Some consider this to be one of the top three botanical gardens in the world. While we can’t vouch for that level of accolade, we can say with certainty that this is absolutely, without question, one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited. One of the best things to do in the Midwest.
Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois
Another great Chicago museum. Famous Paintings Include: American Gothic; A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte; Nighthawks; Waterlilies; and one of Van Gogh’s splendid self-portraits. Learn more about Chicago things to do.
Mammoth Site, South Dakota
150,000 years ago, a slippery watering hole drew mammoths and other creatures to its fertile edges, only to see them slide into the waters and drown. Over the years, this treacherous lake would claim the lives of over sixty known mammoths. In 1974, a construction project revealed a massive mammoth gravesite. It has been a working paleontological dig ever since.
Related Article: Complete Guide to Hot Springs, South Dakota
Pike’s Peak, Colorado
Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs is one of two 14,000′ mountains in the USA that allow visitors to summit by car. That’s out of 96 total fourteeners. The drive up was great and the drive down was even better.
Related Article: 10 Tips for Driving Pike’s Peak
Lambeau Field, Wisconsin
A pilgrimage to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field should be on any football fan’s bucket list. I loved every minute I spent here, from the tour to the gift shop to the houses across the street. Dallas fans not welcome. Read More…
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio
The Cleveland Museum of Art is considered one of the best art museums in the US. Seriously! We especially enjoyed our day here, as we worked our way from ancient Egypt to modern times. There was an extensive collection of armor and weapons, a phenomenal collection of Japanese works, and beautiful paintings from all eras, including Da Vinci, Degas, Monet, and other important artists.
Topeka State Capitol Dome Tour, Kansas
39 of the 50 US Capitols have domed structures, but only Kansas allows visitors to tour the dome. We had to climb a lot of stairs and it was a little scary (especially the final ascent into the cupola), but the experience was unforgettable. Learn about Topeka, Kansas .
Related Article: Complete Guide to Topeka, Kansas
Wriggly Field, Chicago
A classic stadium with first-rate baseball fans. They even sing a song after the game, Go Cubs Go, whether they win or lose. It’s the darndest thing. The game ends and you get up to go, but no one goes anywhere. Then this cheesy music starts playing and everybody is singing and waving flags. It’s awesome. We’ve been to better stadiums, but Wriggly Field is an experience.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system on earth with over 420 miles of surveyed passageways. That makes it almost twice as long as the second longest cave. Some of the caverns are impossibly large, hence the name of the cave. And the visitor center is just as interesting as the cave! This is one of the best things to do in Middle America.
Adler Planetarium, Illinois
If traveling the country has taught me anything it is to embrace the old nerd that lives beneath my tough, super cool exterior. The Adler Planetarium on the Chicago waterfront is the ultimate nerd kingdom. All things “universe” are found here, from facts about planets and nebula to exquisite movies.
Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska
The park is a well-kept secret down a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere. It is known for it’s interesting, toadstool-shaped formations and fossil deposits. We found it to be one of the more curious locations we’ve come across in our USA travels and would catalogue it with the other badlands features in the region. Read more…
House on the Rock, Wisconsin
Alex Jordan was a listless college grad who built a house with his hands in the early 1950’s. By the 1970’s he was earning six figures every month giving tours. Today it displays some of the most incredible things created or collected by man, including the world’s largest carousel, a 300′ sea monster, a collection of self-playing instruments, a room with over 3,000 windows, and more.
Related Article: 20 Best Things to do in Wisconsin
Beale Street, Tennessee
Beale Street is to Memphis as Bourbon Street is to New Orleans; as Duvall Street is to Key West; as Las Vegas Boulevard is to Hell. This is the historical hotspot of those hallowed blues musicians: BB King, Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, Rufus Thomas, and others.
Chicago Botanic Gardens, Illinois
One of the most beautiful botanical gardens we’ve visited around the country. A huge, sprawling garden almost on par with the one in Saint Louis. One of the most beautiful things to do in the Midwest.
Manitou Incline, Colorado
The Manitou Incline is a man-made staircase that gains 2,000′ of elevation in one mile. We are proud to have made it over 2700 stairs to the top of satan’s stairmaster. Learn about our experience HERE. This is one of the hardest things to do in Middle America!
Cosmosphere, Kansas
The Cosmosphere is a world class facility you’d never expect to find in the obscure town of Hutchinson, Kansas. Some call it the greatest space museum on planet Earth because it houses one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world, including a SR-71 Blackbird.
Related Article: 20 Best Things to do in Kansas
Galloping Ghost Arcade, Illinois
The biggest arcade in the world at over 850 games — which is roughly all of them. The above photo shows one of four rooms packed with electronic, mechanized joy. If you were geeking on video games in the late 80’s/early 90’s this is your Graceland. This was our children’s favorite thing to do in the Midwest.
Elephant Rocks State Park, Missouri
The site is inside of an ancient caldera (volcano) where a central granite mass was unearthed millions of years ago. After eons of erosion we are left with a strange and massive rock formation in a beautiful, isolated setting. The park is one surprising reveal after another. This one is perfect for geology nuts.
Mud Island, Tennessee
Some genius (and a machine) carved an exact replica of the Mississippi River into brick and cement, at the scale of 30 inches to a mile. The replica spans 2,000 feet of riverfront space, where every sandbar, oxbow, and topographic contour is faithfully reproduced. Dozens of placards tell countless historical accounts of life on the river. Words cannot do this justice.
Related Article: 7 Best Things to do in Memphis
Historic Old Nauvoo, Illinois
In the 1840’s, Nauvoo had a population that rivaled Chicago for the largest city in Illinois. The reason? The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had a massive inflow of converts arriving from Europe. This is perhaps the most interesting stop on the LDS historical tour; where the prophet Joseph Smith was Martyred. The rebuilt temple (photo above) is stunningly beautiful.
Polar Plunge, Lake Superior
This is what happens when you learn that Lake Superior is 37 degrees. Was it ridiculously cold? Yes. So cold it burned. Did the kids do it three times? Heck yes, they did. Afterwards we had hot chocolate and reveled in the nuttiness of our family. This is one of the craziest things to do in the Midwest.
The Ledges at Cuyahoga Valley NP, Ohio
This was one of the most interesting hikes we’ve ever done and the kids really enjoyed it. A 1.8 mile RT jaunt into a prehistoric rock garden made from 320-million-year-old swamp sand. It feels like another world at The Ledges, and its just a few miles from downtown Cleveland.
Related Article: 4 Reasons to Get Excited About Cleveland
Bonus: Custer’s Last Stand, Montana
Long story short, General Custer and the soldiers tried to pull a deplorable tactical move on the Native Americans and they (rightfully) paid the price with their lives. The memorial is haunting — a slaughterhouse — and a place absolutely worth visiting.
Bonus: Sturgis, South Dakota
This is the hallowed venue of the greatest motorcycle rally in the USA. As many as 747,000 people have visited the legendary celebration. The freedom rally lasts ten days, and is packed with scenic rides, concerts, poker, 5-K’s, golfing, drinking, and rowdy socialization. None of it is child friendly, nor should it be.
Additional Things to do in Middle America
We have spent a lot of time in middle America, but we haven’t been everywhere yet. Here is our list of places to visit in the future:
Macinac Island, Michigan:
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan:
Torch Lake and Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan:
Nashville, Tennessee:
Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Canoe Boundary Waters, Minnesota:
Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas:
Kentucky Derby/Churchill Downs, Kentucky:
Field of Dreams, Iowa:
An Honest Review: Things to do in Middle America
I guess a fair question to ask is, how does Middle America compare to the coasts? And the honest answer would be, it compares fine, but it is not as beautiful. What Middle America lacks in dramatic topography it makes up with a broad variety of landscapes and clean cities. And the people are really great.
People are quick to gush about cities like San Francisco, Seattle, NYC, Boston, and Washington DC. We would propound that the mid-western cities should be highlighted as well; places like Omaha, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Memphis, Milwaukee, Colorado Springs, and Cleveland. Chicago is perhaps our finest American city with many things to do.
Everyone should see the Black Hills of South Dakota and Door County, Wisconsin. The North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota is one of our nation’s finest drives. The City Museum in Saint Louis, WWI Museum in Kansas City, and Henry Ford Museums in Dearborn, Michigan, are as good as any across the United States.
If you’ve never given Middle America a second thought, we would encourage you to break out of the bicoastal mold and consider the possibilities. There are so many things to do in the Midwest, or flyover country, or Middle America, that you could spend the rest of your life exploring it.
Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!