Fun Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure. Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to go visit the beautiful state of South Dakota
1.) Mount Rushmore located in Keystone hours of operation are 5am-11pm Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created this famous mountainside carving of the visages of four great American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.
2.) Custer State Park- One of South Dakota’s most iconic landmarks, this park stands out for its granite peaks, rolling grasslands, and clear mountain waters. Stretching over 71,000 acres, Custer is home to abundant wildlife like bison, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, and more.
Drive down Wildlife Loop Road to spot the begging burros (they approach vehicles for food), hike the Little Devils Tower Trail for a bird’s eye view of the area, and go swimming or boating in one of its five lakes. With warm days and cool nights, summer is an ideal time to visit Custer. Don't miss out on exploring the rest of the Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore.
– Tripadvisor
3.) Falls Park located in Sioux Falls. This was one of the most breathtaking things I saw while in this state because it's a park with waterfalls where the river flows over many tiers of Sioux quartzite.
4.) Bear Country USA located in Rapid City hours of operation are 9am-5pm Enjoy a leisurely 2-mile drive through this unique North American Wildlife park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. From the comfort of your vehicle view black bears, wolves, elk, buffalo and other wildlife! After your drive-through tour, walk around the wildlife loop where young and smaller animals frolic in the outdoors. Don't miss the Baby Bears! Dine at the Cub Grub Snack Shack or shop in the Bear's Den Gift Shop. Open May through November, weather permitting. Our daily closing time is only when the front gate closes, the rest of the park remains open until your visit is complete.
5.) Reptile Gardens located in Rapid City World-renowned adventure park, Reptile Gardens is a must-see family attraction no matter what your age. We maintain the finest collection of tropical plants, colorful flowers, and exotic reptiles anywhere - we have more species and subspecies of venomous reptiles than any other zoo or park in the world!
6.) The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs hours of operation are 9am-5pm America's International Treasure. This National Natural Landmark is an internationally renowned indoor working paleontological site/museum. More than 60 mammoths have been unearthed, as well as over 85 other species of associated Ice Age fauna. Hands-on activities for children and an educational experience for the entire family. One of the top fossil interpretive sites in North America. Open year-round. Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
7.) Spearfish Canyon-This scenic 19-mile drive in the Black Hills that passes cliffs, waterfalls and the Spearfish Creek gives one the feeling they are in the rainforest and it's one of the most calming drives
8.) Big Thunder Gold Mine located in Keystone hours of operation are 9am-5pm Big Thunder Gold Mine has an original tour which lasts 45-55 minutes and was founded in 1892. You see the largest display of mining equipment in the Black Hills and learn the history of the gold rush in 1876. We have two forms of panning: one is our commercial panning right on site. Guides will demonstrate the skill of panning, no time limit and we guarantee you will find gold. We also have claim panning where you will pan directly out of the creek 4 miles down the road on Forest Service property. Those exist in 4 hour trips.
9.) Mount Moriah Cemetery located in Deadwood- for all my history lovers this is a Small cemetery dating back to the time of cowboys, deputies and the old West.
10.) Jewel Cave National Monument located in Custer hours of operation are 8:30-4:30pm Jewel Cave National Monument is home to one of the longest caves in the world. Offering an assortment of cave formations and recreational opportunities, many visitors are truly amazed by this underground wilderness. Most impressive is the fact that exploration and discovery continue to take place at this significant natural resource. Park Rangers are always around to answer any questions you may have.
11.) Chapel in the Hills located in Rapid City hours of operation are 8am-7pm Celebrating 50 years in 2019! Replica of the 850-year-old Borgund Church in Norway and has unique architecture and wood carvings.
12.) Adams House located in Deadwood hours of operation are 9am-4pm The Historic Adams House was built in 1892 by Deadwood pioneers Harris and Anna Franklin. Local contemporary press described the home as "the grandest house west of the Mississippi." The elegant Queen Anne-style house heralded a wealthy and socially prominent new age for Deadwood, a former rough and tumble gold mining town. Harris and Anna Franklin’s son Nathan bought the house for $1 in 1905. In 1920, Nathan Franklin sold the house to W.E. and Alice Adams for $8,500. Adams' second wife Mary closed up the house in 1936, two years after W.E.'s death, leaving the contents and furnishings intact.
13.) Storybook Island located in Rapid City hours of operation are 9am-7pm We are a non profit children's park. 8 1/2 acres of outdoor fun! We have a train, carousel and Bippity Boppity Bounce, the cost is $2 per person for each of these. We have concessions on site as well as a gift shop. We are free admission in the summer, a $1 per person donation is recommended. We DO NOT allow outside food, drink or pets. We open for the summer season on Memorial Weekend and Close on Labor Day.
14.) Akta Lakota Museum located in Chamberlain hours of operations are 8am-6pm Visit the Akta Lakota Museum to experience a living lesson on the Native American way of life, past and present. Each year we receive thousands of visitors from all over the globe that want to deepen their appreciation of Lakota culture. As an outreach program of St. Joseph's Indian School we pride ourselves on not just providing that experience but creating an atmosphere conducive to learning and healing into the hearts of our students as well as our visitors. What makes our museum such a wonderful experience is our focus. We have an outstanding collection of cultural, historical and artistic works that relate specifically to the Northern Plains Indian Tribes, the ancestry of the students served at St. Joseph's. Our historical collection honors the past while our contemporary collection represents the creative spirit of today's world. We work closely with Indian artists and artisans to present contemporary artwork that builds on cultural traditions while expressing itself in new ways. What you take away from your visit is the understanding that Lakota culture is not just a thing of the past. It's alive and thriving today.
15.) Minute Missile National Historic Site hours of operation are 8am-4pm The Cold War was the defining historical event of the last half of the 20th century. It led to fear, panic, and distrust symbolized by a nuclear arms race between the United States and Soviet Union. The Minuteman Missile is an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. Minuteman Missile National Historic site consists of three sites along a fifteen mile stretch of Interstate 90 in Western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is located immediately north of I-90, exit 131. The Launch Control Facility Delta-01 is located four miles west (tickets required for entry) and the Delta-09 missile silo is fifteen miles west of the visitor center.
16.) Museum of Geology located in Rapid City hours of operation are 8:30am-4pm We are a natural history museum featuring an excellent display of South Dakota fossils, minerals from around the world and South Dakota Minerals.
17.) South Dakota Air and Space Museum located in Rapid City hours of operation are 9am-4pm Aircraft that have been flown throughout the eras are on display at South Dakota's premiere free aviation museum! The museum has two major static display venues: First, an outdoor air park filled with WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, and present day aircraft lets you get close to & touch history. This includes the currently flown B-1B Lancer. Secondly, four historical hangars showcase military history & technology,space tech & EROS, SD aviation, and EAFB local military history in a fresh and immersive walk-through. Mid-May through Mid-September bus tours of nearby Ellsworth AFB and the Minuteman II missile training silo are offered at a nominal fee. You will be able to go inside the silo and on base for a 50 minute guided tour of the only MMII silo open to the public. Make sure you bring your ID or Passport (Non-US) to enjoy the tour!
18.) Ingalls Homestead- Laura's Living Prairie/ Historic Homes located in De Smet hours of operation are 9am-4pm We invite you to visit the historic homes of famous author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. Have a fun filled day visiting the Surveyors’ House from By the Shores of Silver Lake. Attend class in the First School of De Smet, the original school that Laura and Carrie attended and visit the home that “Pa” built in 1887. Visit the Discovery Center for Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes pioneer activities! Try to sew on a treadle sewing machine, dress like a pioneer, and learn to read Braille. Each summer a new exhibit is on display of original belongings of Laura and her family. A must for all Laura fans.
19.) The Journey Museum and Learning Center located in Rapid CIty hours of operation are 10am-5pm Open all year long! Your Black Hills Journey starts here. The Journey Museum and Learning Center brings together four major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the Western Great Plains - from the perspective of the Lakotas and the pioneers who shaped its past to the scientists who now study it. Providing special programs and interactive learning experiences for all ages is our mission.
20.) South Dakota's Original 1990's Town located in Murdo Want to visit where Dancing with Wolves was filmed then look no further. You will be taken back to the way of living in the 1800's. There is so much to see and learn
21.) Redlin Art Center Located in Watertown hours of operation are 9am-5pm The Redlin Art Center is a gift from artist Terry Redlin to his hometown of Watertown, South Dakota. Filled with over 160 of Redlin's original oil paintings, the Art Center is self guided and admission is free of charge. Guests are also invited to shop 3 gift shops, enjoy complimentary video presentations about the artist and stroll the 30-acre conservation park.
22.) Butterfly House and Aquarium located in Sioux Falls hours of operation are 10am-4pm Enjoy over 800 free-flying butterflies from around the world in the tropical conservatory. View vibrant marine fishes, jellies, and corals in twelve aquarium habitats, including the Pop-Up Dome Aquarium and Pacific Tide Pool. Experience interactive learning and relaxation with tropical butterflies and marine life in our land-locked state. A year round tropical destination! The Butterfly House & Aquarium is a nonprofit organization, funded entirely by admissions, memberships, gift shop sales, and donations. Thank you for visiting and supporting our mission of inspiring conservation of the vital building blocks of sea, sky, and land!
23.) National Presidential Wax Museum located in Keystone hours of operation 9am-5pm Located only minutes from Mount Rushmore in the town of Keystone in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, the National Presidential Wax Museum is an exciting patriotic experience for the whole family. Meet over 100 lifelike wax figures, including all 46 U.S. presidents, all depicted in stunning visual recreations of iconic moments in U.S. presidential history. Explore the stories behind the faces with a self-guided audio tour narrating the context and history of each scene. Witness the intricacies of the wax sculpture process with a seven-minute theater video showcasing the museum’s ten artists as they create America’s leaders out of wax and bring a vision to reality. Play the part of the White House press secretary and give a speech from a teleprompter podium in a spot-on recreation of the White House press briefing room! The National Presidential Wax Museum also boasts a huge gift shop filled with unique and quirky gifts that can’t be found anywhere else in the Black Hills.
24.) Storybook Land and the Land of Oz are located in Aberdeen hours of operation are 10am-4:30pm Storybook Land and the Land of Oz are located in Aberdeen, SD. Storybook Land and the Land of Oz are open seasonally April 15-October 15 for walk-throughs (weather permitting). Rides, Concessions and Gift Shop are available Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Admission is Free! Ride Tickets are available for the Storybook Land Express Train, Humpty Dumpty Rollercoaster, Tea Cup Ride, Rio Grande Train, Land of Oz Carousel and Wizard's Balloon Ride. $2.25 per ticket, or a 10 Ride Punch Card for $17.50.
25.) Days of '76 Museum located in Deadwood- hours of operation are 9am-5pm Live re-creations of the town's rich history started in 1924 through the Days of '76 celebration and award-winning rodeo. The celebration began as a way to honor Deadwood's pioneers - the prospectors, miners, muleskinners and madams who poured into the Black Hills in 1876 to settle the gold-filled gulches of Dakota Territory. Deadwood's newest museum documents the celebration and rodeo. The Days of '76 Museum features exceptional displays of carriages, firearms, American Indian artifacts and illustrates Deadwood's enduring friendship with Buffalo Bill Cody. The Days of '76 Museum is wheelchair accessible. The Mercantile gift shop is located on the first floor.
26.) Pioneer Auto Museum located in Murdo hours of operation are 9am-5pm Established in 1954, and known as “The Big Variety Show,” the Pioneer Auto Show and Prairie Town in Murdo, South Dakota, provides families a trip through the history of 20th century America with its more than 250 classic cars, motorcycles, tractors and bicycles.Prairie Town continues the adventure; offering visitors a rendezvous with the past via self-guided tours through early renditions of a Midwestern, turn of the century town, complete with depot, bank, and school.
27.) Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History located in Sioux Falls hours of operations are 9am-6pm Open 361 days a year, the Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History is home to more than 1,000 animals from 137 species including 24 endangered species. The 45-acre park offers up-close views to animals often not found in larger Zoos including Tigers, Rhinos, Bears, Primates, Giraffe, and an award-winning Snow Monkey exhibit. The Zoo also includes the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, a rare collection of 150 mounted animals including 38 “vanishing species.”
28.) Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame located in Sturgis hours of operations are 9am-5pm Established in 2001, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is home to an ever-growing variety of motorcycles dating back to 1907. On display are a huge selection of American and metric bikes along with a wide variety of exhibits, photographs, memorabilia and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally history. A gift shop offers a wide variety of items ranging from motorcycle patches to fine jewelry and books.
29.) High Plains Western Heritage Center Museum located in Spearfish hours of operation are 9am-4pm Features a 5-State Regional Museum founded to honor the Old West Pioneers and American Indians of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. Western Artifacts, Western Art, Live Animals and Family History Displays are used as a determinant of Historical Events.
30.) Wonderland Caves located in Nemo hours of operation are 9am-5pm for all my cave lovers this is a great stop very interactive and the tour guides were amazing
31.) Prairie Homestead Historic Site located in Philip Original dirt-sod dug out home and outbuildings built in 1909 by Ed and Alice Brown on their 160 acre claim. Experience farm life as the pioneers did. Dress up as a pioneer if you'd like as you step back to homestead days. Live farm animals and rare white prairie dogs entertain. Video in visitor center. Audio history in sod dugout home.
32.) Children’s Museum of South Dakota located in Brookings hours of operation are 10am-5pm Harvest food and move it from farm to market. Greet life-size Mama T. Rex or climb among clouds. Excavate some giant dinosaur bones or deliver the mail on KidStreet. This is a sample of the hands-on activities at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. With 5,000 interactive parts and 550 books, the museum supports a love of lifelong learning through exploration and discovery. The museum is located 50 miles north of Sioux Falls, SD, and is a perfect stop for your family vacation. A cafe and toy store are also available on-site.
33.) Cosmos Mystery Area located in Rapid CIty hours of operation are 9am-5pm You'll wonder how it all works at this mysterious attraction where you can stand on the walls and balls roll uphill. The 40-minute tour will amaze and delight adults and children of all ages.
With so many things to do for all my outdoor lovers like skiing, horseback riding, helicopter tours and a few amazing mini golf locations and tons of parks you will find something to do around every corner of this state. Don't forget that you can go see the center of the nation monument and pieces of the Berlin Wall here as well.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeatifulChaos318
