Go West: 3 Days in and Around Rapid City, South Dakota

It’s easy to see why Rapid City, South Dakota, is an excellent jumping-off point for travelers interested in visiting some of the region’s most famous sights, including Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands National Park. All of these all-star attractions are less than a 90-minute drive from the city limits.

But in between your park visits, Rapid City’s got a lot to offer, including fun restaurants, a museum, a bowling alley and both a nearby gold-mining town and an Old West film set. Here’s how to do it all in just three days.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Explore Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Fort Hays

Start with breakfast at Harriet & Oak. You’ll find a classic VW van parked alongside tables and chairs inside this cozy spot. Try the sweet potato breakfast burrito or house-made pastries with your barista-brewed coffee. Go ahead and buy sandwiches for an afternoon picnic later in the Black Hills before you take off.

Next up is your tour through the Black Hills. Catch glimpses of the sculptures carved into the stone 5,725 feet up as you walk through the Avenue of Flags leading to the historic Mount Rushmore National Memorial, but be sure to take the self-guided audio tour along the Presidential Trail to get the best possible view of this monumental work of art.

Afterwards, and 10 minutes outside the park, Breezy Point Picnic Area offers breaktaking views and a good spot to enjoy the picnic fare you purchased earlier in the day in Rapid City.

Then, carry on to the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is situated alongside the immersive Indian Museum of North America, home to a large collection of art and artifacts reflecting the diverse histories and cultures of over 300 native nations.

As yet unfinished, the Crazy Horse Memorial depicts the great Lakota warrior Crazy Horse — who most famously led an Oglala war party to victory against Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 — astride a horse, pointing toward his tribal land.

For dinner, head to Fort Hays Old West Town, the original “Dances With Wolves” film set. This historically accurate Wild West town offers an elaborate musical variety show along with a chuck-wagon dinner seven nights a week — old-fashioned entertainment at its finest.

Another, and very different, dinner option is Sabatino’s Italian Ristorante, back in Rapid City, offering house-made pastas and an extensive wine list.

Finally, visit Press Start, a barcade with two levels of vintage (and some modern-day) arcade games and other amusements.

Saturday: Explore Custer State Park

Start your day with the delectable offerings at Tally’s Silver Spoon. If you’re feeling adventurous, order the “Indecision Menu” — all you have to do is tell the server how many courses you want and the culinary team will surprise you with their top recommendations.

Before leaving town, visit the memorable Journey Museum & Learning Center for insights into the history of the Black Hills as well as the area’s Indigenous tribes and cultures.

Grab sandwiches to go from Black Hills Bagels before hitting the Needles Highway for Custer State Park, about 30 miles south. While in the park, an 18-mile wildlife loop scenic byway offers the chance to spot deer, bison and pronghorn (a cousin to the antelope) in their natural habitats.

Cyclists and hikers can stop at the Custer State Park Visitor Center for tips and maps. Be sure to check out Mount Coolidge Lookout Tower and hike around the beautiful Legion Lake, with a historical pit stop at the old Badger Hole cabin.

Before sunset, return to Rapid City to stroll through Art Alley, where local artists in conjunction with the city have created colorful murals ranging from portraits and tribal art to cartoons and graffiti. Then head over to Dinosaur Park, one of the Black Hills original visitor attractions, which first opened in 1931 as an ode to the skeletons of Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous dinosaurs found nearby.

End your day at Delmonico Grill, a top-notch steakhouse on Main Street, if you’re in the mood for a thick, aged steak or a hearty burger. Or you can also keep it casual and enjoy Meadowood Lanes‘ famous finger steaks (deep-fried strips of steak). This no-fuss neighborhood bowling alley, complete with a bar and restaurant, first opened in 1953.

Finally, small-batch ice cream cones at the Silver Line Creamery are the sweetest way to end the day.

Sunday: Discover Badlands National Park

No trip to South Dakota is complete without a stop at the famous Wall Drug, which first opened in 1931. This onetime humble pharmacy welcomes more than 2 million visitors every year, curious about the self-proclaimed “geographical center of nowhere.”

Try the doughnuts, then take in the eccentric offerings at the slightly overwhelming gift shop (over 50,000 square feet!). And don’t forget to take a lap in the elaborate Wall Drug Backyard for some family fun. In this space, you can mine for “gold,” dig for fossils or take photos with the animal sculptures.

The town of Wall is about 50 miles from Rapid City, but it’s on the way to Badlands National Park, a 244,000-acre expanse of mixed prairie grasses and sharp, textured buttes, pinnacles and spires that have gained their distinctive shape over a half million years of erosion.

You’ll have your choice of stunning hikes — the park spans some 244,000 acres — so a stop at the Ben Reifel Visitors Center is a good place to start. Depending on your crew (and trail conditions) you might want to take it easy, along Fossil Exhibit Trail, with its fully accessible boardwalks, fossil replicas and exhibits.

You can also choose to take in the surreal beauty by car, along the 39-mile Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway. The drive features towering rock formations, verdant grasslands, and plenty of designated stops where you can safely park and wander.

Once back in town, make your way to Firehouse Brewing Company, South Dakota’s oldest operating brewery. In this renovated firehouse, order a celebratory drink and dishes such as a classic poutine and something called “Fire Capps” — baked mushroom caps stuffed with crabmeat and garlic-herb cream cheese.