18 Best Things to do in South Dakota

As a kid, I remember taking a family trip to Mount Rushmore and camping at some Flintstone theme park like place. Sadly, the Flinstone thing doesn’t exist anymore. Now that I’m in my 40s, I thought it would be fun to take my own kids to vacation in South Dakota. We piled in the minivan and drove the 700 miles to an AirBnB in the Black Hills. Then, each day we ventured out to explore what South Dakota had to offer.

As other families plan a vacation in South Dakota, I’ve put together a list of the 10 best things to do while on vacation in the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. At the end of the article, I’ve included our itinerary to help you in your planning.

Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial (or is it Rush Mountmore?)

Mount Rushmore is synonymous with a family vacation to South Dakota. Four historic U.S. Presidents are immortalized on a mountainside and people flock from around the world to see it in person. Many just walk down the Avenue of Flags and look at the mountainside from the Grand View Terrace. But for those looking to get a little closer, there’s a short hiking trail that takes you underneath the president’s.

The best time of day to visit is in the morning hours (9 a.m. to noon). As the day progresses, the shadows and backlighting make it a challenge to get a great photo. But go with whatever works with your itinerary. For us, we were there in the late afternoon and things worked out.

Read all about it with this rundown on Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Oh and the reason I listed is a Rush Mountmore is because my kids enjoyed mixing up the letters. We also referred to it as Rount Mushmore. Whatever you call it, it’s a staple stop for a trip to South Dakota.

Walk Through History at the Presidential Wax Museum

There are four U.S. Presidents carved on the side of a hill. But every single U.S. President has a wax statue at the National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone, South Dakota. It’s a short drive from Mount Rushmore and is a great spot to learn about each U.S. President and highlights from their time in office.

For example, President George H. W. Bush is seen standing near the rubble of the World Trade Center following the attacks of September 11, 2001. President Richard Nixon is seen congratulating Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins following their historic moon walk in 1969. And President John F. Kennedy is seen sitting at his desk in the Oval Office with his coconut (learn more about the story at the JFK Presidential Library near Boston).

Don’t miss out on the chance to stand at the Press Secretary podium for a selfie during your visit. Learn more about the National Presidential Wax Museum.

Oooh and Aaaah at Bear Country U.S.A.

Bear Country U.S.A. in Rapid City is a very popular spot in the summer months. The drive-through wildlife park can take an hour or two to get through, depending on traffic. And yes, sometimes the animals are the ones backing up traffic. But it’s definitely worth it.

The drive-through section takes you through areas to see wolves, elk, big horn sheep and of course… bears. The bears are probably the highlight and it’s fun to watch them basking in the sun along the road, walking slowly down the middle of the road, or soaking in the pond. But once you finish the drive, your visit isn’t over.

Walk through the second portion of the wildlife park to see groundhogs, porcupines, raccoons and the highlight of the area – baby bear cubs. We spent a while just watching them wrestle, frolic in the water or climb a tree to get away from an annoying sibling. Haha.

Read more about what you’ll find at Bear Country U.S.A.

Get Dizzy at Cosmos Mystery Area

I will admit to getting a little dizzy during my visit to Cosmos Mystery Area. It definitely causes some vertigo. But it’s all just weird enough to amaze. Watch a ball roll uphill. See water defy gravity and a chair float on a wall. The tour is pretty quick, so you don’t have to dedicate more than an hour for your visit. Plus, it’s just down the road from Bear Country U.S.A.

The tour guides will crack a lot of Dad Jokes, but it keeps people on the tour laughing – which helps with the vertigo.

Plan your stop by reading about what to expect at Cosmos Mystery Area.

Wander Through Reptile Gardens

Another popular South Dakota attraction in Rapid City is Reptile Gardens. Visitors can spend a couple hours exploring all the wildlife. Some of the highlights includes a giant 16-foot long crocodile named Maniac, a bald eagle who’s been a resident of the Gardens for 11 years and some giant tortoises.

Don’t miss out on the snake shows – unless you have a fear of snakes. But even then, be brave and enjoy learning more about those magnificent animals.

Read more about Reptile Gardens as you plan things to do in South Dakota.

Go European at the House of Scandinavia

I knew my 12-year-old son would totally love stopping at the House of Scandinavia. Needless to say, we all enjoyed checking it out. The store is located just down the road from Bear Country U.S.A. Inside you’ll find wares from the Scandinavia countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland. Although I think Denmark and Northern Germany are included in it as well. Items include nutcrackers, Christmas decor, books, blankets, stickers and small grocery items.

For example, my oldest son was super excited to buy his own package of stroopwaffles. My daughter found a cookbook from Sweden with lots of great recipes. We grabbed a little holiday gnome to add to our Christmas decorations. There are some really cool items and the snacks are delicious.

Discover what the House of Scandinavia has to offer. Your tastebuds will thank you.

Explore Custer State Park

Custer State Park is huge, with multiple entrances and long scenic drives. We enjoyed a day trip to the Sylvan Lake area of the park and took a couple hikes in the Black Hills. There were other hikes we had hoped to take, but there were wildfires in the area and several trails had been closed.

A really fun trail was Sunday Gulch, which starts at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. The four mile loop follows a stream down the mountain from the lake. Then you loop back around and can take in some epic landscapes. No – you don’t get to see the backside of the four U.S. Presidents whose faces are on Mount Rushmore. 😉

If hiking isn’t your thing, enjoy a scenic drive through the park and spot wildlife. You can also fish in the lakes and streams or spend a day kayaking on the lakes. You could spend an entire vacation simply exploring and enjoying what Custer State Park has to offer.

See Crazy Horse Memorial

I’ve hear mixed reviews from people who have visited Crazy Horse Memorial. They’ve said it was overpriced and there really isn’t much to do there. Others have compared it to Mount Rushmore, but it’s a work of art that’s been in process for decades. The actual carving of the mountain side began in the 1940s and continues to this day. Currently, you can see the face of Crazy Horse, but the rest of the mountain is pretty much a work in progress.

You can see the carving from a distance, so you don’t necessarily have to visit the actual memorial if you just want to see it. Visiting the Memorial allows you to learn more about the Native Americans who call that area home. Learn more about Crazy Horse Memorial to determine if you want to visit it while looking for things to do in South Dakota.

Walk Through Wind Cave National Park

Sadly, we weren’t able to include Wind Cave National Park during our vacation to South Dakota. The cave was closed due to COVID-19. But I’ve done my research and hope to make it back to the area to explore this iconic cave. Wind Cave National Park is more than a cave. There’s also hiking trails, scenic drives and wildlife viewing areas. But most people come to explore the cave.

All tours are ranger-guided – so you don’t get to wander freely through the caves. Tickets are available at the Visitor Center on the day of the tours. There is no option to grab tickets online in advance of your visit. This means that it’s first-come, first-served. The earlier in the day you can visit, the better. During peak seasons, all tickets can be sold out by noon.

Find out more about Wind Cave National Park and plan your day exploring the hiking trails and touring the cave.

Celebrate the Holidays at Christmas Village

If you love the Christmas Holiday, you’ll want to stop in at Christmas Village in Rapid City. There are rows and rows of Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers, nativities, signs, decor and so much more. You’ll have struck gold if you’re also a fan of the NFL or MLB, as there are ornaments and more branded with your favorite team logos.

Many people collect ornaments in their travels, so this is a great spot to explore their aisles and grab one for your tree at home. It’s okay to start singing Christmas Carols in the summer while visiting.

Learn more about Christmas Village for your South Dakota vacation road trip.

Jewel Cave National Monument

Just west of Custer State Park is Jewel Cave National Monument. Not to be confused with Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave is a guided-tour only spot. However, currently all tours are suspended during the elevator renovation project (Updated Aug 1, 2021). You can still visit the area and explore some of the trails on the surface. During the summer months you can walk among the wildflowers while keep an eye out for any wildlife.

When the tours resume, a few of the tours have advanced ticket reservations available. Some of the other tours must be booked onsite on the day of your visit. Those tickets go quickly, so arrive early if you want to guarantee a spot on the tour.

Learn more about Jewel Cave National Monument, as it’s one of the best things to do in South Dakota

Go Large at Mammoth Site in Hot Springs

Dinosaur and fossil lovers will enjoy a few hours at Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The museum is an indoor, active fossil dig site. Visitors can take a guided or self-guided tour of the museum and learn all about the discovery of these ice age fossils.

The exhibit hall has several replicas of creatures from the ice age, including wooly mammoths and 87 other ice age animals. There is also a hands-on learning area for kids to get their hands dirty. It’s perfect for future palentologists.

Learn more about what you can experience at Mammoth Site in South Dakota.

Get Wild-Wild-West in Deadwood

If you want to experience the Wild Wild West, without risk of being shot by a six-shooter, then you’ll love exploring Deadwood. Main Street is where you may spend most of your time, but there are a few highlights to visit outside of city limits.

The highlight events are the shootouts. Gather around as cowboys, cowgirls and outlaws share the history of the city, as well as sling a few guns. There are multiple shows each day, at various spots along Main Street. So be sure and time your visit to experience one of the shootouts. Beyond the shootout, you can enjoy some shopping, dining and gambling.

Off of Main Street are some historic museums about the area’s gold rush, mining and more. There’s also a cemetery you can wander through and see the burial sites of a few famous outlaws.

Learn more about the best things to do in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Explore the Broken Boot Gold Mine

Just down the street from Deadwood is an old gold mine. The guided tours take you deep within the hillside as you look at how mining was done back in the day. At one point, you even get to see just how dark it is when there is absolutely no light source. It’s so dark, you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. Not the type of conditions I would want to be working in.

Our tour guide was amazing. He knew so much about no only the history of the area, but also the geology. He was a wealth of knowledge in helping us learn about what we were seeing.

Definitely mark the Broken Boot Gold Mine among the best things to do in South Dakota.

Love the Beauty of Spearfish Canyon

Spearfish Canyon Highway is a beautiful scenic drive north of Deadwood, South Dakota. The windy road takes you to a few hot spots for visitors – the community caves and Bridal Veil Falls. There are also several trailheads along the road, so if you want to explore the area on foot, find one and hit the trail.

Be on the lookout for wildlife as well. You may see deer, mountain goats, bobcats and porcupines enjoying the plant life in the area.

Learn more about driving, hiking or exploring Spearfish Canyon during your vacation to South Dakota.

Hike in Badlands National Park

In a major contrast to the lush green forests of the Black Hills, Badlands National Park is dry and hot. During our late July visit, temperatures were nearing 100. We started our hikes around 10 a.m. and the kids would’ve loved it more (since we love hiking), but it was just so blasted hot. The park ranger told us it’s usually not this hot. We were still able to explore the park on foot and experience multiple hiking trails.

One of the most popular trails involves a large ladder people have to climb. Notch Trail starts with a short hike to the bottom of a ladder. Wait your turn to ascend, then follow the ledge trail to a great viewpoint of the Badlands. There are two other trails that all depart from this same area – Door and Window. Then it’s a short drive to the other ones like Cliff Shelf Nature Trail and the Fossil Exhibit Trail.

If you aren’t up for hiking, you can take a scenic drive from the park to get a sense of this unique area of South Dakota. But I highly recommend breaking away from the car and exploring on foot.

Read more about the hiking trails at Badlands National Park.

Learn History at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

The Cold War era was a scary time. Nuclear missiles were ready to launch at a moment’s notice in both America and Russia. South Dakota was littered with missile silos, and the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserved a few to help us learn about that dangerous time in American history.

Just outside the main entrance to Badlands National Park is this hidden gem. But the historic site is made up of multiple venues. I recommend starting your visit at the museum so you can learn about just how destructive nuclear power could be. It’s shocking to see how powerful the atomic bomb was to Hiroshima. Well the warheads the U.S. had pointed at Russia were a little more powerful. But the warheads Russia had pointed at the U.S. were way more powerful than that – a single warhead could’ve wiped out the entire eastern seaboard.

A few miles west of the museum is a missile silo you can visit. You can’t venture down into the bunker below, but you can look down the silo and see the large missile. If you want to venture down into the ground, they offer guided tours of the control center a little further down the road. Those tours are booked out far in advance, so don’t miss out on the chance to take the tour – book your tickets early.

Read more about the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site and include it in your list of best things to do in South Dakota.

Stop in at Wall Drug for Food and Souvenirs

Wall Drug is one of those spots everyone talks about when visiting South Dakota. It’s between Rapid City and the Badlands, and if you’re looking for some shopping, snacks or just a spot to stretch your legs, it’s worth stopping. Our visit was pretty short. We let the kids wander through the shops – books, souvenirs, clothes, cowboy boots, art and more.

We weren’t really interested in grabbing any ice cream as we were still co-miserating from the heat we hit in Badlands (meaning we were probably a little grumpy). So after a walkthrough of the main areas, and snapping a few selfies with the carved wood statues, we piled back in the car and made our way back to the cabin.

Check out more of the things to do at Wall Drug in South Dakota.

4-day Itinerary for things to do in South Dakota

With so many things to see and do in South Dakota, it’s hard to fit it all in. Here’s a rundown of our family’s itinerary for our trip to South Dakota. We had rented an AirBnB cabin in Leeds, so all of our day trips started there. We didn’t allow for a whole lot of downtime – but that’s just how we travel.

• Day 1: Explore Deadwood, tour the Broken Boot Gold Mine, drive through Spearfish Canyon
• Day 2: Hike in Custer State Park, drive by Crazy Horse Memorial (You could probably add Wind Cave or Jewel Cave)
• Day 3: Explore Badlands National Park (morning), visit Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, stop at Wall Drug on your way back
• Day 4: Visit Mount Rushmore, the National Presidential Wax Museum, Cosmos Mystery Area, Bear Country U.S.A. and the House of Scandinavia.

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