Join Best of Times Travel for this unforgettable 8-day/7-night Escorted Tour—the definitive America 250 Tour! This Senior Touring Trip is meticulously designed to check off the most iconic destinations in the American West. From the breathtaking granite carvings of Mount Rushmore to the geothermal wonders of Yellowstone National Park and the stunning alpine scenery of Big Sky Montana, this adventure seamlessly blends iconic sights, premium accommodations, and the perfect balance of organized touring and personal relaxation. Prepare for the journey of a lifetime!

This isn't your average vacation; it's a grand adventure tailored for Senior Group Travel! Our Escorted Tour takes you deep into the heart of the American West, offering an unparalleled look at the country's most cherished natural and man-made wonders.

We begin in South Dakota, where you'll be awestruck by the 60-foot presidential carvings at Mount Rushmore National Memorial (experienced in both daylight and under the stars!). You’ll also explore the inspiring, in-progress Crazy Horse Memorial, the rugged beauty of Badlands National Park, and the magnificent Needles Highway.

The journey continues west to Big Sky Montana, where we settle into the Summit Hotel a deluxe resort for four nights. From this incredible basecamp, we dedicate a full day to exploring Yellowstone National Park, witnessing the world’s greatest concentration of geysers, including Old Faithful, and searching for the park's abundant wildlife. In Big Sky, adventure awaits, from a scenic float or true whitewater rafting experience to an exhilarating expedition to the 11,166 ft. summit of Lone Peak. Everything is handled by your professional Best of Times Travel Tour Manager, making this the ultimate stress-free Bucket List Trip for seniors.

Experience the Best of the West

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Experience the "Shrine of Democracy" by day and return for a spectacular nighttime viewing.

• Yellowstone National Park: Enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Lower Loop, featuring Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and world-class wildlife viewing.

• Big Sky Montana: Stay 4 nights in a deluxe resort and take the incredible Lone Peak Expedition to an 11,166 ft. summit overlooking three states and two national parks.

• Crazy Horse Memorial: Witness the scale of the world’s largest mountain carving still in progress.

• Badlands National Park: Explore the eerily beautiful, unique geological formations and search for free-roaming bison herds.

• Adventure Activities: Choose your level of thrill with a Whitewater River Adventure (scenic float or true rafting) and enjoy an open day for championship golf, resort amenities, or relaxation.

• Inclusions: Escorted Tour includes roundtrip airfare, 7 nights deluxe lodging, 16 meals, all major park entrances, and the dedicated service of a Best of Times Travel Tour Manager. This is the Bucket List Trip you've been waiting for!

• Roundtrip Motor coach Transportation with Hometown Pick-Up Guarantee*

• Roundtrip Airfare from Boston Logan Airport**

• 3 Night Lodging in Rapid City South Dakota

• 4 Nights Lodging at Big Sky Deluxe Resort

• 16 Delicious Meals - 7 Breakfasts, 7 Dinners, 2 Lunches

• Tour of Mount Rushmore (Day & Night Viewing)

• Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Badlands National Park

• Devils Tower National Monument

• Billings Montana Visit & Brewery Stop

• Touring in Yellowstone National Park 

• Tour to Top of Lone Peak 

• Whitewater River Adventure

• Additional Touring & More Add-On’s

• Best of Times Travel Tour Manager Throughout w/ Gratuity Included***

• Optional Travelers Insurance by Chubb is offered - Click Here for Details on Chubb Travel Insurance Program

*Most New England Group Locations within 30 miles of Logan Airport.  Individuals/Groups outside of 20 miles may need to pay a transportation upcharge.  

**Please note that there are NO direct flights to/from Boston, MA.  Specific flight details will be shared closer to the trip final payment date.  Airline imposed baggage fees are an additional cost and are not included in the package price. 

*** There is a minimum requirement of 25 paying customers from Best of Times Travel to ensure the services of a Best of Times Professional Tour Manager throughout your trip.

Best of Times Travel will notify you of the closest departure point to where you live approximately 3 weeks prior to the trip departure date.   

 There’s no better place to learn about the American spirit than from the foot of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The 60-foot faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are carved into the mountainside – it’s something you have to see to believe. Wait there’s more, like, Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, Needles Highway, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Park, a stop in Billings Montana, and more.  

 Big Sky Montana is an amazing slice of heaven that is the perfect resort location for visiting Yellowstone National Park. This incredible destination has so much to offer: The ultimate scenic view and high point of your summer is at the top of Lone Peak an experience of a lifetime to stand at an 11,166 ft. summit and view two national parks, three states, and many mountain ranges.  

Click Here For a Video on Yellowstone National Park

You’ll ride to the summit via chair lift, expedition vehicle, and tram with a guide to point out different areas, views, and more. You bring the camera, we’ll provide the binoculars.  

Around every corner, a new and marvelous landscape awaits the summertime visitor to Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the warm months, Yellowstone Park comes alive with vegetation, wildlife, and the same stunning panoramas that moved early explorers to declare Yellowstone “The greatest marvel we have yet met with.”  

The world’s greatest concentration of geysers bubble and spout amidst the glorious backdrop of the Gallatin Range, all within our sights as we visit Yellowstone National Park.  

Enjoy scrumptious meals, terrific accommodations, breathtaking views and scenery, a championship golf course, white water rafting, and Big Sky Resort’s Lake as part of this trip of a lifetime! Click HERE to view a video of Big Sky Resort. 

Here are the Specific Terms & Conditions of Sale For this program.

Rates and itineraries shown here were in effect at the time of printing and no changes are anticipated; however, Best of Times Travel reserves the right to withdraw any tour or to make any rate changes, as necessary. Prices are subject to change. A deposit is always required to confirm a reservation. A Deposit of $1000pp, plus insurance premium (if selected) is due upon registration to confirm your reservation. Travel Insurance: We recommend your purchase of optional travel insurance. This optional travel insurance is per person and the premium is based on the overall trip cost. Travelers MUST purchase the plan at the time of initial deposit. Coverage will not be in place unless your full Deposit is received. Cancellation schedule and fees are in place regardless of cancellation reason (including, but not limited to, force majeure, health pandemics or government restrictions). Travel Insurance Premium is also Non-Refundable regardless of cancellation reason. Payment in full must be received by June 1st, 2026 or this may result in an automatic cancellation. Please note: All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to Best of Times Travel via email to cancellations@bestoftimestravel.com or via traditional mail. The date of cancellation is deemed to be the date received by Best of Times Travel. Cancellation Charges for this programs are as follows: Cancellations from date of booking until 3/1/2026 have no cancellation fee. Cancellations from 3/2/2026 until 6/1/2026 will be assessed a cancellation fee of $700. Cancellations from 6/2/2026 until 7/1/2026 will be assessed a cancellation fee of 75% of the total fare. Cancellations after 7/1/2026 will receive no refund, 100% of the total fare. Best of Times Travel is not responsible for any refunds over and above said amount. Best of Times Travel reserves the right to issue any refunds, in whole or in part, in the form of future travel credit.

*Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver has the following stipulations: plan must be purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment, insured must be medically able to travel at time of purchasing the plan, all pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs need to be insured.  This information is a brief description of the features of this insurance program. Coverage & pricing may vary by state. The provision of this document is for informational purposes only and is not an insurance contract. Coverage is being marketed by Chubb Insurance Solutions Agency, Inc. located at 202 Halls Mills Road, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey 08889. Insurance benefits are underwritten by ACE Property & Casualty Insurance Company located at 436 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106.

We will depart from Logan Airport early this morning to catch our flight westward to Rapid City, South Dakota allowing us time for a tour of the city.  We’ll discover why Rapid City is known as the “City of Presidents” as we view the many Presidential Statues, Memorial Park and more.  Lunch is on our own.  Dinner this evening is included.  (D)

Enjoy Breakfast at the hotel this morning.  Following breakfast we depart via Motor Coach for a day of touring.  Included today: The Borglum Historical Center.  We’ll discover Gutzon Borglum, artist and extraordinary individual, as we delve into the mind, life and historical events of the man who at age 60 began carving Mt. Rushmore, a Shrine of Democracy.  Mount Rushmore National Memorial -- Carved by Borglum high up among the clouds to signify the principles and ideals of America,  the four presidents commemorated here contributed to the essence of democracy held sacred in the Constitution of the United States of America.  Simply breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Lunch today is an all-you-can-eat buffet at Heritage Village. Next, its on to Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain sculpture still in progress.  Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski started the Memorial in 1948 to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians.  Eight of his children continue his work today.  As we make our way back towards Rapid City, we’ll travel through Custer State Park, one of America’s premiere preserves (buffalo herds) and Needles Highway a magnificent scenic mountain road winding through the imposing landscapes of the central Black Hills. With bizarre rock pinnacles and the fairytale Sylvan Lake, spectacular views abound and the drive-through tunnels create a memorable experience. Dinner this evening is included.  After dinner we return to Mt. Rushmore for a fabulous nighttime view of the Presidents!  (B,L, D)

Enjoy Breakfast at the hotel.  We depart for touring beginning with the breathtaking Loop Drive of the forbidding landscape of  Badlands National Park.  With ragged ridges, chiseled spires and deep canyons ravaged by eons of wind and rain, the badlands seem eerily unwordly. Despite the extreme weather and desert-like wilderness, the park is home to an array of wildlife, from herds of free-roaming bison and antelope, to big horn sheep, swift fox and the black-footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America. This is some of the most remarkable landscape in the world and we will make stops including the Visitor Center for incredible picture taking opportunities.  Lunch today , on our own, is in the small town of Wall (population 800). Expect a hearty welcome as it is also home of the world’s most famous drug store. Tonight enjoy our included Fort Hays Chuckwaggon Show.  (B,D)

After Breakfast we depart for the wonderful scenery of Montana. Along the way we will stop at Devils Tower National Monument. The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and indigenous people. Then it’s onto downtown Billings Montana where we’ll enjoy our included lunch and see one of the local breweries that Montana has become known for. We then head to the highly acclaimed resort of Big Sky, Montana. We’ll check into our resort hotel and settle in before our included dinner this evening. Then sit back and relax, taking in the fresh, clean, mountain air of Montana. At a base elevation of 7,500 ft above sea level we’re in a whole different world! (D)

Wake up today with another terrific breakfast and get ready for a spectacular adventure.  Today is our day to visit Yellowstone and we mean a Full Day!  Around every corner a new and marvelous landscape awaits the summertime visitor to Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the warm months, Yellowstone park comes alive with vegetation, wildlife and the same stunning panoramas that moved early explorers to declare Yellowstone “The greatest marvel we have yet met with.” In Yellowstone the world’s greatest concentration of geysers burble and spout amidst the glorious backdrop of the Gallatin Range.  Our tour includes the lower loop tour encapsulating the most impressive thermal features including the famous Old Faithful, Firehole Falls, the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins, the Upper Falls and South Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.  Wolves, elk, moose, bears, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, deer and bison are just a few of the many animals that call Yellowstone National Park home. With 67 species of mammals, 2 species of bears, almost 300 species of birds, 16 species of fish, 5 of amphibians and 6 of reptiles, the wildlife viewing in Yellowstone is outstanding!  So pack your cameras, and pack your smiles because this is going to be a great adventure.  Tonight’s Dinner:  Experience a true culinary adventure that screams MONTANA!  Enjoy menu items such as Mixed Game Pot Pie, Cast Iron Seered Red Deer, Pheasant Breast, Duck Breast, Wildgame Meatloaf, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Bison Tenderloin, Elk Rack, Montana Lamb, and so much more.  Don’t worry...those that aren’t as adventurous have plenty of menu options to select from as well.  (B,D) 

Wake up this morning refreshed and ready to begin an adventurous day.  Enjoy your included breakfast to get the day started off right.  After breakfast we head off for our whitewater rafting adventure.  This fantastic three hour adventure is a thrill of a lifetime.  Not sure how exciting or wet you want to get, no problem.  Our scenic float tour offers a gentle ride gliding through the shadows of Lone Mountain, meandering through the upper canyon of the Gallatin River where we may even come upon deer, elk, moose, or a bear.  For those with a more adventurous spirit some true whitewater rafting is available for a few good soakings as we plunge through some of the famous rapids.  Don’t worry you can always exit the river at any point during the trip as vehicles follow us the whole way down the river.  Enjoy some lunch on our own today before we begin with our second adventure...the Lone Peak Expedition.  The ultimate scenic view and high point of your summer is at the top of Lone Peak in Big Sky Montana.  The Basecamp to Yellowstone is proud to present the experience of a lifetime to stand at an 11,166 ft. summit and view two national parks, three states, and many mountain ranges.  You’ll ride to the summit via chair lift, expedition vehicle, and tram with a guide to point out different areas, views, and more. You bring the camera, we’ll provide the binoculars.  This evening enjoy a scrumptious included dinner. (B,D)

This morning feel free to sleep in a little bit before you enjoy your included Breakfast.  After so much adventure the relaxation and fun of Big Sky Resort awaits us.  Enjoy the amenities of the resort that interest you at your own pace.  Want a relaxing day enjoy some time sitting waterfront, or on a paddle boat, or take a canoe out, on Lake Levinsky.  Are you a golfer?  Combine classic links-style golf and the stunning natural beauty of Big Sky country to witness a golf experience like no other: the award winning, scenic 18 hole par 72 golf course at Big Sky Resort. The Arnold Palmer designed course is 6,500 feet above sea level, offering longer drives and spectacular views.  Still not enough options well how about  Zipline Tours, Skeet Shooting, A Ropes Course, Hiking, Fly Fishing, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Archery, Mountain Biking, and even more adventures to choose from on this open day of fun at your own pace.  If adventure isn’t your pace today of course you can enjoy the pool, hot tubs, or get a treatment at the Solace Spa & Salon.  An entire list of options for the day will be made available to you to choose from prior to our trip departure.  Please note that some activities have an additional cost while others are free.  Tonight enjoy our included farewell dinner. (B,D)

This morning we sleep in a little before we enjoy our final breakfast at the resort.  Bid a final farewell to Montana and the great adventure we have had together.  We then catch our transfer to the airport for the return trip eastward to Boston, MA. (B)