The Open Road Travel

A road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore takes you from one of America’s most historic cities to one of its most iconic landmarks.

A 1,750 mile road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore will take at least 26 hours to drive. You will pass through 8 states, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Plains, as you journey between two legendary U.S. locations.

Read on to find out all there is to do and see along the way, so you can plan the perfect travel itinerary for this incredible expedition.

A road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore covers 1,750 miles (2,816 km) and takes 26 hours to drive. However, despite its incredible length, the best route to use is very straightforward.

To begin, make your way to the north of the city and join I-95 going west. Drive across the George Washington Bridge and merge with the I-80 where it begins, in Teaneck, New Jersey. You will then use this to drive 1,200 miles (1,931 km).

When you reach Exit 27, near Omaha, join I-880 where it starts and drive its entire 19.63 mile (31.59 km) duration. Merge with I-29 and drive north to Sioux Falls, then continue heading west on I-90.

Drive 340 miles (547 km) to Exit 61, near Rapid City, at which point you will use US-16 and US-16A to drive the remaining 30 miles (45 km), to your destination of Mount Rushmore.

The best time for a road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore is from late May to early September.

This window ensures that all of the seasonal attractions both around Mount Rushmore and along your route are open, while providing the warmest, driest weather in which to enjoy them.

With at least 26 hours of driving ahead of you, this is one journey where even the most hardened road trippers will need to make a minimum of one overnight stop.

While there are plenty of great options to do so, the best place to stop on a road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore is Chicago.

The 3rd most populous city in the U.S., Chicago is simply bursting with things to do and see, making it an ideal choice for a longer stop on your drive. Countless bars, hotels, restaurants, and shops will ensure everyone can relax and take a break in the best way they see fit.

Its location on the west shore of Lake Michigan makes it an ideal city for nature lovers, while being settled in 1780 and having strong links to the 1920s mafia era makes it equally suited for history buffs. You even have delicacies like the Chicago pizza pie to appeal to foodies.

Whatever it is you are looking for from a city, Chicago is all but guaranteed to have you covered.

Staypineapple, An Iconic Hotel, The Loop is a stunning, 4 star hotel, designed by a world renowned architect and boasting exquisite decor. Surrounded by many of the top attractions in the city, it is the height of comfort, class, and convenience.

All rooms are pet friendly and feature air conditioning, antique mahogany furniture, and a flat screen TV. The communal areas also boast a bike rental service and fitness centre, plus beautiful views of the city.

A road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore is an incredible adventure that you will need to take your time to truly enjoy. This means you are going to want plenty to do and see along the way to keep things interesting.

Listed below are our list of the top attractions on a road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore, to help you plan the perfect travel itinerary for your dream vacation.

Garret Mountain Reservation is a 568 acre park and garden filled with hiking trails, birds, and stunning views of the nearby city. It is best known as the home of Lambert Castle, a wonderful 19th century building which houses a museum that focuses on the region’s art, furniture, and textiles.

Waterloo Village

Waterloo Village is a historic village that has been restored to how it would have looked in the 1800s. With attractions including historic buildings, museums, and various history and canal exhibits and exhibitions, it is a great stop for those interested in the history of the eastern United States.

Lakota Wolf Preserve

The Lakota Wolf Preserve in New Jersey gives visitors the unique opportunity to take a guided tour and see the four packs of wolves that live there. Watch them interact, play, and feed, while learning about them from the staff and even seeing the various other species which inhabit the preserve.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area covers 70,000 acres along both sides of the Delaware River in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

It boasts a variety of fabulous locations and attractions, such as a section of the Appalachian Trail, Millbrook Village, Peter’s Valley Arts Center, and Minisink Archaeological Site, plus waterfalls, other Native American archaeological sites, and the ruins of historic Dutch settlements.

It is a popular destination for activities like camping, cycling, fishing, hiking, hunting, picnicking, wildlife spotting, and even water and winter sports. This makes it a great place to burn off some energy and stretch your legs on the drive.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is one of the youngest and smallest national parks in the nation. Set just outside Cleveland, on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, it is full of forests, waterfalls, hills, and farmland, all bursting with wildlife, to help you embrace nature on the edge of a major city.

The 2nd most populous city in the state of Ohio, Cleveland lies on the shores of Lake Erie and is best known for its array of professional sports teams and being the home of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Its other attractions include galleries, museums, a fabulous botanical garden, and a wide array of water activities.

The 2nd smallest of North America’s Great Lakes by surface area and smallest by water volume, Lake Erie still ranks among the largest lakes on Earth. With stunning scenery and an incredible array of birds and both land and marine wildlife, it is a truly fabulous destination for nature lovers.

The 4th largest city in Ohio, Toledo is a city synonymous with jazz music. Not only have countless historic and modern jazz artists hailed from the city but there are also numerous galleries and museums dedicated to the genre.

With venues hosting shows of all variations of jazz, Toledo will help fans learn about its history before hearing the sounds with your own ears.

Another of the newest and smallest national parks in the nation, Indiana Dunes National Park was created to preserve the 25 miles of sand dunes on Lake Michigan’s southeast shore.

With iconic scenery and a range of unique wildlife, it gives you the chance to enjoy sights, sounds, and activities usually associated with the southern United States in the north.

Lake Michigan is the “Great Lake” with the 2nd largest water volume and 3rd largest surface area of the group. It is also the only one located solely in the U.S and the largest lake on Earth set entirely in a single country.

Home to a wide range of wildlife, it is a popular destination for activities like boating, swimming, and sunbathing.

Des Moines is the capital and most populous city in the state of Iowa, as well as one of the most exciting cities in the Midwest.

With attractions like the Iowa State Capitol building, Kruidenier Trail Bridge, and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, as well as plenty of amenities like bars and restaurants, there is something on offer to help people of all tastes have fun and break up the drive.

The John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa displays a collection of artefacts and exhibits in the house where John Wayne was born and raised.

With the house restored to its original appearance, a statue of “The Duke” out front, and a screen playing his movies inside, it is a can’t miss attraction for any John Wayne fan.

The largest city in Nebraska and among the largest in the Great Plains, Omaha sits on the banks of the Missouri River.

A historic city established in 1854, it boasts at least 12 historic districts and more than 100 buildings listed as National Historic Landmarks or on the National Register Of Historic Places.

The Yankton Reservation is the 2nd largest reservation found in a single county anywhere in the U.S. Home to the Yankton Sioux Tribe, many legendary Native American chiefs, such as Chief Running Bull, have resided here through the years.

It is also where the grave of Jack McCall, the man who murdered Wild Bill Hickok, can be found. This makes it an ideal stop on the drive for anyone interested in Native American or old west history and culture.

Founded as a drug store in 1931 in the town of Wall, Wall Drug has grown into a legendary wild west shopping complex that spans 76,000 square feet.

Home to eateries, souvenir stores, the original drug store, and an art gallery and collection of sculptures of historical and mythical creatures, it is among the most popular attractions in South Dakota and a great place to break up the road trip and recover from the drive for a while.

Badlands National Park has an iconic landscape that includes canyons, hills, and prairies, which are home to an array of wildlife and one of the richest fossil collections on Earth. This makes it a great stop whether you are into nature, archaeology, history, or a combination of all three.

Wind Cave National Park boasts one of the longest, most complex cave systems on Earth, which is known for its boxwork and frostwork formations. Named after the winds caused by fluctuations in air pressure, the caves are home to a variety of species of bats, as well as a range of other creatures.

With the forests and prairies above ground boasting an equally diverse array of wildlife, Wind Cave is a great place to break up the drive for any fans of geology or wildlife.

Bear Country USA is a drive through wildlife park that lets the iconic South Dakota wildlife safely live in its natural habitat. With black bears, buffalo, elk, mountain lions, reindeer, and many other animals and birds, it’s a great attraction that you don’t even have to leave the car to enjoy.

South Dakota’s 2nd most populous city, Rapid City is one of the main urban hubs of the region and a destination known for its vibrant and distinctive culture.

With countless attractions found within a 90 minute drive of the city, such as the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre, it is a perfect place to set up base and explore from, so you can relax and enjoy the home comforts of a city at the end of each day.

Sturgis is a small town with a big reputation, as it has hosted the biggest motorcycle rally on Earth, the Sturgis Bike Week Festival, each August since 1938. Every year, around 500,000 people arrive to enjoy live music, food, drink, and scenic rides through the Black Hills.

Even if you aren’t making the drive during the festival, permanent attractions like the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall Of Fame make it a perfect stop on a road trip.

The 2nd largest old west town left, after Tombstone, Arizona, Deadwood is filled with historic sights and attractions. Historical Markers litter the town, pointing out locations related to famous people and events from the wild west, making Deadwood a can’t miss stop on the drive for fans of that era.

The still unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial depicts legendary Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse carved into Thunderhead Mountain. When finished, it will be the second tallest statue on Earth, and it offers a great contrast in cultures to what is on offer at our destination of Mount Rushmore.

Visitors will even be given a free souvenir for their journey, making it an even more worthwhile stop on the drive.

Black Hills National Forest is a 1.25 million acre section of the Black Hills. Its mountains are covered in forests, hiking trails, scenic highways, and an abundance of viewpoints and wildlife.

Those wanting to stretch their legs and get some fresh air before they reach their destination won’t find a better place to do so.

A road trip from New York to Mount Rushmore is a great journey that will help you see the vastly different sides of America. From big city New York to the Black Hills of South Dakota and everything in between, you should now have all you need to plan your perfect travel itinerary for the trip.

That means all you have left to do is start getting things booked. That way, you can look forward to starting the drive and enjoying this dream vacation for yourself.