Best Things To Do in Rapid City, South Dakota

Are you looking for what to do in Rapid City?

PLACES TO SEE

There are plenty of attractions in Rapid City to be seen and a bountiful of activities to be done. The list of things to do in Rapid City can go on and on, but we can just try to name a few in the limited space we have. Rapid City tourism forms a major chunk of the city’s economy. People from all over the country and even the world flock over to catch a sight of Mount Rushmore, The Journey Museum, Reptile Gardens and the South Dakota Air and Space Museum and various other nearby attractions.

THINGS TO DO

Also shopping in Rapid City is a major attraction especially in Downtown Rapid City, which has incredible shopping stores and restaurants, or freak out at one the many Amusement parks in and around the city. One can also enjoy a farmer’s life at Old MacDonald’s Farm, where one is allowed to explore and play with the animals. Rapid City indeed is the perfect tourist destination, be it with friends or family.

Below we have a list of things to do in Rapid City and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Rapid City getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Rapid City with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Rapid City

Here is the list of things to do in Rapid City and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Bear Country USA

    4.6 (840 Votes)
    Bear Country USA

    Park

    Easily Rapid City’s biggest and most popular attraction, the Bear Country USA is a 200 acre park that allows visitors to take a drive and observe animals like black bears, reindeers, cougars, bobcats, deer and others in their very natural habitat. It is the largest private collection of black bears in the whole world. A unique feature of the park is that they have a walking exhibit area w...Read more
  2. Reptile Gardens

    4.7 (781 Votes)
    Reptile Gardens

    Wildlife Park, Zoo

    This unique zoo cum wild Animal Park is definitely a treat for wildlife enthusiasts. It plays home to a wide variety of reptiles and unique plants that aren’t seen just everywhere. In fact the Reptile Gardens is the largest reptile zoo in the whole wide world with more number of reptiles than any other zoo or animal park. They have got snakes, lizards, crocodiles, komodo dragons and amphi...Read more
  3. Downtown Rapid City

    Pubs, Restaurant, Neighborhoods

    Probably the most popular and most busy area of Rapid City, Downtown is the place to head to if one wants to shop, eat or just spend the night partying away. Downtown Rapid City has an astounding number of restaurants, pubs and shops to choose from and virtually unlimited amount of fun to be had. Even the choosiest shoppers can find a perfect fit or the right deal which can make their shopping ...Read more
  4. Dinosaur Park

    4.3 (578 Votes)
    Dinosaur Park

    Park

    The Dinosaur Park is a very popular destination and possibly the top most priority in the checklist of every tiny-tot who come to Rapid City with their parents. There are several life-like dinosaur figures here which are spread over the park and never fail in delighting kids and adults alike. The perfect way to kick off your vacation in Rapid City, the park is appropriately suited for some grea...Read more
  5. South Dakota Air And Space Museum

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is a part of the National Museum of the US Air Force. It is located just a short drive away from Rapid City and the motive behind its foundation was to educate and entertain the public. The various exhibits here are aimed to showcase the American journey, pay respect to the military personnel who sacrificed their lives for the country and tell the astonishi...Read more
  6. WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort

    Amusement Park, Water Park

    The Watiki Indoor Waterpark is one of the most popular water based amusement parks in the whole of South Dakota, courtesy its numerous attractions like the Koko’s Kingdom, Activity Pool, Lazy river, Maui’s Body Slide, Super Bowl, Funky Frog slide and the Hot Tub. The waterpark attracts people of all ages who have a rad time at the park. The best thing is that the park being indoors ...Read more
  7. The Journey Museum And Learning Center

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    The Journey Museum and Learning Center is quaint and spacious museum in Rapid City with over seven acres of garden area. It aims at telling the history of the Black Hills, beginning from the Native American creation stories, to the geology aspect, Native American inhabitants and then finally with the pioneers who travelled westwards and settled in the area. It aims at giving all this informatio...Read more
  8. Berlin Wall

    4.4 (167 Votes)
    Berlin Wall

    Historical Site

    Though unexpected, the Berlin Wall exhibit is a very important attraction in Rapid City as it is associated with a very significant piece of world history. Two sections of the ‘Berlin Wall’ are placed at this spot in the park as a somber reminder of a dark patch in history where basic freedom of the people was taken from them and a wall was put up to divide the Germans into East and...Read more
  9. America's Founding Fathers Exhibit
    This exhibit aims at educating the masses about the very birth of the American democracy. You can see and hear the story about how the United States of America came into formation with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Inside there is present a life-size sculpture installation of John Trumbull’s iconic “Declaration of Independence” painting. You can then hear the...Read more
  10. Black Hills Caverns

    4.6 (318 Votes)
    Black Hills Caverns

    Cave

    The Black Hill Caverns were discovered in 1882 by curious gold seekers but the actual credit of the discovery actually goes out to the Lakota Indians who were well versed in the power of the calcite crystals centuries before the gold seekers discovery. The inside of the cave is astonishingly beautiful like a glittering path to the underworld with the rocks in various animal formations. Apart fr...Read more
  11. Thunderhead Falls

    3.5 (457 Votes)
    Thunderhead Falls

    Outdoors, Nature

    Unlike other waterfalls, the Thunderhead Falls are unique because six hundred feet within the mountain, the 30 foot long fall gushes out from the wall and then again flows into the passage through the sparkling quartz vein and stalactites. It is indeed a very rare spectacle to see a waterfall gushing out with full intensity inside a mountain. Do make it a point to catch a glimpse of this miracu...Read more
  12. Dinosaur Museum

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    The Dinosaur Museum Rapid City - world's largest collection of prehisotric animal sculptures, located at  Hwy 16 next door to the Reptile Gardens. Rapid city dinosaur museum makes up for an interesting and fun filled past time and has the added benefit of being educational for kids and adults alike. At the black hills Dinosaur museum south dakota has some very lifelike exhib...Read more
  13. Dahl Arts Center

    4.7 (465 Votes)
    Dahl Arts Center

    Art Gallery, Arts And Crafts

    Ever since it opened back in 1974, the Dahl Arts Center has been a shining beacon for artists all over the South Dakota region in the fields of contemporary visual arts, performing arts and arts education. The Center has five visual art galleries, children’s gallery, event center and classrooms for artists of all ages and abilities. The newly opened Arts center is almost thrice its previo...Read more
  14. Motion Unlimited Antique

    4.7 (494 Votes)
    Motion Unlimited Antique

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    This one of a kind museum in Rapid City is entirely dedicated to antique cars and bikes. It can probably be termed as a paradise of sorts for motor aficionados with its huge list of restored vehicles. The restoration work has been painstakingly done by the owners themselves who have spent countless man hours rebuilding and restoring the beauties that lie in the museum to their former glory. The...Read more
  15. Fish Hatchery

    3.3 (202 Votes)
    Fish Hatchery

    Leisure

    The Cleghorn Springs Hatchery is the institution that is responsible for providing trout and salmon for stocking all through the area of South Dakota. As these two species are not native to the area, thus the rate at which they reproduce and grow is quite stunted. Because of this limited availability, the need for stocking of these particular fish arises and thus the use of this hatchery. Guest...Read more