Travel Destinations South Dakota Rapid City, South Dakota Top Things to Do in Rapid City, South Dakota Life-size bronze statues of presidents and a hotel where six presidents slept make sense in a city that’s 23 miles from Mount Rushmore. Attractions that explore natural history, geology and flight round out a stay. By Midwest Living editors Midwest Living editors Midwest Living's experienced editors create best-in-class travel, lifestyle, food, home and garden content you won't find anywhere else. We're loudly, proudly Midwestern, and we're passionate about helping our audience explore and create through award-winning storytelling. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 11, 2023 Vertex. Photo: Ryan Donnell Rapid City, gateway to the Black Hills and Badlands, makes a great home base for exploring the natural beauty surrounding the city—but it's also a destination worth seeing on its own for wildlife, history, art and cultural attractions. Do Bear Country USA A 3-mile drive takes visitors past bears, wolves, reindeer, elk, mountain lions and 15 other species of North American mammals. Bear cubs frolic at a wildlife center. Chapel in the Hills See an intricately carved stave church, a replica of the Borgund Stavkirke built in 1150 outside Lærdal, Norway. Herbert Hoover/City of Presidents. Courtesy of Visit Rapid City City of Presidents Bronze statues of 43 presidents line downtown streets. Find maps at visitor information centers or download a guide. Soak in the Monumental History and Geology of Rapid City—and Its Exciting Food Scene Dinosaur Park. Courtesy of Visit Rapid City Dinosaur Park Open since 1936, the free Dinosaur Park was one of the area's original tourist attractions. Kids especially will love the seven concrete-and-steel reproductions of extinct creatures (six dinosaurs and a carnivore that lived before the dinosaurs' time). The whole family can enjoy views of up to 100 miles from the sandstone ridge where Dinosaur Park was built. Top 10 Things to Do with Kids in the Black Hills and Badlands The Journey Museum and Learning Center A big-screen movie sets up your walk through time. Progress through exhibits that show how the area changed from the dinosaur period to Wild West days to the devastating flood of 1972. Museum of Geology. Courtesy of Visit Rapid City Museum of Geology The fossils on display at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology span the history of South Dakota and include dinosaurs, marine reptiles and plants. If mineralogy intrigues, check out agates, meteorites, fluorescent minerals and other finds in the Hall of South Dakota Minerals. Prairie Edge. Jason Lindsey Prairie Edge and Sioux Trading Post Native American art, beaded dolls, drums, pottery, tribal regalia, jewelry and more fill the shop downstairs at Prairie Edge. An art gallery and bead library occupy the upstairs. Ryan Donnell Reptile Gardens The world's largest reptile zoo houses more than 225 types of reptiles and amphibians, plus prairie dogs, birds and insects. Shows, exhibits and kids' activities like gemstone panning add to the fun. The Sculpture Project: Passage of Wind and Water Twenty-one granite pieces at Main Street Square reflect the natural and cultural history of the region. Artist Masayuki Nagase carved the project over five years. South Dakota Air and Space Museum. Courtesy of South Dakota TOurism South Dakota Air and Space Museum The outdoor airpark is open every day, but indoor exhibits are currently closed for renovations (as of summer 2023). Find updates on the museum's status here. Armadillo's. Courtesy of Visit Rapid City Eat and Drink Armadillo's Ice Cream Shoppe Locally owned Armadillo's serves up ice cream, fruit smoothies, malts, sundaes and more in tempting combos like Armadillo (chocolate ice cream, peanut butter dip, hot fudge, chopped nuts) and Banana Cream Pie (vanilla ice cream, toasted coconut dip, banana and whipped cream). Black Hills Contraband The state's first fully licensed artisan distillery crafts vodka and 13 flavored liqueurs inspired by an old family recipe. The tasting room hosts comedy and game nights and live music. Delmonico Grill Splurge on a 16-ounce ribeye with poblano cream sauce or try a seasonal special, such as bison pot roast, in the fine-dining spot downtown. Everest Cuisine Try Indian and Nepalese specialties such as tandoori chicken, vegetable samosas and lamb kabobs. Independent Ale House A rotating selection of 40 draft beers complements thin-crust pizzas that come in flavors like Bob's Popper (cream cheese, ranch sauce, jalapeño, bacon and raspberry preserves) at Independent Ale House. Firehouse Wine Cellars Visit for tastings, pizza paired with wine and free winery tours. Que Pasa Cantina Enjoy hand-mashed guacamole, a solid vegan and vegetarian selection, a lively patio and rooftop cantina, and the city's largest tequila selection (with 50-plus featured labels) at Que Pasa Cantina. Ron's Cafe The diner-style restaurant serves breakfast and lunch comfort food like sausage breakfast bowls, pork chops, chimichangas, and grilled ham and cheese. Tally's Silver Spoon Diner-style breakfasts segue to a mix of comfort food and upscale fare for lunch and dinner at Tally's. Burgers and pasta share the menu with dishes like grilled bison skirt with citrus-glazed mushrooms. Vertex Sky Bar. Blaine Moats Vertex Sky Bar Guests at the Hotel Alex Johnson can sip craft cocktails or eat dinner while viewing the Black Hills, buttes and prairies from the 10th and 11th floors. Hotel Alex Johnson. Jason Lindsey Stay Hotel Alex Johnson Brick flooring with Native American symbols and a lobby chandelier of war spears hint at Native American and Germanic Tudor influences. Six presidents have stayed at the 143-room downtown hotel, which opened in 1928. More information: visitrapidcity.com Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit