Driving from Madison, WI to Portland, OR, I was dreading my 30 plush hour drive especially through the state of South Dakota. I had heard it was a vast land of never-ending fields of grass, but I was pleasantly surprised! South Dakota is quite an amazing state to drive through. This state is full of beautiful rolling hills, unique rock formations, and lots of incredible wildlife.

Hi, I’m Bri. I have been traveling full time for the last year. If you are like me and dreading your drive through South Dakota, I recommend adding a few of these stops to your list to spice up your drive!

Highlights

• Sioux Falls
• Badlands National Park
• Corn Palace

Sioux Falls:

This city, the largest in South Dakota, has great farmers’ markets, family fun activities like an aquarium and zoo, and a fun downtown shopping area. But what makes this place special can be attributed to Falls Park, where a series of waterfalls along the Big Sioux River provides a beautiful backdrop for an urban picnic or a spot to stretch your legs along your road trip. There is even a lookout tower where you can get a great view of the falls cascading over red granite rock and the spread of the city all around. Plus, this park is only about a 15-minute detour from the interstate.

 

Falls Park. Image courtesy of Wiki Voyage.

Badlands National Park:

This 244,000-acre national park is popularly known for its wildlife, including abundant prairie dogs and buffalo. The Badlands Loop Road is a 40-mile route through the park that allows for about a three-hour scenic viewing of the area. When I went, I saw hundreds of prairie dogs and got to look a buffalo right in the eyes– it was incredible being close to such large animals! There are many short trails you can stop at if you are interested in a quick hike, but the drive allows for a quick but pretty comprehensive experience here for those who can’t stay too long. Even better, you can link right back up with the interstate on your way out! This adds about 1- hour to your trip.

 

 

Corn Palace:

This place is just how it sounds– a palace made of corn! Like no kidding, the entire palace is made out of corn. This building in the town of Mitchell is a community gathering spot and is redecorated annually with corn and other grains to depict different historical periods or symbols of United States history and culture. This spot is right off the interstate, and it’s free, making for a perfect stop on a road trip!

 

Corn Palace. Mitchell, South Dakota. Photo courtesy of MitchellNow.com

I love road trips. I love to listen to music or podcasts and soak in the views of new places. Part of what makes these trips fun is getting out of my car or taking side roads through parks and connecting with cool people in new places. I hope these few ideas for fun stops in South Dakota might inspire you to explore South Dakota or in general, to get you excited to find cool spots on any road trip you might be making.

 

Story authored by Brianna Rae, a passionate writer, avid traveler, and committed environmentalist. She’s been traveling most of her life, sharing her adventures, insights, and connecting with people across the globe. Brianna loves listening to the sounds of nature, kayaking, hiking, and connecting with new people.

 

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