Midwestern Road Trip Route: America's Heartland

Experience everything the USA has to offer, including the true heartland of the United States, in the area known as the midwest. A midwestern road trip will lead you across nine states, major cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis, stunning scenery in National Parks like Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Voyageurs National Park, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park, as well as the famous culture of the midwest. Styles of food in the midwest range from the Chicago style pizza to the famous Kansas City BBQ's. Sports are just as prominent in the heartland, with big teams like the Cubs, Cardinals, and Cavaliers dominating the scene. In the middle of it all, the Mississippi River carves through the midwest, serving as a focal point for the entire road trip. Cities and parks further north also make the ideal stop on your northern U.S. road trip.

If it's any series of books that I recommend for your travel in the USA beyond any other, it's DK Eyewitness. Designed for the visual type of person, I like to use these books for their easy to use reference guides and large scale maps. The guide also allows you to look up an area that you are in or plan on visiting at a glance, and will tell you what other attractions are in the area, so you can make the most of your trip (instead of wasting valuable vacation time!). These books are also the perfect travel size, and have a durable cover that will endure many trips back to Chicago. It's the best general travel guide you can get to the Chicago area!

We all hear about the east coast, the west coast, the Gulf Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, the Florida Keys, all of those typical vacation spots... but are we neglecting to find some of the USA's best kept secrets right under our noses? Find some of the midwest's best attractions, from parks to festivals, big cities to small town charm, along with easy to use reference maps and great day road trip ideas in this excellent midwestern guide from Rand McNally. A great way to see more of America's underrated heartland!

Here are the top ten biggest cities in the midwestern states of the USA, and their respective populations:

1. Chicago: 2,853,114
2. Detroit: 912062
3. Indianapolis: 798,382
4. Columbus: 711,470
5. Milwaukee: 604,477
6. Kansas City: 480,129
7. Cleveland: 478,403
8. Minneapolis: 390,131
9. Wichita: 366,046
10. St. Louis: 354,361

Everyone has a favorite. A favorite food, a favorite movie, a favorite sport, a favorite vacation spot, or a favorite state. What's your favorite state within the midwest? Vote on your favorite below, for any reason!

Want a preview of part of Badlands? Check out this video for a driving synopsis of a quick tour of the park's meandering roads.

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On the flat grasslands of Nebraska rises a peculiar area that ordinarily wouldn't stand out to the untrained eye. The Agate Fossil Beds National Monument of Nebraska is a .... While sunflowers, spiderwort, and little bluestem make the Agate Fossil Beds an attractive area to visit, the true attraction of the area. Fossils discovered are now on display, as well as Indian artifacts from the area at the Monument. The Agate Fossil Beds National Monument can be reached from the I-80, changing over at 70 North, then heading west on I-26 briefly before heading north again on 29.

Named after the U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the park is located in the badlands area of North Dakota. Much like the Badlands of South Dakota, the area is desolate, with small multi-colored striped rock formations covering the landscape. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice big changes from season to season. The landscape is harsh, with extremely hot summers, and extremely cold winters. There are hundreds of miles of hiking paths, and one of the more unique aspects of the park is its natural herds of free roaming wild horses and wild bison. These animals are allowed to roam free except for the occasional roundup, and is definitely a good reason to see Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Voyageurs National Park is one of the USA's most unique parks. Located northwest of Isle Royale National Park, Voyageurs is on the Canada-Minnesota border. The park is only accessible by boat, and consists of many islands. Most people that come to visit Voyageurs either camp on a boat or tent camp. Voyageurs has incredible rock scenery all over the islands, which can be seen from the water afar or close up on the islands. In the winter months, the park is accessible via ski, snowmobile, or snowshoe.

Wind Cave National Monument was named just like it sounds - because the area has windy caves. Wind Cave National Park is located in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, close to Mount Rushmore and not too far from the Badlands. The mighty cave is made of calcite formations called boxwork, and is the 4th longest cave in the world.

Hopefully you've gained some insight on some of the incredible National Parks, big cities, and fun places to visit across America's midwest. Do you have some place that you suggest others check out along their midwestern road trip? Give some recommendations here!

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