I am headed to South Dakota for vacation - driving from Georgia. Plan on seeing the usual tourist sites around Black Hills, Badlands, etc. Will spend one night in Deadwood but deciding now on staying in Custer or Keystone or similar for four more nights. Appreciate any feedback on lodging and restaurants in that southwest corner of SD. Thanks
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South Dakota Vacation
- Thread starter Lightning8
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Do Deadwood once, maybe twice, a year. Take the back way, from I-90, into Deadwood. I believe it's Hwy 44. Takes you through the Badlands Natl. Park, and is pretty scenic.
Follow the signs for Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer Natl. Park, Needles Hwy, 1880's Train.
Going west on I-90, in Murdock, you have the 1880's Town. In Mitchell, you have the Corn Palace. That's all I've got for ya, friend. Have fun! Mac
Follow the signs for Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer Natl. Park, Needles Hwy, 1880's Train.
Going west on I-90, in Murdock, you have the 1880's Town. In Mitchell, you have the Corn Palace. That's all I've got for ya, friend. Have fun! Mac
Skogen Kitchen in Custer is fantastic! It’s a tiny little place and always busy so make sure to call ahead and get reservations.
There are quite a few breweries in the area. I’m a big fan of Lost Cabin in Rapid, City. If you like dark beers, I’d recommend the Lord Grizzly.
There are quite a few breweries in the area. I’m a big fan of Lost Cabin in Rapid, City. If you like dark beers, I’d recommend the Lord Grizzly.
If your plans get you near Sturgis the first full week of August, make sure you spend a few hours there.........Black Hills motorcycle rally is the biggest one in the country.
Go up through Grand Island NE and stop at the Hornady plant.
Fill up on seconds bullets. Go north into the badlands from there. You'll see stuff that's not part of the park.
Do Deadwood once, maybe twice, a year. Take the back way, from I-90, into Deadwood. I believe it's Hwy 44. Takes you through the Badlands Natl. Park, and is pretty scenic.
Follow the signs for Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer Natl. Park, Needles Hwy, 1880's Train.
Going west on I-90, in Murdock, you have the 1880's Town. In Mitchell, you have the Corn Palace. That's all I've got for ya, friend. Have fun! Mac
Corn Palace is great.
Boyd's laminated stocks is just west of town.
Yes to Wall Drug.
Have the donuts.
Air and space museum at Ellsworth AFB.
First Stop Guns downtown Rapid City.
Bear Butte just east of Sturgis.
From Sturgis, take Boulder Canyon to Lead/ Deadwood.
Drive through Spearfish Canyon.
Take a half day and go to Devil's Tower.
Do the cave tour in Custer State Park.
Wind Cave.
Shotgun Willie's
Needles highway, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Dinner at the Alpine Inn, Hill City. 1880 train to Keystone. Climb Black Elk Peak (Formerly known as Harney Peak). Bear Country. Be prepared for the bears to try and climb on your vehicle. Homestake open pit mine in Lead. Dinosaur Hill. Rapid City and Spearfish have fish hatcheries that you can visit.
That's what I can think of at the moment.
You are absoooluuutly correct. I seem to have forgotten a couple of those you mentioned. Wall Drug(yes, we've had the donuts!), Devil's Tower, Hill City, plus, Broken Boot Mine (Deadwood). Tried to get the Wind Cave in on our last trip, but got there too late. I need to do the gun shops/museums, the Air & Space Museum, on our next trip.
Oh, and don't forget the Main Street Saloons, also! History at it's finest.
Mac
LRI in Sturgis. And don't forget Wall Drugs - but if you do, they'll remind you!
Fuck Wall Drug. Shittier than South of the Border. Corn Palace is pretty neat. Don't forget Devil's Tower it is close. Rapid City and the Badlands are both interesting. If it is drunk on a Harley week, prices will double or triple and hotels are hard to find. Stop at Hornady if you come thru Nebraska and check out some Oregon trail sites if you have time. America was built by people taking wagons west, enjoy the history. Stop at some old forts along the way too.
I've ended up overnighting in Murdo South Dakota a couple of times, it is actually super nice. I stayed at the Graham's Best Western, it is a nice version of an old roadside motel with really nice staff and across the street at the Range Country which had a bar full of biker women the time I was there. A different kind of good. The Buffalo bar and grill had a nice local grown steak.
I did have to stop one time because the thunderstorm in SD equaled the worst hurricane I had ever been in when I lived in Florida, only with 6 inches of frigging hail, just be aware.
I've ended up overnighting in Murdo South Dakota a couple of times, it is actually super nice. I stayed at the Graham's Best Western, it is a nice version of an old roadside motel with really nice staff and across the street at the Range Country which had a bar full of biker women the time I was there. A different kind of good. The Buffalo bar and grill had a nice local grown steak.
I did have to stop one time because the thunderstorm in SD equaled the worst hurricane I had ever been in when I lived in Florida, only with 6 inches of frigging hail, just be aware.
If you can plan your drive, head south through NE on the way back and hit Ft Robinson in Crawford NE.
Cool history.
Where Crazy Horse died.
Also had a WWII POW camp. On the same section of govt land.
There is camping or rooms for rent.
Also near there is Toadstool Geological Formation (worth the few miles of gravel).
Cool small town eats (basic menus but delicious food) in downtown crawford.
Then a cruise past Scotts Bluff national monument, seeing ruts from the Oregon trail, and Chimney Rock are all on your way south to I-80.
Fish hatchery in Spearfish has neat history.
Oldest west of Mississippi river or something, but its been a while and my memories occasionally run together. Could have details mixed up.
Cool history.
Where Crazy Horse died.
Also had a WWII POW camp. On the same section of govt land.
There is camping or rooms for rent.
Also near there is Toadstool Geological Formation (worth the few miles of gravel).
Cool small town eats (basic menus but delicious food) in downtown crawford.
Then a cruise past Scotts Bluff national monument, seeing ruts from the Oregon trail, and Chimney Rock are all on your way south to I-80.
Fish hatchery in Spearfish has neat history.
Oldest west of Mississippi river or something, but its been a while and my memories occasionally run together. Could have details mixed up.
If you decide to hit I-80 on the drive home.
Three things in Nebraska: take Hwy 385 south out of Rapid and see Carhenge.
Go through the Nebraska national forest. Yep, they have one.
Go through the sandhills.
Stop in Grand Island for another load of bullets.
I'm getting ready to have my coffee, so there might be more here in a bit.
Three things in Nebraska: take Hwy 385 south out of Rapid and see Carhenge.
Go through the Nebraska national forest. Yep, they have one.
Go through the sandhills.
Stop in Grand Island for another load of bullets.
I'm getting ready to have my coffee, so there might be more here in a bit.
This is great! I go to Wyoming every year hunting and we pass through Nebraska from end to end - never thought about stopping at the Hornady plant. Plan on seeing Crazy Horse from road as we pass by. This will be the first of multiple driving vacations from Georgia to see the US as I am retired!
I went into Crazy Horse once.
It's actually more impressive from the road as pointed out.
Wall Drug is pretty much a tourist trap, but it's fun anyway.
I disagree on the drive by with Mt Rushmore. It's worth stopping and learning a little of the history of the place.
The entire town of Keystone is a tourist trap.
Sometimes it's just fun and relaxing to get out of the car and walk around.
Take a poop at Wall Drug. Walk around and try to find a bumper sticker that says "I pooped at Wall Drug."
If you decide to do Devil's Tower, then it might be worth a trip up Hwy 212 into Montana and see Custer's last stand. I think it's worth doing an overnight trip for them.
I have visited Devils Tower on one of my Wyoming hunts. Next trip will probably be Wyoming and see Yellowstone, etc.
Trying to decide on lodging to support about 4 days touring around the area. Saw Keystone = touristy. Custer better? Or other suggestions? Could stay Rapid City and drive even more every day.
If you just need a place to sleep and shower, do the Super-8 right off of 8th street (Mt Rushmore rd.).
It's inexpensive and clean.
If you want better accommodations, someone else will have to step in.
It's inexpensive and clean.
If you want better accommodations, someone else will have to step in.
Check out Hill City. It's close to all the stuff, and I found it not as touristy. Black Elk Peak is a pretty cool and fairly easy hike, if you're into that. You really should see Mt Rushmore up close. Bring some rifles and find some prairie dogs.
Skip Crazy Horse, just a tourist trap IMO. there is some Indian history displays there if you are interested in that. Wall Drugs is fun, the donuts are great. Black Hills NP is great, Stay at the Welsch Motel in Wall, SD, cool little motel, old but well maintained, family owned and operated, at least it was in '18 when I was there. The vanilla ice cream at Mt Rushmore is worth the price of admission as well.
I think Hill City is where we used to go for a steak when we were at Sturgis.
The restaurant we would go to only had one thing on the menu for supper, steak, wedge salad and a baked tater.........but it was always good.
The restaurant we would go to only had one thing on the menu for supper, steak, wedge salad and a baked tater.........but it was always good.
Custer state park. Look at mount Rushmore from there. No need to pay to fight the people. I thought the Hornady seconds were now sold at a pawn place in grand island, didnt think you could go to the plant, maybe that was just COVID.
That's the Alpine Inn.
Used to be operated by an old German woman. Her daughters were running it last time I was there.
The menu:
Filet mignon. Small or large.
Lettuce wedge.
Potato.
Order the pie for dessert.
Get there early.
I reached out to Hornady and yes the seconds are handled by a pawn shop nearby now
A lot of good suggestions in this thread that I won't reiterate. However, since there seems to be a debate concerning Mt. Rushmore, put me in the "highly recommend" category. Perhaps my favorite part of a visit to Mt. Rushmore is the lighting ceremony with includes recognition of veterans in the crowd.
My favorite picture of Mt. Rushmore just happens to be a very high-res picture created from (5) portrait orientation photos that I took on a visit in 2008 following the lighting ceremony and painstakingly stitched together in Photoshop.
My favorite picture of Mt. Rushmore just happens to be a very high-res picture created from (5) portrait orientation photos that I took on a visit in 2008 following the lighting ceremony and painstakingly stitched together in Photoshop.
Next weekend is Gold Discovery Days in Custer, it’s gonna be packed, the carnival rides just pulled into town. This weekend was3-wheeler days in Deadwood, packed the Black Hills with 3 wheelers
. Always something going on getting up to the Rally week in Aug now. for Food in Custer, I like Bugling Bull Restaurant and get the Elk Medallions! Burger and Bun has excellent burgers. Calamity Janes has great coffee if your a coffee fiend and cheap good breakfast. Hill City has Chute Rooster bar and grill, pretty good and Delanos in Hill City is very good, the Mangy Moose in Hill City is a nice bar and grill, my son is one of the cooks, get the Cuban wrap! Nice place to sit outside and eye fuck all the bikes and broads.
Trout have been biting on Sylvan Lake and in Custer state park, early morning.
enjoy, don’t be in a hurry traffic is full of gawkers. If your into BBQ, JRs on exit 54 in Rapid City is the best around IMO, get the Outlaw Josie Wales sandwich tell me it ain’t great later
. Always something going on getting up to the Rally week in Aug now. for Food in Custer, I like Bugling Bull Restaurant and get the Elk Medallions! Burger and Bun has excellent burgers. Calamity Janes has great coffee if your a coffee fiend and cheap good breakfast. Hill City has Chute Rooster bar and grill, pretty good and Delanos in Hill City is very good, the Mangy Moose in Hill City is a nice bar and grill, my son is one of the cooks, get the Cuban wrap! Nice place to sit outside and eye fuck all the bikes and broads. Trout have been biting on Sylvan Lake and in Custer state park, early morning.
enjoy, don’t be in a hurry traffic is full of gawkers. If your into BBQ, JRs on exit 54 in Rapid City is the best around IMO, get the Outlaw Josie Wales sandwich tell me it ain’t great later
Update - returned from my South Dakota driving vacation. Appreciate all the inputs. Took time with 3 day drive from middle GA. Spent 3 days shooting near Bison SD then switched to tourist mode. One day in Deadwood then multiple days staged out of Hill City. Focused on all the scenic driving routes initially. Took wife on a helicopter tour (she had never been in helo) and she really enjoyed the overview of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, etc. Drove all over Custer State Park and wife happy to see antelope, elk, deer, and of course buffalo. Did not go into Crazy Horse - saw it from the air and road. We both enjoyed Mount Rushmore - I am a Georgia Tech engineer and spent 30+ years in Pulp and Paper engineering/projects - had to respect the efforts to complete that huge undertaking over 17 years! Drove through Badlands. Stopped at Wall Drug - meh for me but wife bought some junk. I enjoyed the Minuteman site - I am of the generation that lived through the "Cold War" and served in the Army during that period. Then 3 days driving home with overnight stop in Branson MO. Torrential rains on way home - big fan of our 2019 Subaru Outback 3.6R all wheel drive! One of our first vacations since I retired - look forward to some more.
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