8 days in South Dakota Itinerary

Kids will enjoy Chapel in the Hills and Horseback Riding Tours. Explore hidden gems such as Storybook Island and Broken Boot Gold Mine. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Rapid City: Keystone (Mount Rushmore National Memorial & Breezy Point Picnic Area), Brule (in Hill City) and Custer State Park (in Custer). And it doesn't end there: see Off-Road Tours, look for all kinds of wild species at Bear Country USA, take an in-depth tour of Adams Museum, and stop by Alex Johnson Mercantile.

To find other places to visit, more things to do, photos, and tourist information, go to the Rapid City road trip website.

Houston to Rapid City is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. The time zone changes from Central Standard Time (CST) to Mountain Standard Time (MST), which is usually a -1 hour difference. In July, Rapid City is slightly colder than Houston - with highs of 85°F and lows of 62°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 19th (Wed) to allow enough time to drive to De Smet.

Start off your visit on the 20th (Thu): don't miss a visit to Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes, then take an in-depth tour of De Smet Depot Museum, then don't miss a visit to Ingalls Homestead - Laura's Living Prairie, and finally stroll the grounds of De Smet Cemetery.

To find other places to visit, more things to do, photos, and tourist information, go to the De Smet trip planner.

Getting from Rapid City to De Smet by car takes about 5 hours. Traveling from Rapid City to De Smet, you'll lose 1 hour due to the time zone difference. In July, daily temperatures in De Smet can reach 85°F, while at night they dip to 61°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Thu) to allow enough time to drive to Aberdeen.

Start off your visit on the 21st (Fri): take an in-depth tour of Dacotah Prairie Museum, then let the kids burn off some steam at Storybook Land and Land of Oz, and then walk around Wylie Park.

To find traveler tips, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, read Aberdeen journey planning app.

You can drive from De Smet to Aberdeen in 2 hours. In July in Aberdeen, expect temperatures between 84°F during the day and 58°F at night. On the 22nd (Sat), you'll travel back home.