10 Perfect Destinations for a Long Weekend in South Dakota
South Dakota is home to many small towns that pair laid-back ranching and western atmospheres with easy access to some of the state’s biggest attractions. In Custer, a long weekend can include bison spotting along the Wildlife Loop Road and scenic drives through the 71,000-acre Custer State Park. In Hot Springs, the Mammoth Site preserves fossil remains in a prehistoric sinkhole, while Evans Plunge’s 87-degree mineral waters add a more relaxing stop. Whether you are drawn to historic main streets or natural landmarks, these 10 destinations make a long weekend in South Dakota feel full.
Deadwood
Deadwood, quite the opposite of what its name suggests, is a thriving Lawrence County settlement with strong Wild West roots and vibrant entertainment scenes. Since 1961, the whole town has been a National Historic Landmark District, thanks to well-kept Gold Rush-era structures and a haunt of multiple Old West figures like Calamity Jane, Wyatt Berry Stapp, and James Butler Hickok during its heyday.
When walking down the streets of downtown, stop by the Adams Museum & House, the oldest history museum in the Black Hills, to observe the displayed pioneer artifacts and Gold Rush exhibits. The Days of '76 Museum is another site of interest that houses a vast collection of horse-drawn wagons, carriages, stage coaches, clothing, and other memorabilia from the Days of ’76 celebrations. Further, the Black Hills National Forest, which circles the area, is a perfect spot for outdoor fun, and The Lodge at Deadwood is great for a relaxing stay.
Hill City
Set on a smooth incline amidst pine-covered hills, Hill City is Pennington County’s oldest existing community, occupying the kernel of Black Hills, approximately 25 miles southwest of Rapid City. Visitors travelling to this historic town can take a nostalgic ride aboard the steam-powered 1880 train and enjoy a 1-hour round-trip between Hill City and Keystone through the scenic Black Hills.
At the South Dakota State Railroad Museum, learn about the crucial role played by railroads in the state’s development via the assorted railroad artifacts, historic locomotives, and passenger cars. The 108.8-mile-long George S. Mickelson Trail offers hiking, cycling, and horseback riding activities as it makes its way through rolling hills, forests, and rock tunnels. After a hectic day, de-stress in the airy rooms of the EverSpring Inn & Suites on Main Street.
Custer
The administrative capital of Custer County, Custer, is the Black Hills’ oldest town, adjudged an ideal base for a long weekend stay owing to its convenient placement near some of the popular tourist draws of western South Dakota. Close to the town is the Custer State Park, a sprawling 71,000-acre park of rugged peaks, undulating prairie grasslands, the South Dakota Centennial Trail, the Wildlife Loop, Needles Highway scenic drives, and a roaming herd of American bison.
Roughly 13 miles west of the town is the Jewel Cave National Monument, where ranger-guided tours can take you through the calcite-studded passages of the world’s fifth-longest cave system. On Main Street, shop for unique gift items from the seasonally open A Walk in the Woods gift shop, grab sandwiches and American pub grub at The Custer Wolf - Food & Drink, and spend the night in the modern rooms of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Custer by IHG.
Hot Springs
Fall River County’s government seat, rightly titled for the warm mineral springs, Hot Springs, prospered as a health resort since the second half of the 19th century, attracting holidaymakers from all over the world. The Evans Plunge Mineral Springs is every vacationer’s favorite, with indoor and outdoor pools, slides, spa facilities, and natural spring-fed waters maintaining an average temperature of 87°F.
Nearby, the Mammoth Site is a working paleontological excavation site where North American Columbian and woolly mammoth fossil remains are preserved in a prehistoric sinkhole, along with a museum that houses an immense collection of mammoth remains. Reserve your accommodation at the Hot Spring Hills Inn, then drive to the Angostura Recreation Area around the Angostura Reservoir to enjoy your choice of water-based activities.
Vermillion
A serene college town and Clay County seat, Vermillion sits on a bluff close to the Missouri River in the southeastern part of the state, just north of the Nebraska state line. Anchored by the University of South Dakota, the town’s most frequented attraction is the National Music Museum on the university campus, which displays over 15,000 musical instruments across centuries and cultures.
Side by side, watch contemporary feature films and take part in special events at the Vermillion Cultural Association’s Coyote Twin Theater. Play some golf at the premium 18-hole championship Bluffs Golf Course, and catch some z’s in the cozy quarters of the Best Western Vermillion Inn.
Keystone
With fewer than 500 inhabitants, Keystone is a teeny Pennington County town that has, over time, grown rapidly from a Gold Rush-era mining community into a holiday destination replete with must-see sights. A prominent local magnet is the National Presidential Wax Museum, featuring true-to-life wax figures of all US Presidents, a bona fide reproduction of significant milestones in US Presidential history.
Housed in a Victorian-era schoolhouse, the Keystone Historical Museum displays vintage photographs, native artifacts, and memorabilia of the early settler Carrie Ingalls. Before retiring for the night in the relaxing rooms of the Roosevelt Inn, take a moment to shop for country store items from the Holy Terror Antiques shop and feast on smoked ribs, bourbon ribeye, chicken parmesan, and smothered burrito served at the Ruby House Restaurant.
Spearfish
Founded as ‘Queen City’ at the Black Hills’ northern edge, Spearfish is a graphic Lawrence County town where exceptional natural beauty provides a backdrop for abundant outdoor recreation. The town’s main draw is Spearfish Canyon, created by Spearfish Creek, attracting thrill seekers, shutterbugs, and nature lovers with towering limestone walls, waterfalls, pine forests, lots of four-footed animals, and the winding Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.
After enjoying the open-air activities in the canyon area, weekenders should head to the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives, where over 185,000 fishery artifacts are on display. Additionally, watch music concerts, community plays, and national performance acts in the Matthews Opera House's 283-seat theater. Sample the finest handcrafted beer at Crow Peak Brewing Company and sleep soundly in the fully furnished rooms of The Inn at Spearfish Creek.
Dell Rapids
Dell Rapids, a pretty Minnehaha County town on the Big Sioux River, is renowned for its relaxed riverfront charm and an inviting downtown reconstructed with locally mined rose-colored Sioux Quartzite. The town’s primary business center is lined with sundry historically important buildings, such as the 1888-built Grand Opera House, which has been hosting concerts, plays, dances, and symphonies uninterrupted since its construction.
The thoughtfully curated exhibits in the Dell Rapids Museum chronicle the extensive history of the town and its peripheral areas, while the Dell Rapids Park at the town’s core is best for picnics or unhurried walks by the river. Rest for the night in the air-conditioned rooms of the Bilmar Inn & Suites.
Sturgis
The seat of government of Meade County, Sturgis, sits parallel to the Bear Butte Creek on the Black Hills National Forest’s northeastern edge, 25 miles northwest of South Dakota’s second-most populous city. Every year, from the first Friday of August, for over 10 days, Downtown Sturgis hosts the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the world’s biggest motorcycle rallies, drawing thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from across the globe.
Year-round, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame on Main Street caters to motorcycle lovers with its display of antiquated motorcycles dating back to 1907. A short drive from the museum, Bear Butte State Park features a geological laccolith sacred to Plains Indian tribes, as well as hiking, horseback riding, fishing, picnicking, and camping. At the end of the day, fall asleep in the cushy beds of the Baymont Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sturgis.
Lead
Christened for the deposits of metal-rich ores, Lead is a mining community in western South Dakota’s Lawrence County, founded right after gold discovery in the Northern Black Hills. As the ‘company town’ of the Homestake Mining Company, Lead developed around the Homestake Mine, once the Western Hemisphere’s biggest, deepest, and most productive gold mine. Immediately next to this massive ‘open cut’ mine is the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, where visitors get to know the peculiar geology of Homestake Mine, the Nobel Prize-winning science, and experiments that are being carried out in the Sanford Underground Research Facility.
At the Black Hills Mining Museum, the many gold rush artifacts, mining machinery, and a one-hour-long recreated underground gold mine tour illuminate tourists on the Black Hills’ rich mining heritage. Downtown local shops like the Aspire Boutique, selling handcrafted items; restaurants like Stampmill, serving typical American cuisine; and boutique hotels like The Historic Town Hall Inn augment the town’s homely atmosphere.
Spend Your Weekend In South Dakota
From Vermillion’s University of South Dakota campus to the Black Hills’ central adventure hub in Keystone, these locales reward one-of-a-kind experiences for every vacationer. Throughout South Dakota, there are numerous places to find comfort food in intimate food joints, appreciate Gold Rush-era structures, and participate in annual festivities. Booking an extended sabbatical at any of these towns will surely make you want to come back for more.
