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South Dakota is a state of many layers: Native American history, natural wonders, culture, great food, family-friendly attractions, and so much more. From the prairie to the Badlands, here are the 12 things you must experience when visiting the Mount Rushmore State.
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A monumental must

Let’s get right to it: South Dakota’s immediate global familiarity is linked directly with Mount Rushmore. Located in Keystone, this 80-year-old iconic memorial is known for its 60-foot-high granite images of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. While you can view Mount Rushmore from many miles away, there’s nothing quite like experiencing its intricate details up close for yourself. Plus, the trails leading up to the viewing platforms are ideal for those keen to get their steps in after enjoying a hearty meal in the region.
Be bad (in a good way)
The panoramic beauty of South Dakota is monumental all by itself. A visit to nearly 234,000-acre Badlands National Park will leave you in a state of awe—particularly with its seemingly endless pinnacles and buttes. Pro-tip: The most jaw-dropping time to visit the park is between dawn and sunrise when colors of the moment accentuate the rugged beauty of the park’s otherworldly-looking geologic formations.
Slow down in Rapid City

Rapid City, South Dakota
As one of South Dakota’s major cities, Rapid City doesn’t’ disappoint. As a hub for arts and education, you can experience both visual and performing arts while also learning about regional history at the Dahl Arts Center. You can even go back in time at The Journey Museum & Learning Center which focuses on the regions’ archaeology, paleontology, and geology. The City of Presidents bronze statue installation (which is peppered throughout the city center) is unique: It is the only place in the U.S. where you able to stand alongside and take a selfie with the likenesses of previous U.S. presidents. And when it comes to Rapid City’s culinary scene, be sure to enjoy a beer with your lunch at Firehouse Brewing Company. And be sure to enjoy an amazing wine tasting at Firehouse Wine Cellars before your wonderful dinner at Delmonico Grill.
Ride back in time
A ride aboard the 1880 Black Hills Central Railroad is a fun and authentic experience for the family! Every 2-hour train ride follows the original routes to the mines and mills between Hill City and Keystone. This narrated journey is the oldest continuously operating railroad tour in the U.S.!
Go crazy for Crazy Horse

Located in the heart of South Dakota’s Black Hills is the Crazy Horse Memorial. This granite monument sculpture depicting Lakota Warrior Crazy Horse while riding a horse commenced in 1948. Crazy Horse Memorial continues to this day as a work in progress. Once completed, this monument will stand 563 tall and 641 feet high and it will be the largest monument in the United States and the second tallest monument in the world—if it’s ever finished.
Discover a Black Hills foodie paradise
Located minutes away from Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore is the City of Custer. This former mining town is not only centrally located to major attractions, but its city center is also home to great local cuisine: Start your day right with breakfast at Baker’s Bakery & Café. From a famous breakfast burrito smothered in homemade salsa verde to their Western omelette, you won’t leave with an empty stomach! Plus, their cinnamon buns are epic. For lunch, Black Hills Burger & Bun is a local favorite with its eclectic menu offerings as well as its unique Burger of the Week. For dinner: Skogen Kitchen is a chef-driven concept focusing on comfort food with healthful sensibilities.
Visit the home where buffalo roam
Custer State Park is home to the largest buffalo herding experience in America. Every September, the park’s annual Buffalo Roundup gathers more than 1,500 bison into a single pasture for health inspection, vaccinations, etc. Witnessing this endeavor is quite a sight to behold—though “driving” buffalo into a dedicated pasture is not as easy as it seems: Male buffalo can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds and run as fast as 35 miles an hour! Even if you miss the festival, anytime is a good time for families to visit the park and encounter the buffalo.
Thread the Needles Highway
One of the most scenic drives in America is South Dakota’s Highway 87, better known as The Needles Highway. As your crew traverses all 14 miles of this highway, you will experience nature in all its glory: pine forests, meadows surrounded by birch and mountainous formations. The views are spectacular! And during the drive you’ll experience Iron Creek Tunnel and Needles Eye Tunnel, both of which have areas where you can pull to the side to take photos.
Hit the Wall
Wall Drug Store, one of the world’s most famous road stops, is known for being a wonderfully quirky slice of Americana. Wall Drug offers much more than what you might expect. It’s an experience that includes: a frontier town, a miniature Mount Rushmore, and a 6-foot Jackalope! It also offers shopping on a grand scale! There are 26 departments that include an abundance of souvenirs, clothes, jewelry, regional items, and a pharmacy. Wall Drug also has a restaurant where you can enjoy a wonderful meal serving American fare. Be sure to order some of their homemade dooughnuts to go along with a cup of their 5-cent coffee!
Watch the show, then visit the town
Much like the series Deadwood, its namesake city is similarly geared toward adults, thanks to the many. casinos and biker bars. This is a place where Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok became famous (don’t miss the re-enactments of famous shootouts that take place six days a week on Main Street). This legendary destination seamlessly blends its unique past with its numerous modern casinos, entertainment offerings, and more. One of the places in Deadwood that you shouldn’t miss is Lee Street Station Café, which is a repurposed garage that has been transformed into a diner. It doubles as a glassblowing studio, so you can watch artisans make beautiful creations while you wait for your breakfast or lunch order.
Do something corny
The eastern half of South Dakota is underrated compared to its western counterpart, but the World’s Only Corn Palace is one attraction you won’t want to miss. Located in Mitchell, this roadside attraction (which is not actually made of corn) was constructed in 1892 right on Main Street and aimed to position South Dakota as a premiere agricultural destination. Check out its numerous corn and grain murals, the lavish decor, or visit in August for the annual Corn Palace Festival. Have your camera ready.
Throttle up

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The Sturgis Motorcyle Rally is the stuff of biker legend. Held annually in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, the 10-day event attracts a half million riders annually and includes numerous loops around the region including out to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, around Custer State Park, the Badlands, Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon, and more. A live music component includes megawatt headliners like ZZ Top, Stone Temple Pilots, Kid Rock, Reverend Horton Heat, Insane Clown Posse, and others, and there’s also a pub crawl, 5K run, tattoo contest, poker tournament, and even family-oriented events.
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