Joey

My wife and I are planning on spending a night in Deadwood, SD on our trip to Glacier NP this summer. Can anyone offer up a good place to stay, either hotel or B&B? Any good place to eat dinner or spend the evening? We will be spending our day and Badlands, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore, and maybe Wind Cave if we have time. Any other general thoughts about Deadwood?

Thanks for your advice.

dnorrie

Deadwood is a really neat town. There is ton to see and do right in the town, tours, great old saloons, the old cemetary etc. If you are going in August, remember that the 1st Monday in August starts the famous Sturgis motorcycle rally and the bikes begin coming as much as two weeks earlier. During Sturgis, there will be absolutely no where to stay short of camping by tent. The noise in deafening - there are thousands and thousands of bikers so beware that time of year. From Montana to Sturgis and Sturgis west to any nearby city it is literally bumper to bumper motorcycles.

We have only camped when we have been there so I cannot help you with a place to stay. Perhaps someone else can.

Jim Rosenberg

Joey --

Summer is a very busy time in the Black Hills, as I'm sure you know. When I've been in the area, I've generally opted to stay in Rapid City or Spearfish. Deadwood has always been an interesting stop, but the conversion to a lot of small casinos a number of years back has changed the ambiance of Deadwood dramatically. I can't fault them for finding themselves what is obviously a very successful line of business and the resources that have been brought in have provided for the preservation of many 19th Century buildings in Deadwood. At the same time, something has been lost in this colorful, historic western town, IMHO. So for me, it's a "stop" but not a "stay" at this point.

dnorrie

Rapid City or Spearfish are good suggestions #2 but again remember, during Sturgis bike week these places are full, full, full. You just simply cannot find a place to stay. Those of us that ride our bikes just throw a tent up in a field someplace. Actually, if I were not a biker and planning on that area during the last two weeks of July and first 10 days in August, I would go somewhere else. Truly.

Jim Rosenberg

Agree heartily with dnorrie -- not having a reservation in this area in the summer can leave you sleeping in your car. Bike Week is probably already booked up at many properties and as you travel further west, you will begin to fall under the heavy tourist influence of Yellowstone once you get much past Gillette, Wyoming. I might suggest booking something "provisionally" soon while you continue to do research and then cancelling out if and when you find something superior to your initial choice. Perhaps this seems like overkill and it may well be, but better safe than sorry?

dnorrie

Just as a suggestion, I recommend Yodellers in Red Lodge, MT and Hoosiers, in Cooke City, Mt. Give me an email if you need further advice.

John

Regardless of your overnight plans, Deadwood and Lead (pronounced "leed") are interesting stops. The cemetery in Deadwood features the side by side graves of Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane, and my favorite shop sign in the country is located at the foot of the cemetery hill, an undertaker's premises with the undertaker's name on the sign..."Chaput." (Say it like "loch.")

Joey Carlton

Thanks for the advice. We're going in the late June, so hopefully the bike rally won't affect us (we're not bikers). Specifically, has anyone stayed at the Best Western Hickok House in Deadwood? Is it convenient to the shops/restaurants there?

dnorrie

While I haven't stayed in Deadwood, I remember it as being a small town. You should have no problem regardless of where you stay. The suggestion to visit the cemetary is a great one - we found it most interesting and also very scenic as it is high above the town and you can look out over the valley.

I hope you have a great time.

Jan

ttt
More input here PLEASE
Cheers
Jan

ellen g

We had dinner at The Midnight Star restaurant, that is owned by the hot movie actor Kevin Costner! The food was good, but the clothes and artifacts from his movies were GREAT!))

If you go, keep an eye out for him as he's known to pop in on occasion.

ENJOY!!!

kkj

The Deadwood Gulch in Deadwood is a nice hotel/motel. It's away from the main stip (if you can call it a strip) but has a good location. There is also the Golden Hills in Lead. It's very nice, but if memory serves me right it doesn't have much to do right around the area.

Rapid City is a nice place. There is the Alex Johnson Hotel or the Radisson which is also nice. The only problem with Rapid City is that you do have a drive to the hills.

The Hills are great and you might want to spend some time checking out the area. There is so much to do from Custer State Park (take the jeep ride), Crazy Horse, The Caves, Mt. Rushmore, Keystone, the Badlands. You definately need more than a day to check the area out.

Have a great trip.

jan

About 10 years ago we were in Deadwood and met Kevin Costner {very friendly}.Had our pictures with him.{11 pm}Daughter sighed for 3 days."He is more handsome than the Marlboro man." I think there was a White House Hotel there or in Leeds. Daughter and mother still sigh when they think of it.

Josie

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which is right in the midst of downtown main street, lined with small casinos. Two hotels further down the road called The Mineral Palace and Bullock's are quite nice, too. I think that The Midnight Star is the best restaurant for dinner.

Dawn

We were there last month and stayed at the Deadwood Gulch Resort. Great place with the only decent restaurant in Deadwood (I didn't say great, I said decent). I would stay there again, but I recommend you eat in Lead (pronounced, "leed"). It's just a couple miles from Deadwood. The resort has a pool, casino, restaurant (as I said) and I liked that we could park the car right outside our door and didn't have to lug suitcases all over the place. The rooms have two doors, with the other leading into the hallway in the hotel. Very convenient. We stayed only one night in the area and we visited Badlands (half a day), Wall Drug (huge place but super-cheesy, and I wouldn't bother stopping there again), Rushmore, Crazy Horse (cooler than Rushmore!) Custer State Park (Be sure to drive the Wildlife Loop as bison are EVERYWHERE, and also drive the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road; in my opinion missing out on driving these roads would be worse than missing out on anything else in the area including Rushmore), Jewel Cave (everyone recommended this over Wind Cave so we went here and it was beautiful), Homestake Mine Tour in Lead (don't miss this!), Bear Country USA (other than driving those roads I mentioned, this was the favorite thing we did, and we don't even have any kids!!!), Adam's House & Museum in Deadwood (quick stop; we only did the museum which is located next to the post office) and I think that about wraps up our Deadwood visit. Fun place for sure...just don't eat there! Have a good time!

Jan

ttt
Cheers and Thanks
Jan

topper

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lorah

I tend to disagree with Dawn. I think she probably got there at a bad time.

We have ALWAYS had excellent food in Deadwood. If you want an extraordinary prime rib buffet, and I mean this is a great deal, go to the First Gold Inn on Sat/Sun mornings/afternoon. It's worth everything. All the casinos have great breakfast menus, and we have eaten at all. There is a place in Spearfish Canyon with a Sourdough Pancake place...I can't remember the name, but I know anyone there can help you find it.

We love the Cajun Prime rib at BB Cody's and also, if you like a great fancy sandwich/burger, try the Midnight Star. People are pretty happy to have your business there.

The one thing I am really disappointed in is how they redid the Goldbergs soda fountain. It was so neat before, now it's totally remodeled and doesn't have that "feel" anymore. Sad.

Be sure to take advantage of the tours, etc., and most of all enjoy yourself. Like anywhere else, Deadwood has its goods and bads, but we have always had positive results.

The blackjack is pretty good there, too!!!!!!

lorah

Oops, I forgot hotels.
I like the Deadwood Gulch, Mineral Palace, and there is a new one called Cadillac Jacks. Pricewise, they vary in the summer. The trolley ride is wonderful in the evening, nice way to cool off! The drivers are really nice!

If you REALLY want to stay someplace unique, try to get a room at Bullocks. It's an old hotel on the corner of downtown deadwood. Rumor has it, and it was on Unsolved Mysteries, that there is a ghost there. It's a neat place.

Syv

Homestake Mine Tour in Lead?

How/where (website??) do I find more info on this & do you reserve in advance?

Bear Country USA?

What's that - a "place" or a scenic drive? More info?

On all these drives mentioning wildlife - are there times you can see bear or whatever without binoculars? Close enough to take their picture?