Family Spring Break Fun in South Dakota

Looking for a spring break the whole family will love? In South Dakota, spend your time exploring scenic trails, meeting wild animals, uncovering dinosaur discoveries or racing down waterpark slides. Whether you're driving from nearby states like Minnesota, Nebraska and Colorado or flying in from farther afield, South Dakota makes for an easy getaway. Read on to plan your family’s vacation. 

Spring Into the Outdoors

Blooming flowers, warmer days and colorful signs of life are everywhere following a snowy winter. Spring weather in South Dakota can be unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and conditions that can shift from snow and rain to sunshine. Check the forecast before your trip and pack layers, along with outdoor essentials like an umbrella, sunscreen and sunglasses.

In Sioux Falls, witness spring blossoms at Falls Park, where budding trees frame the dramatic sight of thousands of gallons of water cascading over the rocky tiers each second. While there, don’t miss the nearby Stockyards Ag Experience, a kid-friendly interactive museum that explains South Dakota's agricultural heritage.  

In the western South Dakota region, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial®, Custer State Park and Badlands National Park create one of the largest concentrations of national parks, monuments and caves in the Midwest. The mild spring weather is perfect for little explorers, offering easy walking trails, interactive visitor centers and a beautiful backdrop to pack a picnic and marvel at the towering granite landmarks. Kids will love earning their Junior Ranger badges at the Badlands or exploring Jewel Cave National Monument, home to the third-longest cave in the world, away from the summer crowds.

More ways to experience the state’s great outdoors

Scenic Drives for the Whole Family

You control the speed, climate and music while taking in some of South Dakota’s finest scenery on a classic road trip. In the Black Hills, Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway is a 70-mile drive that includes spiraling bridges, hairpin curves, granite tunnels and awe-inspiring views. 

Custer State Park is perfect for animal-spotting, especially along Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway, with its “beggin’ burros” and potential for a buffalo traffic jam (which is the best kind). While you're there, you may even get treated to a one-of-a-kind carwash. The park's resident bison are big fans of salt, including the kind that gets put on the roads in the winter. If you park in the right spot during your spring trip, you could be surrounded by furry beasts happy to lick your vehicle clean. It’s cute and makes for some unique photo opportunities, as long as you take the right precautions. These beasts can get dangerous fast, so stay in your vehicle, pull away slowly when you’re ready to move on and enjoy a truly unique South Dakota experience.

Retrace the South Dakota leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with your kids for a history-inspired spring break. This unforgettable road trip follows Interstate 29, SD-50, Interstate 90 and other scenic routes, exploring key sites up to North Dakota.

Explore more scenic drives the kids will love

Dinosaur Attractions

Dinosaurs make eyes light up, no matter if you're 3 or 83. Get a dino overload with the treasure trove of fossils and more at Hill City's Museum @ Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. Climb on the seven life-sized concrete dinosaur replicas as you take in the view from Dinosaur Park in Rapid City, then see the real thing at the Museum of Geology, home to a collection of rare marine reptile fossils. 

A 50-ton, 80-foot-long brontosaurus replica will greet you as you enter Wall (from the east), the same town that’s home to the legendary Wall Drug Store and its T. rex that comes to life every 12 minutes. Or, join a real-life dinosaur dig with PaleoAdventures in Belle Fourche.

Discover more prehistoric attractions 

Game On!

Any kid will tell you — play is good for the soul and the body. Head to Press Start in Rapid City for fried favorites and, most importantly, classic and modern arcade games. Get your bounce on at Sky Zone in Sioux Falls or Get Air Trampoline Park in Box Elder. Engage the family in laser tag at Galaxy Gaming in Sioux Falls and enjoy go-kart racing and more at Flags and Wheels in Rapid City, Karttrax Family Fun Park in Yankton, Allevity Entertainment in Aberdeen and Thunder Road locations in Sioux Falls and Aberdeen.

Scout out these restaurants to add to your action-packed itinerary

Make a Splash at Indoor Waterparks

The weather can be unpredictable in South Dakota around spring-break time, but our indoor waterparks ensure a splash-ton of fun no matter the weather. Make a day or night of it in Rapid City at the 30,000-square-foot WaTiki® Indoor Waterpark Resort, which has five family-friendly hotels right on-site. Nearby properties like the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, AmericInn by Wyndham and Grand Gateway Hotel boast their own indoor water playlands as well.

Soak in the naturally warm mineral springs at Evans Plunge in Hot Springs. In Deadwood, make a splash with the pirate ship and water geysers at The Lodge at Deadwood before settling in for a nice meal, a restful evening and maybe even some gambling once the kids go to bed. 

In Sioux Falls, hotels like the Ramada Hotel & Suites, OYO Dakotah Lodge Waterpark and Best Western Plus Ramkota all have attached water playlands. So do the Brookings Inn in Brookings, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Brandon, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Aberdeen and the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and Comfort Inn & Suites in Mitchell, home of The World’s Only Corn Palace.

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Wildlife at Its Wildest (and Cutest)

Spring means lots of great things in South Dakota, but none as cute as the baby animals and birds that are born each year. At state and national parks, along the Missouri River and within the Glacial Lakes & Prairies region, spot bison, bighorn sheep, antelope, whitetail deer, ducklings and geese. 

For a wilder experience, visit one of South Dakota’s wildlife parks like the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown or Reptile Gardens in Rapid City.

Check out our guide to spotting South Dakota’s baby animals 

Kid-Approved Museums

Spring break doesn’t mean kids have to stop learning. Make it fun by spending a few hours with hands-on activities at the South Dakota Discovery Center, and watch the kiddos become mechanics, teachers and more at the imagination-fueled Children’s Museum of South Dakota in Brookings. 

For a taste of the Old West, Historic Deadwood’s Days of ’76 Museum offers an interactive look at retired stagecoaches and wagons, plus exhibits that bring Western legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane to life for the whole family. 

Find more kid-friendly museums across South Dakota

What Makes South Dakota a Can’t-Miss Spring Break Destination?

South Dakota’s undiscovered small towns, historic marvels and iconic national and state parks create an environment dense with adventure. 

1. Uncrowded: While South Dakota visitation peaks in the summer, visiting in early spring offers an uncrowded experience. You’ll find solitude and room to breathe in South Dakota in the spring.
2. Affordable: In South Dakota, you can still feed a family of six for under $100. That’s just one thing Disneyland can’t claim. During March and April, peak season hasn’t hit, and hotel prices are level. You can bring the whole caravan of kids for a fraction of the cost.
3. Road-Trippable: The state is ideal for road trips, featuring numerous scenic byways, open roads and attractions clustered together. Get your kids in the car and hit the road.
4. Family-First Atmosphere: South Dakota offers safe cities and a welcoming environment. Here, there are always kid-friendly attractions and family fun waiting.
5. Learn & Play: South Dakota offers a mix of educational and recreational opportunities, including fossil digs, conservation efforts, and science and discovery museums. Discover a lot of learning and even more fun during a South Dakota spring break.

With adventures around every corner, there’s no shortage of ways to make memories together in South Dakota. Start planning your spring break vacation by exploring more things to do, places to stay and even free mobile passports that turn into any trip into an adventure.