fun places for children (Lead: houses, movies, low cost)

[ashnat]

Originally Posted by airboat5

Story book island is pretty cool.

storybook island is not open in mid November. You can walk thru it to look at Christmas lights before Christmas, but you can't play in there. Storybook is only open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Winter in RC is pretty lame. There's the indoor swim center, ice rink, Watiki waterpark, sledding and skiing in the hills, snow mobiling, hmmmm. Really can't think of anything else.

[airboat5]

Originally Posted by ashnat

storybook island is not open in mid November. You can walk thru it to look at Christmas lights before Christmas, but you can't play in there. Storybook is only open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Winter in RC is pretty lame. There's the indoor swim center, ice rink, Watiki waterpark, sledding and skiing in the hills, snow mobiling, hmmmm. Really can't think of anything else.

Iam ready for winter. its our first one living up north. we will be looking to ride snow mobiles this winter.where is the best places to rent here.my kids range from 21 to11 so where looking for some bigger kid stuff to do.ps dads the biggest kid.

[no8fann]

It will just be easier if you call me when you get here!

I have a daughter that just turned 9 - here are some of the things we have done since arriving the end of June - keep in mind when you get here in Nov, we may be under some snow!

Custer State Park, wildlife loop - all ages
Reptile Gardens - all ages
Bear Country - all ages
Rushmore Cave - not for people who have a hard time getting around - pretty strenous underground hike, but very cool if you want to take the 9 year old
Spearfish Canyon - driven it several times; our favorite picnic spot is Roughlock Falls, up behind Latchstring Inn
Spearfish City Park - awesome playground for all ages - our favorite place to go play in Spearfish Creek - wonderful in the summer!
DC Booth Fish Hatchery - free admission - $2 for a bag of food for the ducks or fish - great cheap entertainment!
Spearfish Rec Center - great summer water park
Belle Fourche Rec Center - good year-round indoor pool w/waterslide and play area for the littles
Story Book Island - Rapid City - tons of fun here in the summer
Fish Hatchery in Rapid City
Canyon Lake Park in Rapid City
Deadwood is always a fun walk-around, especially when Wild Bill and his cronies are wandering the streets!
Mt. Moriah Cemetary (if your 9 year old happens to like Wild West History - this is a very cool learning experience, and the view is fantastic!)
Gulches of Fun in Deadwood
Pirate Cove Mini Golf in Rapid City
Mt. Rushmore (kind of goes without saying!)
Keystone and Hill City have some neat stuff (there's another dinosaur museum in Hill City)


Bunches of indoor stuff we plan on checking out when the weather gets nasty:
The Journey Museum in RC
The Museum at South Dakota School of Mines (LOTS of dinosaurs!)
Putz and Glo Mini Golf (my daughter loves this stuff)
Rapid City Rush Ice Hockey games
Evan's Plunge in Hot Springs (spring-fed indoor pool)

If you get your kids involved in Scouts or 4-H, or sports, you will have even more to do!

There are lots of caves to explore, festivals, fairs, car shows, bike shows, rodeos, fairs, you name it - there is ALWAYS something to do! We will be doing lots of camping next summer, as well as visiting the Mammoth Site (Hot Springs), Devil's Tower, and lots of other things.

I am sure I am leaving out a lot of stuff, but I know some others will chime in!

[ashnat]

LOTS of those things will not be open when you arrive. Most attractions are late April or May until Sept or Oct.

I can't help you with the snow mobiling questions. My kids are younger, we don't do that.

[wpcp]

yeah, i know most wont be open when we arrive, just thought i would find out what there is to do for next spring/summer.

[DannyBanany]

Ashnat, what did you do with your kids in Omaha in the winter? Go to the zoo?

I kept busy growing up in Rapid City because of school activities and sports. I can't think of a time I ever sat at home bored and mad because I couldn't go to Storybook Island. I guess I had friends too. That usually helps.

[ashnat]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Ashnat, what did you do with your kids in Omaha in the winter? Go to the zoo?

I kept busy growing up in Rapid City because of school activities and sports. I can't think of a time I ever sat at home bored and mad because I couldn't go to Storybook Island. I guess I had friends too. That usually helps.

You actually just agreed with me in your own round about way.....there was nothing for you to do in the winter growing up, but school activities and sports.

Wcpc worded this thread in a way that made me think they wanted to know what activities they could do when they GOT HERE in November. That's why my focus has been that way. Sure, there is a TON to do in the summer.

[no8fann]

When I was a kid here in the winter - twenty-five years ago, mind you - there was only one thing we *wanted* to do in the winter: GO SLEDDING! And we did, all day every day that the weather permitted. Unfortunately, I think there's way too much on TV nowadays for that to hold the attraction that it once did.

Sorry for the thread hijack, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

[DannyBanany]

I went skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating on lakes, sledding, and still managed to do sports and school activities. There was always something for kids to see at the Civic Center, whether it was Sesame Street on Ice or a concert like 98 Degrees. I just can't imagine having more fun in Omaha as a kid than in Rapid City. I'd spend summers at my dad's in Omaha growing up and I was bored out of my mind. There's more for kids to do in a Rapid City winter than an Omaha summer. In Omaha, we'd occasionally go to the zoo then play SPORTS in 100 degree weather with 85% humidity. It sucked.

Also, my parents made sure I had friends and I wasn't a homebody. I rarely stayed home and watched TV.

[BusySocialWorker]

My kids also love some yearly activites that aren't the typical touristy things...

The duck race for CMN (July)
The Christmas lights parade downtown
Pumpkin patch in the fall
We just went to Storybook Island this weekend for Festival in the Park and we always go for the Christmas lights too.
Summer Nights downtown on Thursdays