South Dakota?

South Dakota is AWESOME!!! Lots of things to do for all ages. We took a camper and had a wonderful time. Most definately GO GO GO!

I grew up in South Dakota.I live in Kansas now but would like to move back up there as all my family is up there,except my kids.The Black Hills are a lovely place to go.Believe it or not,I have only been there onec.Lots of things to see and do out in the western part of the state.If you go the first part of Aug.,they have a Bike Rally.Wish I could help you more.I just couldn't help but respond when it comes to my home state.I think if you serch southdakota.com you can find out more info on the state,sites,etc.Good Luck and Have Fun!!!

My in-laws live in S. Dakota, but on the east side, so we hardly make it to the beauty of the west side. The west side has lots to offer, the drive is a bit of a drag, but visiting the Corn Palace in Mitchell is a fun novelty. The Black Hills and Custer State Park with Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Needles are some of the highlights. We stayed in a cabin at Sylvan Lake and it was perfect http://www.custerresorts.com/resortsSylvanLake.php. On one of our evening walks we encountered elk grazing just yards away. A walk around Sylvan Lake is less than a mile, if I remember, but it's very pleasant. Your son will enjoy the large rocks to climb on. We had dinner at the lodge and it was a special evening (it was our anniversary).

http://camping.about.com/od/cgwebpagessd/South_Dakota_Cam... This is a link someone sent me. It is not only camping, it is cabins too and ideas. We stayed at the Stanley Hotel (where the shining was made Stephen King) It was beautiful! Of course you have to take him to Mt.Rushmore. Plan on a hike there. The hike up to take pictures is beautiful. Wear comfortable shoes and take water and maybe snacks. We had a very educational experience. Went on a scenic drive around some loop in the mountains and saw nothing really and got car sick kids started getting bored.. I would stick to the major attractions! Have fun! J.

Attached is a park that I'm sure your son would love! I haven't got to personally stay here, but my sister took her 4 children and they had a blast! LOTS of things to do! Try going to http://www.campjellystone.com/camp-resorts-detail.php?cam... and see if that's something you might enjoy! They have parks in several states and South Dakota happens to be one of them! Hope this might be of help!

Hi J.,

We travel through SD a LOT on our way to MT (home). Last summer we listened to Little House On the Prairie books on CD and cassette while traveling. I have a then 6 y. o. girl and 8 y. o. boy. They loved the stories. Then we drove to De Smet and saw the homestead from The Long Winter from that series. They have a one room prairie school house, the kids got to drive the horses that pulled the wagon out there and they made a button string toy and best of all, I think, in their mind... they played with the kittens in the barn loft. There are a few other things to do but we had a really good time.

De Smet is about an hour north of I70 not far West of I29.

I know you will have a great time!

L. C.

My favorite vacation! Went to Mt Rushmore, going up there there is so much to see. We stayed in Keystone at Roosevelt Inn, 2nd floor by elevator and pool, big room with kitchenette and bedroom, family loved it,there were 4 adults and 2 kids in one room, very comfortable, and not expensive. we went to Deadwood, must for the guys,after we arrived on a day trip, on the way up drove thru the Badlands and walked around, stopped in Mitchell SD to see the corn place, stopped to see the falls at Sioux Falls Sd, went to Custer State Park, in Deadwood went to Cemetary where Wild Bill and Calamity Jane are buried, etc. Loved it!!!

I would go early in the summer. With Sturgis happening in early August, I would want to be as far away from there as I could with my kids. I understand that bikers start arriving in mid to late July. I have heard it's beautiful in the Black Hills area. Have fun!

We loved South Dakota. We stayed in the Black Hills most of the time. We camped both times (pull behind the 1st time and RV the 2nd). We went once with teenage children and took Mother-in-law second time. I don't know what you're into, but Mount Rushmore is great. I would go a little before dark, so you can see everything in daylight and stay for the lighting that occurs at dark. I'm sorry to say that we found Crazy Horse to be a waste of money the 1st time and we didn't go there the second time. You can see it from the road. Lots of bufflo in Custer Park, but you have to go at the right time. I think it was early in the morning. Also seen a white bufflo. The guy there had some cool stories about them. Lots of things like that to do. Mostly little towns in the Black Hills. Lots of shopping in some and I think it was Lead that had gambling. The Black Hills get busy during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. If your not into motorcycles you might want to plan around it.

Hi J.,
We've been there but some time ago, I still think that it was one of our best trips! I loved it there! It is different from anything else you could have seen, the needles...the presidents....corn museum.....lot's of things to see.
There are places to stay all over like in any other city, you can check online for a hotel that you normally like. Or just go on the road and stop some place you like, that is how we did it! It was fun.
Enjoy your trip!
Mariana Abadie
www.MaiaCreations.ecrater.com
www.MyKidsFirst.com

South Dakota was one of my favorite vacation spots as a kid. We went there every other year from the time I was 3 till 15 since it is not that far of a drive from missouri. My family did not have a lot of money as I was growing up but family vacations were something that I remember fondly and my parents always came up with a way for us to go there cheaply. We stayed at KOA campgrounds that had camper cabins with bunk beds in them or we would stay in a tent. There is so much beautiful free stuff to see and do. The black hills and the badlands are really pretty. The corn palace and Wall drug were also some of my favorite spots to visit. I know have my own child and plan to take him there in a couple of years. i hope you guys make it and have a wonderful time.

South Dakota is nice. Just do not go the first week of Aug. That is Sturgis (all you will see are bikers) very hard to get around unless you own a bike that week. However we own one and went out for Sturgis for our honeymoon. It is such peacefull country. You do not see all the trash along the highway like you do here in MO. There are many sites to see. Can not tell you were to stay we camped in tents. Just thought that I would let you know about the Sturgis event incase you did not know about it. The town of Sturgis is not much until Bike week. If memory serves me right the town has only about 1,000 people but Bike Week it has about 5,000 or more. Even the town folk leave there homes and rent them out that week just because of all the crowds. It was a good time though.

Check for a cabin or house on VRBO.com or HomeAway.com. These are by the owners, at great prices, and they will usually help you out with activities.

Now that we have a vacation house (www.VacationHomeinBranson.com), we realize the extreme benefits of vacationing at a house or cabin versus a hotel or motel. You don't always feel like you have to "go" - you can relax, the beds are usually bigger and more comfortable, your son can have his own bedroom, and you save money by eating breakfast and other meals "in" instead of always needing to eat out, unless you want to. Many of the homes or cabins have great locations like by rivers or lakes, or have walking and hiking places...it's the way to go.

Born and raised in NW Minnesota, I traveled to SD as a kid. If you have time, I would suggest contacting SD Tourism website (http://www.travelsd.com/ and http://www.SDVisit.com) and request some information. They have lots of information on the site about planning your trip to their state.

Some can't miss moments:
-Mt. Rushmore
-Little House on the Prairie site
-Custer State Park
-Black Hills
-State Capital
-Lewis & Clark

You could also call--> 1-800-S-DAKOTA

Very fun! My family was all about road trips. Mind you, I wasn't always as appreciative as a kid, but so thankful now. My mom is from Manitoba so every year we drove from KC through S. Dakota on our way to Grandma's. We stopped in Brookings as the halfway point quite often. It's a nice little town. When I was 15 we did a huge tour of the NW US. We went from KC to S. Dakota - we went to the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore, and drove through the Black Hills - all very cool - then across to Montana - Jackson Hole, Yellowstone - up to Seattle, back to Montana to Glacier Natl Park (MUCH prettier than Yellowstone) then up into Alberta and through Sask. across to Manitoba then back south to KC. Three thousand miles in three weeks. Let me tell you how sick of the car we were by then! But it was also lots of fun and we got to see lots of neat stuff. I think learning geography and history in school was always more interesting since we'd been to those places.

My family and I vacationed in SD, ND, and Colorado about 5 years ago and it was PHENOMENAL!!! At Hot Springs,SD there is an archialogical dig going on that you can tour, Mammoths were found there, it was a tar pit, and they found one on top of the other on top of the other etc.(under a roof) it's been going on for years.Of Course, Mt Rushmore is amazing, there is an alligator farm, a place called Bear Country, and Crazy horse is remarkable. But we enjoyed the drives through Custer State Park, you get upclose and personal with Buffalo, Prairie Dogs, and some of the most breath-taking scenery this country has to offer. There are also cabins to rent there, which, if we went back, we would do, for sure!!We had our fifth wheel the first time out. On our way home, we went to Wall Drug on our way through the Badlands. All in all it was a Very full vacation, my kids enjoyed it immensely!! We were there in mid-June and the weather was PERFECT, and one other perk...NO BUGS!

South Dakota is beautiful....traveled through some years ago on a vacation in a camper trailer. Don't know how it rates today, but then it was quite nice. Google the state for tourist sights (Corn Palace would be a start) and get a map to see where you would need to be in order to be central to the rest of the sights you want to see. They have lots of tourist attractions and museums, but the most fun on any trip are the 'out of the way' places and roadside attractions that may not make it to the tourist brochure, in my opinion. Having a seven year old in tow will determine a lot of what you do and see, but it should be fun for everyone with little effort. Have fun!!!

Certain parts of South Dakota are great. The western part of the state near Mt. Rushmore has tons of stuff to do. The two places I would recommend seeing with kids are Bear Country USA and Reptile Gardens. They are in the Rapid City/Black Hills area. Deadwood and Sturgis are neat old towns that are fun as long as you aren't their during the motorcycle rally, and the Badlands are really pretty as well. As far as Mt. Rushmore is concerned, I wouldn't pay to see it since you can see it from the road. Also, the Crazy Horse monument is much bigger than Mt. Rushmore so I recommend seeing that. Devil's tower is kinda neat as well and you can see it from the road. The rest of South Dakota was pretty boring driving through. There was the Corn Palace in Mitchell which you may want to stop and see; especially if your husband is a hunter/fisherman because that is the headquarters for Cabella's. To find a place to stay I would get a AAA book of South Dakota, they are always helpful. Hope this helps and have a great trip!!!