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The feeling bubbles up as Wall Drug Store comes into view. Swirling glitter in my stomach, that’s getting more sparkly as it swirls. The glitter rises up into my face, pulling the corners of my mouth into a smile. I’m ready for some “touristy” hijinx.
Some travel days are filled with inspiring mountains, majestic vistas, and long wanders down seldom worn roads. Other travel days are filled with unsettling nuclear war memorabilia and giant Jackalopes.
Our original Western Adventure plans didn’t include Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, but it’s a National Park Site, and we want that stamp.
The Minuteman Missile site houses the Minuteman II nuclear missile. During the height of the cold war, 1,000 missiles sat in middle-of-nowhere locations, ready to launch. Hundreds still remain.
Tours of the nuclear missile and facility must be reserved prior to visiting. The tours often fill up months in advance. Since this is a spontaneous stop, we can’t do the full tour, so we make due with the visitors’ center.
This site could fall under the category of dark tourism. The information leaves you a little queasy.
The visitors’ center is filled with information about the history of the missile site, nuclear war, and like most National Parks, has a short film (the strangest, National Park film we’ve seen to date, other than the camping information film in Denali that said everything wants to eat you).
It’s troubling to learn how something as simple as a computer glitch almost ended up in countless lives lost.
It’s also disturbing to learn that nuclear war was mostly about, we’ll destroy you before you can destroy us. Craziness.
I’m the Obligatory Traveler, so after visiting Mount Rushmore, the second most obligatory thing to visit in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is Wall Drug Store.
I read multiple blog posts about Wall Drug before our visit. One post, eviscerated Wall Drug, for being a tourist trap. It’s like going to Niagara Falls and complaining about all of the water. Wall Drug Store is a tourist trap. A delightfully, quirky, fusion of kitsch. It does not pretend to be anything else. I am willing to embrace it with joy.
Shannon has fond memories of visiting Wall Drug as a teen. We decide to embrace nostalgia, by reenacting the meal he ate during his visit.
While waiting for our cheeseburgers, our eyes drink in the cafe’s wow-that’s-a-lot-of-wood decor.
Wall Drug is known for their 5 cent coffee and unlimited free ice water. We splurge and get sodas.
The food is the same quality you would find at a fast food establishment. I appreciate the fresh toppings.
After filling the hunger hole in our bellies, we window shop,
visit the famous Travelers Chapel,
and breath in the dusty basement scent that lingers in the air.
Because sometimes a girl has a dream, a dream to ride a giant Jackalope, The Backyard, is my favorite spot at Wall Drug.
The Backyard is filled with amusing photo spots.
Me: Do you want a picture riding the horse?
Shannon: I do not want to be in any of these pictures.
Me:
While visiting Custer State Park, I had an overwhelming desire to hug a bison. It made me sad to know that I could not, so I’m grateful for Wall Drug for providing the next best thing.
I will never turn down a dinosaur photo op.
Before leaving, we stop by the old-fashioned soda fountain for a scoop of ice cream (more information in the Western Adventure ice cream post).
I don’t think the ability to have silly, touristy, fun, makes someone any less of a traveler. I think it makes someone a well-rounded traveler. I’m not ashamed that my heart flutters with glee drinking homemade tamarind juice from a stall on St. Eustatius, just as much as savoring a dole whip at Disney World. A happy life, is a balanced life.
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LaTessa M.
atLooks like an enlightening trip! You know, not every place you visit has to be light & happy, but it should be informative. Looks like y’all learned both some stuff & also had a fun experience.
8junkies8
atIt seems like the museum has well-made expositions and a nice cafeteria. It also helps to research the place you will be visiting 🙂 I’m spontaneous so I wasted a lot of money and time not knowing about discounts or opening hours for a specific site. But your post taught me about changing this habits .
Tara
atI have fond memories of Wall Drug, even though it’s a tourist trap. The day we visited last summer it was so hot that we had to get out of Badlands National Park in search of air conditioning. We enjoyed the visit and especially the ice cream!