South Dakota Free Travel Guides

Gordon's Guide

Check out vacations and adventure travel in South Dakota If you’re heading to the middle of America to the state of South Dakota, you’re likely looking for the best travel deals on the internet.  Travelling to South Dakota doesn’t have to be expensive, and many hotels, restaurants, and area attractions are offering incredible deals and discounts to lure in tourists and bring business to their local economies. A great place to start your search for South Dakota travel deals is at the states official tourism, travelsd.com.  The website is a great resource for finding the best deals the state has to offer.  The one-stop destination for all things South Dakota allows visitors to navigate through a list of all the best hotels and other accommodations the state has to offer.  When you settle on your accommodations, scroll to the bottom of the page for a list of places you may enjoy based on your hotel selection. You can even request a free travel guide to South Dakota through the tourism website.  Travel guides often have useful maps and information about the destination, as well as money saving coupons for featured businesses.  The guide is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by ordering it. The website travelsd.com also has a page dedicated to vacation packages.  You can select a package based on the type of activity it is built around.  Choose from rodeos, ski packages, resorts, and even hunting packages.  The prices are listed right on the site, so you can choose an exciting vacation at a price you can afford. When you arrive in South Dakota, be sure to show your military ID, AAA card, or AARP card wherever you choose to do business.  Showing your membership cards are great ways to get additional discounts and travel deals.  You never know where you’ll save and it never hurts to ask if a business offers special deals to members.  No matter what part of South Dakota you travel to, you’ll find great values on unforgettable adventures!

South Dakota, also known as the Mount Rushmore state, has been drawing tourists to its well known monuments and unspoiled wilderness for as long as it has been a state.  The untamed wide open spaces of South Dakota offer visitors a chance to escape the city and get back to nature, while still having modern conveniences close by.  South Dakota carefully blends the old with the new to come up with the perfect vacation destination. South Dakota is home to less than a million people and is one of the least populous states in the Nation.  In terms of area, South Dakota ranks 17th.  The large area and relatively small population, makes South Dakota feel spread out and far less developed than states on either coast. The service industry plays the biggest role in the economy of South Dakota.  The second largest industry is the United States Military.  The state enjoys a much lower than average unemployment rate, at only 4.7% as of July 2011.  Citibank and the United States Military are the two largest employers in the state. There are several large Indian Reservations in the state, and Native American history is featured in several museums.  Native Americans have always lived in South Dakota, since long before it was settled by Europeans or bought as part of the Louisiana purchase. The colorful past and bright future continue to draw tourists to South Dakota each year.   The wide variety of things to do in the state provide the perfect setting for your next vacation.

Places of Interest in South Dakota There are many reasons people travel to South Dakota each year.  The state offers some of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States, and rich displays of American History draw patriots into South Dakota in droves. The state’s nickname is the Mount Rushmore state, and Mount Rushmore National Monument is one of the most visited monuments in the country.  The monument is a sculpture carved into the granite side of Mount Rushmore.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are all immortalized in the giant monument.  The monument is located near Keystone, South Dakota. Also in the Black Hills region of South Dakota is the town of Deadwood.  Deadwood is a historic mining town, that was established in 1876 after gold was discovered nearby.  The town was founded illegally in an area deemed an Indian Reservation.  Since the towns very existence was illegal, lawlessness was rampant.  Prostitution was common, and the few criminals who were caught were often executed without a trial. In the Southeast corner of the state, near the town of Mitchell, visitors can see the Corn Palace.  During the summer months, the volunteers at the Corn Palace offer free guided tours to visitors.  The Corn Palace is the only one of its kind in the world! No matter what types of things you like to see and do on your vacation, you’ll find what you’re looking for in South Dakota.  Signs along the highway and brochures in public places are great resources for finding additional attractions that may interest you on your vacation.

South Dakota offers plenty of wild areas for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.  The state boasts two National Parks along with many state parks, National monuments, and National historical sites.  Both of the National parks are in the Southwestern part of the state, where the population is more spread out. In the Southeast corner, tucked into the Black Hills lies Wind Cave National Park.  The park features a large network of caves, which tourists can take tours of.  There is also a large herd of bison that are allowed to roam free within the park.  Tourists will enjoy seeing the large animals in their natural habitat, and the herds can get quite large when calves are born. Near Wind Cave National Park is the second National Park in South Dakota.  The park, called Badlands National Park, was established in 1978.  The park features a brightly colored, highly eroded landscape as well as extensive grasslands.  The area is also rich in fossils, including some sea creature remains from a time long ago when the area was under water. Another significant area in South Dakota is the Louis and Clark National Historic Trail. The trail passes through 10 different states in America, and is the route that Louis and Clark took from Illinois to the Pacific Ocean.   South Dakota offers visitors plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the states natural beauty.  The scenic black hills and rolling prairies tell stories of the past when the west was truly wild.  Visiting the parks and wilderness areas of South Dakota is like taking a trip back in time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting to South Dakota No matter how you prefer to get around, whether by car, plane, bus, there are many ways to get to your favorite vacation spots in South Dakota.  Traveling to and around the Mount Rushmore state is easy, and the uncrowded roadways are some of the easiest to travel in the Nation.   If you choose to drive to or around South Dakota, you will find the state has two major interstates.  Interstate 90 crosses the state from East to West in the Southern portion of South Dakota, and Interstate 29 runs North to South across the Eastern portion of the state.   South Dakota doesn’t have any international airports.  There are two regional airports that serve the needs of the locals and visitors traveling to the state by air.  The airports are Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Rapid City Regional Airport.  Several of the largest air carriers service the two airports and several smaller airports around the state also accept commercial flights. South Dakota has nearly 2,000 miles of active railroad tracks.  the BNSF railway is the largest railroad operating in South Dakota, and it runs primarily along the Milwaukee Road tracks.  The railways only service freight, as South Dakota is one of the few states without Amtrak service. The final option in traveling to South Dakota is the bus.  Though there are few bus routes in the state, it is possible to reach the larger cities by bus.  There are no inner city public transportation systems in any of the states cities. No matter how you decide to travel to or around South Dakota, you will enjoy plenty of beautiful scenery along the way.  Traveling by car is the most feasible and readily available option, though flying is popular for travelers going long distances.

Vacationing In the Dakotas - An Historical Lesson North Dakota and South Dakota have a shared history beginning with early occupation by the Native Americans through statehood in 1889. The precursors to the present Native Americans inhabited the area for several thousand years. The first European contact with French fur traders occurred in the early 1700s. In 1803, both Dakotas became part of the United States as with the Louisiana Purchase from France. The Dakota Territory, including both the Dakotas, was established in 1861. The population finally grew when railroads extended into the territory. The states entered the union in 1889. Because of the rivalry as to which state should be admitted first, President Benjamin Harrison told the Secretary of State to shuffle the papers, so that Harrison would not know which paper was signed. To this date, no one knows. As states are listed alphabetically, North Dakota is always placed first. The history of the Dakotas during the 1800s both focuses on events with the Native Americans but differ as to other occurrences. North Dakota benefited from the Lewis and Clark expedition that crossed the state in 1804. South Dakota esperienced the gold rush in the Black Hills, the conflict that posed with the Native Americans and the presence of US military. In 1890, Wounded Knee Massacre was the last armed fight between the Lakota Sioux and the United States. North Dakota has many attractions for those willing to explore into the unfamiliar. The state has opportunities for those who like outdoor activities during the summer and winter. The state has varied geographical landscape and wildlife. Visitors can find travel information about historical sites and sacred sites for Native Americans. The state is readily accessible by both car and air travel. North Dakota has two interstates, and visitors can reach the state easily. The North Dakota Tourism estimates that 16 million people visit the state each year. North Dakota has four major airports and 798,965 people flew into North Dakota airports in 2010. North Dakota abounds in historical sites listed in a vacation brochure. Some of these are described below. The Lewis and Clark National Historical Trail traverses through North Dakota, among many other states. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site maintains the history of the Northern Plains Indians, who have lived in this are for over 11,000 years and includes the site of three Hidatsa villages. Fort Union Trading Post Historic Site, on the Missouri River, was the site of the largest fur trading post during the middle 18000s. The grounds of the State Capitol is home the State Historical Society Museum. For those who love to spend time outdoors, the state has a multitude of park. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park is open year round. Fort Ransom State Park is home to a farmstead with displays of life of the homesteader. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, near Mandan is the location of restoration of the last home of General George Custer as well as the barracks, commissary and stable plus On-A-Slant- Indian village. Fort Stevenson State Park acquired its name from a supply depot for military forts. Lewis and Clark State Park contains historical trail markers to celebrate their camp. International Peace Garden, a 2000 acre botanical garden close to Dunseith, celebrates the open border between Canada and the United States. South Dakota is also easily reached by travelers. The state has two interstates and two National Scenic Byways. Several airlines serve South Dakota’s commercial airports. In 2012, 674,840 passengers flew into the four largest airports in South Dakota. South Dakota has a wealth of historical sites recorded in a vacation brochure. One location goes back in history to the dinosaur era. An almost complete skeleton of T Rex was discovered in South Dakota. In addition, a large set of Columbian Wooly Mammoth fossils which are still being excavated at the Mammoth Site in the southern Black Hills at Hot Springs. South Dakota is the location of the members of the Sioux Nation: Nakota, Lakota and Dakota. While exploring the Native American Scenic byway way, visitors can go to a powwow or visit the museums which portray the culture and history of the Native Americans plus the ancient relics and art or go to a powwow. The Lakota fought to preserve the Black Hills as a hallowed ground, and this still is a sacred spot for many Native American Tribes. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, known as the Shrine of Democracy, is the location of the sculpture of four American presidents in the granite rock of the Black Hills. Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument both provide visitors with opportunities to visit some of the world’s largest and intricate caves. Thousands of acres of prairie and ponderosa pine are above the caves. Crazy Horse Memorial, close to Custer, is the site of the largest mountain carving to celebrate the traditions of the Indians of North America. Visitors can tour the Native American Museum and art center at this location. Badlands National Park has thousands of acres of weather-beaten stone buttes along with the fossils of prehistoric animals plus current digs. Custer State Park provides a well-liked camping experience among over 1000 buffalos roaming the range along with prairie dogs, bighorn sheep and pronghorns. Visitors can hike, ride mountain bikes and swim in the lakes.