Things To Do Around Rapid City SD: A Family Guide to the Black Hills, Badlands and Beyond

When the announcer asked us to stand for the Veterans Grand Entry, I rose with everyone around me. Moments later, more than 3,000 dancers filled the arena floor at The Monument in downtown Rapid City. It was my first powwow, and it was the moment that made this city click for me.

The best things to do around Rapid City SD sit within about an hour of downtown:

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• Mount Rushmore (about 30 minutes)
• Crazy Horse Memorial (about 50 minutes)
• Custer State Park
• Deadwood (about 45 minutes)
• Badlands National Park (about an hour).

Plan at least four days and rent a car. If you can travel in October, build your trip around the Black Hills Powwow, one of the largest powwows in the country and an easy walk from the downtown hotels.

I visited on a work research trip with friends and fellow writers. Here is what I’d tell any family with teens planning their first trip.

Want a guide for the Badlands? I explored both the North and South Units with author and local historian Alan Maas on this Badlands tour with Black Hills Adventure Tours.

Why Rapid City Works as Your Black Hills Home Base

Rapid City puts you in the middle of everything. You can sleep in one hotel and wake up to a different landscape every day: granite spires one morning, striped badlands buttes the next.

You will need a car. The local bus system does not run to the parks, the memorials or the scenic byways, and the best parts of this trip happen on the drive. Check rates on rental cars at Expedia here.

Where I Stayed: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

The DoubleTree at 505 N. 5th Street sits right next door to The Monument, the arena and convention complex where the Black Hills Powwow takes place. During powwow weekend I walked over, skipped the parking hunt and came back to my room between sessions.

It works well for families. There is an indoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness center and an onsite restaurant, Gold Bison Grill. Main Street Square is about a 10 minute walk, so dinner downtown and an evening stroll through Art Alley are easy.

I stayed in a queen room. What stood out most was the indoor pool and how close the hotel is to downtown, which put plenty of dining options within walking distance. Breakfast is extra. I tried the buffet one morning, and it was good, but a typical hotel breakfast buffet.

Book early for October. Powwow weekend fills the downtown hotels.

Check rates at the DoubleTree on Expedia or Booking.com.

Driving Tips for the Black Hills

• Measure before the tunnels. The Needles Eye Tunnel on Needles Highway is only 8 feet wide and 9 feet 9 inches high, according to Custer State Park. Large RVs and trailers will not fit.
• Check road status in fall. Needles Highway closes to vehicles in winter. Check Custer State Park’s road updates before you plan a late season drive.
• Fill up first. There are no gas stations in Custer State Park. Top off in Keystone, Hill City or Custer.
• Download offline maps. Cell service drops in the canyons and backcountry.
• Let the bison win. Wildlife owns the road in Custer State Park. Stay in your car and give them room.

The Black Hills Powwow: Why October Belongs on Your Calendar

If your family can travel in fall, plan around He Sapa Wacipi Na Oskate, the Black Hills Powwow. This three day celebration is held each October at Summit Arena at The Monument, usually over the second weekend of the month. In 2026 it ran October 9 to 11.

Thousands of dancers, drum groups and artists come from across North America. Beyond the dance competitions, the weekend includes a fashion show, vendor booths and a Saturday morning parade through downtown Rapid City.

Start With Wacipi 101

If it is your first powwow, take Wacipi 101. The sessions are free with a day pass and run during the Grand Entries, so you learn what you are watching as it happens.

My class was led by two Oglala Lakota dancers who walked a room full of visitors through how a powwow works and how to take part with respect. I walked into the arena feeling welcomed, not like an outsider.

Quick Etiquette for Families

• Call it regalia, not a costume, and admire it without touching.
• Never touch eagle feathers.
• Ask before photographing an individual dancer. Wide shots of groups are fine.
• Stand when the announcer asks, such as during the Veterans Grand Entry.
• Bring cash for vendors, since not every booth takes cards.

For the full list and what I learned, read my guide to Black Hills Powwow etiquette for visitors.

Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse: Why Order Matters for These Attractions Near Rapid City SD

These two mountain carvings tell very different stories, and you can see both in one day. My advice: go to Mount Rushmore first. Crazy Horse is so massive that the presidents can feel underwhelming if you see them second.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Mount Rushmore does not charge an entrance fee, but you do pay a parking fee, which is set by the park’s concessioner. National park passes, including the annual and senior passes, cannot be used for parking. Your parking ticket gives your vehicle unlimited entry for one year from the date of purchase. Check the current rate on the NPS Mount Rushmore fees page before you go.

I enjoyed walking the Presidential Trail more than the Avenue of Flags. The trail is not ADA accessible and has many stairs, so treat it as a short hike rather than a stroll. Take every offshoot along the way. They lead to fun peeks at the mountain and information cards about the carving. The Sculptor’s Studio is worth a stop too.

In summer, stay for the Evening Lighting Ceremony, which runs nightly from the Friday before Memorial Day through September 30. Visiting in fall? The National Park Service lights the sculpture every night, year round, even after the ceremony season ends.

For the best approach, drive Iron Mountain Road (Highway 16A). Its three tunnels frame the faces in the distance.

We had lunch at Mount Rushmore, and I’d tell any family to save room for dessert. The food court serves ice cream made from Thomas Jefferson’s original vanilla recipe. I went with the huckleberry sherbet, and it was amazing.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse is a mountain carving still in progress. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski set off the first blast in 1948 at the invitation of Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear. The face, completed in 1998, is 87 feet tall. Each face on Mount Rushmore is 60 feet.

The visitor complex includes the Indian Museum of North America and a cultural center. Summer brings the evening laser show, and the memorial opens the mountain to the public during its Volksmarch hikes.

Give yourself time here. Between the film that explains the whole story, the monument itself and the art galleries, there is a lot to see. I took the bus ride for a closer look at the mountain, and our driver mentioned that, for the first time, a completion date of roughly 15 years out has been set.

Custer State Park: Bison, Needles Highway and Sylvan Lake

Custer State Park covers 71,000 acres and is home to about 1,300 free roaming bison. Give it a full day. A temporary entrance license costs $25 per vehicle and is good for seven days, according to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, so you can come back.

• Wildlife Loop Road: The most reliable place for bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs and the famous begging burros. Go early morning or late afternoon.
• Needles Highway: 14 miles of granite spires, hairpin turns and two narrow tunnels. Plan an hour or more.
• Iron Mountain Road: 17 miles of pigtail bridges and tunnels linking the park to Mount Rushmore.
• Sylvan Lake: Boulders ring the shore, and teens love scrambling over them.

Good to know: The Buffalo Roundup happens on the last Friday of September. Cowboys and cowgirls drive the herd into the corrals, and no park license is needed that day. In 2026 it fell on September 25.

Read more in my guide to Custer State Park.

Things To Do in Downtown Rapid City

Downtown is compact and walkable, so park once and explore on foot. From the DoubleTree you can reach most of these stops without moving the car.

Art Alley

Every wall in this downtown alley is covered in murals, graffiti and paste ups, and the art keeps changing. It is free and open all the time. Bring the teen who lives on Instagram.

City of Presidents

Life size bronze statues of past U.S. presidents stand on downtown street corners. Pick up a printed guide and scavenger hunt at the Rapid City Visitor Center at 613 Main Street. Finish the hunt and you earn a presidential prize.

Main Street Square

The heart of downtown has interactive fountains and a splash pad in summer and an ice rink in winter, with concerts and festivals on the calendar.

Dahl Arts Center and The Journey Museum

At the Dahl Arts Center, I saw Woihanblapi, a traveling exhibit that opened in October. Its Lakota name means “Group of Dreams,” and it celebrates Indigenous artists of the Dream Catchers Guild, guest curated by Keith BraveHeart. What stood out was the collection of artists, because I later saw their work again at Crazy Horse and The Journey Museum.

The Journey Museum (222 New York Street) traces the Black Hills story from prehistoric times to present. Visit it early in your trip, before Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, so everything you see afterward has context.

Prairie Edge Trading Company and the Bead Museum

Prairie Edge, at the corner of 6th and Main, has a great selection of products made by Indigenous people. Head upstairs to the Bead Museum, an interesting stop of its own. Set a souvenir budget for your teens before you walk in, because it is easy to fall for more than one piece.

Museum of Geology and Dinosaur Park

The Museum of Geology on the South Dakota Mines campus is packed with fossils and dinosaur skeletons. Up on Skyline Drive, the giant green concrete dinosaurs at Dinosaur Park come with wide views over the city.

Day Trips From Rapid City SD

These are the day trips I would plan for a family with teens. Each one shows you a completely different side of western South Dakota.

Badlands National Park (North Unit)

About an hour east, the Badlands look like another planet. Most visitors drive the Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) and stop at the overlooks. Watch for bighorn sheep on the cliffs and prairie dogs in the grass.

Pair it with Wall Drug, the roadside stop that started as a small pharmacy handing out free ice water, and the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Tours of the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility require reservations, which open 90 days ahead and fill quickly in summer. Kids must be at least 6.

Read my full guide to the Badlands with teens.

The Badlands South Unit and Sheep Mountain Table: The Side Most Visitors Miss

Most people never leave the Loop Road. I spent a full day with author and local historian Alan Maas on a Badlands tour with Black Hills Adventure Tours, exploring both the North Unit and the South Unit, also called the Stronghold Unit.

The South Unit lies within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and the National Park Service manages it in partnership with the Oglala Sioux Tribe. There are almost no paved roads. The only public road into the park here is Sheep Mountain Table Road, a dirt road that begins on Highway 27 about 4.5 miles south of the tiny town of Scenic. The park recommends four wheel drive even in dry weather and says not to drive it during or after storms.

Stronghold Table, which visitors cannot access, is thought to be the site of the last Ghost Dance of the 19th century and remains sacred to the Lakota. Treat this area with care: stay on the road and do not cross private land.

On top of Sheep Mountain Table, I caught a glimpse of a golden eagle soaring past my group. It was a majestic creature. We also spotted prairie dogs, pronghorn and tons of small birds. The landscape looks alien, and I can’t imagine settlers or nomadic people looking out at it and having the determination to cross through it.

Alan also showed us fossilized deer bones and what was left of a fossilized tortoise shell, and he explained what to look for when spotting fossils. If your teens find one, take photos and leave it in place. Collecting fossils in a national park is illegal.

Good to know: Because of the road conditions, a guided tour is the easiest way to see this area with your family.

Book the Badlands tour with Black Hills Adventure Tours on Viator

Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon

Deadwood is about 45 minutes northwest. This gold rush town is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot during a poker game in 1876, and you can visit his grave at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Continue to Spearfish Canyon for waterfalls like Bridal Veil Falls and Roughlock Falls.

Hot Springs and Wind Cave National Park

South of the hills, The Mammoth Site is an active dig where Columbian mammoth skeletons remain where they were found. Pair it with a cave tour at Wind Cave National Park, about an hour from Rapid City.

Find more ideas in my guide to Hot Springs, SD.

Things To Do Near Rapid City SD With Teens

These stops keep teens engaged beyond the usual overlooks. Several close or cut hours for winter, so check before you go.

• Little Devils Tower Trail: A rock scramble near Sylvan Lake with big summit views. Perfect for: active teens.
• Notch Trail in the Badlands: A log ladder and a cliffside ledge. Perfect for: teens who like a thrill, not anyone afraid of heights.
• Reptile Gardens: Snakes, crocodiles, giant tortoises and live shows just south of town.
• Bear Country USA: A drive through wildlife park with black bears, elk and wolves.
• Rushmore Tramway Adventures: An alpine slide, zip lines and a chairlift near Keystone.
• 1880 Train: A vintage steam train between Hill City and Keystone. Perfect for: multigenerational trips.

Teen tip: Let each teen choose one stop for the trip. They feel ownership, and you get fewer complaints in the car.

Where To Eat in Rapid City

These are the downtown restaurants from my trip, all a short walk or drive from the DoubleTree. A full Rapid City food guide is coming, so here are the quick picks. [INTERNAL LINK: Rapid City food article, once published]

Casual Family Picks

• Firehouse Brewing Company (610 Main Street): A brewpub in Rapid City’s first fire hall. I had the Reuben and fries.
• Ma Cualli Downtown (Shops at Main Street Square): Family run Mexican food. I had the house guacamole and carne asada, plus a watermelon margarita for the grownups.
• Harriet & Oak (329 Main Street): A cafe and coffee roaster with a vintage VW van parked inside. I started my day with the Bright Eyes Acai Bowl and coffee.
• The Bashful Bison (601 Kansas City Street): A deli and market focused on locally sourced ingredients. Try the Rapid City grilled beef sandwich.
• Tally’s Silver Spoon (530 6th Street): A downtown breakfast favorite. I had the migas.

Special Dinner

• Tandoor Bocado (514 St. Joseph Street): Global dishes cooked in a wood fired tandoor and woks, with a rotating menu. We shared the beef tallow naan, charred Caesar and Swedish meatballs, and I had the pork risotto. Book ahead.
• Delmonico Grill (609 Main Street): Downtown’s go to steakhouse. I had the grilled pork. Book ahead.

Local Flavors To Try

Order frybread or an Indian taco, ideally from a vendor at the powwow, and try a bison burger at least once. Chislic, cubes of seasoned meat, is South Dakota’s official state nosh.

Best Time To Visit Rapid City With Teens

Summer (June to August): Everything is open, including the Rushmore lighting ceremony and the Crazy Horse laser show. It is also the busiest season. Plan hikes for the morning before afternoon storms.

Early August: The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally fills the region. Book far ahead or pick another week.

Fall (September and October): My pick. The Buffalo Roundup is the last Friday in September, and the Black Hills Powwow arrives in October. Note that the Rushmore lighting ceremony ends September 30, and some scenic roads close once snow arrives.

Winter (November to March): Quiet and snowy. Mount Rushmore stays open, and Main Street Square becomes an ice rink.

A Four Day Fall Itinerary Around Powwow Weekend

1. Day 1: Arrive, check in at the DoubleTree, lunch downtown, then Art Alley and the City of Presidents.
2. Day 2: Full day in the Badlands North and South Units with Black Hills Adventure Tours, then the powwow’s evening Grand Entries.
3. Day 3: Saturday parade downtown, Dahl Arts Center, Wacipi 101 at the powwow, then The Journey Museum.
4. Day 4: Mount Rushmore in the morning (with lunch and ice cream there), Crazy Horse in the afternoon, and a Custer State Park drive if daylight allows.

This follows my own trip with one change: I saw Crazy Horse first, and I’d flip that order. Add a day for Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop if you can.

Frequently Asked Questions

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