5 days in South Dakota Itinerary

5 days in South Dakota Itinerary

Created using Inspirock South Dakota travel route planner

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Plan created by another user. Make it yours
Start: Madison
Fly
1
Rapid City
— 4 nights
Fly
End: Madison
Sat, Jun 20 - Wed, Jun 24 Edit
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4
nights
Rapid City

Bear Country USA ©

Gateway to the Black Hills

South Dakota's second-largest city, Rapid City has for many years served as a gateway to the West.
Attractions like Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Loop Road make great kid-friendly stops. Explore Rapid City's surroundings by going to Presidential Trail (in Keystone), Custer (Iron Mountain Road, Needles Eye Tunnel, &more) and Badlands National Park (Burns Basin Overlook, Badlands Wall, &more). Next up on the itinerary: meet the residents at Reptile Gardens, look for all kinds of wild species at Bear Country USA, stop by Professor Samuel's Portrait Emporium, and enjoy some diversion at Cosmos Mystery Area.

To find photos, traveler tips, ratings, and other tourist information, you can read our Rapid City online travel planner.

Madison to Rapid City is an approximately 7.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. The time zone difference moving from Central Standard Time (CST) to Mountain Standard Time (MST) is minus 1 hour. In June, plan for daily highs up to 78°F, and evening lows to 57°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 24th (Wed) early enough to travel back home.

Things to do in Rapid City

Parks · Nature · Outdoors · Theme Parks

Side Trips

Keystone, Badlands National Park, Custer
Highlights from your trip
Bear Country USA ©
Must see
Bear Country USA
4.4
Mount Rushmore National Memorial ©
Must see
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
4.7
Loop Road ©
Must see
Loop Road
4.9
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See South Dakota Travel Guide

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See also:

South Dakota travel guide

4.2
National Parks · Scenic Drive · Monuments
The State of Great Faces and Great Places
Famous for the cliffside monuments of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial, South Dakota is a land of Old West history, American Indian culture, and impressive natural wonders. Get to know the state's diverse and breathtaking landscape with a trip through Custer National Park, with a herd of 1,300 free-roaming bison, or by traversing the dramatic peaks of Badlands National Park near the Black Hills. Allow time in your itinerary to visit the state's largest city, Sioux Falls, for shopping, dining, and entertainment options, as well as a number of museums and historical attractions.