Where to stay

Downtown Rapid City offers interesting historical perspectives, with the Museum of Geology providing information on minerals and fossils, while the nearby Chapel in the Hills showcases the architecture of a Norwegian stave church. Book a hotel in Box Elder near Ellsworth AFB to spend time at the impressive South Dakota Air and Space Museum. Accommodations in Wall are perfect for visiting the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Stop at the town's longstanding roadside oasis of Wall Drug Store for history, culture, souvenirs, food, and free ice water. Stay in Keystone in the Black Hills to visit the National Presidential Wax Museum.

Rapid City offers outdoor activities downtown and in the neighboring Black Hills. Book accommodations in Historic Rapid City and view life-sized bronze statues of all the former U.S. presidents displayed across several city blocks. Downtown Rapid City hotels are close to Outdoor Campus-West, where the family can follow nature trails and learn about hunting, fishing, and other outdoor skills. Stay north of the city in Black Hawk, Summerset, or Piedmont for hiking in the northern parts of the Black Hills National Forest. Moving south, accommodations in Hill City and Keystone are perfect for visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, and Wind Cave National Park. To the east, Wall is a great base for a road trip through Badlands National Park, where the unusual geologic formations are surprising and picturesque.

Hotels in Downtown Rapid City are great for visiting child-friendly attractions such as Dinosaur Park, Storybook Island, and the Journey Museum and Learning Center, which focuses on native American and regional history. The Main Street Square splash fountain and Downtown Summer Nights concerts are also popular with families. Stay near Rockerville for Bear Country USA and Reptile Gardens, where prairie dogs and snakes will mesmerize the entire family. Reserve accommodations in Hill City or Keystone to ride the Black Hills Central Railroad. Hot Springs is a great place to stay to visit Wind Cave National Park and view fossils at the Mammoth Site.