Top 10 Visitor Attractions in South Dakota? (Sioux Falls, Rapid City: hotels, neighborhood, camping)

[R_Cowgirl]

If you were telling someone to come and visit, 1) What are the Top 10 things they should see in South Dakota? 2) What about attractions off the beaten path? and 3) What are some things the visitor industry could do to attract more visitors (and money) into the state?
Thanks!!

[nanjosbrand]

Since I'm from east river, my ideas are definitely east-sided. These are just 10 places I could think of off the top of my head and they are definitely in no particular order. I am sure others will come up with some other pretty good ideas!!

1. Terry Redlin museum in Watertown
2. Corn Palace in Mitchell
3. Mount Rushmore near Keystone
4.Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer
5. Fort Randall Dam/Missouri River area near Pickstown
6.Jesse James runaway area in Garretson
7.Laura Ingalls Wilder pageant in De Smet
8.StoryBook Island in Aberdeen
9.Wall Drug in Wall
10.BadLands National Park near Kadoka--take the highway heading west from the Badlands (not the Interstate) heading toward Rapid City. I had never seen so many fields of Prairie Dogs in my life--what a sight to see!!!

[DannyBanany]

1. Mount Rushmore
2. Spearfish Canyon
3. Crazy Horse
4. Custer State Park (gotta see those buffalo)
5. Wind Cave National Park
6. Spearfish Canyon
7. The Mammoth Site
8. Harney Peak (be the highest point east of the Rockies)
9. Skyline Drive in Rapid City (locals HATE tourists up there )
10. Scenic 385

One thing that I wish SD would do for tourism is tear down some of those ugly tacky signs on I-90 that make these attractions seem so cheap. Some of those old wood billboards are chipping away and they look gawdy. It's kind of embarassing.

I also wish that Rapid City's freeway signs would hang over the roads instead of sitting on the sides. I cannot tell you how many times I've given lost tourists directions. I like doing it, but Rapid City's not that complicated to get through.

I can't wait until more hotels are built out on the Southeast Connector. Then tourists will have a straight-shot into the Black Hills and summer traffic in the city will be better. I hope it's not bad on Rapid City's economy though.

[R_Cowgirl]

Thanks guys. I'm talking with some of the tourism folks and they really want this kind of feedback!! I appreciate it! Will report in from Sunny Pierre in a couple of weeks! Can't wait to get back up there and see a little snow. (I know, it will be a LOT of snow!) But I have sisters in Brookings and friends in Madison and Sioux Falls, so I'm looking forward to it no matter what the weather is. BTW - I actually lived in Kadoka for a short while!!! LOL

[Chris19]

Things to see in South Dakota:
1. Mt. Rushmore, our famous and signature tourist attraction.
2. Badlands, very neat landscapes
3. Wall Drug, a drug store but not any old drug store
4. Lewis and Clark Lake (Yankton), a fun place to hike, fish, and enjoy the Missouri River
5. Corn Palace, a quirky auditorium that has character
6. Falls Park (Sioux Falls), nice observation tower and a nice path to downtown. Although not quite like Niagara Falls, but a very neat area to see.
7. Spearfish Canyon, a very neat road south of Spearfish that has fabulous scenery (one of my favorite areas of the Black Hills)
8. Deadwood, a historic town that one can stroll and maybe try his or her luck at one of the gaming areas.
9. Old Courthouse Museum in Sioux Falls, a very neat place to tour through (1889 courthouse with history of Sioux Falls)
10. Prairie Village (Madison), a replica town that would be in the 1900-1920s era (neat to see if one is into history)

[fsdflyer]

1. Mount Rushmore/Black Hills
2. Crazy Horse
3. Badlands
4. Falls Park - SF
5. Washington Pavillion - SF
6. Terry Redlin Museum - Watertown
7. Story Book Island - Aberdeen
8. Veterans Hospital Neighborhood Mansions - SF
9. SDSU Brookings During a Game or Homecoming
10. Wind Cave

[R_Cowgirl]

Isnt' there a place like Prairie Village near the Black Hills? I vaguely remember something being put together over there sometime around 1995. Is it still there?

[debey]

Some of the best things about SD may not be considered ''tourist'' at all....fishing/camping on the Missorri River, or in many of the State Parks........
p;heasant hunting.

[afdude2018]

Not really anywhere close to Top 10 destinations/attractions, but you can also get a tour of Ellsworth AFB. Personally everything else mentioned would come before going to base if I were a tourist. I still have yet to make a trip to most of the places mentioned.

[Huskerz7]

1. Mt. Rushmore (It's the shrine of democracy!)
2. Crazy Horse (Just amazing how big it is)
3. Spearfish Canyon (Beautiful year round, AMAZING in the fall)
4. Jewel Cave (One of the best caves I have been in)
5. Reptile Gardens (Just a really cool place)
6. Custer State Park (Very scenic)
7. Sturgis (During the Motorcycle rally. Any other time of the year it is your typical small town)
8. Evans Plunge in Hot Springs (A really cool place)
9. MAmmoth Site in Hot Springs
10. South Dakota air and space museum (Mainly because I love those vintage airplanes)