# Guys weekend in middle America **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643 "2016-05-25T11:32:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/1 "2016-05-25T11:32:49Z")
I need to plan a bachelor party for sometime between now and July '17. No strip clubs or casinos please. I’m thinking something outdoorsy, maybe tent camping or a cabin with some epic activities, but I’m open to suggestions. General restrictions: 1. Needs to be roughly halfway between Portland, OR and Columbus, OH 2. Prefer if Southwest flies there 3. Should be doable in a long weekend 4. Budget friendly, target of $500 per person TIA for your ideas. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/2 "2016-05-25T12:11:17Z")
Every few years a buddy of mine hosts “Men’s Town”, a three day weekend involving camping, alcohol, drugs, guns, explosives, chainsaws, wood splitting, campfires, etc. It is held on wilderness property he owns. His only rule is to leave your site pristine when you pull up camp. Trash is divided among participants when we leave. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/3 "2016-05-25T14:46:33Z")
Cheyenne, Fort Collins and Denver are all large cities not too far from the mid-point (Kimball, NE) I’d start by looking for fun stuff to do in those places. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/4 "2016-05-25T14:47:41Z")
How about heading to the Wisconsin Dells? [Official Site For Wisconsin Dells - Deals & Information](http://www.wisdells.com/wisconsin-dells.htm) You can stay at one of the resort hotels swimming all day, hit up a casino or go to one of the many amusement parks. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/5 "2016-05-25T15:19:42Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > No strip clubs or casinos please. > [@mistymage](#): > > hit up a casino or Hmmmmm Chicago has tons to do. Southwest flies into Midway airport, which is closer to downtown. Go to a Cubs or White Sox game Top-Golf Thousands of restaurants Lake Michigan… ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/6 "2016-05-25T15:24:18Z")
How about a dude ranch in Nebraska or Wyoming? Cabins and/or tent camping, outdoors and epic activities virtually guaranteed! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/7 "2016-05-25T16:11:21Z")
You can fly into Kansas City and camp at a number of [state parks](http://icampmo1.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/Facilities/MapView.aspx) within a two-hour drive. A couple of the more interesting ones are [Van Meter State Park](https://mostateparks.com/park/van-meter-state-park) (north of Marshall, MO) and [Prairie State Park](https://mostateparks.com/park/prairie-state-park) (west of Lamar, MO). Van Meter has old Indian mounds that can be hiked to, and the Van Meter family cemetery with largely 19th century dates. Go into Marshall and see the [Jim the Wonder Dog memorial](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/3603). Prairie State Park has a resident bison herd, with ranger-guide bison hikes on the first Saturday of the month, and a resident elk herd (harder to find). Pop into Lamar to see [Harry Truman’s birthplace](https://mostateparks.com/park/harry-s-truman-birthplace-state-historic-site). Missouri state parks are some of the best in the nation and have reasonable rules (e.g., adults may have alcohol in camp). Van Meter’s campground is smallish (22 sites) but I’ve never seen it full. The park is largely woodland. Prairie’s campground is unusual with only four sites, but up to 20 people can be accommodated at one site. We’ve often been the only group camping there, but call to reserve a site if you plan to go. The campground is trees and grass surrounded by a creek\*, the rest of the park is tallgrass prairie. \*The creek has to be forded to access the campground, and if it rains really hard is impassable. Check the weather forecast and have a plan B. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/8 "2016-05-25T17:09:27Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Cheyenne, Fort Collins and Denver are all large cities not too far from the mid-point (Kimball, NE) > > I’d start by looking for fun stuff to do in those places. Colorado has great camping in the summer. [http://www.tripleblaze.com/best/?c=60](http://www.tripleblaze.com/best/?c=60) ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/9 "2016-05-25T20:45:20Z")
Looks like Southwest flies into Denver. There’s the [Money Museum](https://www.money.org/money-museum) in Colorado Springs. There’s also the Coor’s Brewery in Golden and the [Budweiser Brewery](http://www.budweisertours.com/locations/ft-collins-colorado.html) in Fort Collins. I thought the Budweiser one was the better tour. There’s also [Pike’s Peak](http://www.pikes-peak.com/) also in Colorado Springs. There’s also the [Depot Museum](http://www.cheyennedepotmuseum.org/) in the old Union Pacific Depot in Cheyenne, WY And the [Wyoming Territorial Prison Museum](http://www.wyomingterritorialprison.com/) in Laramie. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/10 "2016-05-25T22:16:13Z")
I’ll propose one that might not be for everyone, but it is cool. Wind Cave National park has [guided tours](https://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm) that are pretty cool. Including one that is nearly a real [caving tour](https://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/tour-caving.htm), where you crawl through narrow passages. And it’s close to Mt Rushmore, the Badlands, and Wall Drug. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/11 "2016-05-25T22:56:16Z")
The closest city to the midpoint that has direct flights on Southwest from both Portland and Columbus is Denver. Plenty of outdoorsy stuff near there to do. Other cities with direct flights from both CMH and PDX include Phoenix, Oakland, and Las Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/12 "2016-05-25T23:39:56Z")
Perhaps a whitewater raft trip? - as adventurous as the guys can stand - by river is a great way to see the countryside - no Herculean feats of strength or endurance required, you can paddle or not depending on the outfit - you’re on rafts so you can bring tons of food and hooch - depending on the outfit, meals will be prepared for you The only problem is it’s a lot to squeeze into a weekend. You might want to add a day or two. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/13 "2016-05-26T00:00:04Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I need to plan a bachelor party for sometime between now and July '17… Oh, July of 2017! Here I was checking back, thinking that we’re less than two months from July 17, and you’d be posting reactions to suggestions. Mine? I’d want to be near some good bars/food, so I’d go with Kansas City or Denver or Chicago (flying into O’hare might be cheaper than Donaskya, Nebraska). ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/14 "2016-05-26T01:12:08Z")
Spend one of the days paintballing. It’s outdoor/woody. You can shoot your ‘enemy’ then have a beer with them afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/15 "2016-05-26T13:02:54Z")
There’s some great Mexican food and margaritas, along with some interesting history and culture, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and Southwest flies into the former. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-weekend-in-middle-america/755643/16 "2016-05-26T13:11:44Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > How about heading to the Wisconsin Dells? [Official Site For Wisconsin Dells - Deals & Information](http://www.wisdells.com/wisconsin-dells.htm) You can stay at one of the resort hotels swimming all day, hit up a casino or go to one of the many amusement parks. Swarming with kids. Stay very far away from here, unless you want to remind the future husband of the future he’s sentencing himself to.