Rapid City Vacations, Rapid City Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Rapid City Vacation Guide

Rapid City is perhaps best-known for Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is just a few minutes outside the city. The four granite faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were begun in 1927 and completed in 1941. The presidential tribute, combined with the natural beauty of the surrounding Black Hills and the outdoor recreation it supports, has helped to make Rapid City a vacation destination.

The largest city in western South Dakota, Rapid City has a broad range of accommodation choices, from family-style chains to secluded mountain lodges, and restaurants, which run the gamut from national franchises to local eateries. There are a number of ethnic dining venues, which include Japanese, East Asian and Mediterranean, and many restaurants specialize in local fare, including buffalo burgers and roast pheasant. The northern shopping district is anchored by a mall and big box stores, while historic downtown is marked by boutiques and art galleries.

There also are a number of free or low-cost family activities around town, from museums and gold-rush-era historic sites to a fantasy theme park and animal safaris. Interstate 90 runs through the city, and many visitors use it to link Rapid City with a vacation to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks to the west. By air, Rapid City Regional airport has direct flights to Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.