8 days in South Dakota Itinerary

Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. On the 16th (Mon), take in the architecture and atmosphere at St. Joseph Cathedral and then don't miss a visit to Michelangelo's David replica.

To see where to stay, reviews, maps, and more tourist information, go to the Sioux Falls travel route tool .

Saint Louis to Sioux Falls is an approximately 6.5-hour flight. You can also do a combination of flight and car; or drive. While traveling from Saint Louis, expect slightly colder days and about the same nights in Sioux Falls, ranging from highs of 76°F to lows of 55°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 17th (Tue) to allow time to travel to De Smet.

De Smet is a city in and the county seat of Kingsbury County, South Dakota, United States. Start off your visit on the 18th (Wed): take an in-depth tour of De Smet Depot Museum, then contemplate the long history of Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial, then contemplate the long history of Ingalls Homestead - Laura's Living Prairie, and finally explore the different monuments and memorials at De Smet Cemetery.

To find ratings, where to stay, photos, and tourist information, refer to the De Smet road trip planner .

Traveling by car from Sioux Falls to De Smet takes 2 hours. In September, plan for daily highs up to 78°F, and evening lows to 53°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 18th (Wed) early enough to travel to Philip.

Philip is a city in Haakon County, South Dakota, United States. Start off your visit on the 19th (Thu): explore the galleries of Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, appreciate the extensive heritage of Prairie Homestead, and then stop by Badlands Trading Post.

For reviews, other places to visit, and other tourist information, use the Philip trip itinerary builder tool .

Traveling by car from De Smet to Philip takes 4 hours. Alternatively, you can fly. Due to the time zone difference, you'll gain 1 hour traveling from De Smet to Philip. September in Philip sees daily highs of 81°F and lows of 49°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Thu) to allow time to travel to Rapid City.

South Dakota's second-largest city, Rapid City has for many years served as a gateway to the West.

Eschew the tourist crowds and head to Adams House and Tatanka: Story of the Bison. For shopping fun, head to Prairie Edge Trading Co. & Galleries or Suzie Cappa Art Center. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Rapid City: Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame (in Sturgis), D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery (in Spearfish) and Mt Roosevelt Monument (in Deadwood). There's still lots to do: examine the collection at The Journey Museum & Learning Center, explore and take pictures at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, do a tasting at Firehouse Wine Cellars, and admire the striking features of Chapel in the Hills.

To see photos, ratings, maps, and more tourist information, refer to the Rapid City tour planner.

You can drive from Philip to Rapid City in 1.5 hours. Expect slightly colder weather when traveling from Philip in September: highs in Rapid City hover around 75°F, while lows dip to 53°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 23rd (Mon) to allow enough time to travel back home.