With
patriotic charm, Old West adventure, sweeping history lessons, stunning
scenery, caves and paleontology, and wildlife galore, South Dakota’s
Black Hills is one of America’s greatest family destinations. Here are
10 places to spark kids’ imaginations, dole out sneaky history lessons
and replace “Are we there yet?” with “Wow!”
[post_ads_2]1) 1880 Train
Every kid beams when when the steam
whistle blows on this historical train that chugs between Hill City and
Keystone in summer and fall. Even if you don’t take a ride, it’s fun to
watch it rumble into the depot. 1880train.com
2) Museum at Black Hills Institute
Learn about South Dakota’s T-rex skeletons, triceratops and ancient sea fossils at this Hill City museum run by the folks who unearthed the T-rex
named Sue displayed at Chicago’s Field Museum. A bonus: Everything
Prehistoric is one of the area’s best souvenir shops, with field guides,
educational games, rocks and fossils. bhigr.com/museum
[post_ads_2]3) Mount Rushmore
Get the kids involved in
presidents and history with a Junior Ranger activity packet and the
chance to earn a ranger badge at Mount Rushmore National Monument.
Return later in the evening for a stirring patriotic program that
includes lowering the United States flag and illuminating the monument. nps.gov/moru
4) Custer State Park rides
If you’ve never been on a
horseback trail ride, the scenery of Custer State Park near Blue Bell
Lodge makes this a memorable place to cowboy up and venture into the
woods. You also can get close to the park’s iconic bison on a Buffalo
Safari Jeep Tour from the State Game Lodge. custerresorts.com
5) Cave tours
Kids can earn Junior
Ranger badges while learning about cave formations such as boxwork,
flowstone and underground pools at Wind Cave National Park (nps.gov/wica) and Jewel Cave National Monument, the third-longest cave system in the world (nps.gov/jeca).
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6) Downtown Rapid City
There's a wealth of free
things to do between Main and St. Joseph streets and Sixth and Seventh
streets. Pose with life-size statues on the City of Presidents walk,
admire Smithsonian-worthy Native American art at multilevel Prairie Edge
Trading Company and Galleries, splash in fountains at Main Street
Square and have a funky family photo shoot in graffiti-covered Art
Alley. Grab a tasty lunch in the outdoor courtyard at the
family-friendly Firehouse Brewing Company. downtownrapidcity.com
7) Wildlife Loop D
Drive the 18-mile Custer State Park
Wildlife Loop on the lookout for antelope, Rocky Mountain sheep, the
park’s comical begging burros, chirping prairie dogs that duck up and
down from stretches of prairie, or the herd of 1,300 bison. Don’t miss a
side trip up Mount Coolidge; binoculars bring into view both Mount
Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments, plus the Badlands on a clear day. custerstatepark.com
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8) The Mammoth Site
Tap your inner paleontologist at
The Mammoth Site, a world-class 40-year-old ongoing dig into an ancient
sinkhole filled with mammoths. Guides offer 30-minute tours of the Hot
Springs dig site, which is surrounded by the exhibit hall. To really
impress the kids, reserve a spot on one- or two-hour paleontologist
excavations or an atlatl throwing experience. mammothsite.com
9) Bears and reptiles
Zoo-loving kids go wild at two
of the area’s top animals attractions, both within a 4-mile stretch on
Interstate-16 south of Rapid City. Give bears the right of way on a
3-mile drive through Bear Country USA, which also includes elk, bighorn
sheep, bison and wolves (bearcountryusa.com). Explore the fascinating, slithery world of snakes, amphibians, alligators and insects at Reptile Gardens (reptilegardens.com).
[post_ads_2]10) Sylvan Lake hikes
Whether you have kids in a
stroller or teens chomping for action, head to Sylvan Lake Lodge to
connect to a number of trails. The loop around Sylvan Lake ranks among
the easiest and prettiest hikes in Custer State Park. Go behind the lake
and dip into the rocky wonderland of Sunday Gulch or grab a map to
tackle Little Devil’s Tower, Cathedral Spires or Harney Peak trails.
Keep an eye out for mountain goats! custerstatepark.com
