We just got back from a few days exploring South Dakota and in all honesty, it was one of our Favorite Family Vacations! Here’s the rundown on what we did, where we stayed and a few things we wish we’d done differently.
First off, we rented an RV and I can’t even begin to tell you the excitement when it pulled up the driveway and we saw the name of the RV. It was called non other than The Minnie Winnie! This was the perfect size for the six of us traveling from Minnesota to South Dakota.
The Badlands
The first stop we made on our family vacation was The Badlands. We stayed in a cute little cabin known as Cedar Pass Lodge. It was cute, clean and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to anyone spending the night in the Badlands. However, I don’t know that anyone actually needs to spend the night there 🙂 That’s the one thing that in hindsight we would have potentially changed about our trip. We didn’t realize that there is literally only one thing to do in the Badlands, and that’s hike!
We hiked the trails and we loved it! However, I do not recommend The Notch Trail with kids (gave me the heebie jeebies and we turned back pretty quick on that one). But the other ones were awesome! We loved climbing and exploring – it was A BLAST! It takes maybe half a day or you could stretch it out to 3/4 of a day. A TON of fun and worth the stop, but depending on your drive time a half day is a good amount to spend there.
Wall Drug
Did you even go to South Dakota if you didn’t stop by Wall Drug?! I’ve heard mixed reviews on Wall Drug, but for us, we loved it. It’s a staple in the community and while I understand and recognize the historical implications, I personally appreciated the way history was presented in this town (and the state actually). It’s not sugarcoated, it’s a messy history and it’s not pretty but it’s their history nonetheless and I am appreciative of the way in which it’s told. There was opportunity to celebrate Native American culture with stores dedicated to showcasing the beauty of Dakota art, jewelry and customs. There was also opportunity to purchase a genuine cowgirl hat, fudge and good old American Donuts (which we did!). I again, highly recommend making this stop! It’s fun and educational!
The Black Hills
Next, we cruised up to the Black Hills and stayed in the cute little town of Custer. We stayed at Blue Bell Lodge and absolutely adored it!! The cabins were again, super cute, clean and I’d recommend staying there to absolutely anyone.
The restaurant onsite was delicious, good Gluten Free options. We also saw a Bison walk right passed us as we were walking back from breakfast one morning. The staff told us he comes through often and they call him “Norm” which made us giggle and stand back in awe!
Our Favorite Thing
This is going to sound so super cheesy but our highlight of the entire trip of a Chuckwagon ride! It was an absolute blast!! We took a Chuckwagon through the Black Hills and down into a valley. Throughout the ride we learned a bit about the Hills and saw some wildlife along the way. We were serenaded and entertained by a local during the ride, and it was the kids’ favorite part!
Once into the valley, we were served dinner (which was honestly SO delicious) and there was live music and a little dancing. It was at it’s core, good old fashion FUN!! Our kids are 8 & 9 and absolutely the perfect ages for something like this, well let’s be honest, I’m 34 and it was perfect for me too 🙂
Mount Rushmore
We did do Mount Rushmore on our family vacation and we again, loved it! I will always believe in the teaching and preservation of history, no matter how sorted it may be. It’s true that the history of our nation is messy, imperfect and not a moral compass – the importance of learning from the past, the intentions set forth in the creation of America remain. Again, I’m not praising any individual up on that mountain but the awe of the ability to create the piece alongside the historical educational opportunity make it a must see in my book! It would be a great disservice to ignore our messy and complicated history. We don’t have to be proud of it, but we can be proud to be Americans who vow to make the future better by learning from the past.
ATV Adventures
We did ATV adventure through Adventure Rentals and I would recommend them, but only if you like to ATV. I thought it was worth the experience in that we were able to explore parts of the Black Hills we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise; including these Silica Mines and the highest point in the Hills. However, our kiddos did get a little “bored” they said and we were hoping for more opportunity to get out and explore, which I can agree with, it would have been nice to have more opportunity to get out of the ATV and explore.
I sincerely think this is one of the most underrated family vacations and I couldn’t recommend it more! There’s so much opportunity to explore, learn and love in South Dakota. I loved the people we met there, their love for state & country and the way they embrace their history and beautiful land. Oh, also – they don’t have mosquitoes there so…WINNING!
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