360338 Mon Jan 15 01:52:22 -0800 2007 7 8 Midwest 0 2189150 hi all, a group of friends and i will be taking a road trip later on this week, starting in chicago and ending in denver. we want to make it to mt. rushmore at some point. i want some seriously delicious local haunts along the way. have not figured out the exact roads we'll be taking, so if you feel passionate about a place not too far off the general track, feel free to suggest! thanks in advance! Mon Jan 15 01:52:22 -0800 2007 13386 rabidog 1 2192824 Two suggestions not far off I-80 in western Iowa: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/355345?query=anita&user_name=dennis+s Tue Jan 16 03:08:01 -0800 2007 2189150 11368 Dennis S 1 2201788 thanks! my group's finally sat down and made a more concrete plan, and we'll be coming across i-90 in order for a friend in minneapolis to come down and meet us in albert lea. i'm leaving tonight, but wondering if anyone is familiar with something delicious & spectacular in albert lea? thanks all! Thu Jan 18 15:45:07 -0800 2007 2189150 13386 rabidog 1 2203724 >> if anyone is familiar with something delicious & spectacular in albert lea? I wouldn't get your hopes up. I haven't been to Albert Lea for several years, but my memory is that there's not much to choose from if you don't want chain-restaurant food. These links have some minimal information: http://www.insiderpages.com/s/MN/AlbertLea/Restaurants http://www.albertleatourism.org/restaurants.html Have a nice trip - drive carefully in the snow! Anne Thu Jan 18 22:19:11 -0800 2007 2189150 12541 AnneInMpls 1 2204645 I can't think of anything delicious in Albert Lea either. There's the Spam museum in Austin, though. Fri Jan 19 02:06:34 -0800 2007 2189150 25885 jwagnerdsm 2 2907028 We just discovered a very good Mexican place in Albert Lea called Plaza Morena. It is on the left in the mall just off the Albert Lea exit (going east). Mon Sep 03 15:00:58 -0700 2007 2204645 124417 kathleenceo 1 2908216 Near Mount Rushmore is Custer State Park. I suggest dining at the Game Lodge; it was the summer White House for Calvin Coolidge. Best portobello mushroom sandwich I have ever had; my dining companion raved about her spinach salad. Note: you do not need to dress nicely for the dining room; we were wearing motorcycle clothing. Tue Sep 04 05:31:23 -0700 2007 2189150 12584 Doug 2 2911876 If you're not a veg, you should try buffalo in some form while in the Custer Park--I believe they harvest the buffalo from the herds in the park itself. Wed Sep 05 07:04:29 -0700 2007 2908216 109573 coney with everything