Great American West

Contact with nature and cowboy culture are the two main characteristics of this region (which someone also calls “Real America“), a region where the traditions of the Old West are still alive, where you will meet real cowboys, go to rodeos and, above all, come into contact with some of the most splendid natural wonders of all the States. Recently, the region was designated the Great American West, which includes Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North and South Dakota.

Great American West and Real America: what are they?

The brand Real America was born in the early ’90s to promote a group of states that, in some way, share an imaginary linked to the American West, characterized by vast unspoiled territories, typical wildlife, distinctive Western traditions, and Native American cultures. In 2018, this brand transformed into the consortium “Great American West,” which, starting in July of the same year, reintroduced Idaho into the offering, after it had previously been a part of the Real America brand.

In promoting this vast region, a brand was created to convey the feelings experienced during a visit to these states: “From Western and Native American cultures to the breathtaking landscapes of our region, we will show the world why it’s worth embarking on a journey to our five states.” These are the words of James Hagen, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

Airports available: the gateways to the region

As you may have understood, we are talking about an immense territory that is challenging to thoroughly explore in all its wonders with just one trip. To organize a visit to Real America, it’s good to know the most useful airports, ideal starting points to plan your itinerary (for selecting various stops, you can refer to the itineraries found in this section). Here are the main airports:

• Salt Lake City International Airport, a good starting point to explore Western Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park, as well as Idaho and its magnificent waterfalls (Shoshone Falls e Mesa Falls).
• Denver International Airport, Colorado, closer to Eastern Wyoming and the major attractions of South Dakota (Mount Rushmore, Badlands e Black Hills).
• Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota, further from the major attractions compared to the other two, but it can still be used as a starting point for a journey from South or North Dakota.

These airports have a good number of connections, and it’s not difficult to find flights. The only inconvenience is that they are all a certain distance from the main attractions, requiring a bit of extra driving (here’s our guide on how to rent a car in the USA). If you want to land closer, for example, near Yellowstone or Mount Rushmore, you can use smaller or regional airports. If you prefer this option, the main airports to consider are as follows:

• Wyoming
  • Yellowstone Regional Airport, Cody
  • Natrona Country International Airport, Casper
• Montana
  • Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Bozeman
  • Billings Logan International Airport, Billings
  • Missoula Montana Airport, Missoula
• South Dakota
  • Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls
  • Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City
• Idaho
  • Boise Airport, Boise
  • Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey
  • Idaho Falls Regional Airport, Idaho Falls
• North Dakota
  • Hector International Airport, Fargo
  • Bismark Municipal Airport, Bismark
  • Minot International Airport, Minot

Recommended routes

Here are a series of itineraries, routes, and tips to which you can refer to plan an itinerary in this region.

Cody to Rapid City Road Trip: Best Routes and Things to Do

The drive from Cody to Rapid City (or vice versa) is often part of road trips in the Great American West since there are many miles that separate Yellowstone, the Grand …

Best Things to Do in Idaho: Attractions and Places of Visit

Idaho is the thirteenth largest state in the United States, but don’t expect to find sprawling large cities here. In fact, the state’s natural beauty is the main reason to visit …

Best Things to Do in Montana: Places to Visit in Big Sky Country

Montana, also known as Big Sky Country, is one of the large states belonging to the Great American West, a vast area that also includes Wyoming, Idaho, and North and …

Visit Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming: Best Scenic Drives and Hikes

When you drive the route between Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore (or vice versa), you’ll be surprised at the beautiful mountain landscapes you’ll drive through. This is the Bighorn National Forest, …

Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the spectacular scenic route in Glacier National Park

The pride of Glacier National Park is undoubtedly its scenic route, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the most scenic in the world, which allows you to see glaciers, lush valleys, …

Visit Black Hills in South Dakota: Best Things to See and Attractions Map

The Black Hills region is certainly one of the most fascinating areas of South Dakota, as well as one of the most interesting attractions of that large territory also known …

Vigilante Trail: Montana Road Trip from Yellowstone to Glacier

Those who head to West Yellowstone in Montana usually do so for one reason: to visit the amazing Yellowstone Park. What if I told you that in addition to the …

Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park Road Trip: itinerary and stops along the way

If you have decided to include the wonderful Yellowstone National Park in your road trip, you will face the “issue” of how to get to the park, and it is …

Best Places to Visit in Wyoming on a Road Trip

Every state in America has its own symbol, and just as it’s impossible not to associate Florida with sunny beaches and a tropical climate, you can’t help but identify Wyoming …

Oregon to Yellowstone Road Trip: Unusual West Coast Itinerary Part 3

This article concludes our unusual West Coast itinerary in search of unusual natural wonders: after crossing California and Nevada we landed in Oregon, where we admired Crater Lake National Park, …

Great American West Towns

These are the main towns of the Great American West, charming villages and “old towns” with a fascinating Western past, sometimes beautifully preserved.

Visit Helena: What to do in Montana’s Capital

Montana, renamed Big Sky Country, is best known for its natural attractions (such as the majestic Glacier National Park or the northern region of Yellowstone), but it also has much …

Visiting Historic Deadwood: The Western Town of the Black Hills

Made famous by the television series of the same name, the town Historic Deadwood, or simply Deadwood, was built in the 1870s, in the period called the Black Hills Gold …

What to Do in Rapid City, South Dakota? Tips for Planning your Trip

Rapid City is a place to discover and, thanks to its strategic location near the main attractions of South Dakota, is an ideal base for those who want to embark …

West Yellowstone: What to Do, Where to Eat and Where to Stay

 West Yellowstone in Montana is a town mostly used as a base for visiting Yellowstone National Park. Its location is in fact strategic for visiting the western side of the …

Virginia City and Nevada City Ghost Town: discovering the Wild West in Montana

If you’ve read the Montana road trip itinerary that Lorenzo took along the Vigilante Trail, you’ll no doubt have been impressed by the towns of Virginia City and Nevada City, two …

How to visit Bannack Ghost Town? What to do and where to stay

If you’ve been to Arizona, Utah, or California, but also Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, it’s almost impossible for you not to be reminded of the famous ghost towns, spooky ghost towns …

Hidden Gems

If you’re a fan of off-the-beaten-path tourist destinations, far from the main tourist routes, here are some useful ideas:

Flaming Gorge: Unforgettable Views in Utah and Wyoming

If you want to see incredible natural beauty, you can’t go wrong if you go West. Today we tell you about the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, located between northeastern …

Mormon Row Historic District: How to Visit the Homesteads Nestled in Grand Teton

In the late 1800s, a community of Mormons arrived in Wyoming from the neighboring state of Idaho to settle in the southeast region of what is now Grand Teton National …

Bonneville Salt Flats: The Dazzling Beauty of the Great Salt Lake

Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most unusual natural wonders that you may be lucky enough to see while traveling in the United States. It is located in the …

Antelope Island: Bison and Golden Prairies Near Salt Lake City

Because of the incredible amount of attractions in the southern part of Utah (just to be clear, I am referring to the parks with red rocks), it is easy to …

Upper and Lower Mesa Falls: discovering the imposing waterfalls of Idaho

In the wooded regions of Idaho, there is an attraction that would certainly enjoy greater notoriety if it were not for the cumbersome proximity of Yellowstone Park, whose majestic nature …

Visit Shoshone Falls: The Niagara Falls of the West!

If there is one thing that is not lacking in the West of the USA, it is natural beauty. For me, organizing a tour to discover these places is always …

Visiting Crazy Horse Memorial: Best Things to Do and Useful Tips

The Lakota tribe never liked the fact that the sacred mountains of the Black Hills had been used to carve the faces of American presidents on Mount Rushmore. For this …

Visit Bighorn Canyon: Breathtaking Views between Montana and Wyoming

In 2017, it was estimated that more than 4 million people visited Yellowstone in a single year. Thus, the fame of this national park has helped dim that of many …

Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, an Idaho Gem

Volcanic landscapes are not an unusual thing to come across in the United States, just think of Sunset Crater in Arizona or the impressive Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. …

Alien Landscapes in Wyoming: Hell’s Half Acre, Gooseberry Badlands, and Devil’s Kitchen

Wyoming is certainly not new to alien settings. One of the most undisputed symbols of science fiction film, the monolith in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is located in …

Makoshika State Park: Follow the Footsteps of Dinosaurs in Montana

Makoshika State Park is the largest state park in Montana, and although it may be far from other popular destinations in the Great American West, it is worth it to …

Discover City of Rocks and Castle Rocks in Idaho

Stone spires and huge rock formations that rise above the landscape, beautiful to admire and perfect for climbing, are the main attractions of the City of Rocks National Reserve and …

Parks

The natural parks of Real America are a unique wonder, and even though they are more remote and harder to reach, they have little to envy compared to the classic major parks on the West Coast. Let’s explore them together…

Visiting Glacier National Park: Amazing Views near the Canadian Border

Glacier National Park, with its 26 glaciers, 200 lakes, 1000 miles of rivers, rushing waterfalls and majestic peaks, is certainly one of the more decentralized American parks compared to the …

Trip to Mount Rushmore, the Monument of the Four Presidents

There are monuments that become true icons, symbols that identify a nation, with its aspiration towards freedom and its desire to celebrate its history and tradition. The impressive and daring …

Visit Grand Teton National Park, the gateway to Yellowstone

The southern entrance to Yellowstone National Park is not a simple road to take in expectation of what we’ll see in Wyoming’s famed park: those expecting such an itinerary have not …

Trip to Badlands National Park, the surreal landscapes of South Dakota

The views that can be observed in the United States always reserve some surprises; some seem almost to come from another planet by how peculiar they are compared to the …

Visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the “President’s Park” in North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is a tribute to one of the most beloved and famous presidents of the United States who had the opportunity to visit these …

Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, an Idaho Gem

Volcanic landscapes are not an unusual thing to come across in the United States, just think of Sunset Crater in Arizona or the impressive Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. …

Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the spectacular scenic route in Glacier National Park

The pride of Glacier National Park is undoubtedly its scenic route, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the most scenic in the world, which allows you to see glaciers, lush valleys, …

Discover City of Rocks and Castle Rocks in Idaho

Stone spires and huge rock formations that rise above the landscape, beautiful to admire and perfect for climbing, are the main attractions of the City of Rocks National Reserve and …

Visiting Wind Cave National Park: Bison and Ancient Caves in South Dakota

Some of the largest caves in America stretch for miles beneath the vast prairies of South Dakota, not far from the Black Hills and the Badlands. In this labyrinth of …

Major Cities

The major cities serve as a starting point to explore the entire area, and this is likely where we’ll land if we want to organize a road trip in Real America. Let’s discover what they have to offer.

Things to See in Salt Lake City and near the Great Salt Lake

If you’re coming from Las Vegas, Arizona, or southern Utah and you’re on a West Coast trip to Yellowstone Park, before heading into Wyoming, you’ll most likely make a stop …

Visit Denver: attractions and places of interest in the capital of Colorado

Today we’re talking about Denver, the Mile High City, the city exactly one mile above sea level. Yet, when you arrive, Denver will not look like a mountain resort to …