Your quilter tour includes:
- Deluxe Hotels
- Luxury Motorcoach Transporation
- 24/7 Tour Guide
- Quiltcation Quilt Vacation Manager (a well known quilt enthusiast)
- Multiple Quilt Shop Stops
- Entry to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, Badlands National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons National Parks, Crazy Horse Memorial, Devils Tower, Custer State Park
- Jeep Safari to view Bison
- Scenic Float Trip on the Snake River
- Many Meals
- Quilty Gifts and Surprises
- So much more!
DAY 1, September 6, 2023 – Arrive in Rapid City
Arrive in Rapid City, gateway to South Dakota’s Black Hills and iconic Mount Rushmore. The city’s downtown displays life-size bronze sculptures of past U.S. presidents. Transfer independently to the hotel. Tonight, attend an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager on the adventure that lies ahead. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 7PM on the day of arrival. We recommend that you select flights which arrive in your destination no later than 3PM or earlier today.
Overnight: Rapid City
DAY 2, September 7 – Badlands National Park, Wall Drug Store
After breakfast, visit Badlands National Park to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the region. Afterward, continue to Wall Drug, known for its roadside signs and free water. Enjoy lunch before returning to Rapid City. This afternoon we will enjoy visiting a favorite local quilt shops before returning to the hotel. This evening after dinner on your own, join the group for a stirring patriotic experience as you take a short drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial and enjoy the evening lighting ceremony.
Overnight: Rapid City. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3, September 8 – Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore
This morning, return to Mount Rushmore National Memorial for a daytime view. The faces of four American presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln – are carved into the granite mountainside high above the treetops of the Black Hills. The carving took 14 years to complete and serves today as a priceless shrine of democracy. Next make your way to Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the yet unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. The work was begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski at the request of Native Americans. Korczak died in 1982 but his children continue the project working with the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. Next arrive at the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park for lunch followed by a fun Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the bison herds and much more. In the afternoon, return to Rapid City where we will enjoy another quilt shop stop, then the evening is free.
Overnight: Rapid City. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 4, September 9 – Drive to Cody
This morning depart Rapid City and travel west to Wyoming for sightseeing of our nation’s very first National Monument, Devil’s Tower. Here we will have a chance to learn a little more of the history, geology, and folklore surrounding this spot that is a sacred place to Native Americans. The vast prairie lands of Wyoming open before you as you travel to the small town of Buffalo and stop for lunch on your own. After lunch, we will stop at a fun quilt shop before taking a scenic drive over the Bighorn Mountains as we travel to Cody for overnight. Cody was named for the man who made this region so famous, William Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill. Tonight join the group for a night of western food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music extravaganza and fun with our fellow quilters.
Overnight: Cody. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5, September 10 – Arrive in Yellowstone, Hayden Valley
After leaving Cody we head for Yellowstone. It is an extraordinary experience as you enter spectacular Yellowstone National Park, a breathtaking natural wonderland established in 1872 as the first national park in the United States. Yellowstone is home to countless hot springs and two-thirds of all of the geysers in the world, highlighted by its awe-inspiring rock formations and the famed geyser, “Old Faithful”. We’ll begin our Yellowstone experience by skirting the crystal clear Yellowstone Lake. Then follow the Yellowstone River through Hayden Valley, home to large herds of North American Bison (Buffalo), on our way to the impressive Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, to see the magnificent 309 foot Lower Falls and beautiful upper falls. After time for lunch on our own, we will travel the upper loop and climb over Dunraven Pass on our way to Mammoth Hot Springs for a walk through the colorful terraced formations of calcium carbonate. In the later afternoon, we make our way to West Yellowstone for overnight. The evening is free to explore West Yellowstone on your own.
Overnight: Yellowstone National Park Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6, September 11 – Explore Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Grand Tetons
The morning, return to Yellowstone National Park for another wonderful day of touring. This day will be dedicated to exploring the geyser basins. Enjoy a nice walk through Fountain Paint Pots, where you can witness every type of thermal feature found in the Park. Then explore Midway Geyser Basin with amazing sights like stunning Grand Prismatic Spring. Next you will arrive at Yellowstone’s famous landmark, Old Faithful. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the geyser’s regular display, have lunch on your own and explore the area with a variety of trails. Later in the afternoon, pass by Yellowstone Lake and West Thumb as you depart Yellowstone through the south gate and enter Grand Teton National Park for unsurpassed scenic beauty. Travel through the Tetons and see America’s youngest and most rugged mountains piercing the clouds in majestic splendor with picture stops along the way. Arrive in the Old West town of Jackson, check in for a two night stay and join your group for dinner at a local restaurant in the heart of town.
Overnight: Jackson Hole Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 7, September 12 – Grand Teton National Park, Snake River
Start the day early as you return to Grand Teton National Park and enjoy a Scenic Float Trip on the Snake River. With this giant mountain range as a backdrop, you will see the wildlife, the flora, and the sheer magnitude of nature. Your river guide will point out wildlife, explain the geology of the area and tell stories about local history and folklore. It will be a morning to remember. Enjoy a scenic stop at the Chapel of the Transfiguration, built in 1925 at the south entrance of Grand Teton National Park. On our return to Jackson the rest of the day will be free to explore on our own. Here, there’s time to shop in the town’s many stores for genuine cowboy gear. Tonight, try one of the many local restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Be sure to stop at the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, known for its music and dancing as well as its large collection of western memorabilia
Overnight: Jackson Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8, September 13 – Salt Lake City
Today, leave rugged Wyoming and travel through the Snake River Canyon and Star Valley as you make your way to Utah with a stop for lunch on own along the way. We will visit a fun quilt shop before having a private tour at the HandiQuilter Factory before arriving in Salt Lake City for a tour of the city including historic Temple Square with it’s six-spired Salt Lake Temple and the domed Tabernacle, home of the world-famous Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square. At this evening’s Farewell Dinner, share wonderful memories of your western adventure with your newfound friends.
Overnight: Salt Lake City Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9, Thursday, September 14 – Return Home
With memories of our incredible trip today we depart independently. If needed, the hotel will help you arrange transportation to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
**This tour begins in Rapid City, SD and ends in Salt Lake City, UT
*Itinerary is subject to change due to circumstances out of our control.
