60 days in Iowa, Nebraska & South Dakota Itinerary
Created using Inspirock United States trip itinerary planner
Start: Atlanta
Fly
1
Dubuque
— 7 nights
Drive
2
Cedar Rapids
— 6 nights
Drive
3
Des Moines
— 7 nights
Drive
4
Omaha
— 8 nights
Drive
5
Lincoln
— 7 nights
Drive
6
Kearney
— 6 nights
Drive
7
Rapid City
— 7 nights
Drive
8
Watertown
— 5 nights
Drive
9
Sioux Falls
— 6 nights
Fly
End: Atlanta
Mon, Nov 27 - Thu, Jan 25
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Dubuque — 7 nights
©
Get out of town with these interesting Dubuque side-trips: Decorah (Agora, Trout Run Trail, &more), Motor Mill Historic Site (in Elkader) and Driftless Area Wetlands Centre (in Marquette).
To find other places to visit, traveler tips, ratings, and tourist information, read our Dubuque tour builder app.
Atlanta to Dubuque is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Traveling from Atlanta to Dubuque, you'll gain 1 hour due to the time zone difference. Expect cooler weather when traveling from Atlanta in November: highs in Dubuque hover around 45°F, while lows dip to 27°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 4th (Mon) so you can drive to Cedar Rapids.
more
To find other places to visit, traveler tips, ratings, and tourist information, read our Dubuque tour builder app.
Atlanta to Dubuque is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Traveling from Atlanta to Dubuque, you'll gain 1 hour due to the time zone difference. Expect cooler weather when traveling from Atlanta in November: highs in Dubuque hover around 45°F, while lows dip to 27°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 4th (Mon) so you can drive to Cedar Rapids.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Cedar Rapids — 6 nights
©
Get out of town with these interesting Cedar Rapids side-trips: Iowa Firefighters Memorial (in Coralville), National Motorcycle Museum (in Anamosa) and Fireside Winery (in Marengo).
To see where to stay, ratings, and more tourist information, read Cedar Rapids trip itinerary maker.
Drive from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive. In December, daytime highs in Cedar Rapids are 34°F, while nighttime lows are 19°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 10th (Sun) early enough to go by car to Des Moines.
more
To see where to stay, ratings, and more tourist information, read Cedar Rapids trip itinerary maker.
Drive from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive. In December, daytime highs in Cedar Rapids are 34°F, while nighttime lows are 19°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 10th (Sun) early enough to go by car to Des Moines.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Des Moines — 7 nights
©
Change things up with these side-trips from Des Moines: Winterset Cidery (in Winterset), Raccoon River Valley Trail (in Jefferson) and Fun Valley Ski Area (in Montezuma).
To find photos and other tourist information, go to the Des Moines trip itinerary planning tool.
You can drive from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines in 2 hours. In December, daytime highs in Des Moines are 37°F, while nighttime lows are 22°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Sun) so you can drive to Omaha.
more
To find photos and other tourist information, go to the Des Moines trip itinerary planning tool.
You can drive from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines in 2 hours. In December, daytime highs in Des Moines are 37°F, while nighttime lows are 22°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Sun) so you can drive to Omaha.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Omaha — 8 nights
©
Gateway to the West
Get out of town with these interesting Omaha side-trips: Keg Creek Brewing (in Glenwood) and Loess Hills Scenic Byway (in Percival). And it doesn't end there: try your luck at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, admire the masterpieces at Joslyn Art Museum, observe the fascinating underwater world at Henry Doorly Zoo, and walk around First National's Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness and Pioneer Courage Park.
For other places to visit, where to stay, traveler tips, and more tourist information, go to the Omaha trip itinerary builder.
You can drive from Des Moines to Omaha in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In December in Omaha, expect temperatures between 37°F during the day and 20°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Mon) so you can drive to Lincoln.
more
For other places to visit, where to stay, traveler tips, and more tourist information, go to the Omaha trip itinerary builder.
You can drive from Des Moines to Omaha in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In December in Omaha, expect temperatures between 37°F during the day and 20°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Mon) so you can drive to Lincoln.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Lincoln — 7 nights
©
Get out of town with these interesting Lincoln side-trips: Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial (in Columbus), Rock Creek Station State Historical Park (in Fairbury) and Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art (in David City).
To see reviews, maps, where to stay, and other tourist information, read Lincoln trip planner.
You can drive from Omaha to Lincoln in an hour. Alternatively, you can take a train. In December in Lincoln, expect temperatures between 39°F during the day and 19°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 1st (Mon) to allow time to drive to Kearney.
more
To see reviews, maps, where to stay, and other tourist information, read Lincoln trip planner.
You can drive from Omaha to Lincoln in an hour. Alternatively, you can take a train. In December in Lincoln, expect temperatures between 39°F during the day and 19°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 1st (Mon) to allow time to drive to Kearney.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Kearney — 6 nights
©
Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Kearney: Crane Trust Wild Rose Ranch (in Wood River), Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area (in Loup City) and Birthplace of Kool-Aid (in Hastings).
To find photos, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, refer to the Kearney online vacation planner.
Getting from Lincoln to Kearney by car takes about 2 hours. Expect a daytime high around 37°F in January, and nighttime lows around 16°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 7th (Sun) early enough to drive to Rapid City.
more
To find photos, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, refer to the Kearney online vacation planner.
Getting from Lincoln to Kearney by car takes about 2 hours. Expect a daytime high around 37°F in January, and nighttime lows around 16°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 7th (Sun) early enough to drive to Rapid City.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Rapid City — 7 nights
©
Gateway to the Black Hills
You'll find plenty of places to visit near Rapid City: Keystone (Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Presidential Trail, &more), Crazy Horse Memorial (in Crazy Horse) and Custer (Cathedral Spires Hiking Trail, Custer State Park, &more). Next up on the itinerary: get to know the resident critters at Reptile Gardens, indulge in some personalized pampering at Stress Relief Massage of Deadwood, don't miss a visit to Dinosaur Park, and get outside with Black Hills Scootours.
For ratings and tourist information, refer to the Rapid City online trip itinerary builder.
You can drive from Kearney to Rapid City in 6.5 hours. The time zone difference when traveling from Kearney to Rapid City is minus 1 hour. In January in Rapid City, expect temperatures between 39°F during the day and 18°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Sun) to allow time to drive to Watertown.
more
For ratings and tourist information, refer to the Rapid City online trip itinerary builder.
You can drive from Kearney to Rapid City in 6.5 hours. The time zone difference when traveling from Kearney to Rapid City is minus 1 hour. In January in Rapid City, expect temperatures between 39°F during the day and 18°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Sun) to allow time to drive to Watertown.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Watertown — 5 nights
©
Change things up with these side-trips from Watertown: Historic 1914 C&NW RR Depot Museum & Visitor Center (in Redfield), Aberdeen (Wylie Park & Storybook Land and Land of Oz) and Brookings (Children's Museum of South Dakota, South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, &more).
For more things to do, other places to visit, maps, and other tourist information, read Watertown road trip planner.
Traveling by car from Rapid City to Watertown takes 6 hours. The time zone difference when traveling from Rapid City to Watertown is 1 hour. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from Rapid City in January; daily highs in Watertown reach 23°F and lows reach 4°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 19th (Fri) so you can go by car to Sioux Falls.
more
For more things to do, other places to visit, maps, and other tourist information, read Watertown road trip planner.
Traveling by car from Rapid City to Watertown takes 6 hours. The time zone difference when traveling from Rapid City to Watertown is 1 hour. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from Rapid City in January; daily highs in Watertown reach 23°F and lows reach 4°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 19th (Fri) so you can go by car to Sioux Falls.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Sioux Falls — 6 nights
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You'll find plenty of places to visit near Sioux Falls: National Music Museum (in Vermillion) and Sioux City (Spirit of Siouxland Statue, Bacon Creek Park, &more).
To find where to stay, traveler tips, maps, and tourist information, go to the Sioux Falls day trip planning app.
Getting from Watertown to Sioux Falls by car takes about 2 hours. In January, plan for daily highs up to 27°F, and evening lows to 8°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Thu) so you can fly back home.
more
To find where to stay, traveler tips, maps, and tourist information, go to the Sioux Falls day trip planning app.
Getting from Watertown to Sioux Falls by car takes about 2 hours. In January, plan for daily highs up to 27°F, and evening lows to 8°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Thu) so you can fly back home.
Side Trips
Highlights from your trip
Iowa travel guide
The Hawkeye State
Part of the American heartland, Iowa is marked by a strong agricultural heritage, with farmland encompassing around 90 percent of the state's land. However, a holiday in Iowa offers more than corn and cows: you'll also discover charming towns, beautiful lakes, and a handful of vibrant cities. Iowa City, a university town, provides a healthy dose of culture and nightlife, with a youthful and artistic vibe fueled by a sizable student population. A trip to some of Iowa's small towns provides a true American experience. Fortunately, the welcoming residents bear very little resemblance to the dour Iowans portrayed in Grant Wood's famous painting "American Gothic."
Nebraska travel guide
The Cornhusker State
Situated in the heartland of America, Nebraska is home to a large number of small rural communities and masses of farmland. The state's two main cities, Omaha and Lincoln, are abuzz with youthful energy and cultural delights. Your itinerary can include a trip to the cities' museums to learn about the state's past, or tours of the area's important pioneer and Native American sites. The state's central location means that it has been crossed by many trails, but it was the California Gold Rush of 1848-1855 that originally brought large numbers of non-indigenous people to the area. Scenic river valleys offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor vacation activities, while Nebraska's agricultural towns charm visitors with their all-American spirit.
South Dakota travel guide
The State of Great Faces and Great Places
Famous for the cliffside monuments of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial, South Dakota is a land of Old West history, American Indian culture, and impressive natural wonders. Get to know the state's diverse and breathtaking landscape with a trip through Custer National Park, with a herd of 1,300 free-roaming bison, or by traversing the dramatic peaks of Badlands National Park near the Black Hills. Allow time in your itinerary to visit the state's largest city, Sioux Falls, for shopping, dining, and entertainment options, as well as a number of museums and historical attractions.
