Alright, so I decided to actually check out some of those so-called "landmarks in the Midwest USA." You hear about 'em, people talk, but I wanted to see for myself what the deal was. My thinking was, how hard can it be? You just pick a few spots, drive there, look at 'em, right? Well, let me tell you, it's a bit more than just pointing your car and going, especially when you're like me and tend to overthink things a bit.
My Grand Plan (Sort Of)
First off, I sat down with a map – yeah, an old paper one, alongside Google Maps, don't judge. I started listing out the big names. You know, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, maybe swing by Chicago for the Bean and those tall buildings, and I even vaguely thought about Mount Rushmore, though that's pushing the "Midwest" definition a bit, I guess. But hey, it was on the mental map.
I packed my bags, mostly with snacks and a bunch of charging cables, 'cause if there's one thing I learned, it's that your phone always dies at the worst moment. I filled up the gas tank, feeling all adventurous. The initial idea was a nice, orderly progression from one famous thing to the next. Ha!
What Actually Went Down
So, I headed out. First stop, St. Louis. I drove for what felt like ages. The Midwest is big, really big. You just keep driving. I got to the Gateway Arch. It's impressive, sure. You stand under it, you take the little tram thingy to the top. The view is cool. Clicked a few photos. Check that one off the list.
But then, the Chicago leg. This is where things got a bit… well, like that time I tried to assemble a flat-pack wardrobe. The instructions looked simple. Six steps, max. Three hours later, I’m sitting in a pile of MDF, one door's upside down, and I've got three screws left over that don't seem to go anywhere. That was Chicago for me, metaphorically speaking. I fought traffic like a gladiator, circled for parking that cost more than my lunch, and then walked miles to see Millennium Park. The Bean is shiny, yes. Lots of people taking selfies. I took my selfie. But the whole experience felt like I was just ticking boxes again, battling the crowds and the city.
I remembered a previous trip I tried to plan, a family thing down south. I had this binder, man, full of schedules, restaurant reservations, pre-booked tickets. It was a military operation. We spent more time looking at the clock and the itinerary than actually enjoying anything. My kid asked if we could just go to a random park, and I nearly had a meltdown 'cause it wasn't "on the schedule." That trip taught me something, or at least it was supposed to.
The Detour and the Real Finds
After Chicago, I kind of threw my loose plan out the window. I just started driving west, more or less. I ended up in South Dakota, which, yeah, is where Mount Rushmore is. So I went. It’s definitely a thing to see, those big heads carved in the rock. Impressive engineering, no doubt. But you know what really got me? The drive through the Badlands to get there. Now that wasn't on my original "must-see landmark" list, but wow. Those landscapes were something else. I just pulled over so many times to just stare.
And then there were the smaller things. I stumbled upon these quirky roadside attractions. A giant ball of twine? Yep, saw that. A massive walleye statue? You bet. These weren't in any fancy travel guides I'd skimmed. But I found myself actually enjoying these weird, unexpected stops more than some of the "official" big-ticket items. I talked to a couple of folks at a local diner in some tiny town I can't even remember the name of. That was more memorable than fighting for a photo op.
- Gateway Arch: Big, shiny, went to the top.
- Chicago (The Bean, etc.): Crowded, expensive parking, felt rushed.
- Mount Rushmore: Impressive carving, but the journey was better.
- The Badlands: Unexpectedly awesome.
- Random Roadside Stuff: Surprisingly fun and memorable.
So, What's the Takeaway?
At the end of it all, I realized that chasing down a list of "landmarks" can be a bit of a trap. Sure, some are cool to see once. But the actual experience of being out there, the unexpected detours, the weird stuff you find when you're not even looking for it – that’s the good part. It’s less about the specific things you see and more about the seeing itself, if that makes any sense. I learned that sometimes, just driving and letting the road decide is way better than any perfectly planned itinerary. The Midwest definitely has its spots, but you gotta be open to finding them in places you don't expect. And maybe pack extra snacks, always pack extra snacks.
