Top 10 Things to Do in South Dakota

1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park—Easily the most famous rock portrait, this massive sculpture took 14 years and a father/son team to create. There are several viewing areas and hiking trails with a lighting ceremony each evening. Also in the park is an amphitheater, museum and picnic area. (Keystone)
2. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally—For a week in August, it’s biker heaven in Sturgis. Swelling the population of this small town are motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world for races, motocross, hill climbs, souvenir vendors, food booths, live concerts and more. The rally is for true road warriors and the casual biker.
3. Custer State Park—See what the prairie must have been like centuries ago with bison roaming as far as you can see at this lovely park. Other viewable wildlife include elk, pronghorn, mountain goats and burros. Spectacular rock formations called “needles” add to the amazing scenery as visitors hike, bike, camp, fish, kayak, pan for gold, take Jeep safaris and so much more.
4. Cultural Heritage Center—Experience life as the early South Dakotans did, with amazing exhibits that explore the life and times of the region’s Native American tribes, the Lakota and Sioux. See how trappers, miners and settlers eventually changed the area and marvel at the artifacts, antiques and memorabilia. (Pierre)
5. Jewel Cave National Monument/Wind Cave National Park—Descend into the depths of these amazing caverns, with glittering crystals, massive formations and miles of passages and tunnels. Journeying deep below the earth to a dark and rocky land is like traveling to another world, you’ll never forget the spectacular sights after returning to the surface. (Custer/Hot Springs)
6. Badlands National Park Big Pig Digs—South Dakota was once home to an array of fierce prehistoric creatures, and visitors can see fossil beds, active paleontology digs and natural history museums just about everywhere. This fossil bed has uncovered 12 different kinds of animals, and visitors can see the dig in progress and then take the Fossil Exhibit Trail. (Badlands National Park)
7. Deadwood—The discovery of gold brought thousands to this little town in the Black Hills and gave rise to some of the most spectacular truths, tales and legends in the region. With the entire town as a National Historic Site, Deadwood today is a lovely little community with plenty of historic sites to visit.
8. Lewis and Clark Trail—Follow in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery, from the southernmost entrance into South Dakota, along the river where they encountered various native tribes and out again near the North Dakota border. Find historic markers that correspond with the journal entries citing campsites and other trail highlights.
9. National Music Museum—Give your ears a treat and your soul an otherworldly experience at this museum built to honor music in all its forms and functions. The museum houses thousands of instruments among exhibits that demonstrate the musical heritage of different cultures and eras. (Vermillion)
10. George S. Mickelson Trail—Biking enthusiasts from around the world are praising the quality of this 114-mile trail through South Dakota. Through hills, forests, cliffs, rock tunnels and river valleys, the trail is perfect for all kinds of mountain bikes, from beginners to advanced bikers.