I just found out I am speaking at a conference in Rapid City, South Dakota in early June. I'll have 2 half days to see the sites and I need help! The conference has a dinner at Mt. Rushmore so that's taken care of. I'll have a car and also have the option of 3 bus trips (which I'd like to avoid) but those bus trips are Badlands/Wall Drug; Crazy Horse/1880 train; Custer State Park/Iron Mountain Road. I'd like to fit in as much as possible and busses tend to make me nauseous so I'm leaning toward heading out on my own. Any help/ideas would be much appreciated as I know nothing about the area! THanks!

OK, I know it's South Dakota, but someone has to have some insight!

It's been years since I've been to South Dakato, but I can tell you that I wished we'd driven through the Badlands and we really enjoyed seeing the Crazy Horse monument. Really don't know anything about the other places you've mentioned.

Thanks. I'll add the Badlands to my list!

My advice would be to get yourself a car and another person (or not) and take a drive through Custer Park. You may have time to do a trail ride if that does anything for you.

Custer Park is famous for the friendly wild Burros and herds of Buffalo. We also saw Antelope last time I was there.

If you have not been to Mt. Rushmore, it is a must do IMHO.

Both of the above would rank well above the Badlands to me (which would rank several steps above Wall Drug). One other idea is you could always kill a 1/2 day in Deadwood...do a little low stakes gambling and have a beverage in the saloon that Wild Bill bought it in!

Two half days should give you time to see a few sites on your own. I see you already will be at MT RUSHMORE.

You could drive (follow the bus) out to BADLANDS. Definitely go there.

Skip Wall Drug store(s) if time is an issue. It's interesting but just a touristy souvenir place.

Spend the time doing the drive through the Badlands national park. That will take some time. Doesn't look far on a map, but slower driving and lots of "lookout points" to stop at.

In one other half day, you should be able to drive to CUSTER STATE PARK (takes a couple hours to drive through or more - depending how much you stop to look at animals, etc.)

and go to CRAZY HORSE NAT'L MONUMENT (it's open late & the monument is lit up at night).

Thanks so much-what's the drive time to Custer State Park from Rapid City-the conference is at the Holiday Inn Mt. Rushmore.

Don't forget the Corn Palace in Mitchell S.D.- I think about an hours drive west of Rapid City. A great slice of Americana!

1 hour or less to Custer State Park.

1 hour & a few minutes to Badlands NP.

I'll second the recommendations of Badlands and Custer!

Utahtea

If you have 2 half days I would suggest you spend half a day in the northern hills and the other half in the southern hills. In the northern hills, Deadwood is a must, as is Spearfish Canyon. In the southern hills, there is a loop road you need to take. Take
Iron Mountain Road, it takes you through
pigtail bridges and tunnels. Go thru Custer State Park and then come back on Needles Highway. This is a long half day but it can be done. If you have any other questions please ask. As I live in the area, I have seen everything there is to see.

OFORPARIS

WHOA! Mitchell is east of Rapid City and about 230 miles away.

Thanks for all your help, Sven, can you recommend any restaurants in either or both areas? I'll be by myself most likely and don't need anything fancy.

I like Custer State Park - we were stupid and started feeding a couple of wild burros some carrots we had; when we stopped feeding them, they chased my best friend and me around the minivan until we managed to open the door and jump in...so, enjoy the burros, but don't feed them! Saw lots of bison as well, including one munching grass right outside our cabin window! (We were smart enough not to feed or approach them!)

We ate dinner one night at the State Game Lodge at Custer State Park - maybe a little fancier than you are looking for, but if you want to treat yourself, it is very good - plus, the building has historical significance as the summer White House for Calvin Coolidge.

I think a drive through the Badlands is definitely worth it - it is a very unique area, like something from another planet.

Jewel Cave and Wind Cave (national parks) are both in the area, so you could take a cave tour if you are interested in that. We did 2 tours at Jewel Cave; the lantern tour is quite fun.

If you are interested in doing some jewelery shopping for some South Dakota gold, I seem to remember that Leeds was a good place to go for that. Even though it has become abit more touristy, if you want a liitle bit of history & maybe some gambling you might want to visit Deadwood. You can actually roam the boot hill cemetary where a number of the more fanciful & notorious past citizens of Deadwood, such as Wild Bill & Calamity Jane, are buried.

I'm originally from South Dakota and have worked with tour operators that have run tours there.

Wall Drugs. I would stop there. You don't need to be there for a long time, but it's a hoot. Also has good prices on Black Hills Gold Jewelry. Also be sure that you hit the gift shop at Mt. Rushmore as they also have good prices.

You can do all the places you mentioned on your own, but remember you won't be getting any narration or help on what to look for if you aren't on a tour.

I LOVE Custer. However, I always have taken the jeep rides out among the Buffalo and had the best time. What ever you do heed the park's advice and do not get out of your vehicle. It is dangerous and stupid to do so. These are wild animals even though they appear to be friendly.

I would spend a day in the northern hills and go to Deadwood. It is quaint and gives you somewhat of a taste of the Old West.

Check the web site for South Dakota for more information.

Have a fabulous time.

Near State Game Lodge we did a buffalo jeep safari that was great & horseback riding through parts of Black Hills. Definitely do Crazy Horse & Deadwood is lots of fun if you like to gamble. I wasn't impressed with Wall Drug.

The Buffalo Jeep ride sounds great-do I need advance reservations?

These are the places we like to go to when we are out and about in the hills.
In Rapid City, Botticelli's is a great
Italian restaurant, something more casual is a brewpup called the Firehouse. They are both downtown and
within a block of each other. In Custer
there is a great little place called
Sage Creek Grill. In Custer State Park
at the Sylvan Lake Lodge, the food is good, sit outside on the balcony, the
view is great. In Hill City, which is
about 10 miles from Mt. Rushmore, the
place to go is the Alpine Inn, they
have great desserts. In Deadwood, there
are several places. If you like Chinese
try Miss Kitty's. If you want something fancier try Kevin Costner's
restaurant Jake's. If you have any
other questions, please feel free to ask.

John -Ooops, I was in Sioux Falls on my 50 states by age 50 tour, not Rapid City. I knew it had falls or rapids or something. Well, you know those fly-over states, love em and leave em!