South Dakota

Mitchell South Dakota Corn Palace

South Dakota is a north central state with many interesting places to visit.  Although much of the state is farm land, the western region is more mountainous.  This is the state we are hoping to visit in our next vacation.  I have been there before but it will be a new experience for my husband and the daughter we will travel with. 

One of our stops will be at Wall Drug along the way and we also hope to see the Corn Palace in Mitchell.  These two places have been traditional “roadside tourist attractions” for decades.   

Mount Rushmore and a new mountain carving of Crazy Horse are located south west of Rapid City, South Dakota.  There are numerous tourist attractions in this area featuring tours that include many smaller attractions in addition to the main ones.    We plan on the bus and train tour from Hill City to Keystone which features an 1880 steam locomotive.

Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota 

Harley Davidson owners meet in Sturgis annually for one of the largest motorcycle rallies.  This city is in the northwest part of the state, just north of Deadwood, an old west town that has been restored as a major entertainment area including old hotels, historic displays, casinos and other family oriented attractions.

The Black Hills and Badlands of northwestern South Dakota feature many caves, National Parks, hiking trails, and unique scenery.  The Minuteman Missile National Historical Site is located 45 miles east of Rapid City in the southwestern section of the state.  Tours of the Launch Facility/missile silo and Launch Control Facility are available daily during the summer season. 

Vintage view of The Badlands of South Dakota

There are about a dozen major stops along the Lewis and Clark Trail which winds along the Missouri River for over 400 miles in the mid section of the state.  Those familiar with the Little House on the Prairie books might enjoy a visit to the original homestead of Laura Engalls Wilder, the author in De Smet, a town in the eastern prairie area.  The hardest part of any vacation is narrowing down the list of places to a reasonable number so that you can actually have time to enjoy the places you choose.  Check out the travel site for South Dakota at http://www.travelsd.com/