Somewhere in the nation there’s just has to be a place called the Drop-In or Drop-Inn, or maybe Drop Inn without the hyphen. Somewhere else could be a place named the Do Drop Inn, or maybe the really goofy Du Drop Inn. And through the years there have been a multitude of places using a wild variation of prefixes for drive-in or drive inn.

Anyway, what we’re trying to emphasize is the idea of these name being blunt invitations for vehicle drivers on the freeways, highways and streets to slow down and hopefully just drop in.

Years ago, I heard several folks commenting there was nothing between Wisconsin Dells and the Black Hills except boring prairie scenery and dull towns.

Now that’s a mighty mean and super stupid statement to make. In reality, there are some interesting localities and worthy places to visit between south central Wisconsin and the far west side of South Dakota.

By the way, I would like to emphasize some obvious facts about the Dells. This logical name refers to the very scenic area along the Wisconsin River on both sides of this small city. Wisconsin Dells and nearby Lake Delton really go all out to be very interesting destinations. Also, this area has certainly earned the more recent title of “Water Park Capital of the Nation” (and maybe even the world).

There’s an implication that there’s nothing worth going off the freeway for between the Dells and the Black Hills on Interstate 90 and 94 to Tomah, Wis., and then I-90 on across southern Minnesota and nearly all the way across South Dakota There’s also an implication that this trip between those two popular destinations should be made as quickly as possible.

I’ve got news for those folks. There has to be restroom breaks, mealtime stops, and even a drop-in or two, or maybe even three for gas or diesel, during this 733 mile trip.

Now I have no intention of doing a mile-by-mile or town-by-town travelogue for this route from the Dells to the Black Hills. That’s a challenge for the chambers of commerce and visitor’s bureaus along the way. Instead, I’ll just hit a few highlights.

Between the Dells and La Crosse, Wis., the freeway scenery is certainly not boring flatland prairie at all. In reality, this part of Wisconsin is somewhat hilly and the area along the Mississippi River is better known as the bluff country. There are several towns such as Tomah and Sparta and certainly La Crosse worth going off the freeway to visit.

I’m not too sure just where one could really define the place when the alleged flatland prairie becomes rather apparent along the freeway between the Mississippi River and the first exit for Rochester (Exit 218).

If those folks traveling between the Dells and the Black Hills don’t want to stray too far off the freeway, there are still several interesting places across south Minnesota worthy of a drop-in. These include the Spam Museum in Austin and the outstanding Freeborn County Historical Museum here in Albert Lea. Other places and sights across what some folks might consider to be the flatlands include the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth and Blue Mound State Park north of Luverne.

A few miles west of Luverne is the state of South Dakota. About half of the Interstate 90 route across this state is what folks could consider to be prime prairie land. Beyond the Missouri River the landscape begins to take on a more Western-type aspect.

Sioux Falls is the first large city encountered on the freeway. The next large city is Mitchell, home of the famous Corn Palace, and diversion worthy of a drop-in.

There’s one more diversion worth considering before attaining the big destination of the Black Hills and a multitude of attractions. About 50 miles east of Rapid City, S.D., just off Interstate 90 is a town with a population of some 800 people and a store called Wall Drug. This particular location has been called the miracle of the Badlands and is a combination of a shopping center, museum, mega-tourist trap and a prime example of self-promotion with all their roadside signs all over the nation, plus a few foreign locations. And, incidentally, there’s actually a real pharmacy somewhere in all this mixture of attractions at Wall, S.D.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the Tribune every Friday since December 1984.