Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All United States South Dakota

The Atlas Obscura Guide To South Dakota

50 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in South Dakota

Updated March 13, 2023

Email

Cities

Top Cities
Rapid City
Sioux Falls
Lemmon
Hot Springs
Keystone
Wall
All Cities
  1. Deadwood
  2. Garretson
  3. Hot Springs
  4. Keystone
  5. Lemmon
  6. Mitchell
  7. Mobridge
  8. Philip
  9. Rapid City
  10. Sioux Falls
  11. Spearfish
  12. Vermillion
  13. Wall
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in South Dakota

Custer, South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial

The world's largest mountain carving could fit all of Mount Rushmore inside it many times over.

Wall, South Dakota

Wall Drug

The granddaddy of all tourist traps, built on ice water, jackalopes, and a giant dinosaur.

Midland, South Dakota

Skeleton Man Walking Skeleton Dinosaur

Just a man taking his prehistoric pet for a stroll.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Hotel Alex Johnson

One of America’s oldest and spookiest hotels, thanks to the residency of ghosts, dead presidents, and Alfred Hitchcock.

Montrose, South Dakota

Porter Sculpture Park

A roadside collection of over-sized iron creations that are a bit more macabre than most.

Keystone, South Dakota

Hall of Records in Mount Rushmore

Hidden behind Lincoln's head is a 70-foot-long chamber containing enamel plates documenting American history, sealed in a teakwood box in a titanium vault.

Hot Springs, South Dakota

Mammoth Site

This prehistoric sinkhole lured exclusively male mammoths to their death, much to the delight of science.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Chapel In The Hills

This replica stave church looks like a piece of Norway was simply plopped down in South Dakota.
See All 50 Things To Do in South Dakota

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in South Dakota

Rapid City, South Dakota

Firehouse Brewing Co.

South Dakota's oldest operating brewery is housed inside a historic firehouse.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Watecha Bowl

Chef Lawrence West serves up Indian tacos, wojapi, and other Lakota dishes at the brick-and-mortar incarnation of his popular food truck.

Rapid City, South Dakota

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder Monument

Calidum et Deliciose Succosum!

Spearfish, South Dakota

Fish Car No. 3

This vintage train once gave new meaning to “swimming upstream.”
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

A Feminist Road Trip Across the U.S.

Over the past month, Atlas Obscura has been exploring the stories of women who changed the world, from wildlife biologists and mountain climbers to Civil War spies and tattoo artists. To celebrate these daring women who struck out on their own, we’ve put together a cross-country road trip. Over 12 stops and more than 3,000 miles, this route will give you a front-row seat to women’s history in America.

View Itinerary

Explore South Dakota

Statues 7
Monuments 7
Roadside Attractions 6
Art 6
History 5
Dinosaurs 5
Abandoned 4
Animals 4
Sculptures 4
Wild West 4
Museums And Collections 4
Native Americans 4

South Dakota Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Avatar image for Kevin OKeeffe
    Kevin OKeeffe
    5
  2. Avatar image for Sydney Rose
    Sydney Rose
    2
  3. Avatar image for Gregory T Janetka
    Gregory T Janetka
    2
  4. Avatar image for rbt45769
    rbt45769
    2
  5. K
    KG
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to South Dakota.

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    10
  2. Avatar image for breaingram
    breaingram
    10
  3. Avatar image for Collector of Experiences
    Collector of Experiences
    10
  4. Avatar image for lendog666
    lendog666
    8
  5. Avatar image for wisemand
    wisemand
    7
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. Avatar image for Kevin OKeeffe
    Kevin OKeeffe
    32
  2. N
    Nox
    31
  3. W
    wendigosgonewild
    27
  4. W
    wmcconville208
    26
  5. E
    erinhix1
    24

Recent South Dakota Activity

  • D

    didiblagg

    wants to go to Dignity of Earth and Sky

  • M

    morgaineofthefaeries1118

    wants to go to Spokane Ghost Town

  • M

    morgaineofthefaeries1118

    wants to go to Thunderhead Underground Falls

  • M

    morgaineofthefaeries1118

    wants to go to Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower

  • M

    morgaineofthefaeries1118

    wants to go to Creston Dinosaur

Stories About South Dakota

Podcast: The Corn Palace

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
August 29, 2022

Podcast: The Divorce Colony

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
June 15, 2022

The Thorny Problem of Tallying Every T. rex to Ever Live

Here’s why it’s really, really hard to count how many of the apex predators once stalked Earth’s surface.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
April 19, 2021

The Fossils That Get Away (From Scientists)

A high-profile T. rex sale is a reminder that paleontologists get stressed when fossils vanish into private hands.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
November 13, 2020

Understanding How Bison Might Help Shape the Future of the Badlands

New lessons from resurgent herds.
by Isaac Schultz
November 18, 2019

The Company Building Chuck Wagons for Races and Cowboy Cookoffs

A South Dakota shop still builds the iconic wagons.
by Anne Ewbank
April 15, 2019

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Puzzles
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Trips Blog
  • Art & Culture Trips
  • Food Trips
  • Hidden City Trips
  • History Trips
  • Photography Trips
  • Wildlife & Nature Trips
  • FAQ
  • Experiences
  • Online Courses
  • Online Experience FAQ
  • Online Course FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2023 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.