Top Things to do in South Dakota
Top Hotels in South Dakota
- 1. Best Western Plus Rapid City Rushmore
- 2. Bavarian Inn, Black Hills
- 3. K Bar S Lodge
- 4. Hampton Inn & Suites Southwest/Sioux Falls
- 5. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sioux Falls
- 6. Deadwood Gulch Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
- 7. Best Western Golden Spike Inn & Suites
- 8. Comfort Suites Conference Center Rapid City
- 9. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Rapid City
- 10. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rapid City, SD
10 Gift & Specialty Shops in South Dakota That You Shouldn't Miss
South Dakota has good golf courses, skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, hiking, and biking among rolling prairies, pine forests, and granite mountain peaks like Mount Rushmore. Glacial lakes and Missouri River reservoir lakes provide great fishing, boating, canoeing, water skiing, and windsurfing. The whole family will enjoy this prairie land where grain growing begat roadside attractions like the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Everything made from corn, even the popcorn, tastes better here. Where buffalo roam, roadside diners serve up buffalo and luscious homemade fruit pies. Shop for good deals on cowboy boots on the same Black Hills and Badland Main Streets where cowboys and cowgirls outfit themselves. Be near the eroded buttes, spires, and prairie grasslands of Badlands National Park in Lead, Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Custer, and other nearby towns. The whole family will enjoy watching for big game like bison, bighorn sheep, antelope, eagles, and hawks. Drive the one-hour Hwy 240 loop road, with a side-trip to Robert's Prairie Dog Town. Learn about the Oglala Sioux Tribe at the White River Visitor Center, which is near Wounded Knee. Tour the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site's Cold War nuclear silos, just outside the Park's boundaries. About 90 minutes west of Badlands National Park is Mount Rushmore. Lead, Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Whitetail Springs, and Custer are also very near Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Jewel Cave National Monument. View Mount Rushmore from the aerial tramway in Keystone, which also houses the Borglum Historical Center celebrating the artist behind the sculpting of Rushmore. Take the kids to the Dinosaur Park in Rapid City. Attend Custer State Park’s Annual Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival. Bedazzle the whole family with sparkling calcite crystals in 151-mile long Jewel Cave. Bison, pronghorn, and elk graze the grasslands of Wind Cave National Park. Central South Dakota has the state capitol, Pierre, in addition to numerous lakes along the Missouri River. Go fishing and boating in the rivers and lakes. Take the kids to the South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium in Pierre to see the state’s native fish. Drop by the Dacotah Prairie Museum along the James River in Aberdeen in the northeast to learn prairie history and natural history. Swing by Sioux Falls to see the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial and special exhibits at the Old Courthouse Museum. Choose from among 10 golf courses in Sioux Falls.
Restaurants in South Dakota
1. Sioux Pottery
2. SDSU Dairy Sales Bar
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By TicoLee - Naples, United States
This flavor was invented here in 1979! Open Monday-Friday and located in the middle of the SDSU campus, the Dairy Bar is well worth a visit. Lots of delicious flavors at a esto able price. Other baked goods as well as cheese and meat sticks available too. Get a 2-scooper!
3. Granite Sports
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 42 reviews
Granite Sports is the oldest outdoor specialty store in the Black Hills. Our shop carries gear and clothing for rock climbers, hikers, backpackers, and campers. The team at GS is comprised of avid outdoor enthusiasts and climbing professionals who test and wear our products. Granite Sports also carries a wide variety of tasteful, well-made casual clothing and footwear for everyday life. Our expert sales staff is committed to providing customers with the highest quality and functional clothing produced by eco-friendly manufacturers who employ fair labor practices. We welcome you to come in, check out our merchandise, or just hang out. (And now you can shop in our online store 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because adventure doesn't wait!)
Reviewed By AuroraAlaska - Denali National Park and Preserve, United States
I had a wonderful experience holiday-shopping online at Granite Sports! They carry a great selection of my favorite brands and shipped my order quickly all the way to Alaska! To top it off, it arrived gift-wrapped with a handwritten note! Thank you for such great customer service! My highest recommendations!!
4. The Farmer's Daughter
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 67 reviews
Our little store has a variety of treasures for you to find...new things, old things, and just maybe a little bit bold things! Our inventory changes every day which makes it refreshing and exciting to visit regularly! Stop in soon! We would love to see you!
Reviewed By rhamlin0515 - Kersey, United States
The best place to find amazing and unique items. My must stop every trip to town! We usually visit a few times a year and always find something.
5. Dakota Nature & Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
At Dakota Nature and Art you will find wonderful items ~ such as Buffalo People pottery, locally crafted gemstone jewelry, polished gems and rocks and crafts. We also carry a thoughtful selection of gifts and mementoes reflecting Black Hills life. Come see why people call us the Best Gallery in the Black Hills!
6. The Rock Shed
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By thadjo68 - Saint Paul, United States
They have a full yard full of different bins of rough stones of all kinds!! Whatever you're looking for the Rock Shed probably has it. We found some great pieces of South Dakota Rose Quartz, and some Botswana Agates for our jewelry that we make at home.
7. Ken's Minerals
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By 982sarahh982 - Okinawa City, Japan
We enjoyed panning for beautiful rocks. Rough cut rocks are available as well as polished. There was a beautiful variety from kid-friendly stones to exquisite pieces. They also feature some fossils for sale, and cases of collection displays which we enjoyed!
8. Black Hills Vinyl
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 30 reviews
Vinyl - Tapes - CDs - Stereo Gear - Books - Magazines - Shirts - Disc Golf Discs - Bags - Apparel - Live Music - Sound/Light Production - DJ Services
Reviewed By 129charlottew
Rapid City is so fortunate to have this caliber of a record store smack in the middle of downtown. Huge and diverse selection, friendly staff and frequent host to a variety of live music acts. They carry records, CD's, cassettes and a bit of clothing. Also a great place to get equipment for disc golf.
9. Dave's Rock Shop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 20 reviews
Dave's Rock Shop has a large variety of Rose Quartz some at a $1 a pound, petrified wood, rough rock, fossils, minerals, crystals, agates of all kinds Fairburns and a variety from around the world, desert roses, metaphysical stones and wands, moldavite, meteorites, amethyst, landscape boulders, geodes, jewelry (sterling silver) and gifts. Come in and look around!!
Reviewed By spookie5150 - Jefferson City, United States
We stopped in kind of on a whim since we both loved rock shops when we were kids. Plus, we couldn't get over the amazing rock formations and types we found on our hikes. As tempting as it is to dig up rocks in the park for free, it just isn't right so we resisted and stopped here. We've stopped in shops like this in other areas and I'm always kind of stunned at the prices. Dave's however seems to recognize the difference between genuine artifacts and rare stones (which they certainly can offer), and cool rocks that a tourist would like to take home to remember their trip. We picked up a nice piece of rose quartz for our rock/flower garden at home for much less than I would have expected. The people running the store are extremely knowledgable and friendly too. Dave's Rock Shop is a must for anyone with even a passing interest in rocks, minerals, gems, fossils, etc.
10. Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 341 reviews
Perched at the edge of the Open Cut, we offer surface tours (summer only) and guided indoor tours! Come learn about Lead's (pronounced leed) history with the Homestake Mining Company, its present and its future as scientists search for dark matter, neutrinos and other secrets of the universe.
Reviewed By G331POjanb
The best place to start is at the 3D structure/sculpture in the middle of the visitor's center. Hopefully you will find someone who can explain what you're looking at as there is a lot to digest about the mine and the lab. This is history and the future, all in one place! The Homestake Mining Company played an important role in the Black Hills and specifically in Lead. And if you have a family, definitely take the time to hit a "hole in one" into the Open Cut! It's fun and a priceless memory for all ages, even those who are just watching. The science taking place in the underground lab is mind-blowing.
