Sioux Falls is South Dakota's largest city and has a great range of activities for the whole family. Zoos, nature parks and amusement parks are among the kid-friendly options available, and there are activities to fit every budget and age group. In the summer you can hike and in the winter you can ski--activities for the entire year are on offer.
A great place for kids in the summer that is also easy on the wallet is The Outdoor Campus. It is free to enter and is centered on educating children about wildlife habitats. The facility is a little old and it is recommended to hike through the trails or visit the butterfly garden rather than concentrate on the inside activities. This is more for a sunny day than a rainy day option.
The Great Plains Zoo is open year-round and is home to more than 1,000 animals from the world over including monkeys, tigers and rhinos. Despite year-round admission, it is best visited in the summer; not all of the animals are on display during the winter as they are in the summer time. The zoo also has the Delbridge Museum of Natural History on site and it is open for visitors year-round. The museum is a collection of stuffed animals, including some that are now on the vanishing species list.
With a name like Wild Water West, most children are hooked before they even get there. In addition to the obvious pools and watersides, the park offers a range of activities from mini-golf to beach volleyball, go karts and batting cages. Tickets include a full day's access to the entire park, and children under the age of 2 are admitted for free.
Great Bear Park may sound like a place to view bears but in fact it's an outdoor recreation park. Skiers and snowboarders who want to push their limits within the sport have their own area in Grizzly Park, and for the family members who are not into skiing, they can go tubing.
