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
Things to do in South Dakota, United States: The Best Historic Sites
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. Cultural Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 112 reviews
Not your typical museum structure, this one is built into the side of hill, and much of it is underground. A contemporary version of a traditional Native American dwelling, this beautiful building features Native American (mostly the Sioux tribes) and pioneer exhibits, with many rare artifacts tracing the history of South Dakota.
Reviewed By breebunny96 - Aberdeen, United States
This center is one of a kind. From the moment you walk through those doors, you are transported back in time to the history of pioneers, Native Americans, and even to the cold war, where you learn about SD's role and missile silos. If you love history, this is definitely worth your time.
2. Ingalls Homestead - Laura's Living Prairie
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 402 reviews
Reviewed By desiprincess
Our family of five with three young kids ages eight, five, and two almost missed this incredible experience! We are from Minneapolis, and we were driving back from our wonderful trip in the Black Hills/ Badlands area. Sioux Falls is our mid-way point and we stayed overnight there. My 8 year old daughter read “Little House on the Prairie” in school, and I just recently finished reading it to my 5 year old. We almost passed on this because of just wanting to get back home. I am so, so glad we didn’t miss this. Even if you are not a huge fan of the books, I think anyone would enjoy it. Of course knowing some history is helpful and enriched our experience immensely so maybe at least watch the movie. I don’t even know where to start with regard to how wonderful this place is. My kids highlights were holding newborn kittens, seeing other beautiful animals like cows and chickens, making a corn husk doll, riding a pony (2 yr old) and riding a horse (8 and 5 year old because my 5 year old is bigger), horse-drawn covered wagon ride, seeing old school house, making a jump rope, etc. etc. honestly so many other wonderful things that I can’t mention because I need to go now. I have to also say that just being on a prairie like that it’s pretty beautiful and special. I wish I would have been more thoughtful because they have Wagon covered campers that you can rent for a night! I definitely would have love to do that and plan on doing it our next time around! Whatever you do, make this a stop! I read that in the 2 to 3 hours, but we spent almost 6 hours (And got back home to Minneapolis around midnight! Totally worth it!) If you are a fan of any of the books/shows and you are anywhere in the area, you cannot miss this. Even if you’ve never read a book I think you’d love it if you have kids.
3. Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By MNDoodles - Stillwater, United States
What a treasure this place is, for every age. We loved the beautifully maintained original farmstead with its live donkeys, geese, chickens, and sheep kept on the property. Also on the property, brought from the local area, is an old school house and church. The new visitor center was closed when we visited due to the 2020 virus but it looked great. We came back to the homestead a second time and loved the fantastic bike trails, about 8-9 miles, with parts of the ride next to the Missouri River. The trail was excellent condition crushed limestone with much of it in the shade, great on a warm day. Absolute heaven this place is. A hidden gem well worth visiting.
4. Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
5. Fort Meade National Cemetery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
First established on September 24, 1878, by the surviving members of George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry, not long after Fort Meade was constructed. It was named for General George Meade. It has been closed to new interments since the end of World War II. Fort Meade National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1973.
6. Prairie Homestead Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 175 reviews
Original dirt-sod dug out home and outbuildings built in 1909 by Ed and Alice Brown on their 160 acre claim. Experience farm life as the pioneers did. Dress up as a pioneer if you'd like as you step back to homestead days. Live farm animals and rare white prairie dogs entertain. Video in visitor center. Audio history in sod dug out home.
Reviewed By davec747 - Alexandria, United States
This is a rare preserved sod house with a odd collection of artifacts, surrounded by rare white prairie dogs and and a very nice gift shop. The homestead has been preserved with care and furnished with the original or very close internal bits. Admission is modest and the gift shop is very well stocked with things that will appeal to all ages. Very neat bit of American history, one of the better things I visited in the area.
7. Pickler Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
8. Adams House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 479 reviews
The Historic Adams House was built in 1892 by Deadwood pioneers Harris and Anna Franklin. Local contemporary press described the home as "the grandest house west of the Mississippi." The elegant Queen Anne-style house heralded a wealthy and socially prominent new age for Deadwood, a former rough and tumble gold mining town. Harris and Anna Franklin’s son Nathan bought the house for $1 in 1905. In 1920, Nathan Franklin sold the house to W.E. and Alice Adams for $8,500. Adams' second wife Mary closed up the house in 1936, two years after W.E.'s death, leaving the contents and furnishings intact.
Reviewed By Rockabird - Beach Park, United States
This tour was low key but very informative about not only the house but the history of the original and subsequent owners of the house. It is a house that was owned by a very wealthy couple and it displayed the most modern and expensive accoutrements of the era. Rather fascinating.
9. Pettigrew Home & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 126 reviews
Welcome to the Past! Tour the elegant 1889 Queen Anne-style home of South Dakota’s first senator, Richard Pettigrew. Take a guided tour of the historic home, or browse the museum galleries and discover the Sioux Falls of the late 1800s. Free admission. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible. Open Monday through Sunday.
Reviewed By Cashebitt - Omaha, United States
I never miss to visit the turn of the century mansions to see what the upper class lived like back in those days. I love antiques so you most likely to see some beautiful pieces. I highly recommend this place to see a little of Sioux Falls history. The staff is friendly and helpful.
10. Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 224 reviews
The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village is the only archaeological site in South Dakota open to the public. It is a 1,000 year-old village located on the shores of lovely Lake Mitchell. Each summer students from the University of Exeter, England and Augustana University, Sioux Falls continue the excavation of the site. Tours are given every day during the summer months by knowledgeable guides. Plenty of activities for all ages. Visit the museum, the dig site (located in the Archeodome) and Shoppe Antiquary (a gift shop featuring Native American jewelry, pottery, art and more). Our biggest event of the year is Archeology Awareness Days, held on July 2nd and 3rd, 2016. Open Monday thru Saturday 8:00am - 7:00 pm beginning Memorial Day weekend; open Sundays 10:00am to 6:00pm. Open the rest of the year 9:00am - 6:00pm.
Reviewed By 462pamelak - Elk Grove, United States
We stumbled on this attraction purely by accident while visiting the corn palace. It’s so interesting to be able to see a real archeological dig and view exhibits that have been excavated from the site. It was far more interesting than the corn palace, lol. Definitely recommend if you’re in the area.
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