Crazy Dakota Trip - w/ Kids
 

Good morning. A friend and I are planning a crazy summer trip this summer with four kids/one mini-van, and we'd like to hear any thoughts on things to do/see in the Dakotas that we haven't thought of.

My two kids and I will fly into Minneapolis and meet up with her and her two. Kids are same ages - 2 girls aged five, 2 boys aged 8. All of us have traveled (even the kids) quite a bit so we're undaunted by long days or travel "troubles" with kids. BTDT. =)

We'll drive to Fargo, spend the night. Then drive and explore our way over to Bismarck and spend two nights there. (I have a work commitment there). Can anyone recommend the "most interesting" i.e. not dull family museums/excursions for our group either in Bismarck or on the way from Fargo to Bismarck?

Then we'll make the big drive into South Dakota - to Rapid City, spending 2-3 days there exploring Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Badlands, etc. Boys are interested in history and dinosaurs. Girls are intersted in shopping and er, shopping. *grin* Can anyone recommend an indoor waterpark in SD? (We'll need to tire them out eventually!)

Then driving across to Sioux Falls...spending the night along the way. (With stops at Wall Drug and the Corn Palace - we hope). Anything else to see along this long stretch? Sioux Falls will be new to me (I've done Rapid City)...any museum/outdoor rec places we should visit? We'll spend a night or two and then make our way back to Minneapolis.

Lastly - is there a Laura Ingalls/Little House on the Prairie museum near to any of these locations - the girlies would love that!

Many thanks!

Found these sites doing a google search.
http://frodo.marshall.edu/~irby1/laura/highway.html
http://www.ingallshomestead.com/

Aside from being a photo stop I would pass on Wall Drug.
There is quite alot in the Black Hills area with Wind Cave and the lake also Devils Tower in Wyoming and Ft Robinson in Nebraska are both easy daytrips from Rapid City.

Not far outside of Bismark, in New Salem, is the Salem Sue Cow. It sits up on this hill and you can see it from the freeway. Anyway, drive up there, the kids will love it. It is a big steel cow, lol! We stopped there with our kids when they were 5 and 8 and they loved it. It only takes a few minutes.

Thanks so much for the replies! Wall Drug is kinda a joke for us - I went before I had kids, and then my mom went. We won't be there long. =)

Thanks for the detail on the Ingalls stuff - I'll dig into it.

And the cow sounds hilarious for a photo op with the kiddos! LOL!

Keep 'em coming! We're looking to explore and have fun - making great memories for us all.

I wouldn't go to South Dakota without spending time at Custer State Park. I also love Teddy Roosevelt National Park ( I think that's what it's called.) Was not that impressed with Mt. Rushmore. I know that I'm in the minority on that.. I think maybe that's because it's better at night and I saw it during the day.

...and thanks some more. I think we'd love to explore those parks.

Re: Mt. Rushmore - we're tying this into a whole lesson on the presidents and historical perspective for the kids. Two of the four are little history buffs. =)

On another note - is there any place that you off hand can say "Don't Stop There" in regards to safety?? I travel almost-weekly for work, so I'm pretty travel-savvy. My friend has traveled the world. But is there anyplace that right off isn't right for two women and four kids (our husbands might want us back...maybe not so much the kids!) LOL!

Thanks!

travelhappyfamily:

While in the Black Hills area stop at the Dinosaur Museum and Store in Hill City. The kids will love it. My husband really loves it. Here is their website:
http://www.everythingprehistoric.com/

The cost for the museum is $5 per person. It is located right on the main street in town. The museum looks small but is really packed with alot of dinosaur skeletons and fossils.

Sharrin - perfect! Looks just what we're looking for (especially for the boys)! Thanks!

I appreciate the "we tried this..." feedback. I've poked around a few of the Dakota areas, but sans kids. So the insight is much appreciated.

I didn't see any dinosuars there but I'll bet that the mammoth site in Hot Springs would interest the boys. Here's a peek for you.

http://www.mammothsite.com/

While in the Badlands National Park, look for a small sign about the "Big Pig Dig". It's toward the western edge and the dig site is about half a mile from the main road through the park. The kids might enjoy seeing a real paleontologist site at work. Only good for half an hour most likely but interesting.

Hmmm.... indoor waterpark? I wonder if Evans Plunge in Hot Springs would qualify?

If you travel the road from Custer to Hot Springs through Wind Cave National Park, have them keep their eyes out for bison and wild turkeys. Pronghorns are found in lots of places too.

On I-90 as you top the hill after crossing the Missouri River there is a wayside rest with wonderful views of the river and the bridge you just crossed. Nice bathroom break too.

My twins were ten when we took them to SD and what they loved most was climbing all the rocks. They loved climbing the hills at the Badland, the rocks at Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower. We rented paddle boats and went swimming at Sylvan Lake. That was really fun. We did a chuckwagon dinner in Custer State park. They give you cowboy hats and you sing silly songs as you ride in the wagon to the dinner location. Kind of hokey, but the boys seemed to enjoy it. Everyone enjoyed Wind Cave.

I would think five-year-old girls who love to shop would like Walls Drug.

Ah - more wonderful ideas! I'm getting so excited about this trip! LOL!

Thanks so much! June can't come fast enough now. =)

I also loved Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Quite but with lots of great wildlife.

I think there is a big waterpark near the Badlands, but I didn't go, so I don't know the name, but I vaguely recall there being one.

Also loved Custer State Park, but as you may be able to tell, I'm big on the beautiful scenery and wildlife, while I understand your kids might prefer some of the more "kid friendly" attractions in south Dakota.

BarbaraS's idea of paddleboats and swimming at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park is a great one. We spent a fun day there with our kids when they were 3 and 6 and had a ball.

Our kids also used to love the Alpine Slide located near Mt. Rushmore.

Except for Evans Plunge, there really aren't any indoor water parks in the Black Hills area that I can think of. Several hotels in Rapid have indoor slides and pools but that's about it. Rapid City does have a small outdoor water park that's lots of fun for kids that age.

Thanks again for all the info. I'm going to see if we can work Sylvan Lake into the schedule. The kids will probably love it!

I stand corrected on the lack of indoor water parks in Rapid. Just got back today from a weekend trip to the Black Hills and saw several billboards advertising the WaTiki Water Park in Rapid City.

Here's the website: http://www.watikiwaterpark.com/

From Bismarck, head west to Medora before heading south.

The North Dakota Badlands are more dramatic and beautiful than the southern variety and Teddy Roosevelt Park is among the nation's most underrated.

Medora itself is touristy (pitchfork fondue, anyone?), but the surrounding countryside is fabulous.

There also a dino museum in Dickinson:
http://www.dakotadino.com/

Thank you so much for the additional details and suggestions! I've noted them for our trip. We're really looking forward to it. The Boys are excited about the dinos and mammoths and the girls are excited about Little House on the Prairie. =)

Kids love caves, and there a lot of developed ones to tour (including those with U.S. National Park entry covered by your National Parks Pass)

Caves would be perfect! Another cool thing for us to look into. Thanks!!

If you plan to visit a cave, I might recommend Wind Cave. It's on the route between Custer and Hot Springs and has more to do outside the cave itself. That route will be more likely to have wildlife for the kids to look for, especially bison. We enjoyed both caves but there was little to do at Jewel Cave but hike some trails while we waited for our tour and we saw no wildlife west of Custer even though we were in the early morning.