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Mount Rushmore National Memorial, USA

South Dakota vacations

Mount Rushmore National Memorial, USA

South Dakota is known for the faces of Mount Rushmore. But, there’s more to the state than this geologically sized monument to American presidents. Delve into the culture of the indigenous people who still occupy this land with a visit to the Crazy Horse Monument and the Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City. The Gold Rush city of Deadwood re-creates the Old West, while two national parks preserve the state’s ecosystems.

Our specialists have scoured this state and can create an itinerary built around your interests. They can suggest the best vantage points to capture the full grandeur of Teddy Roosevelt’s bushy mustache, rendered in stone, and share recommendations for good hiking trails through the sharp-edge hills of Badlands National Park.

You can look for elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep and mountain goats on a driving tour of Custer State Park. Go hunting for fossils amid the striped spires of the Badlands. Explore Deadwood’s streets with a guide who’ll help tease apart the legends from the realities in one of the Wild West’s most notorious towns. Or, admire herds of bison as they roam across the prairies that helped inspire Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series.

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Places to visit in South Dakota

Featuring heavily on our experiences of visiting South Dakota, these selected places are destinations that also prove consistently popular with our travelers. Our specialists can help you choose how to include them in your wider trip, based on your preferences.

Suggested itinerary featuring South Dakota

This sample itinerary will give you an idea of what is possible when you travel in South Dakota, and showcases routes we know work particularly well. Treat this as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.

Map of South Dakota

Places & hotels on the map

    Places in and around South Dakota

    Accommodation choices for South Dakota

    We’ve selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit South Dakota. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.