Rapid City Tourist Attractions
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Rapid City, the chief town of a wide surrounding area, lies on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, near Mount Rushmore. It is a good center from which to explore the Badlands National Park. The Museum of Geology, in the grounds of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, has large geological and mineralogical collections. The Sioux Indian Museum illustrates the history and everyday life of the Sioux Indians. Other popular attractions are the Dinosaur Park (with reproductions of prehistoric animals which once lived in this part of the world) and the Reptile Gardens (giant turtle). To the east of the town is the Air and Space Museum. The road to Mount Rushmore runs past Bear Country (a park through which visitors can drive in their own cars to see the bears).Rapid City (pop. 62,000) is located in Pennington County.
Journey Museum
Exhibits at the Journey Museum in Rapid City begin with the violent upheaval that formed the Black Hills more than 2.5 billion years ago. The Museum of Geology has two sites that display dinosaur bones and marine reptiles. The Archeological Research Center has ancient artifacts including ancient pottery and flintknapped stone points. The culture of the Sioux Indians is featured in the Sioux Indian Museum.The Minnilusa Pioneer Museum Collection presents the people and events, from the fur trade to present day.
Black Hills Caverns
Gold seekers discovered the Black Hills Caverns in 1882 but the Lakota Indians found strength in the calcite crystals centuries before. The cave has a variety of formations including logomites, stalagmites, helictites, purple amethyst, boxwork and popcorn crystal.
Dahl Fine Arts Center
The Dahl Center in Rapid City houses the 180ft/55m oil-on-canvas panorama spanning 200 years of US history in the Cyclorama Gallery. The work was designed and painted by acclaimed muralist Bernard P Thomas. The center has a theater and two galleries that feature crafts, paintings, sculpture and original prints.
Flying T Chuckwagon Supper and Show
The Flying T Chuckwagon in Rapid City provides the authentic chuckwagon experience. Dinner is served on tin plates and offers a variety of dishes. After dinner the Flying T Wranglers entertain with Cowboy, Country and Blue Grass music with Family Comedy. Folks are welcome to take pictures with the band.
Museum of Geology
The Museum of Geology in Rapid City is a teaching and research facility with collections of more than 250,000 vertebrate fossils and 6,000 minerals. The collections feature mammalian fossils, marine and non-marine Jurassic and Cretaceous reptiles and mammals, and Black Hills pegmatite minerals.
Reptile Gardens
The Reptile Gardens in Rapid City is home to lizards, snakes, crocodiles, snakes, parrots, Komodo dragons, insects and amphibians. Many of the animals are featured in entertainment such as the Parrot Show, Alligator Show, Snake Show, and Birds of Prey Show. The floral gardens have more than 50,000 flowering plants.
Rotary Storybook Island
Storybook Island in Rapid City is accessed by way of "London Bridge," a native stone bridge complete with castle turrets. The enchanted land depicts themes and characters from Fairyland, Mother Goose and other children's nursery rhymes and stories.
Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns
The Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns has hexagonal calcite crystals called dogtooth spar. The water of Diamond Lake reflects the massive crystal ceiling like a giant mirror. Another natural formation includes the Petrified Fish Crevasse, a 110-foot long natural rock wall with fossilized prehistoric marine life.
Bear Country USA
Bear Country USA is located south of Rapid City. It is a drive-through wildlife park. Visitors will see North American Black Bear, wolves, mountain lions, elk, buffalo, deer, bighorn and dall sheep, and Rocky Mountain goats.
Black Hills Maze
Black Hills Maze in Rapid City features a labyrinth of walkways, bridges and towers. Other family activities include miniature golf, batting cages, a climbing wall, and a water-balloon launch game.
Chapel in the Hills
Chapel in the Hills in Rapid City is a replica of the famous 850-year-old Borgund Stave Church in Norway. The chapel features intricate woodcarving, Norse dragonheads, Christian symbols, and pegged construction.
Circle B Ranch Chuckwagon Suppers & Western Music Show
Activities at Circle B Ranch Chuckwagon Suppers and Western Music Show west of Rapid City include miniature golf, gold panning, rubber band shooting gallery, horseshoes, children's playground, and pioneer wagon rides.
Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base features guided bus tours of the Air Combat Command base and Minuteman missile silo. The base was established in 1942 as a training location for B-17 Flying Fortress crews.
South Dakota Air and Space Museum
The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is located outside the Main Gate of Ellsworth Air Force Base. Highlights include a Honda stealth bomber, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's Mitchell B-25 bomber, and other fighter, cargo and utility aircraft.
Leghorn Springs State Fish Hatchery
The hatchery raises more than 500,000 rainbow and brown trout. The interpretive center features video presentations and exhibits that present the effects on humans on the environment.
Sioux Pottery and Crafts
Sioux Pottery in Rapid City sells pottery that is designed and hand-crafted by Sioux Indian Artists. The pottery is made from the red clay of the Black Hills -- sacred to the Lakota People, and fine imported white clay from Kentucky.
