Too much, too little or just right

We are traveling to South Dakota from June 14-June 21st. Traveling will be myself, husband and 3 girls ages almost 6, 8 and 9. We want to see a lot, yet keep it very kid friendly. Here%26#39;s my itinerary. Please tell me what you think.

June 14 - Drive from Kansas City to Badlands. Stop for lunch in Sioux Falls and see Falls Park. Also stop in Mitchell and visit the Corn Palace. Spend the night at Cedar Pass Lodge.

June 15th - Explore and hike in the Badlands. When we%26#39;re done drive to Spearfish to spend the night. Stop at Wall Drug on the way to Spearfish.

June 16th - Visit Devils Tower in the morning then in the afternoon drive via Spearfish Canyon to Deadwood. While on the drive stop and hike around Bridal Veil Falls and Roughlock Falls? While in Deadwood, go see the #10 Saloon and have dinner. Then see the gunfight on Main Street. Spend the night in Deadwood.

June 17th - Take scenic route 385 to Reptile Garden. After Reptile Garden drive to Mt. Rushmore via Iron Mountain Rd.

After Mt. Rushmore go check in to the hotel have dinner at the Powder House Lodge then go back to Mt. Rushmore for the evening ceremony. Spend the night in Rapid City.

June 18th - Cosmos House in the morning and Crazy Horse in the afternoon. Go back to Crazy Horse in the evening for the laser light show. Spend the night in Rapid City.

June 19th - Drive Needles Highway to Custer State Park. Do the open air jeep safari in the morning and explore in the afternoon. Stay at Rafter J Bar Campground (in the cabins).

June 20th - Go back to Custer State Park for a 2 hour trail ride. Then drive to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. The girls are doing the Jr. Dig in the afternoon. Then spend the night back at the Rafter J Bar Campground.

June 21st - Drive home.

Does this sound doable, too much or too little. There were things that I left out but didn%26#39;t know if we would have time or where to put them. I left out panning for gold and the wild horse sanctuary and the alpine slide. Any suggestions would be great!!

Thanks!

Too much, too little or just right

I think your overall plan looks very ';do-able.'; We have done quite a few of the attractions you mention. As much as I enjoyed the horse sanctuary, I think I%26#39;d skip it also following your plan. Also, it is rather pricey for a family of 5. You might be able to do the gold panning or alpine slide.

Just a thought, but I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d make my base for Rushmore/Crazy Horse Rapid City. I%26#39;d stay in either Keystone or Hill City, as I think it%26#39;s more centrally located. You will have a bit of a drive after the lighting ceremonies coming from both Crazy Horse %26amp; Rushmore.

You might consider adding Bear Country %26amp; the Wildlife Loop in Custer to the itinerary if you have time.

Do you have any interest in seeing either Wind or Jewel Caves? They are really terrific, but I am a cave lover,and I know not all people are interested in them. One of them might be worth adding.

I%26#39;m not sure if I%26#39;d do the Cosmos. We didn%26#39;t do this, as we thought there were other things that interested us more. Maybe someone else can comment on the Cosmos??

Whatever you decide,you are off to a good start. Have a wonderful trip.

Too much, too little or just right

Thanks for the info on staying in Hill City or Keystone instead of Rapid City. That is a really good point.

I%26#39;ve thought about Bear Country as well, but wasn%26#39;t sure where to try and fit it in. Maybe we%26#39;ll swap Cosmos House for Bear Country. As far as the Wildlife loop in Custer, we%26#39;re planning on doing that when we explore Custer State Park. I%26#39;m wondering if we do the wildlife loop if we even need to do the Open Jeep Safari. Has anyone had any experience with this?

As far as caves go, we live in Missouri which has lots of caves as well. We%26#39;ve been to some of those. I thought we would try and see something we couldn%26#39;t see in MO. I wonder how different the Wind or Jewel caves are compared to MO caves. Anyone know?

Thanks for all your help!

Unless you have a specific reason to spend the night in Rapid City on the 17th, I would agree that basing yourself in Hill City (preferably) or Custer would make much more sense in your itinerary and save you some drive time in the morning. (Not to take anything away from my hometown, though: there%26#39;s plenty to see/do in Rapid! The Journey Museum, Storybook Island for kids, downtown...)

Cosmos is kitschy but fun: I still have friends that specifically want to visit when they come to SD, even as adults! That being said, I think that Bear Country might be a slightly more enjoyable activity for the whole family...it%26#39;s a really fun visit perfect for your girls%26#39; age group. But, don%26#39;t feel any pressure to make your decision before the day-of: Cosmos and Bear Country are both on HWY 16, about a 10 minute drive from each other.

Sounds like a fun trip! Makes me wish I could go home to South Dakota this summer myself!

I haven%26#39;t been to any Missouri caves, but I really did enjoy both Wind %26amp; Jewel Caves. I have toured caves in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Kentucky %26amp; Tennessee. I think any cave tour operated by NPS is superior to a privately owned cave tour. Jewel is the 2nd longest cave in the world and filled with beautiful formations. It%26#39;s a very open cave. Wind Cave is more unique, as it has a large amount of a formation called boxwork. Boxwork resembles spider webs and is really different to see. Wind has the largest concentration of it anywhere, from what I remember. One room is filled with it and is amazing. Wind is a more ';closed in'; cave than Jewel, so if anyone is claustrophobic, they cuold have problems in certain areas. One person had to leave our tour early on. Perhaps seeing pictures of both cave formations will help you decide if it would interest you. Go to nps.gov and take a look at images of both caverns.

Do your kids ever watch the Flintstones? Mine enjoyed the Flintstone Bedrock Village in Custer. I think we spent about 1 1/2 hours there last summer. For me it was nostalgic as I had visited there 30 years before.

http://www.flintstonesbedrockcity.com/

wa tiki

Anybody out there ever stay at the hotels that are affiliated with this park. Which is the better value? Do you know what the charge is to getv into the park if you%26#39;re staying at the hotel(s)? Is it worth it? Thanks, V.

wa tiki

We tent camped in the Black Hills last Memorial weekend and on our last day it rained alot so we took our kids to the wa-tiki. They enjoyed it alot and still talk about it. They thought it was cool that the waterslide tubes go outside and back in. There%26#39;s a ';lazy river'; and a play area with water shooting out of various places and a big bucket at the top that dumps out every few minutes. That scared some of the littler kids and I thought the water was a little too cold. The hot tub has a simulated rock wall on one side with water running down it. I checked the web site and they%26#39;re charging $17 per person over 2 years old.

http://www.watikiwaterpark.com/

If you%26#39;re staying at the hotels you get five wrist bands per room that get you into the park free.

wa tiki

Upon exploring the website a bit it looks like La Quinta is the better deal. Their rooms start out a bit cheaper and the Fairfield appears to charge extra for the waterpark.

Thanks for the info Li.

V

how to apply

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

We are going to South Dakota for a week in June. We are thinking about doing the Buffalo Jeep Safari in Custer State Park. Has anyone done this? Is it worth the money or should be just drive through the park and see the buffalo on our own. Someone said to just stop by the information desk and ask where the buffalo are at and they will tell you.

Thanks!

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

The Jeep Safari is a good time and an educational experience. Is it worth the money? That%26#39;s up to you. Typically you can see the buffalo herds very well from your car. You might have to spend a little time searching for them--like you say, asking a park ranger is a good idea. You might have to drive gravel roads, too, as they aren%26#39;t always right there on the paved Wildlife Loop.

My recommendation is that if you%26#39;re planning on driving the Wildlife Loop anyway, try that first. Spend time at the visitor centers reading about the buffalo--especially the main visitor center near the Game Lodge. If you%26#39;re still not satisfied, schedule a Jeep Safari tour. I think you%26#39;ll find yourself happy with your own driving tour.

The Jeep Safaris are great for people who visit the park as part of a bus tour and don%26#39;t have a personal car. But like I said, it%26#39;s a great time for anyone--whether it%26#39;s worth the $35/person is up to you.

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

Great, thanks for the tip. I think we%26#39;ll just take the wait and see approach. I think we%26#39;ll hit Custer State Park 1st thing in the morning and hopefully we won%26#39;t have too hard of a time finding the buffalo.

First time visitor needs advice

I am planning to visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April. I could find that there are no escorted tours available during this time. So only option left is to rent a car and do it myself.

I read in this forum that car rentals are expensive at Rapid City airport (where I will arrive). I read about “SHUTTLE SERVICE” to the hotel. What exactly is it? Is it something offered by the hotel or some other service available at the Airport?

Also please advise if I stay in a hotel in Rapid City, can I visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in one day if I drive myself?

One more silly question, are there enough and correct signs on the highways so that I can manage myself in locating the hotel, attractions etc.?

First time visitor needs advice

Further to my above post, Is it easy to find Taxi at Rapid City Airport to go to the hotel. Approximately how much does it cost to a hotel about 8 - 9 miles away?

Thank you.

First time visitor needs advice

I would check into the car rentals at the airport before you become set on an off-airport rental. If you are only visiting for a short time, it might be best to rent a car from the airport. Many of the rental car discussions on this board have been about longer rentals--like a week or more.

If you do get a shuttle to your hotel, it could be one of two options. Some hotels run their own shuttle to the airport. This may or may not be included in the cost of your room--you will need to check. You can also use the Airport Express Shuttle. I believe their costs are reasonable. You can call them to check at 1-800-357-9998.

You won%26#39;t have a problem visiting Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse in one day from Rapid City.

Signage is pretty good as many people visit the area. Your rental car company should give you a map.

The local taxi companies do not hang out at the airport. If you call one it is about $30.00 and takes at least 20 min. Shuttles are always available at baggage claim, the price depends on the number of people. 1 person 16.00, two people 25.00, three or more are 10.00 each to any location in Rapid City and they generaly leave as soon as the luggage arrives off of your flight.

800-357-9998 www.rapidshuttle.com

Thought I would add a few thoughts and other information for you.

First of all, the distance from Rapid City to Mt. Rushmore is less than 25 miles, and about another 7 or 8 miles to Crazy Horse.....definitely no problem for a day trip.

Now, others in this forum may disagree but I will say this anyway. Go to Mt. Rushmore first, then Crazy Horse. I think that, even though it is far from complete, Crazy Horse is the more impressive monument. Others may - and probably will - disagree but just weigh it out and make your choice.

Lastly, I would recommend that when you go, you make a ';loop';. Go through Keystone enroute to Mt. Rushmore and then to Crazy Horse. After that, head south to Custer and go east through Custer State Park where, with just a little bit of luck, you can see herds of buffalo up close (Not too close!) and personal. Then take Iron Mountain Highway back around to Keystone. On this winding highway, you will go through a couple of tunnels that has Mt. Rushmore directly on the other side....quite a sight!

I hope that helps you a bit....enjoy!

Thank you very much for the replies.

chuckwagon dinner

I am trying to decide between the Circle B ranch chuckwagon supper and the flying T chuckwagon supper.

Has anyone ';actually'; done these? I have 2 children (15 and 9). Looking for good food and activities.

thanks,

Marcia

chuckwagon dinner

This is a common question to which no one ever comes up with a good answer. This thread seems to have the most logical answer--pick the one that is most convenient. tripadvisor.com/…3494086

If you go, a report would be appreciated.

chuckwagon dinner

Hello,

I am the one who posted the question from 2006 for which Accommodator just post the link. I agree, they are both probably comparable. We ended up at the Flying T. We chose that one because:

1. The location worked out better for us.

2. It was slightly cheaper. At the time I had a 12 year old, and Circle B considered a 12 year old an adult, but at Flying T, the 12 year old still paid a child%26#39;s price.

3. Flying T said you could go back for seconds, Circle B said you couldn%26#39;t (I called both places). - This being said however, we found that when we did go back, they didn%26#39;t have seconds of some of the food.

Have Fun!

Thanks for the input. We have decided to go to the Flying T supper. Closer to our hotel. I will post my opinion upon return.

high school next year

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Interested in fly and ride in Deadwood/Sturgis area. Interested in camping and/or staying at more lodge-like places for some - or all - of trip.

Suggestions on itinerary for a 4-5 day trip (fly into Rapid City and pick up motorcycle)?

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Are you looking to visit during the Sturgis Rally or at another time during the summer? I%26#39;m guessing not since you didn%26#39;t say so.

I would think you%26#39;d want to have a basic ride each day.

In no particular order:

Day 1: Badlands. Ride Vanocker Canyon south out of Sturgis, connect with Nemo Road into Rapid City. Ride Skyline Drive in Rapid City and go to the Badlands on SD 44. Go to Cactus Flat, make a U-turn and take the Badlands Loop. Stop in Wall and take I-90 back to Deadwood/Sturgis.

Day 2: Devils Tower/Spearfish Canyon loop. Ride Spearfish Canyon up to Spearfish. Go to Belle Fourche and over through Aladdin, WY, to Devils Tower and back through Sundance. An optional longer loop can bring you west of the Black Hills to Four Corners, WY and back into Deadwood through O%26#39;Neil Pass.

Day 3: Needles Highway(Custer State Park)/Iron Mountain Road/Mt. Rushmore/SD 244 back to US16. Also pick up SD 89 between Sylvan Lake and Custer.

Day 4: Another day in the Southern Hills. Wildlife Loop/Game Lodge in Custer State Park. Also a drive-by of Crazy Horse Monument. Ride through Wind Cave Nat%26#39;l Park to Hot Springs and back up through Pringle.

Day 5: Pick up some loose ends. Ride to Rochford and eat or drink at the Moonshine Gulch Saloon. Ride out to Bear Butte east of Sturgis. Ride back to Silver City and then SD44 back into Rapid City.

This gives you about five days worth of riding in no particular order.

Again, if you%26#39;re looking to go to Sturgis Rally, you%26#39;ll spend more time in Sturgis and less on these rides.

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

We are looking at the 7/24-7/29. I%26#39;ve heard the bikers start to come a week early to sturgis?

We%26#39;d like to see some activity for Sturgis, but we don%26#39;t necessarily want to be in the middle - especially since it%26#39;s probably too late to rent a bike that week.

Will Sturgis be picking up 1-2 weeks prior?

You really start to get the feel of the rally in the rally in Sturgis starting around Thursday or so of the week before the rally. I believe (but I%26#39;m not sure) that is when they block Main Street off to allow motorcycle traffic only.

Visiting the week before the rally is pretty popular for bikers who want to spend time in the Black Hills and spend a little time at the rally during the second weekend of their trip. It doesn%26#39;t seem like as many come for the end of the rally and then tour the Black Hills after the rally is over. I%26#39;m not sure why.

So to answer your question, if you leave by Tuesday of the week before the rally, Sturgis isn%26#39;t going to too rally-like yet. There will certainly be bikes around and a lot of setup will be going on but I%26#39;m not sure if there will be enough of what you want yet.

BW Golden Spike Inn

Has anyone stayed at this hotel? We have 2 rooms reserved there.

BW Golden Spike Inn

We stayed here some years ago and to us it is just what it is. Just a normal BW, large room, clean but nothing special. Lets say 3 stars. The adjacent restaurant was good and I remember a giftshop I had to drag my wife out.....We chose Hill Country because it was centrally located and a nice village. We didnot have dinner ourselves but other posters are also recommending Alpine Inn for dinner.

Tet

BW Golden Spike Inn

Oops, not Hill Country but Hill City

Tet....

Thanks for replying and for the heads up on the Alpine Inn for dinner. We look forward to checking it out.

Eso, your question was so timely for me! We just lost out on our first choice, and they recommended this hotel. We have also booked two rooms today. We will be there in July- if you are there before us, please let us know what to expect!

We found the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone to be centrally located with a great breakfast and restaurant.