The first leg of our cross country road trip - Getting to Luverne, Minnesota, to our month long stay via Airbnb
On a Sunday morning of June 8th, 2025, we embarked on another cross country road trip, heading west. We had packed for a 2+ months long trip that’ll take us from New York City, all the way out to the state of Idaho.
We took with us our usual assortment of household goods to be used at two different Airbnb long term rentals including a robot vacuum cleaner, toiletries, clothing, basic cooking supplies (oil, salt/pepper, Italian seasoning, etc.), and some foodstuffs. We got into the habit of loading most of these items one night prior to our departure, so when Sunday morning came around, we were ready!
We left around 9 am from my parent’s place, got on the usually traffic heavy (but not on Sunday mornings) George Washington Bridge, to get on the popular I-80 westbound. This is an interstate we know well, especially after having been on it several times since our early retirement in 2020.
We love driving on Sunday mornings in the tristate area (New York/New Jersey/Connecticut) as traffic is light, and the rhythm of the city is much more relaxed and subdued. Maybe it’s because all the partygoers are resting in their beds, early in the morning, or maybe it’s because everyone needs to catch up on their sleep that day. Regardless, we took full advantage of this morning to begin our journey across the United States.
Crossing into New Jersey took less than 20 minutes (which would normally take anywhere from 40 minutes to over an hour), which was an absolute delight. As we crossed over the bridge, we marveled at the beautiful Hudson River and the amazing Palisades, a line of cliffs stretching 12 miles. These are some of the most spectacular places near New York City, and as a New Yorker, we visited them many times on our way upstate, to either West Point (United States Military Academy) or to the Bear Mountain State Park.
We got on the I-80 westbound just few minutes after passing Fort Lee, New Jersey on our right. We were feeling good, excited to be on another road trip.
To get to Luverne, Minnesota which is near the border with South Dakota, we needed to break up the trip into 3 days. At a driving distance of over 1300 miles, we wanted to sleep somewhere after driving for roughly 6-8 hours maximum. To make that happen, we decided our first overnight stop would be just over the Ohio border, at a city called Boardman, near Youngstown.
We were heading further west, passing cities in New Jersey like Paterson and Dover, when we hit a major slowdown about 30 minutes before the Pennsylvania border. There was an accident up ahead of us, which delayed our trip by roughly 30 minutes. Oh, well. This is all part of driving on the road…
As the accident cleared up, we got back to cruising speed of just over 70 miles per hour. We crossed into Pennsylvania in about 2 hours and 30 minutes (about a 30 minute delay thanks to the accident), feeling good to be back in one of our favorite states.
Near the popular Poconos, we decided to stop at a Wendy’s for lunch and to fill up our gas tank with fuel. Wendy’s was packed, with fellow tourists loading up on grub and fuel, just like we were.
Because the place was packed, we ordered our lunch to go, so we can eat inside the car. Lunch was good. With our stomachs full and happy, we fueled up our car before continuing our journey.
We got back on the I-80 then got ready for the long haul across the vast expanse of the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is indeed a long state, stretching over 300 miles going east to west.
Miles accrued as we passed the cities near the Pocono Mountains, feeling good to be driving through the scenic mountain landscape. Air was fresh and summer was definitely coming.
After another 150 miles or so after passing the Pocono Mountains, we approached State College, Pennsylvania area. State College, home of Penn State, a perennial football powerhouse.
We kept on going west, slowly but steadily moving forward. We entered Pennsylvania Wilds area, full of trees, state owned lands for recreation, and not much civilization, except for few small towns with their obligatory gas stations and restaurants.
Driving through this part of quiet Pennsylvania is a healing experience. It’s the kind of a place where you let your mind relax and wander. Thanks to millions of trees pumping out oxygen, we sure felt good breathing all that fresh, heavy oxygenated air.
We were making great progress until we noticed traffic coming to a complete standstill, about 100 miles from the city of Pittsburgh. There was a road repair going on, and that killed roughly 45 minutes.
This is part of driving anywhere. You’ll run into road construction/repairs, accidents, animal sightings, and the requisite rubberneckers. Let’s keep cool, and deal with them like adults!
Traffic finally opened up as we eventually passed the road repair site, whereupon we got back to cruising speed again. It’s always a thrill to be moving again after being stuck at traffic. Here we go!
We marched on, getting restless as we neared the last 120 miles or so to our destination for the day: Hampton Inn Youngstown/Boardman, Ohio. Fighting the urge to take a nap, I pushed myself, trying to arrive there before the sunset.
Luckily, the traffic was light by the time we crossed into the state of Ohio, just around 4 o’clock. Another few minutes to go…
First Stop - Boardman/Youngstown, Ohio
As we approached the city of Boardman, Ohio, we noticed the many manufacturing plants, befitting the state’s status as a manufacturing powerhouse. We passed the rougher parts of town, which then gave way to the suburbs.
We headed straight to a local restaurant near the hotel so we wouldn’t have to go outside after checking in. We arrived at Aladdin’s Restaurant Boardman, a highly rated Mediterranean restaurant.
We pulled into the small strip mall, and parked our car right near the restaurant entrance. The restaurant was airy, clean, and it was busy on a Sunday afternoon, with most of the tables being occupied. That, is a good sign.
We ordered (to go) our usual: chicken shawarma wrap (for me), and a falafel entree (for my wife). After picking up our dinner, we drove about 2 minutes to our hotel.
We checked into the hotel, and opened the door to the room. It was ok, and definitely nothing to write home about.
The room looked jaded, had seen better days, and there was a faint order of sewage coming from the bathroom, so we ended up closing the bathroom door for the duration of our stay. It’s not the end of the world. There will always be a problem, no matter where. Nothing is ever going to be perfect. After all, what is ever perfect in our lives?
We don’t have to like it. We just have to deal with it…
After getting a good night’s rest, we went downstairs for some free breakfast. We were thankful for the food regardless of how it tasted. Free meal is a good thing after all.
We got ready to head out after breakfast and after a hot shower. Brand new day, and we’re ready for more driving!
Second Stop - Chicago/Hoffman Estates, Illinois
We got on the I-80 west shortly after leaving our hotel. We realized just the previous year that the days of traveling through the country via interstate highways for free, is over. During our trip to Detroit, Michigan, we learned this the hard way…
We had used this same route to go west to Colorado some 20 years back, and at the time, there was no toll beyond New Jersey. Times have changed…
We begrudgingly took a ticket from the toll booth, then headed our way. Driving on interstates in America, especially the big ones like the I-80 or I-95 can be fairly mundane. On the I-90, the interstate we would eventually get on, the landscape is flat for miles, with nothing but farms, cows, and the occasional small towns.
Mentally, you have to prepare yourself for the long haul through the American Midwest. It’s always a good idea to frequently check your mirrors (and your surroundings) so you don’t fall asleep behind the wheel. I personally like to do stretches and listen to music while I drive, which helps to keep me awake.
As mundane as the scenery can be, we didn’t mind it though. We still like seeing farms, inwardly thanking the farmers responsible for feeding us. If it weren’t for them, I might have to go farm myself.
It took just around 3 hours to traverse the state of Ohio (around 220 miles or so), and we crossed over into the state of Indiana. The first thing we noticed about the state was its toll booth.
We paid the hefty toll before crossing into Indiana (something like $20), then picked up another toll ticket at the first toll booth station. Ouch, these tolls are piling up!
It took another 2+ hours to cross the state of Indiana (about 140 miles). Driving along the very northern part of the state on I-80, the scenery didn’t change much compared to where we were coming from.
After paying another toll at the Indiana state line, we crossed over into the state of Illinois. Here the toll booth station was nonexistent. Signs at the toll station mentioned either a pass or pay online, so we wrote down the website to pay our tolls. ***The website is: illinoistollway.com
We drove roughly 45 minutes to Chicago, Illinois city limits when we noticed how crazy some of the drivers were. They were speeding, really putting their feet down on the accelerator, weaving in and out of traffic as if they’re driving in a NASCAR race.
Maybe it was because some of them saw our North Carolina license plate, assuming we’re going really slow (not wrong), but some of them were tailgating me then abruptly turning left or right with only a few feet to spare, almost hitting my car. Not cool!
After few minutes of stressful city driving, we hit some serious traffic as we neared the city center. It felt like we were back in New York City with its bumper to bumper traffic, some wild drivers weaving in and out of traffic, and the sound of heavy thumping bass from cars nearby. Yup, Chicago is indeed a big city.
As we got closer to the downtown area, we felt nostalgic seeing the city again after 20+ years. We spent 3 nights in Chicago and did lots of fun things: the Navy Pier, walking around downtown, and seeing live blues music at the famous Buddy Guy’s Legends Blues Club.
Buddy Guy’s Legends had the absolute best Cajun/Creole food we had ever eaten anywhere, and that includes such venerable places like New Orleans and Memphis. Their Cajun sampler dish which included 3 different popular dishes (jambalaya, etoufee, and gumbo) was out of this world. The best we had, anywhere, period.
Putting aside those thoughts, we crawled through the heavy traffic during rush hour. It felt like the traffic would never end, when we started to move again.
As traffic began to ease, we were finally on our final stretch. We headed to Noodles & Company fast casual restaurant to pick up some dinner located at a nearby town called Schaumburg, on the way to our hotel.
As we approached Schaumburg, we noticed several Korean restaurants in town which was a pleasant surprise. The town looked upscale and it definitely made the drive more enjoyable.
We pulled into Noodles & Company and ordered a shrimp pad Thai and a pasta dish with chicken. We headed to our temporary home for the night, the Hampton Inn Chicago/Hoffman Estates.
Located next to a beautiful office park, this Hampton Inn looked new and the room even had a lake view! Very nice for around $100 per night.
 |
| View outside, Hampton Inn Chicago/Hoffman Estates |
We gulped down our dinner, took life giving warm showers, then relaxed while enjoying the lake view and the slowly setting sun. Not a bad way to unwind after a long drive and after being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic in downtown Chicago.
We had a good restful night, then got up to get ready to go on the road again. Minnesota, here we come!
Third Stop - Spark by Hilton, Rochester, Minnesota
We started our third day of travel by getting some free breakfast at the hotel. We left right around 10 am, intent on getting there before 3 o’clock.
We followed the toll route out of Chicago area and eventually got on the I-90. Soon thereafter, we crossed into the state of Wisconsin.
Soon as we crossed into Wisconsin, we saw the great agricultural state that is Wisconsin, known for its farms, cheeses, and the Green Bay Packers, a perennial American football powerhouse. We passed scenery similar to what we’ve been seeing since Ohio, but somehow, the bright sunny weather made similar looking farms look more cheerful.
Yeah, and maybe the more wide open feeling of the great American farmlands of Wisconsin. The skies were unusually bright, bluest skies literally covering the entire viewpoint (and the farms), and the flat and straight roads adding to that feeling of openness.
We were merrily chugging along, content with getting some fresh Midwestern air sometimes laced with the unmistakable smell of fertilizers and farms. These smells are bit pungent for us city slickers, but we do know we need these farms to survive. Thank you again farmers!
We drove on I-90/I-94 for roughly 200 miles when we saw the sign to Minnesota state line. We crossed the mighty Mississippi River near Onalaska, Wisconsin, the river looking big and imposing as usual.
We marveled at the beauty and the importance of the mighty Mississippi River as we crossed over to the state of Minnesota. Mississippi River is America‘s primary inland waterway that acts as a vital transportation artery for United States agricultural and industrial commerce. It is also a vital source for major municipal drinking supplies as well as a vital ecological migration corridor.
We lamented the fact that we hadn’t planned to spend some time near this area as it was absolutely scenic. Oh, well. Maybe on our future trip out there…
The route took us north with the Mississippi River on our right, then we noticed we were gaining elevation as we drove further inland. The town we had just passed had an elevation of 656 feet but by the time we got to the town of Ridgeway, Minnesota, the elevation had increased to over 1300 feet!
It definitely felt like we were climbing, albeit slowly but steadily. We were getting closer and closer to the Great Plains, a region that includes parts of 10 states namely Dakotas (North & South), Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico.
It had been over 20 years since we visited Minnesota, and it brought back some good memories. We stayed in downtown Minneapolis, spent 2 nights sightseeing the downtown attractions. Although we wouldn’t be revisiting the city this time around, just being back in the same state made us nostalgic about our previous trip.
We made good progress driving along the very straight I-90 in the state of Minnesota. The speed limit was higher than what we normally encounter on the east coast at very generous 70 miles per hour.
Like we were doing on our way over the past two days, we did our best to avoid falling asleep while driving some of the most straight roads out there. We stretched, we talked, and we listened to lively music to keep alert.
At least this leg of our journey was only for few hours, and not 6 hours like we did while going from Denver, Colorado to Salina, Kansas. Now, that drive was pure nightmare, needing to drive on the very straight, no deviation what so ever I-70 interstate highway on Kansas side!
We drove total of roughly 4.5 hours to arrive at Rochester, Minnesota. We stopped at Noodles & Company (again) to pick up some dinner. We then headed towards our hotel, Spark by Hilton about 2 miles away.
When we got there, the front desk person was literally running around like a chicken without a head, as the hotel was apparently completely full. There were fellow travelers waiting to check in at the smallish lobby, some waiting for their rooms to be cleaned and ready for occupancy. Lucky for us, with our Diamond status with Hilton, we managed to get a room immediately without waiting.
Usually, the Hilton app notifies us when the room is ready, but that day, we didn’t get notified. That was odd to me. Well, what’s important is that we got a room quickly without having to wait….No complaints there…
 |
| View from our room at the Spark by Hilton, Rochester, MN |
After eating our dinner, we enjoyed a quiet evening with some warm decaf coffee while looking out the window to the setting sun. It was a beautiful sunset in the American heartland (Midwest and the Great Plains).
The following morning, we went down to the lobby to grab some free breakfast. Like most Spark by Hilton hotels, this one also serves mostly carbs (breads, bagels, muffins, etc.) with some fruits and yogurt.
We couldn’t complain. It’s exactly what we signed up for, as the price (at around $85 per night) was really good.
After loading up on carb heavy breakfast, we marched on, towards our final destination, Luverne, Minnesota!
Final Destination - Luverne, Minnesota (well, for the next 30 days that is…)
We got back on the I-90 interstate highway, preparing for a relatively quick (3 hours) drive to our destination. Drive was nice and easy, and the scenery was similar yet different: the skies somehow seemed bigger while the landscape seemed more grand.
We saw plenty of farms along the way, with acres and acres of cornfields, soybean fields, and wheat fields. It was a quintessential American heartland scenery along a major interstate highway system.
About 2 hours into our journey, we made a stop at a city called Worthington to eat some lunch. We chose a Chinese restaurant, Panda House, as we were in the mood for some Chinese food.
We got off at the exit for Worthington, and soon thereafter, we arrived at the restaurant located in the business district. Due to construction, finding a parking spot was bit difficult, but thanks to one of the reviewer’s suggestions on Google Maps, we found one about a half block away on an adjacent street.
We ordered couple of hibachi lunch specials (one with chicken, other with shrimp) which come with soups, vegetables and rice or fried rice. Food was good, but the price was bit too high, at around $15 (for chicken) and $18 (for shrimp).
We were just happy there was an Asian restaurant nearby…
About 3 blocks away, we made another stop, this time at Jimmy John’s, a sandwich shop, to pick up some dinner. We ordered two sandwiches for about $20 total, then headed towards Luverne, about an hour away.
While we were driving, we got a message from our Airbnb host to call her to arrange our check in time. My wife called and luckily, our month long rental would be ready by the time we’d arrive. Nice!
The scenery near Luverne was different, no longer just a flat landscape, but an undulating one. There were gentle rises and falls, making the scenery more interesting and beautiful. Anything is better than just a flat, straight line!
As we neared Luverne, the skies opened up with some epic thunderstorm. It was such a welcome relief to a day that was hot and humid. With our wipers working full time, we relished the earthy smell after a quick thunderstorm.
The world around us looked so much more beautiful and lively. No longer was there parched trees and grass. The relief had finally come! We always thank the rains for keeping us alive. In a major food producing region like the Midwest and the Great Plains, we always need the rain.
After passing through the epic thunderstorm, we arrived at Luverne. We turned off the highway exit, then drove less than a mile to the small town center, where we would be making it our home for the next month.
Our month long rental, a converted art gallery/studio located inside a historic downtown building, was on the second floor. We met the host to our Airbnb rental, got our keys, then followed her instructions to park behind the building.
The parking spot was just right outside the entrance to our building and it made loading/unloading our luggage easy. We took just about 30 minutes to unload, organize, and to settle into our “temporary” home.
The art gallery/studio looked exactly like the pictures on Airbnb. Place actually looked bigger in person, which is always a pleasant surprise! I liked it, but my wife really liked the place. As an artist herself, she was already inspired by the artwork inside the gallery.
The apartment has 2 bedrooms, 4 beds in total. We used one of the bedrooms as a storage space and used the other one to sleep in. These are some of our pros and cons of this Airbnb rental:
Pros
- Great artwork
The place looked just like an art gallery with interesting modern artwork to boot. It made our stay that much more interesting and enjoyable, trying to decipher each artist’s work. It was definitely a conversation starter during our stay.
- Nice book collection
There had to have been over 300 books at the apartment. We each read 4+ books during our stay. We usually look for libraries, but not there. We just read books on shelf without needing to drive to a library. Very convenient!
- Huge space
Pictures do not do justice to how big this place is. The living room/kitchen area alone is the size of our typical Airbnb rental, with extra space left over to be make another bedroom! Plus, with the high ceilings and a skylight, place felt and looked even more airy, bright, and cavernous.
- Rental’s location in downtown
The main thoroughfare was literally just right outside of our door, which means local restaurants, shops, and businesses were all within walking distance. We walked downstairs and to the corner of the block to try some lunch at a local restaurant/coffee shop called WildFlowers Coffee Boutique which was cool.
No need to drive, then look for parking spots. This was as convenient as it could be.
- Gateway to the west
Due to Luverne’s location on the southwestern corner of the state, it’s only a short drive to the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Besides checking out the local attractions near Luverne, we also got to revisit and/or visit for the first time, attractions across the border, which was nice.
The famed bison, which is one of the major reasons why we are embarking on this journey, can be seen near Luverne, and also just over in South Dakota. Beyond the South Dakota border, it suddenly feels like you’re in the west, with scenery that beckons to those old westerns I grew up watching, especially the wide open prairies, mega farms, magnificent skies, and those beautiful bison…
- Rental’s cost for the month
Hard to believe, but we got this rental for only $1200! We consider this to be a bargain considering we paid these type of prices 5 years ago, one year after our early retirement.
Last few years, it’s been getting harder and harder to secure a month long rental for $1200 range anywhere on the northeast, but we really lucked out here. We don’t mind traveling to the Midwest once in awhile, if the prices are right.
There are many benefits to living without a permanent home of ours, and this is one major benefit. We get to live like a local one month at a time, to eat foods like they do and to experience attractions like they do. We can live somewhere for a month because we don’t have a mortgage or a rent we need to worry about.
Had we a separate rent due each month, we wouldn’t be able to afford a month long stay at an Airbnb like we’re doing now. It’s nice to pay just this flat fee of $1200 for the month without any extra expenses that we used to pay when we rented, like the following:
- Cable
- Internet
- Electricity
- Rental insurance
- Cost to do laundry (this one had one so we didn’t have to drive somewhere to get our laundry done)
- Natural gas (in Pennsylvania)
- First month and last month deposit
- Fees to initiate rental process (application fee, credit check, etc.)
Living a minimalist lifestyle definitely has its advantages…
Cons
- No big supermarkets nearby
- Rental’s location in downtown
This was both a blessing and a curse. It was nice that we could walk to restaurants nearby, but due to its location in downtown, we got some local rowdy residents making noise after hours, either drunk or kids just being kids.
It probably ruined couple of our nights as we were woken up by the noise while trying to sleep. This is something that is true in any city, so we better just get used to it…
- Limited food options
Besides WallFlowers, the only restaurant we ate at, we didn’t really find anything else we liked that had healthy food options, and priced reasonably. I know the prices for food has risen since last year, but they were too high for our taste…
In conclusion:
Our third major road trip began in earnest and we were on our way! We spent 3 nights to drive from our parent’s place in New York City to get to Luverne, Minnesota, some 1300 miles away.
Driving in the great American road system is a blessing. There are so many varied scenery the more you put on the miles. That feeling of driving towards freedom (freedom from the everyday, the mundane, and repetitive lives we live) can be intoxicating.
I know I am. There’s nothing in the world quite like setting on a cross country road trip in America with so many things to explore.
Please stay with us as we embark on our journey to experience two of the most hallowed national parks in America: Yellowstone and Grand Teton! Thank you for reading and happy trails!
Jake
Wandering Money Pig
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Bushkill Falls and Grey Towers.’
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 natural attractions in Las Vegas’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Zion National Park’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Vdara Hotel’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Chateau at Coindre Hall’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Oyster Bay’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Ocean Casino Resort’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Wildwood Park and Fort Hunter Mansion’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Ottawa’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Fiore Suite and classic room at the Borgata’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 places with awesome views near Harrisburg, PA’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Quebec City, Canada’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 quintessential places to visit in New York City’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Ricketts Glen State Park, PA’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Beaufort, NC’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Vernon, NJ’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Harrisburg, PA’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Montreal, Canada’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area, Wake Forest, NC’.
Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 parks to visit in Bogue Banks, North Carolina’.
Please check out our YouTube channel ‘Wandering Money Pig’ showcasing our travels and our Pomeranian dog! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kl9f4W9sfNG5h1l-x6nHw
