Are you planning a South Dakota vacation? I can promise you this: you and your kids will LOVE South Dakota! There is such a wide variety of scenery, experiences, and places to run, climb, and just BE A KID! South Dakota is an excellent trip for families with kids of ALL ages. My sisters and I loved our childhood trip there when we were middle elementary school to junior high age. Josh and I visited May 2021 with our boys (ages 2, 7, 9), their grandparents (60s), and my aunt (80s). We all had an amazing time. It truly is an awesome place for all ages.
I’m ready to share our experiences and tips in the form of an itinerary based on our recent trip. I’ve labeled the must-do visits, and built in a few options to choose from (or spend a little extra time and do them all!). Note that we traveled from the eastern edge of the state west on I-90, so it may need reversed if you are coming from a different direction. Let’s explore South Dakota!
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Day 1: MUST DO Badlands National Park Loop
The Badlands were our boys FAVORITE part of the trip. It’s miles upon miles of land to explore, view an abundance of wildlife, and places to CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB! The Loop is 39 miles with lots of overlooks and hikes to choose from. While we were there we saw bison, prairie dogs, big horn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. We had a picnic lunch at Big Foot Pass, and the highlight of the day was hiking The Notch. Read my Badlands post for a full rundown.
For your trip, start at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and head west on the loop (Hwy 240). If you are wanting to hike, you might start with one of the three options just northeast of the visitor’s center. Here you’ll find The Notch and a couple easy hikes. Then head back past the visitor’s center to the loop. Pick a couple of the overlooks to stop and take in the amazing views, pull over at the Fossil Exhibit Trail to let the kids climb the rocks, and pick a spot along the loop for a picnic lunch. The main paved loop alone will take a few hours. Once you’ve made it to the Pinnacles Overlook, you have two options:
Option 1: Wall Drug
Head north on Hwy 240. It’s about a 15 minute drive to Wall Drug Store. Wall Drug is the ULTIMATE tourist trap for any souvenirs you could possibly dream up. If you need anything from a postcard to a stuffed jackalope for above your mantle…Wall Drug is your place!
After your kids have spent their souvenir money, continue on to Rapid City and find a hotel for your first night.
Option 2: Continue along Sage Creek Rim Road
Continue past the Pinnacles Overlook area onto the dirt Sage Creek Rim Road that continues through the badlands. This is your best bet if you’ve yet to see bison or pronghorn. We saw a lot of bison and even a few big horn sheep on this road! You’ll end up in Scenic. Continue west on Hwy 44 on to Rapid City and find a hotel for your first night.
Day 2: Rapid City, Keystone, and MUST DO Mount Rushmore
In the morning, I’ve listed two options on the south side of Rapid City. Choose the one you think better suits your family’s style and interests. If you’re in town a little longer, check out both like we did!
Morning Option 1: Bear Country U.S.A.
We really enjoyed the Bear Country U.S.A drive-thru wildlife park, which has 20 species of North American mammals including the world’s largest privately-owned collection of black bears. The bears SURROUND your car and get so close we were convinced we would hit one…even though the signs assured us otherwise.
Morning Option 2: Reptile Gardens
Reptile Gardens has more species of reptiles than any other zoo or animal park in the world. Their Sky Dome is a tropical climate with botanical gardens home to many species of snakes, lizards, frogs, crocodiles, topical birds, and many other reptiles and amphibians. The grounds also include giant tortoises, a bald eagle, a prairie dog town, and snake shows.
Afternoon: All Aboard the Keystone 1880 Steam-Powered Train!
Head south of Rapid City to Keystone. Get tickets to ride the 1880 Train‘s 12:45 departure (you might want to purchase a day or two in advance). You’ll ride back from Hill City on the 2:30 departure and be back to Keystone by about 3:30. We really enjoyed this steam-powered train ride that allows you to experience the scenery of the beautiful Black Hills.
Early Evening: MUST DO Mount Rushmore National Memorial
From Keystone it’s just a few minutes drive to Mount Rushmore. Spend the late afternoon/early evening exploring this iconic US National Memorial. Be sure to walk the 0.9 mile Presidential Trail Loop for varying views of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Our two-year-old kept yelling “I see George!” each time he caught a glimpse of the carvings along the path. 🙂
When you’ve got your fill of exploring the grounds, it’s about a half hour drive to Custer where you can spend your second night. For dinner, I recommend the Begging Burro Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar.
If you are planning your trip early, I highly recommend this VRBO property just outside of Custer. It’s on an active goat farm, your kids can help with farm chores, and the accommodations are so cute!
Day 3: Wind Cave National Park or Jewel Cave National Monument & Crazy Horse Memorial
Morning Option 1: Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave was probably the biggest disappointment of our trip to South Dakota. Not because it’s not amazing (IT IS!), but because we JUST MISSED the opportunity for an amazing cave tour. We got in line for the tour tickets just a few minutes after the park opening time of 8am, but the line was already extremely long. We waited in line awhile, and eventually had about 10-15 people in front of us when they SOLD OUT FOR THE WHOLE DAY! 🙁 We asked around, and for the morning cave tour there were people in line by 6AM! We did visit on Memorial Day weekend which may have been part of the problem.
So if you are really wanting to get a cave tour, BE THERE EARLY! Like…BEFORE THE PARK EVEN OPENS EARLY! If you want a morning tour, you need to be in line even earlier.
We still had a great time at Wind Cave, though! We saw a lot of bison, pronghorn antelope, a coyote hunting prairie dogs, and did a great prairie hike where a prairie dog let us get up close and personal. I’d also recommend the Rankin Ridge Trail, a moderate hike with some really scenic overlooks. We had a picnic lunch and spent a few hours in the park before heading back to our rental cabin.
Morning Option 2: Jewel Cave National Monument
Confession: We did not visit Jewel Cave National Monument, but I wish we would’ve had time! It’s the third longest cave in the world, and offers guided cave tours and hiking trails. This is another great cave option.
Late Afternoon: Crazy Horse Memorial
Visit Crazy Horse Memorial, just a short drive north of Custer. The granite sculpture has been slowly in-the-works since 1948, but it is a neat site and the Indian Museum of North America has a really nice collection of art and artifacts.
Truth: I don’t necessarily recommend sticking around for the light show. We did, and regretted it. The very end of the show is neat to see a lit-up version of what the sculpture will eventually become but the rest of the 30 minutes honestly left us bored and confused. It seemed like just a lot of random pictures thrown up on the side of the mountain and many parts of the audio were hard to understand.
Head back for another night in Custer.
For a Fun Add-On Adventure in Custer:
Rent a UTV or Slingshot from Adventure Rentals to cruise the Black Hills. My dad rented a Slingshot and we all loved it!
Day 4: MUST DO Custer State Park
Custer was MY FAVORITE of our South Dakota trip. It is gorgeous and has SO much to do. You could really spend multiple days at Custer if you have the time. Visit my Custer post for a more in-depth look at this amazing park.
Start your morning early, heading back north just past Mount Rushmore. Head south on 16A, known as Iron Mountain Road. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! The whole family loved this extremely scenic road with pigtails, tunnels, overlooks, and quick glimpses of “George” through the trees. 🙂
You’ll end up at the main Custer State Park entrance. Make a stop to get some advice from a park ranger at the visitor’s center – it’s REALLY nice and has great displays and interactive features!
From the visitor’s center, take the wildlife loop road for your best chance at seeing huge herds of bison that are typically right along the roadway.
For the rest of the day: What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Custer probably has a great version of it – amazing hiking, fishing, horseback riding, swimming, and boating to name a few. Eat lunch at one of their great lodges, and spend the day exploring this beautiful park. Be sure to drive the Needles Highway, with 14 miles of amazing views of the granite formations. At the end of the Needles Highway is Sylvan Lake. Be sure to stop at this picturesque location before you exit the park on your last evening of this 4-day whirlwind South Dakota adventure!
Side Trips If You Have Time
- If you’re coming into South Dakota on the eastern edge of the state, stop by Sioux Falls Park. Our boys loved seeing the falls and climbing around on the rocks.
- If you have an extra day, don’t miss the opportunity to head into the east side of Wyoming and hike around the base of Devils Tower National Monument!
- Deadwood, South Dakota would be a great stop for kids (and adults!) that are into the gun slinging excitement of the wild, wild west.
The Last Thing You Need to Know About Visiting South Dakota
South Dakota is an awesome family road trip vacation. A road trip alternative would be flying into Rapid City, renting a car, and following the itinerary from there (that’s what my parents and aunt did). Make sure you don’t miss Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Custer State Park. The rest is icing on the cake!
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Have you been to South Dakota? Drop a comment below with your favorite place!
Planning a South Dakota vacation? What’s on YOUR to-do list?