Not Just Deadwood
The Black Hills of South Dakota
June 11 – 16, 2012
An oasis arises out of the
prairie of western South Dakota, - thickly forested mountains alive with
nature’s bounty and beauty – a home to stunning scenery and historic landmarks
– the Black Hills. You won’t want to
miss “Not Just Deadwood – The Black Hills of South Dakota” June 11 – 16. Laura and Gary Block invite you to join them
for six days and five nights on a trip highlighted by a treasure trove of
wonders, both natural and manmade. Maybe
this is your first time traveling to western South Dakota or maybe it’s been a
few years. Whatever the case, this is an adventure you’ll want to be part
of….and bring your camera. We won’t just
drive by the attractions – we’ll spend quality time at each one. Compare our Black Hills trip to others and we
think you’ll notice there are more attractions, activities and meals for the price. You won’t believe what we’ve all included,
making this trip one of the best this summer, at an unbelievably reasonable
price.
Our comfortable Andy’s Charter Service tour coach departs Little Falls
at 7:30 a.m. from the northeast corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot. We’ll also pick up in Royalton, Rice, St.
Cloud or anywhere else along our route.
We’ll travel through western Minnesota and South Dakota. Lunch is in Watertown, the home of artist
Terry Redlin.
Few artists can rival the standards of excellence achieved by Master
Artist Terry Redlin over the past 30 years. He is truly one of the country’s most widely
collected painter of wildlife and Americana. Redlin’s most
compelling project is the construction of the Terry Redlin
Art Center to house his original art in Watertown. Opened in 1997, the center has seen over 2
million visitors from all over the world.
Redlin donated the $10 million museum to the
State of South Dakota in appreciation for an art scholarship he received after
graduating from high school in Watertown.
The structure itself is a work of art.
With immense granite columns reaching 38 feet skyward against the 52,000
square foot brick building, the grandeur of the structures envelopes visitors
as they enter. Once inside, the finishes
change to over 25,000 square feet of polished granite. Over 150 original Redlin
paintings, memorabilia, and Langenfeld Ice cream
displays are featured. Lunch will be catered by a local delicatessen and
includes a gourmet deli-style sandwich, side salad, chips, dessert and beverage
all packed in a Terry Redlin keepsake tin that is
yours to keep as a memento of your visit.
The meal is served on the patio overlooking a beautiful 30 acre
conservation park. Our journey will
continue west, across the Missouri River from the state capitol, to Fort Pierre,
a quaint town with lots of history, character and charm. Tonight we’ll stay at the Holiday Inn Express
on the banks of the Missouri River where we can enjoy a relaxing evening or
take advantage of the indoor pool, whirlpool or fitness center.
Day two begins with a breakfast which features the world famous Holiday
Inn Express cinnamon roll, eggs, bacon or sausage with pastries, hot and cold
cereal and much more. Get ready to turn
your clocks back one hour as we go to mountain time today with a stop at Wall,
South Dakota. The city received its name
because the town sits on the edge of the Badlands at “The Wall”, a rugged
barrier of tinted spires, ridges and twisted gullies between two strips of
prairie. From here on, we’ll see some of
the most rapid landscape changes anywhere on earth. But we need to make a stop at Wall Drug
Store, a wonderland of free attractions that have been
entertaining and educating the traveling public for more than 77 years. This block-sized-plus emporium draws up to
20,000 people on a hot summer day. Its famous “Miles to Wall Drug” signs have
been seen all over the world. We’ll find
a bit of everything, including a huge collection of Western paintings and two
life-sized animated musical groups that sing and play every fifteen minutes. Don’t miss Wall Drug’s Back Yard with the six
foot jackalope and the giant roaring T-Rex. Lunch is on our own at the Wall Drug dining
room. Enjoy the stop and before you
leave have a refreshing glass of that famous” Free Ice Water”. We continue our journey west this afternoon. Nestled in the eastern foothills of the Black
Hills, Rapid City shines as the center of this legendary mountain range. From American Indian culture and Western
history, to the majesty of creek-carved canyons and pine-clad peaks, there’s a
wealth of attractions to choose from.
We’ve chosen to stop at Landstrom’s, and tour
this original Black Hills gold manufacturer. Landstrom’s
are the sole owners of all the original Black Hills gold designs with roots
that date back to 1878. This is a must
see tour. Most of us have never had the
opportunity to see anything like this in the entire world! While on the tour, we’ll experience the step
by step process that each piece of jewelry goes through, from wax to
inspection. After the tour, shop in the
gift store with a special 10% tour discount.
From Rapid City we head north to Deadwood. The Dakota Territory was a fairly uninhabited
place until gold was discovered by Colonel George Custer’s expedition. In 1876 miners moved into the northern Black
Hills. That’s where they came across a
gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold…and Deadwood was born. Lawman Wild Bill Hickok came to town to seek
his fortune and so did Calamity Jane, a one-woman cyclone. Deadwood still embodies the legendary spirit
of the Wild West, thanks to $170 million worth of historic preservation over
the past two decades. With ongoing
restoration, Deadwood is being transformed back into the frontier town that once
drew legends in search of their fortune.
The entire town is a registered National Historic Landmark. Brick streets, period lighting, colorful
trolleys and intricate Victorian facades will greet us against the emerald back
drop of the million acre Black Hills National Forest. Even Wild Bill, who slumbers above town in
Mt. Moriah Cemetery with Calamity Jane, would have to
smile. Our home for the next three
evenings is Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort, an award-winning hotel located on
White Creek with restaurant and casino.
A wine and cheese social will be waiting for us when we arrive. Main Street is just a short trolley ride away
where there are over 80 gaming halls if you’re looking for more activities this
evening.
Day three starts with the hot breakfast at the hotel. Today we begin our adventure when step-on
guide Phyllis Fleming joins us for the day on the bus. Our tour starts with a visit to Deadwood’s
Main Street and discover the closest thing to the Wild West that the Black
Hills has to offer. Following Deadwood
we travel to Lead, the home of the Homestake Gold
Mine that was founded by George Hearst and was the largest operating gold mine
in the Western Hemisphere until it closed a few years ago. A surface tour of the mining area and town is
on our agenda as is a stop at the Homestake Opera
House. This work in progress was built
in 1914 as a gift to the city from the Hearst family and the complex included
the opera house and an attached recreation center. Called the “Jewel of the Black Hills”, no
expense was spared in building the beautiful hall. The seats featured mahogany wood, hand
stenciling and hand-painted murals decorated the ceilings and glass chandeliers
hung from those ceilings. The recreation
facility included a bowling alley, swimming pool, library and a billiards
room. In 1984, fire struck and severely
damaged the building, caving in the roof. The town voted to save the structure
and serious restoration began in 2004 and as we’ll find out, continues in 2012. This is the Grand Tour with actors portraying
Phoebe Hearst and other notables on hand to entertain us. One of the most beautiful drives in the
region on the National Scenic Byway thru Spearfish Canyon is next. Many say it is six times more ancient than
the Grand Canyon with nineteen miles of captivating waterfalls and breathtaking
cliffs. The winter scenes for the movie
“Dances with Wolves” were shot here and we’ll have some great photo
opportunities. Lunch today is at the Bay
Leaf Café which is located in a historic remodeled 1890’s building in downtown
Spearfish. Our lunch choices include
grilled chicken breast over bay leaf Caesar salad, buffalo burger and eggplant
parmesan. Enjoy the freshly made food
and a delightful café. Our traveling
continues to the north to the ranching hub city of Belle Fourche where we’ll do
a group photo at the geographic “Center of the Nation” monument. There’s an
official granite marker with flags from all 50 states. You won’t find another tour that includes St.
Onge, South Dakota, but you will on this one!! The reason you’ll find it on this tour? St. Onge is Laura’s maiden name and the city has always
generated discussion in her family. At
one time it was believed that a relative was responsible for the name of the
city. Today it is listed in a book featuring
ghost towns of South Dakota and you’ll understand why it’s in that book! Back where we started this morning on Main
Street, we’ll be leaving our coach and getting ready to board Deadwood’s Boot
Hill Tour. Enjoy a motherlode
of Gold Rush history with this narrated sightseeing tour to Mt. Moriah that includes a visit to the graves of Wild Bill
Hickok and Calamity Jane, plus a breathtaking view of Deadwood down below. Returning to Main Street, there are a number of choices for dinner on our own or free time this
evening. The coach will take us back to
the hotel or if you wish to stay downtown for a longer time, you can take the
trolley back to Deadwood Gulch.
Day four begins with breakfast at the hotel. Our step-on guide will join us once again
this morning as we prepare for an exciting Thursday. Today we head south to the Crazy Horse
Memorial. Work began in 1948 on the
fifth legendary granite face in the Black Hills. Since the death of the sculptor in 1982, his
wife and family have dedicated their lives to his vision. When completed, Crazy Horse will be the
world’s largest mountain sculpture. The
work continues today. More mountain
carving details are about to emerge.
Last year, work to develop Crazy Horse’s wrist, hand and finger resting
atop the horse’s mane began. Drilling
and frequent blasting on the mountain can usually be observed from the visitor
complex, which features scale models and displays of this historic project. Today we’re going even closer. We’ve made arrangements to travel the almost
one mile distance from the visitor center by bus to the base of the
sculpture. What a first-hand experience
this will be! Also included is the movie
“Dynamite and Dreams” that explains the carving work to date, visiting the
sculptor’s family home and studio, the Native American Educational and Cultural
Center where artisans sell their works and more. Seventeen miles down the road is “The Shrine
of Democracy”. Mount Rushmore exceeds
expectations. The monument to the
greatness and unity of the United States startles visitors because it is bigger
and more impressive that anyone can imagine.
Since the monument was completed in 1941, it remains the top visitor
draw in the Black Hills. The iconic
sculpture of four famous American presidents draws nearly three million
visitors each year. Over 400 workers
built the monument over 14 years during the challenging era of the Great
Depression. This historic masterpiece is
a one-of-a-kind tribute to freedom and democracy. Lunch is on our own today at the Mt. Rushmore
restaurant which offers majestic views of the presidents. The beauty of the Black Hills continues for
us as we experience the majestic surroundings of Custer State Park where
granite spires tower over pristine lakes, clear mountain streams flow through
unspoiled forests and the buffalo roam free in 71,000 acres of natural
beauty. This afternoon we’ll explore the
back country of the park by taking a guided Buffalo Safari Jeep Ride to the
largest publicly owned bison herds in North America. Laura and Gary tested the jeep tour last
summer and they can guarantee you’ll have a great time enjoying this home to
over 1300 head of buffalo and other wildlife including mountain goats, bighorn
sheep, antelope, deer, wild turkeys and everyone’s favorite – the burros. Driver/guides offer historical and
educational information about the park and wildlife on this 1 ½ to 2-hour
scenic tour of the backcountry. When we
return, dinner will be waiting for us at the State Game Lodge. This gracious stone and wood lodge is set in
a beautiful mountain valley, surrounded by a ponderosa pine forest. Inside, we’ll discover a blend of the past
and the present, the elegant and the outdoors.
The State Game Lodge served as the “Summer White House” for President
Calvin Coolidge in 1927 and was visited by President Eisenhower for several
days in 1953. Built in 1922, it is now
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We’ll return to our hotel this evening and
wish a fond farewell to Phyllis, our step-on guide. The rest of the evening is on our own.
It’s our final morning at Deadwood Gulch and we enjoy our early
breakfast at the hotel. We say goodbye
to Deadwood and head south to Hot Springs for another adventurous morning. Imagine a place where as far as you can see,
miles and miles to the horizon, you can view America as it was 300 years ago.
Imagine a place, long revered by the American Indians, where the Cheyenne River
flows in all four directions and a place where wild horses run free across
endless prairies, hooves striking thunder, manes and tails flying to the
wind. Welcome to the Black Hills Wild
Horse Sanctuary. A home where hundreds
of wild American, Spanish and Sulpur mustangs not
only live but flourish, nurtured by the dream of a man of vision, and the
freedom he gave them. We’ll be part of
that dream today with a two hour up close and personal wild horse herd
tour. Travel by bus with a special guide
to see the beautiful wild horses interacting in their natural environment. Special bus stops for photos. See Native American ceremonial sites, ancient
petroglyphs on sandstone cliffs along the river and
the Crazy Horse movie site. This will be
a morning to remember. Lunch is on our
own today and we spend the afternoon traveling in an easterly direction. Overnight will be spent in Mitchell, home to
the World’s Only Corn Palace. Our
accommodations are at the Ramada Mitchell which has a restaurant and lounge.
This is our final morning together and we’ll be able to share stories of
the past few days over a breakfast buffet at the Ramada. A step-on guide will be joining us on the
coach for a tour of the town. Yes, we
will be visiting the World’s Only Corn Palace.
The Corn Palace stands as a majestic, uniquely American, folk art icon
on the rolling prairies of South Dakota.
The Corn Palace is decorated with several murals made of 12 different
colors of corn, each framed with native grasses, straw, milo
and sourdock. A local farmer grows all the corn for
the palace, a local artist designs the murals and a team of 20 workers change
out the murals every year. After our
tour of Mitchell, we’ll begin our journey back to Minnesota. This is a fun-packed six days and five nights
with a lot to see and do, plus a vacation that will be one to remember. Five breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner
are included. Give us a call and sign up
today!
·
Comfortable
Andy’s Charter motor coach transportation
·
One
night accommodations at Holiday Inn Express – Fort Pierre, SD
·
Three
night’s accommodations at Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort – Deadwood, SD
·
One
night accommodations at Ramada – Mitchell, SD
·
Terry
Redlin Center – Watertown, SD
·
Lunch
at Redlin Center with a keepsake Redlin
tin
·
Wall
Drug Store – Wall, SD
·
Landstrom’s Black Hills gold manufacturer tour
·
Wine
& cheese social
·
$5
free slot play
·
Step-on
guide for two days in the Deadwood area
·
Lead
city tour
·
Homestake Opera House Tour – Lead, SD
·
Homestake Visitor Center & surface tour of gold mining area
·
Spearfish
Canyon – National Scenic Byway & film site for “Dances with Wolves” movie
·
Lunch
at Bay Leaf Café – Spearfish, SD
·
Group
photo at Center of the Nation monument – Belle Fourche, SD
·
St.
Onge, SD
·
Boot
Hill guided bus tour to Mt. Moriah cemetery
·
Free
time in Deadwood
·
Crazy
Horse Memorial guided tour, including bus trip to the base of the sculpture
·
Mt.
Rushmore – mountain carving of four presidents
·
Custer
State Park
·
Buffalo
Safari Jeep guided tour in Custer State Park
·
Dinner
at State Game Lodge – Custer State Park
·
Guided
bus tour at Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary – Hot Springs, SD
·
Step-on
guide for city tour of Mitchell, SD
·
World’s
Only Corn Palace - Mitchell
·
Five
breakfasts, two lunches & one dinner
·
Luggage
handling at hotels
·
Gaming
opportunities
·
Fabulous
scenery & sightseeing in the Black Hills
·
Soda
& water, Fun & Prizes
·
Hosted
by Laura & Gary Block
Call to sign up today...
6 days and 5 nights June
11 – 16, 2012
$669
per person double occupancy
$618
per person triple occupancy
$585
per person quad occupancy
$
910 single occupancy
$100 non-refundable deposit required
per person with full payment due by May 1, 2012.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Transportation and lodging hosted by
Gary Block Tours is arranged with independent firms. Bookings for entertainment are arranged
through independent hotels, theatres and other entertainment venues. We take great pride in our selection of
reliable firms. However, we do not
control these independent firms.
Sometimes shows or celebrity appearances are changed or cancelled
without notice. We cannot be responsible
for claims or losses arising out of injury, accident, death, loss of enjoyment,
frustration or inconvenience that arises from the act or omission of any
independent firm supplying services to Gary Block Tours, or for mechanical
breakdowns, governmental actions, acts of God, strikes or acts of war beyond
our control. We cannot be responsible
for the consequences of your failure to follow instructions, including but not
limited to check in, check out and baggage handling. If events or reservations are cancelled or
changed, we will make every effort to provide a comparable substitute tour
experience. All participants of this
trip must sign below.
Deposits and payments are
non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled.
I have read and understand the Cancellation and Refund Policy notice.
Clip & return with payment to: Gary Block Tours, 112 SE 4th
Street, Little Falls, MN 56345
Name & Birthdate_________________________________________
_______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
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Address_________________________________________________________________________________________
City, State,
Zip_______________________Telephone___________________
Enclosed Amount__________________
Number of
people in
room________________Non-Smoking_____________________Smoking______________
Not Just Deadwood June 11 – 16, 2012