South Dakota

The Tacky Tourist

Jul 15, 20216 min read

Updated: Dec 5, 2021

Almost every year growing up, my family would make the trip out to South Dakota. We could usually make it a weekend trip and commonly went for Deadwood Kool Nites. In 2015, I spent the summer working at Wall Drug and got to learn more of the beautiful Black Hills area. I have made a few visits out there since and hope to return again soon. July is Parks and Recreation Month so I'd like to take you on a journey through the state of Great Places and Great Faces.

Mt. Rushmore

Keystone, SD

Mt. Rushmore is probably the reason most people go to South Dakota. Indigenous tribes called the Black Hills "The Heart of Everything That Is". In 1868, the area was reserved for the Lakota until the discovery of gold. Prospectors overtook the land and in 1877 the US Government confiscated the land. In 1927, Gutzon Borglum began carving Mt. Rushmore in hopes to attract tourists to the area. The presidents were chosen due to what they did to advance America and planned to be sculpted to their waists. However, Gutzon passed away before the project was finished and his son wrapped it up by the end of 1941.

Learn more about visiting Mt. Rushmore National Monument Here

Devils Tower

Devils Tower, WY

While not in South Dakota, Devils Tower is a must stop when in the Black Hills area.

Learn More About Devils Tower National Monument Here

Wall Drug

Wall, SD

In 1931, Ted and Dorothy Hustead had opened a drugstore in Wall. It was a small community of poor farmers and business was slow. They decided to give it 5 good years and move on if it wasn't working out. 1936 came along with no change over the 5 years. That's when Dorothy came up with an ingenious idea. Cars were driving past Wall all day-on their way to Yellowstone or the soon to be finished Mt. Rushmore. So, she came up with the idea to advertise "Free Ice Water" along the highway. The original signage was based off the old Burma Shave signs. And before they knew it, Hustead's Wall Drug was packed with hot travelers looking for cool water. While they were stopped, many bought ice cream and other items at the soda fountain.

Ted’s son, Bill Hustead, also a pharmacist, returned to Wall and joined the family business in 1951. Under his direction, Wall Drug grew into a cowboy-themed mall and department store. He created the Art Gallery Cafe, with a design inspired by Club “21” in New York City, one of his favorite restaurants. Wall Drug includes a western art museum, a chapel based on the one found at New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque, Iowa, another Bill Hustead creation, and an 80-foot (24 m) brontosaurus that can be seen right off Interstate 90. It was designed by Emmet Sullivan who also created the dinosaurs at Dinosaur Park in Rapid City and Dinosaur World in Arkansas.

I used to be terrified of the large animatronic T-Rex. When I worked at Wall Drug in 2015, I ended up staying at the house right next to it. All day long, every 12 minutes, it would go off. You can't escape your nightmares apparently!

Be sure to check out the 2020 movie, "Nomadland" which features the life of working on the road!

Learn More About Wall Drug Here

Badlands National Park

Learn More about visiting Badlands National Park Here

Mangolian Grill

Rapid City, SD

Badlands Ranch Store

Philip, SD

World's Only Corn Palace

Mitchell, SD

Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse, SD

Northeast Wyoming Welcome Center

Beulah, WY

Learn More about the Northeast Wyoming Welcome Center Here

D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives

Spearfish, SD

Learn More About the D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery and Archives Here

Hubcap Diner

Hill City, SD

Learn More About Hubcap Diner Here

Wind Cave National Park

Hot Springs, SD

Learn More About Wind Cave National Park Here

Custer State Park

Custer, SD

Learn More About Custer State Park Here

Dinosaur Park

Rapid City, SD

Dinosaur Park was built as a tourist attraction and city park by the Works Progress Administration and the City of Rapid City in 1936. Emmit A. Sullivan is credited as the sculptor -- the same artistic genius who created the Christ of the Ozarks and the dinosaurs at Dinosaur World in Arkansas.

The black and white photos are from August 1955. They are my late neighbors, Nick and Coral. The colored photos are from 2018, featuring Mike trying to imitate one of the photos from 1955.

Dinosaur Park is one of my must do's when in the Black Hills. One of my favorite memories was getting on top of the hill to watch the Fourth of July Fireworks in 2015

Learn More About Dinosaur Park Here

1880 Town

Midland, SD

Learn More About 1880 Town Here

Al's Oasis

Oacoma, SD

Learn More About Al's Oasis Here

Porter Sculpture Park

Montrose, SD

Learn More About Porter Sculpture Park Here

A peak at the rest areas along I-90

Wounded Knee Memorial

Wounded Knee, SD

Chuckwagon Supper & Music Variety Show

Rapid City, SD

Not only is there a pancake breakfast and entertaining dinner show, but Fort Hays has the original buildings from "Dances with Wolves".

Learn More About Chuckwagon Supper Here

Old McDonald's Farm

Rapid City, SD

Learn More About Old McDonald's Farm Here

The National Presidential Wax Museum

Keystone, SD

Learn More About the National Presidential Wax Museum Here

South Dakota Air and Space Museum

Box Elder, SD

Learn More About the South Dakota Air and Space Museum Here

Pioneer Auto Show

Murdo, SD

Learn More About the Pioneer Auto Show Here

Deadwood and Days of '76 Museum

Deadwood, SD

Learn More About the Days of '76 Museum Here

Buffalo Chip

Sturgis, SD

Learn More About the Buffalo Chip Here

Storybook Island

Rapid City, SD

Storybook Island was founded in 1959 by Merle Gunderson and the Rapid City Rotary Clubs. It is open during the summer with free admission.

I have been coming here since I was a tot and it's still one of my favorite places to visit in South Dakota. I love seeing all the characters! Captain Hook and his ship were being fundraised one year I visited with my father. Found out, these characters are all made at FAST in Sparta, WI. What a small world!

Learn More About Storybook Island Here

Bedrock City (Permanently Closed)

Custer, SD

Flintstones Bedrock City opened in Custer, SD in 1966 during the popularity of the Flintstones TV Show. Not long after my last visit in 2015, the theme park shut its doors for good and in 2019 it was demolished.

It is actually quite depressing writing this. I had visited the park often as a kid. We never stayed at the campground, one of the many reasons I like to do as many things as possible nowadays.

There was a sister Bedrock City in Arizona, which I never went in but visited the gift shop. That too is permanently closed.

Museum of Woodcarving (Permanently Closed)

Custer, SD

What does Disneyland have to do with the Black Hills?

I visited the National Museum of Woodcarving in 2015. The museum was a great place to admire the works of many woodcarvers but featured Dr. Harley Niblack. His works were caricatures which were often animated.

Dr. Harley Niblack was a chiropractor and after the invention of a weight loss machine (Niblack Reducing System), started his hobby of woodcarving. He would set up his carvings with motors and pulleys that would bring them to life. 3 of his animated scenes were featured at the Smithsonian Institute and from 1945-1955 he helped design and build the animatronics at Disneyland. On December 23, 1955 he was featured on an episode of Mickey Mouse Club "Whittles While He Works", sadly I can not find more info on his time at Disneyland and the episode has not been placed on Disney+ yet.

The National Museum of Woodcarving was built in 1972-6 years after Dr. Niblack passed away. The Schaffer's were close with Harley and convinced his widow to let them display his works publicly instead of hiding in a box. The museum closed its doors in October 2016.

1880 Train and South Dakota State Railroad Museum

Hill City, SD to Keystone, SD

Learn More About 1880 Train Here

Learn More About the South Dakota State Railroad Museum Here

Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame

Sturgis, SD

Learn More About the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Here

Chapel in the Hills

Rapid City, SD

"Nestled at the foot of the Black Hills, on the western edge of Rapid City, SD, the Chapel in the Hills is a quiet retreat open to all visitors. As a special ministry of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the chapel reaches out to vacationers and local residents alike, who look for a place to experience God's peace in their busy lives.

"The chapel itself is an exact reproduction of the famous Borgund Stavkirke of Laerdal, Norway. Our chapel was built in 1969 as the home for the Lutheran Vespers radio ministry. Today, visitors from all around the world find the chapel to be a place of beauty and inspiration."