Black Hills Family Vacation

With untamed beauty and a rich history, the Black Hills of South Dakota make the perfect destination for a family vacation. The Black Hills provide a spectrum of activities from hiking and camping, to museums and chuckwagon cookouts. You'll find a nice balance between urban fun and roughing it in the woods.

Mount Rushmore

Perhaps one of our most popular national icons, Mount Rushmore is sure to awe the kids as well as mom and dad. The faces of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln were carved out of a granite cliff and stand 60 feet tall. The project is an engineering and artistic phenomenon that took 400 workers 14 years to complete.

Petrified Gardens and Forests

The Black Hills region is home to several petrified forests and gardens. You'll be able to peek into prehistoric times by examining the largest petrified trees and logs found in the Badlands region. Interpretive museums are located near most petrified forest sites.

Wind Caverns

These natural attractions feature many different caves that are sure to provide exciting adventures for the whole family. You'll see colorful calcite crystals, helectites, stalagmites, stalactites, frost crystals, and logomites. Tours of various lengths are typically available.

Amusement Parks

You'll find several amusement parks in the Black Hills area that come equipped with extensive mazes, zip lines, rock climbing walls, bumper cars, and basketball.

Gold Mines

Step into history and visit one of the Black Hills' many gold mines. Try your luck at panning for gold or visit one of the mining museums.

Custer State Park

Custer State Park is home to the nation's largest bison herd and yields several scenic drives and dramatic geologic formations. Take a family hike or pack a picnic lunch, you'll want to savor the natural scenery.