So, I did it. Not only did I finally visit North & South Dakota, but I finally completed my goal to visit all 50 states in the United States of America. Many people ask where I got the desire to travel. I grew up in a traveling family, often camping or flying to another new destination for vacation. As you can see, I have visited MANY places around the world including exotic places like South Korea and Australia and more approachable destinations like Ohio and Idaho. I try to have a good time in each place as every destination has something unique and interesting to discover.
So on to my latest adventure. Not too many people would describe a trip to South Dakota as an adventure, but I am keeping up the family tradition by heading to the Black Hills for a visit. Parts of my family are from eastern South Dakota, but that was too far away. Fortunately, the Black Hills were an excellent way to discover the region. Unfortunately, like many adventures, it started out on a sour note.
United Airlines is one of the few airlines to fly into Rapid City, and they cancelled my flight from Sacramento which forced me to rebook the next day and make a lot of last minute changes. Wildfire smoke from Canada also made much of the Dakotas unhealthy so I stayed in Rapid City where I could make an emergency box fan filter and hunker down until the winds changed. Smoke always aggravates my body, so I have to be careful.
I arrived late Sunday afternoon into the Rapid City Regional Airport on a small jet filled with military personnel heading to nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base. The airport was small and nice, and I shocked the rental car staff with my special California government rate on the car! Rapid City is a small city on the foothills of the Black Hills region. I made my base here as many destinations were within 1 hour of the hotel. Good tip. Target has online ordering that works anywhere, so you can order stuff on the airplane and have it waiting for you at the destination. Saves a lot of time and hassle, especially when you forget some items or want snacks for the trip.
My first day was spent driving around the Black Hills wearing a N95 mask. I was not planning on wearing masks in South Dakota, but the Canadian smoke made it a necessity. I am not a big motorcycle fan, but I stopped in Sturgis, SD anyway to visit the museum and town. It is a destination for a very specific person, and I am not that person. But it was nice to see some cool motorcycles and get an espresso before heading out.
Next stop was underground to escape the smoke and explore one of the many caves in the region. My rental Jeep helped on a rather long gravel road to Wonderland Cave. The cave was really nice, and I may have been one of the rare people who took their mask OFF when in the cave! Others on the tour mentioned that this cave was better than the national parks. The 167 steps did really make my legs hurt for a few days though!
Since I was in the area, I drove over to Deadwood, SD to see the old town. Deadwood was the first place in South Dakota with legalized gambling, so I visited a few casinos and stopped into a history museum. As you would expect, the HBO show did take some liberties with the story. However the town is a nice little destination for adults. Then it was back to the hotel to rest and escape the smoke.
After gambling in Deadwood, I took a gamble and headed to Mount Rushmore on my second day. There was still a regional haze and some pockets of smoke, but things were clearing out as the winds shifted. Driving to the park was fun as the highway has a lot of roadside attractions and a gentle climb into the pine forest. Once you approach the park, you can easily see the monument even without parking. However, I paid for parking and spent some time at the park walking around and seeing the visitor center. It is very impressive to see such an American icon in person. They have an Avenue of Flags heading to the monument that randomly had the Arizona and California flags together. I got my pictures and selfies and then headed out.
Next stop was the Crazy Horse Memorial. This is an in-progress mountain sculpture of Crazy Horse on his horse which will be massive. Unfortunately, the construction seems to be taking forever, so there is not much yet. There is a decent museum with regional Native American art and history and a restaurant that sells Native Fry Bread. I then continued on to one of the small towns in the hills for a stop to see some trains and get some local taffy. Since the destinations were so close to town, I was able to return early to see a local baseball game before heading to bed.
Wednesday was a long day. I originally planned to drive to Bismarck, ND to spend two nights in the state capitol. After changing my trip due to flight and smoke issues, I chose to take a day trip to Bowman, ND which was the closest town to Rapid City just over the border. There is not much to Bowman, but I had a nice lunch at the local diner and stopped by their museum to get a brief history of the region. The drive was very long through very remote country. Western South Dakota is mostly open range for cattle, so it is wide open grasslands with few trees or buildings. The wind was clearing out the smoke, but made driving a bit more difficult.
Seeing the North Dakota sign was an emotional experience as I finally reached my goal of visiting all 50 states in the middle of nowhere with the wind howling through the open plains. I also stopped in Buffalo, SD for a coffee which was a unique experience. It was like a city slicker walking into an old west saloon with everyone hushing and the piano player stopping to see the new guy. I ended the day back in Rapid City with a large bowl of bison ramen!
Thursday was more of a resting day as the smoke was still not completely gone and being tired from a long day of driving. I spent most of the day exploring Rapid City with a few museums and restaurants. The city is nice with a lot of parks and rolling hills. Most of the area seems to be current or retired military due to the Air Force base. South Dakota has video lottery machines everywhere that look very similar to slot machines, with a few casinos - some located next to medicinal dispensaries.
They have a lot of the Midwestern megastores - Fleet Farm, Menards, Scheels - that make Walmart look like a 7-11. I guess when it's below zero and snowing, spending the day inside a giant store helps. I did finally find a local restaurant that served walleye fish for dinner which is a local specialty - although most people catch and cook their own fish!
Friday was my last full day in South Dakota. The smoke completely cleared out, and I was ready to see everything. My day was a large loop hitting some of the outdoor monuments near Rapid City. I started with the Minuteman National Memorial which documents the history of nuclear weapons in the region. There were many ICBM pointed at the USSR buried in the ground around here with many soldiers at the ready to launch. After pondering global thermonuclear war, it was time to head to the Badlands National Park to see some natural destruction.
The Badlands were named such due to the lack of food in the area. Without much vegetation, there are few animals here making it difficult to survive. Now that we have McDonalds and ice chests, the Badlands are far easier to survive. I drove the main loop through the park stopping often for pictures or a quick hike. The views were simply spectacular with the clear air providing amazing views for miles. A lot of people were in the park too, but it was easy to escape the crowds and watch the morning clouds clear out. The area used to be under a large shallow lake, and erosion caused the formations similar to other famous area.
I had to stop in Wall, SD mainly to see the famous Wall Drug Store. This icon has A LOT of billboards and advertisements on Interstate 90 and a history of attracting tourists for many years with free ice water and cheap coffee. It's a fun stop with a lot of kitsch and a good kitchen for food. They also have a rather large Tesla charging station that is very busy with a lot of electric cars even in rural South Dakota. Good job!
Since my parking ticket at Mount Rushmore was good for a year, I ended my trip with one last drive up to the monument. The clear skies really were a treat making the drive and monument even nicer. Being based in Rapid City makes it easy to explore all these places without having to move around too much. The next day would bring further hassles with airplanes and travel connections, but I am glad the smoke cleared up to show off the beauty of North & South Dakota. Mission Accomplished!
Please enjoy the rest of my photos and plan your next adventure too.
Wonderland Cave
Downtown Deadwood, SD
Mount Rushmore National Park
Flags at Mount Rushmore
Side Profile of George Washington at Mount Rushmore
Lake in the Black Hills
Crazy Horse Memorial
Museum at Crazy Horse Memorial
Native Taco on Fry Bread at Crazy Horse Memorial
Steam Train in Hill City, SD
Water Tower in Rapid City, SD
Post 22 Baseball in Rapid City, SD
Dinosaur Fossils in Bowman, ND
Bison Ramen in Rapid City, SD
Bear Country USA near Rapid City, SD
South Dakota Air and Space Museum near Ellsworth AFB
South Dakota Air and Space Museum near Ellsworth AFB
One of my all time bucket list trips has been to take a cruise to Alaska. COVID shut that down for several years, but in 2022 I finally made the voyage. The trip started and ended in Seattle, WA with stops in Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria, B.C. I sailed on the Norwegian Bliss from Norwegian Cruise Lines which was a great option since they offer single cabins with a special lounge. The cruise was truly amazing with spectacular scenery, fun port options, and lots of interesting things to do on the boat. Unfortunately, I came back sick with COVID, but that is the risk to get the reward! I will break down the trip by day for you with lots of pictures at the end. The main picture is on the bow of the ship in the Endicott Arm in Alaska.
Day 1 - Seattle
My first day started very early with a morning flight to Seattle. The cruise lines have logistics down to a science, and I booked transfer to the port. They took my bags and delivered them to my room later that day which allowed me to ride in a motor coach and check into the ship without lugging luggage. The check in process was rather smooth, but I had to clear Canadian customs before hand and provide lots of documentation. Ironically, I did forget to get a COVID test, but they had one at the port.
Walking onto the ship was impressive boarding one of the largest ships ever made! The ship holds 4,000 passengers and nearly 2,000 crew. My first stop was the buffet for lunch which would prove to be a popular destination on the cruise. The buffet has window seating nearly all round the ship providing excellent viewing and decent food. After lunch and a short walk, I took a well deserved nap. Around 5:00 PM, the ship finally left port. It was a sunny and warm day in Seattle with amazing skies. Everyone was on deck having fun and greeting each other. Once we hit the open waters, the winds picked up and the temperature dropped so everyone went inside. One of the highlights of the trip was waving to my father who was on the shoreline as my ship passed. He was actually able to see me on deck which was great and a fun story to those on deck wondering why a crazy person was waving to a distant shore!
The rest of the first day was rather tame. Most people retired to their cabins to unpack and stream Netflix. I finally got my luggage and tucked everything away in my small cabin. It was the beginning of a fantastic voyage!
Day 2 - Cruising at Sea
Sunday was cruising the open ocean. Far from shore, the waves were a bit stronger with the ship moving quite a bit. This was a bad day for those with motion sickness, and the combination of cold winds and no land in sight kept most people inside. I was able to catch up on sleep and reading most of the day with breaks for food and an interesting presentation by ship staff about the operations of the ship. My question was about the most challenging part of the cruise. The captain responded that Alaskan cruises cover so much distance that the challenging part is running at full speed for such a long time. It requires everything to be in top shape!
There was a lot to do on the ship, including a fun sushi making demonstration. I also had reservations to see the Jersey Boys musical that night. It was a challenge walking on the ship with random motions. The motions were rather gentle, but you could really feel them and people sometimes got off balance. Definitely better than my ocean fishing adventure in 2013! The musical was great and impressive that it was done even as the ship was rocking in the ocean.
Day 3 - Sitka, AK
My first actual day in Alaska was Monday. We docked in Sitka after lunch, and I had a shore excursion tour of a local restaurant and salmon hatchery. The restaurant served us fresh wild salmon with a demonstration on how they cut the fresh fish. They offered local beers, but I chose coffee since it was rather early. People really do drink a lot of alcohol on these cruises! I had a few drinks here and there, but nowhere near the industrial grade of my fellow travelers.
After the restaurant, the bus took us to a local salmon hatchery where they raise the baby salmon. We had a nice tour of the city including some of the Russian history of the area and the local pond famous for making ice blocks before commercial refrigeration. The hatchery was educational and had a touch tank stocked with local animals. The driver was working as a temporary summer job like most of the tour people I encountered, but she gave a lot of insight about living in such a remote area. Most of the stops are cut off from the world with only ship and air access. I probably caught COVID on this day in the bus, so it will always be memorable.
After returning to the ship, it was time for a Teppanyaki dinner. The cruise included one premium dinner at one of the specialty restaurants. Other than the buffet and dining room, the restaurants were all extra cost. Most are worth the premium, especially the Teppanyaki. Unfortunately, service was slow at all the restaurants, but it gave me time to talk to my neighbors - one group from San Jose and a couple from Colorado. After a massive dinner of fried rice and shrimp, I retired to my room to get an early rest for a big day.
Day 4 - Juneau, AK
Tuesday started very early in Juneau, AK. We arrived in the state capitol early at 7:00 AM with only a few hours in port. This cruise included a lot of early ports, so most people did not stay up late or go out much on the boat after dinner. I did not have any tours this day, so I was on my own to explore the city. My first stop was the Alaska State Capitol which was within walking distance of the port. I walked along the streets of the city set at the base of large mountains with a cool mist clinging to the sides. The capitol was open early for a self guided tour. As expected, it is somewhat new and a little more like an office building than a grand capitol building.
After visiting the capitol, I walked over to the Alaska State Museum which was close and very interesting. The museum has a tremendous amount of state history including native and western influences and the state's history with natural resources and fishing. After the museum, I walked back to the port and caught a ride on the gondola heading up the nearby mountain for scenic views and some nature hiking. I walked a lot this day, so it was nice to head back to the ship where my maid thoughtfully kept my cabins stocked with ice for my sore legs!
Our plan for the afternoon was to sail up the Endicott Arm to see the Holkham Bay Glacier. They even opened up the bow of the ship for viewing. After a few hours, the captain had to turn the ship around due to high levels of sea ice for safety. We were unable to sail to the actual glacier, but we were rewarded with some great views of the fjords and remote Alaskan wilderness. This was also the night to sample the barbecue restaurant. The pork ribs were very good, but the live country music was really loud! I spent the rest of the evening watching a Beatles tribute band play Sgt. Pepper with a nice cocktail.
Day 5 - Icy Strait Point, AK
Icy Strait Point is sort of the private island concept found on many cruises. It is more of an adventure park than an actual city. Nevertheless, it was a sunny and warm day with amazing views and fun active options. It was another early arrival, but people were happy to see the sun after a few days of gray. The morning activity was an Alaskan kitchen demonstration where a native woman showed us how to prepare several seafood dishes and filleted a halibut. We took our fish to an outdoor grill where we cooked our salmon and halibut over alder wood for a delicious flavor. After this demo, we were set free on the rest of the facility.
I actually left my glasses on a gondola here and had to work to track them down, but after that I found the crab house and ordered some fresh Alaska snow crab and reindeer chili for lunch. The crab was delicious, but the chili was nothing special. Plus it kept trying to fly away toward the North Pole! I took a nice hike in the forest then took the main gondola up 2,000 ft to the top of the mountain. The views were spectacular and reminiscent of the Heavenly Gondola in Lake Tahoe. At the top, there is a massive cell phone tower, so the waiting area turned into the unofficial cell phone lot with cruise guests calling friends and family and downloading updates after being cut off for a long time!
The afternoon was spent relaxing on the ship during a sunny and warm day. The weather attracted the whole ship, and we were all on deck swimming or enjoying a hot tub - and a nice tropical drink or three! After some sun and rest, it was time for another dinner at the buffet and another musical. I ended up eating a lot at the buffet since it was free, quick, and decent. Wednesday night was the musical SIX which was a delightful history lesson that just won the Tony award that week! It was also an all female cast and a good way to end the day.
Day 6 - Ketchikan, AK
By the time we arrived in Ketchikan, many people were already getting tired. This may have been from a possible COVID outbreak or just the normal rushed itinerary. It was another early morning with a rushed day in port. My shore excursion included a trip to a native village and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack show. Our bus left late and rolled through town for a tour of the area including the history and challenges of living in the area. It was a very rare sunny and warm day in Ketchikan as they normally get over 150 inches of rain and see the sun very little.
We arrived at the Saxman Native Village for a native dance, totem pole tour, and visit to the actual shop where they carve the poles. The dance was nice and held in a native house. The totems were impressive with many being replicas of historic ones. They note that totems do not last long in the wet environment. The master carver was clearly proud of his work and took pride in teaching us the craft and a little of the native language. They even had to crank up the AC on the bus since it was so warm!
Back in downtown, we had a little time before the lumberjack show, so I found a nice local coffee shop and did a little shopping. The lumberjack show was a hoot. Four lumberjacks compete cutting wood, climbing poles, and rolling logs in the water. The crowd is split into Team Canada and Team USA representing the historic logging competitions held by old logging camps. I was Team USA, but we lost to Team Canada. It was fun and a great use of a sunny day. But it was time to rush back to the ship just in time to sail. We all agreed that the port days were early and rushed and needed some adjustment.
After another nap, it was time to play on the ship. I was feeling tired and fatigued by Thursday, but figured it was just from the trip. Nevertheless, I had scheduled a race on the electric go kart track that afternoon. It was fun racing around the ship with views of the water and harrowing turns. Definitely a unique and enjoyable experience. They use the same electric fast chargers found on some electric cars! After some more rest, I spent the evening at a comedy club and hitting up a few bars on the ship. Unfortunately, most of the ship was in their cabin so it was rather deserted.
Day 7 - Victoria, BC (maybe)
The final day of the cruise was an open ocean race to Victoria, BC in Canada. Ships need to visit a foreign port to meet international requirements, so our plan was to spend the last night in Victoria. I was feeling fairly tired on Friday, so I spent most of the day resting in the cabin. However I managed to get some meals and a round of mini golf on the deck. There was also an interesting presentation on the food and hotel operations of the ship that morning as well.
Important to note there was also a casino on the ship. I was actually fairly lucky in my play winning a decent amount of money. Mostly slots, but they had several table games and many tournaments and specials. Due to regulations, the casino only was open when we were sailing in open water. There is always a lot of stuff happening on the ship - game shows, music, restaurants, bars, etc. - and a surprising amount of activities for kids and teenagers. I saw many new friends on group activities all over the ship having a great time. After a week, you remember faces and even some great elevator jokes! The afternoon had an amazing concert from the Beatles cover band in the main theatre playing all the hits. Everyone was singing and dancing and having a great time.
Unfortunately, high winds kept us from docking in Victoria. The Norwegian Bliss is a very large ship which may contribute to us missing the glacier and Canada, but I am glad the captain valued the safety of the ship and passengers over all. By then I was hoping for a nice poutine and pint and a needed visit to a foreign country, but we all just drowned our sorrows in the bar and opined about how we would change things the next time around.
Day 8 - Seattle and Beyond the Infinite
We arrived early in Seattle after skipping Victoria which allowed everyone to disembark early. Since we never went to Canada, we didn't have to clear customs saving even more time. I was not feeling well this morning, so I headed straight to my dad's house for rest before Father's Day. However, I grabbed a COVID test at the store and passed! Because of my father's health issues, I headed to a nearby hotel to isolate and recover. When better, I flew back to Sacramento to finish my recovery and get the strength required to publish this entry!
Even with missing the glacier and Canada and getting COVID, this was a truly memorable and enjoyable vacation I will remember for the rest of my life. I highly recommend taking an Alaskan cruise if and when you can do it. There is so much to do for everyone - or nothing at all! - and the scenery and experiences are truly unique. Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of my photos below.
Norwegian Bliss in Seattle
Boarding the Norwegian Bliss
Single Stateroom
Bathroom Area
Hallway
Private Lounge for Single Cabins
Leaving Seattle
Sailing Party
Seattle Skyline
View from Deck
Sushi Making Demonstration
Q&A with Ship Captain and Crew
Dinner in the Manhattan Dining Room
Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli
Pacific Hake Dinner
Jersey Boys Musical
Model of Ship
Observation Lounge
Sailing into Sitka
Arrival in Sitka
Fresh Wild Salmon Lunch
Orca Skeleton with Touch Tank at Salmon Hatchery
View from Sitka, AK
Old Russian Church in Sitka, AK
Teppanyaki Dinner
Downtown Juneau, AK
Alaska State Capitol
Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska Senate
Long Stairway in Juneau, AK
Alaska State Museum
Native Meeting House Replica
Native Sunglasses from Alaska
Alaskan Mining Locomotive Display
Artifacts from Valdez Oil Spill
Modern History of COVID-19 Pandemic
Coffee Break Tradition at Fisheries
Surprising Amount of Electric Cars in Alaska!
View of Juneau from Mount Roberts Tramway
Lunch on Ship Leaving Juneau, AK
Crepes Suzette on Bliss
Sea Ice in Endicott Arm
Looking for Glaciers on the Ship Bow
Last View before turning around
Sea Ice Waving Goodbye
View from the Ship
Almost Sunset
Old Fishing Boat at Icy Strait Point, AK
Fishing Village at Icy Strait Point, AK
Filleting a Halibut at Icy Strait Point, AK
Grilling Fish Outdoors at Icy Strait Point, AK
Fresh Snow Crab and Reindeer Chili at Icy Strait Point, AK
View from Icy Strait Point, AK
Forest Hike at Icy Strait Point, AK
View from Mountain at Icy Strait Point, AK
Gondola and Ship at Icy Strait Point, AK
Very Loud County Music on Ship
Pork Spare Rib Dinner on Ship
Native Dance at Saxman Village near Ketchikan, AK
Totem Carving Shed at Saxman Village near Ketchikan, AK
