Top Things to do in South Dakota
Top Hotels in South Dakota
- 1. Best Western Plus Rapid City Rushmore
- 2. Bavarian Inn, Black Hills
- 3. K Bar S Lodge
- 4. Hampton Inn & Suites Southwest/Sioux Falls
- 5. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sioux Falls
- 6. Deadwood Gulch Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
- 7. Best Western Golden Spike Inn & Suites
- 8. Comfort Suites Conference Center Rapid City
- 9. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Rapid City
- 10. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rapid City, SD
Countries
10 Food & Drink in South Dakota That You Shouldn't Miss
South Dakota has good golf courses, skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, hiking, and biking among rolling prairies, pine forests, and granite mountain peaks like Mount Rushmore. Glacial lakes and Missouri River reservoir lakes provide great fishing, boating, canoeing, water skiing, and windsurfing. The whole family will enjoy this prairie land where grain growing begat roadside attractions like the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Everything made from corn, even the popcorn, tastes better here. Where buffalo roam, roadside diners serve up buffalo and luscious homemade fruit pies. Shop for good deals on cowboy boots on the same Black Hills and Badland Main Streets where cowboys and cowgirls outfit themselves. Be near the eroded buttes, spires, and prairie grasslands of Badlands National Park in Lead, Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Custer, and other nearby towns. The whole family will enjoy watching for big game like bison, bighorn sheep, antelope, eagles, and hawks. Drive the one-hour Hwy 240 loop road, with a side-trip to Robert's Prairie Dog Town. Learn about the Oglala Sioux Tribe at the White River Visitor Center, which is near Wounded Knee. Tour the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site's Cold War nuclear silos, just outside the Park's boundaries. About 90 minutes west of Badlands National Park is Mount Rushmore. Lead, Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Whitetail Springs, and Custer are also very near Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Jewel Cave National Monument. View Mount Rushmore from the aerial tramway in Keystone, which also houses the Borglum Historical Center celebrating the artist behind the sculpting of Rushmore. Take the kids to the Dinosaur Park in Rapid City. Attend Custer State Park’s Annual Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival. Bedazzle the whole family with sparkling calcite crystals in 151-mile long Jewel Cave. Bison, pronghorn, and elk graze the grasslands of Wind Cave National Park. Central South Dakota has the state capitol, Pierre, in addition to numerous lakes along the Missouri River. Go fishing and boating in the rivers and lakes. Take the kids to the South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium in Pierre to see the state’s native fish. Drop by the Dacotah Prairie Museum along the James River in Aberdeen in the northeast to learn prairie history and natural history. Swing by Sioux Falls to see the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial and special exhibits at the Old Courthouse Museum. Choose from among 10 golf courses in Sioux Falls.
Restaurants in South Dakota
1. Strawbale Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 55 reviews
The South family established Strawbale Winery in 2006. constructed of straw bales, the buildings are insulated for a prairie-style wine cellar, and an atmosphere of country farm living. Treat your self to relaxation and fun. Tucked in a farm setting between a 100-year-old red barn and established shelter belt, the straw buildings, vineyard and animals may remind you of simpler times.
2. Glacial Lakes Distillery
3. Black Hills Tour Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 110 reviews
Tour the Black Hills in a comfortable air-conditioned 2014 Mercedes high-top Sprinter, or our luxurious Ford Flex! Black Hills Tour Company offers day and multi-day tours, specializing in scenic, family, bike and winery and brewery tours! Our local guides are very knowledgable of the cultural and geographic history of the Black Hills and Badlands region. We offer private group as well as public tours. New this summer, our bike tours are available for road and Mickelson rail-to-trail adventures! We offer both fully guided and self-guided tours, with full support and local knowledge you are sure to enjoy your time pedaling through the Black Hills. Our scenic tours include trips to the local monuments and national and state parks, as well as some with other adventures such as hiking, riding the 1880 train, or zip line tours with views of Rushmore. Our famous winery/brewery tours, onboard our stretch VW bus named Fiona are unique and memorable experiences you won't soon forget!
4. With the Wind Vineyard & Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
The Tasting Room is OPEN* Friday & Saturday, 11am-6pm and Sunday, 1pm-6pm (February through December) and a variety of Private Celebration options are available. All our wines have all been crafted and bottled onsite and are offered from our Tasting Room by the glass, bottle or case. From the vineyard to your table - relax, enjoy and take a deep breath of life! We welcome you to take a trip to the country where life slows down and is simpler. Group Rentals, Special Occasions and Private Events are also offered. Please contact us for rental information for your next event! *All other times by Reservation.
5. Badlands Distillery LLC
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 16 reviews
We are an artisan distiller that handcrafts & locally produces our spirits right here at exit 150- I90. Our spirits contain products locally harvested in the Badlands area from the corn grown on our ranch to local honey and jalapenos. We have a wide variety of spirits for you to try in our tasting room. With a history of bootlegging, and a pioneering spirit we have just the right recipe, so pick yourself up a bottle of an authentic Badlands Whiskey and try for yourself!
Reviewed By scottaX6318NP
Tasting Room is Awesome and now more flavors to choose form. What a Deal. Bought a whole case of Special Reserve and the new Caramel is to die for..... The Cloud in the attached photo was right over the distillery when we left Kadoka. looks like OLD MAN WHISKEY to me...
6. Schade Vineyard & Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By Jpamr5 - Richmond, United States
Along route US 14 towards Sioux Falls we noticed a sign advertising a winery. We followed the directions to a lovely location of vineyards and tasting room. We arrived around 12:15 and received a friendly welcome from Dillion, the owner. All the wines we tasted were South Dakota vintages. The tasting was $5 for five wines. The wines are reasonably priced. Grounds are well landscaped. Tasting room is crisp and clean. Our time spent on Monday, August 26, 2019, was well worth the stop.
7. Black Hills Party Pedaler
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 42 reviews
Black Hills Party Pedaler is a party on wheels! Powered by 8 pedalers and fueled by beer, wine, and liquor, this bike travels between the hot night spots of Rapid City, SD. Each tour has a driver, and a host to lead the fun and games. An electric motor powers the bike when there's more partying than pedaling going on! Tours are also available in Spearfish. A local, family-owned business.
8. Buffalo Ridge Brewing
9. Prairie Berry Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 549 reviews
Experience award-winning wines in a fun and relaxed setting in the heart of the Black Hills. We’re Hill City’s only working winery and Sandi Vojta, our fifth generation winemaker, handcrafts each wine, often using old family recipes, just a few steps from our Tasting Room. To provide our guests with the best possible wine tasting experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now requiring reservations for all free wine tastings. Visit https://prairieberry.com/visit/wine-tasting-reservations/ to learn more or to make your reservation. We will do our best to accommodate walk-in guests who wish to do a free wine tasting, but we cannot guarantee availability. Our Kitchen offers housemade menu items including gluten-free, vegetarian and kids’ options. These seasonal menu selections pair perfectly with our wines and use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Enjoy a meal on our patio with our beautiful views of Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak). Our brewery, Miner Brewing Co
Reviewed By 936briank - Schenectady, United States
What a great stop on our trip through the Badlands on on our way to Mt. Rushmore. First we started with a great lunch and had a 1:30 reservation for a wine tasting. The person that served us was great and knowledgeable and we all enjoyed the interactions. The wine was really great and the history of the place and the woman who is the creator of all these wines and the adjacent brewery has mad skills. This is worth the stop and we will enjoy some of this wine here in upstate New York.
10. Twisted Pine Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 48 reviews
Largest selection of Dakota made wines, foods and gifts. We also carry wines from around the world, and offer daily wine tastings. In addition we carry olive oils and balsamic vinegar's, sauces, dips, meats and cheese. Fun filled atmosphere and great service!
Reviewed By brandyd320 - Cheyenne, United States
They sell a variety of the locally made wines in this shop and they sell wine slushies, which were amazing! We attending during the local BBQ event and found this shop by chance while walking around Main Street. So glad we did! Friendly, knowledgeable staff who like to have fun and make their customers smile. They even offered me a slice of pizza as I was waiting in line. I think that was just an employee who was in the store off the clock with some pizza being extra friendly, but I thought she was nice.
