One late August, a few years ago, we decided to head west without making hotel reservations so we wouldn’t be held to a rigid schedule. Our plan was to take two weeks, taking our time in some places moving along more quickly through others. We both agreed that this was the most relaxing way to take a road trip.
Have you taken a trip like this before? Tag along with us and see if it is a good match for you. But first make sure you grab a Drive Time® Power Fresh® 12V Scent Diffuser and their Citrus Sky Scent Bar! You won’t regret it. The diffuser plugs into the 12v charger and has auto shutoff after one hour extending the life of the included scent bars. I love this diffuser because there’s no mess! It doesn’t use liquids, gels or water so it won’t leak and ruin your car interior but still delivers a long-lasting fragrance that is refreshing and invigorating – the perfect accessory for a two-week road trip!
Our first destination was Omaha’s Old Market Neighborhood. This historic entertainment district boasts quaint cobblestone streets and a large collection of working artists. Our first stop was Brickway Brewery & Distillery. This brewery serves five locally hand-crafted beers, hard seltzer, and a non-alcoholic Ginger beer year-round. They also serve 3 specialty beers, seasonally. Their menu and story can be found online at www.drinkbrickway.com. They’ve grown quite a line of brewed and distilled offerings in just ten years while also dedicating resources to their local community, something that I very much admire. My husband especially enjoys craft beers, and this place did not disappoint.
Leaving Omaha, we headed to Badlands National Park in South Dakota. It was about a 7-hour drive from Omaha so the first day we only had time to enter the park and plan what to see and do the following day. From crazy rock formations and buffalo to big horn sheep and prairie dog towns, the Badlands offer a wide variety of entertainment. If you’re into hiking, I’d recommend Notch Trail. It is 1.5 miles and rated moderate. August is peak season, so we had lots of opportunities to be sociable. Be aware, though, dogs are not allowed on the trails.
The following day we headed to Custer State Park, about an hour away. Entrance fee into this park in 2024 is $20 per vehicle for a 1–7-day pass or check their website for other pass options. It takes between 1.5-2 hours to drive through the park, where you’ll see beautiful Sylvan Lake, the impressive Cathedral Spires on Needles Hwy, herds of bison roaming free, mountain goats, a one-lane Iron Tunnel, and much more. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours! Keep in mind, if you travel to this area during August, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will be heavily impacting hotel availability. Plan accordingly.
While in the neighborhood we couldn’t pass up the famous Mount Rushmore. Take The Iron Mountain Road if you want to see the most beautiful scenery in the Black Hills! The monument is worth seeing at least once and so is the Crazy Horse Monument. Both are carved out of granite and quite impressive. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a stop.
Our destination was Jackson Hole, WY. The 8-hour drive through the grasslands was, frankly, rather boring but the Grand Teton Mountain Range makes up for it. More on that part of our trip in my next blog post…
This was a long road trip, and we were in an old Camry that we could drive like a Jeep! Drive Time® came to our rescue! We enjoyed our Drive Time Power Fresh Scent Diffuser along with a supply of both Citrus Sky and Speedway scent bar refills. We have this diffuser in all 3 of our vehicles and enjoy it frequently during all of our drive time!
Lori Herr for Drive Time® Brand