Open 364 days a year, with Christmas Day the lone day off, this monument to four U.S. presidents -- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt -- was dedicated in 1927. It is part of the National Park Service and attracts almost 3 million visitors a year. An on-site bookstore allows tourists the chance to buy souvenirs, and a guided audio tour of the monument lets visitors in on much of the park's history.
Mount Rushmore is part of the Black Hills, a rock and hill formation in western South Dakota that is home to six national parks, scenic byways, the Crazy Horse Memorial, a sculpture of an Indian atop his horse, and Jewel Cave, the second longest cave in the world. Bordered by Wyoming on the west, Nebraska on the south and Interstate 90 on the north and east, the hills are full of tourist attractions.
T-shirts worn by people all over the country have this destination on them. Where is it? Wall Drug (walldrug.com), located 50 miles east of Rapid City, features Western and Christmas-themed souvenirs in addition to fine art. Attached to the store is the Western Art Gallery Restaurant, known for its 5-cent coffee, hot beef sandwiches and homemade baked goods. Wall Drug is on Interstate 90 off of exits 109 and 110.
The second smallest capital in the United States, with a 2010 population of 13,646, South Dakota's center of government is located on the Missouri River. Noted explorers Lewis and Clark met Teton Sioux Indians by the river bank, and the historic state capital building also occupies a spot along the Missouri. Pierre is home to several memorial statues commemorating those who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The Flaming Fountain, a spring that actually burns fire because of its natural gas contents, sits by the statues.
The gateway to the Black Hills, Rapid City (2009 estimated population 67,907) is the second-largest city in the state. It is also home to two major historic districts, one located in downtown and the other along West Boulevard, just west of downtown. Attractions for families include Storybook Island (storybrookisland.org), which features nursery-rhyme displays and a playground, and Canyon Lake Park, which is known for its forest and picnic areas.
If Rapid City is the gateway to South Dakota from the west, Sioux Falls sits 330 miles to the east and affords tourists a gateway into Minnesota. South Dakota's largest city has an estimated 2010 population of 154,000. The Falls Park Observation Center (siouxfallsparks.org), a running river with small falls in the middle of downtown, is an attraction built for tourists of all ages. There are more than 500 restaurants in the city, from well-known chains to local favorites.
