When I think of “vacations” I primarily think of tropical destinations, sandy beaches and sun! I have travelled to Rapid City, South Dakota many times as a child and have wonderful memories, but never experienced it as an adult. However, I had the opportunity to travel there last year for one of those “famous family functions” and was nicely surprised.

Having a father who grew up in Rapid City I heard many stories of life in the Dakotas, prairie dog hunting and well, tumbleweeds. Rapid City has so much more to offer. Here are my recommendations, from experience, for your next family vacation or cross country road-trip that could and should include Rapid.

First and foremost, just a few short miles down (and a very scenic drive) down Highway 16 lies one of our American History’s greatest architectural accomplishments. No, it is not Walt Disney World, nor is it Mall of America. Instead, feast your eyes on four of our United States Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, T. Roosevelt and Lincoln, respectively. Mt. Rushmore is visited by nearly 3 million people each year and hosts a variety of special eventsyear round. I personally found the Fourth of July Fireworks display simply fantastic. I would urge you to include this monument in your travel plans anytime you are within 100 miles. It is definitely worth the time and the distance.

My second pick for a South Dakota vacation stop is one of the lesser known wonders of the Black Hills. Reptile Gardens lies just outside Rapid City and is an experience the entire family will enjoy. You can ride a giant tortoise, see over 40,000 types of flowers in the Flower Gallery, allow various butterflies to land on your hand in the Butterfly Dome or take in the thousands of different reptiles.  Reptile Gardens has three shows daily:  The Alligator and Crocodile Show, The Huge Beautiful and Deadly Snake Show and the Reptile Gardens Bird Show. Stop by for a single show, a couple of hours or the entire fun filled day. The point is: DON’T MISS THIS.

Finally, I recommend taking either the one half hour tour or the full one hour tour of the Black Hills Caverns. See a plethora of various crystal formations, above and below ground, including but not limited to:  logo-mites, frost crystal, stalactites, stalagmites, helectites & colorful calcite crystals. This is nature’s true beauty at it’s finest.

I have spent many a summer vacationing the South Dakota area, and although it may not be the most popular destination vacation area, it certainly is one of my most memorable, most relaxing and definitely worth experiencing once, if not twice.

For your lodging accommodations while you experience the Black Hills, try the Rapid City LaQuinta Inn and Suites. Yearly reservation specials and packages apply. See www.rapidcitylaquinta.com for more details.

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