Open prairie that stretches for miles. Jagged and unique rock formations at Badlands National Park. The kitschy roadside stops along the way. Interstate 90 is one of the most popular routes across South Dakota for a lot of reasons.
Sioux Falls
The journey starts in Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s largest city and home to its largest airport. The bustling city combines the amenities of a large community, including more than 750 restaurants and 5,000+ hotel/motel rooms, with the down-home appeal of America’s heartland and some great local shopping.
Falls Park
As the namesake of South Dakota’s largest city, Falls Park is a popular location for both locals and incoming visitors. In addition to the falls themselves, visitors can see some of the first buildings built in the city, enjoy a beautiful view from an observation tower, and enjoy lunch at the Overlook Café that’s located in the old Light and Power company building.
Sculpture Walk
Enjoy more than 55 unique and changing sculptures at the Sculpture Walk that’s provided visitors to downtown Sioux Falls with the opportunity to take a self-guided tour of beautiful and unique art in an outdoor setting. Guided tours available upon request and availability.
Good Earth State Park at Blood Run
This park is one of the oldest sites of long-term human habitation in the United States. The most recent addition the state park system, Good Earth offers opportunities for birding and hiking as well as the chance to learn some fascinating facts at the visitor center.
Many Sioux Falls buildings and roads are covered in quartzite, a sparkling pink rock that’s second only to diamonds in terms of hardness. Quartzite is still mined in Sioux Falls to this day.
Mitchell
A quick drive one hour west on Interstate 90 takes visitors to Mitchell. This “corny” community is best known as the home of the World’s Only Corn Palace.
Mitchell Corn Palace
This American icon is redecorated annually with native corn, grain and grass. Recent renovations make it a delightful bucket-list item day or night.
Prehistoric Indian Village
Located on the shores of Lake Mitchell, this 1,000-year-old Native American village is the only archaeological site in South Dakota open to the public. Guests can watch in comfort as archaeologists uncover artifacts in the Thomsen Center Archeodome before touring the Boehnen Memorial Museum.
Dakota Discovery Museum
Their inviting environment features numerous historic artifacts from a time when people relied solely on the land. Located on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University, the Dakota Discovery Museum provides entertaining and educational benefits to every visitor that walks through the door.
Grab a popcorn ball at the Corn Palace gift shop for a perfect road snack!
Chamberlain/Oacoma
Beyond Mitchell is Chamberlain, where Interstate 90 meets the Missouri River.
Dignity: of Earth and Sky
The 50-foot-tall stainless-steel sculpture of a Native American woman with a star quilt was designed to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people.
Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center
With a mini-theater, interactive displays, English-Lakota descriptions and the outdoor Medicine Wheel Garden, Akta Lakota is more than a traditional museum. It’s an experience that provides visitors with a living lesson on the Native American way of life both past and present.
The Missouri River has lots of great fishing. Enjoy freshly caught South Dakota walleye at restaurants around Chamberlain.
Murdo/ Interior/ Wall
Continue down Interstate 90 an hour until you reach Murdo. Past Murdo, the time zone changes from Central to Mountain time, meaning you should set your clocks back an hour.
Pioneer Auto Show
With more than 300 vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles, the Pioneer Auto Show & Prairie Town in Murdo is one of the largest privately owned auto collections open to the public.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site consists of three sites along a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 90. The visitor center and the Delta-09 missile silo are open, and tours of the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility are offered daily.
Wall Drug Store
Wall Drug offers free attractions, entertainment, food, 5-cent coffee, shopping, a unique mining experience, a Traveler's Chapel, free ice water, the fun-filled Backyard and much more!
Badlands National Park
The park was a major film site for Thunderheart, Starship Troopers, and Armageddon. Take the Badlands Loop (Highway 240) for awesome views of this 244,000-acre (97,600 ha) national park.
Keep on the lookout while driving on the interstate for a funny sculpture of a skeleton walking a skeletal dinosaur.
Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota’s second-largest city, lies east of the Black Hills National Forest and is known as the “City of Presidents” because of the series of life-size bronze statues of America’s past presidents that covers several blocks of downtown.
Main Street Square
Located in the heart of Downtown Rapid City, Main Street Square is a fun-filled public space that features special events, arts and culture, live concerts, seasonal ice skating and interactive fountains.
The Journey Museum & Learning Center
The museum brings together five major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the western Great Plains from the perspective of the Lakota people and their unique Native American history, the pioneers that shaped history, and the scientists that currently study the area.
Reptile Gardens
Reptile Gardens is a premier South Dakota destination that houses some of the world’s deadliest snakes and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest reptile zoo.
In Downtown Rapid City, you’ll find Art Alley, a public art project that’s always evolving thanks to local artists like Logan Beert.
Westward ho to the Black Hills!
Black Hills tours can hub and spoke out of nearly any city in the area. The area is also perfect for circle tours. See the Black Hills Five-Day Tour itinerary for how to discover the unique in South Dakota's Black Hills.
