Sure, Mount Rushmore is magnificent, but South Dakota’s memorable venues and attractions go well beyond the grand granite faces that draw 3 million annual visitors to the Black Hills.
The state is potentially the ideal setting for groups grasping to leave behind the everyday, and spur bonding and creativity via numerous offbeat settings and experiences. Here’s a look at some of the most memorable sites, from a captivating corn palace to a roadside retailer that puts the fun into funky.
ABERDEEN
A stone’s throw from the state capital of Pierre, Aberdeen is a hard town to put a label on. Its population of around 26,000 at last count might make it seem small-town to some, but in rural South Dakota it’s actually the third-largest city statewide.
Two colleges, Northern State University and Presentation College, help instill a fun, youthful vibe and are also home to some singular venues, including the PC Winter Dome at Presentation College, a 2015 addition that inflates with air to host various sporting events.
Downtown, the unique Capitol Theatre seamlessly blends old with new, serving as host to numerous live performances from the well-established Aberdeen Community Theater ensemble while also offering a new digital cinema showing films of all kinds in an intimate 90-seat venue. For some offbeat hands-on fun, groups should consider Colorful Creations, another recently added offering that hosts short painting and ceramic programs.
Finally, Wylie Park/Storybook Land is a unique hybrid of outdoor escapes and kitschy carnival fun. Active attendees might want to explore biking, hiking and seasonal swimming, while those inclined to pure diversion will enjoy everything from bumper boats to go-karts and mini-golf.
DEADWOOD
When it comes to the offbeat, Deadwood in itself is a unique experience. How many towns do you know that are actually listed as a registered National Historic Landmark in their entirety?
And Wild West history is everywhere in Deadwood, ready to be experienced in countless memorable ways, according to Amanda Kille, marketing director for the Deadwood Chamber and Visitors Bureau. Attendees can drop by the 1876 Dinner Theater for lively old-time fare and entertainment, or visit the storied Mount Moriah Cemetery, the final resting place for legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Groups can also let their hair down at Saloon #10, the site of Hickok’s demise and host to gambling, dining and fun from a bygone era.
Serious thrills can come via Deadwood Guns, where attendees can take a Fast Draw lesson and then compete against each other, and smaller groups use a shooting simulator accurate enough for police training. A variety of range options includes indoor archery and airsoft, and outdoor fun shoots (with safety instruction and guidance included) with live ammunition and a wide choice of weaponry.
The town even offers some offbeat lodging in the form of the Celebrity Hotel, a Hollywood-themed property set in an old historic structure and rife with impressive memorabilia such as the iconic #53 Volkswagen featured in the Love Bug films by Disney.
HURON
While an active community dotted with robust parks, recreation areas and golf courses, Huron’s most unique element might lie in an innovative arts project that is making the town itself something of an offbeat lure.
Murals on the Town is an ambitious alfresco art endeavor that has beautified the city with large murals jazzing up numerous nondescript city buildings. The project began several years ago and adds new murals every year; the colorful creations—often gigantic in size—highlight local heritage ranging from homesteading history to modern-day county fair fun.
For active attendees on the lookout for something a bit different, Huron’s sprawling Memorial Park offers a disc golf course (Frisbee) that was upgraded in 2013 and is now being further improved to reach tournament play status. And for family groups the town hosts a bustling Family Night in Campbell Park, held each Thursday evening from June to mid-August and offering ample free entertainment.
For something truly unusual, attendees can head about 50 miles south to Mitchell Corn Palace, a regal roadside construction where groups can partake in one of the many festive events or host an affair of their own. The historic venue dates back to 1892 and undergoes an annual “re-corn-struction” to spruce it up.
PIERRE
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Pierre is its very nature. It’s hard to picture a more rural state capitol, or a more active one, as the bucolic, tree-lined community is a veritable mecca of hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. In fact, its Fort Pierre National Grassland Area alone offers 116,000 acres of diverse terrain for hikers and bikers to conquer.
For an offbeat outing that few attendees have experienced, consider taking your group to the Oahe Speedway, where drag-strip races are showcased from late April through early October. A particularly unique highlight is the “street legal” racing on Friday nights, open to anyone feeling the need to put the pedal to the metal.
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Another unique venue is the South Dakota National Guard Museum, hallmarked by a spacious exhibit area that includes everything from a Sherman tank to anti-aircraft guns.
RAPID CITY
Only a half-an-hour drive from Mount Rushmore, Rapid City has its own array of intriguing lures for groups to consider, including some new options.
The city’s iconic Hotel Alex Johnston is completing a full renovation of rooms in 2016 as part of its rebrand to Hilton’s Curio collection; among the unique settings is a rooftop skybar with both indoor and outing seating, and the property also offers 8,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Elsewhere, a retro and carefree tavern outing awaits at Press Start, a new “barcade” that recently launched with more than 50 classic arcade games, including the rare Dragon’s Lair, a 1983 video game of which there are reportedly only 14 left in the world.
Active attendees exploring the offbeat might enjoy some new trails added at the Skyline Wilderness Area, a 150-acre preserve area connected to Dinosaur Park. a kitschy and historic venue created in the 1930s by the city in partnership with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Or let your group get their ‘game on’ at Jump Craze, a newly opened trampoline park with foam pits, a dodgeball pit, basketball slam and other unusual athletics.
And it would be remiss to discuss the state’s offbeat lures without a mention of Wall Drugs, set in the little burg of Wall about an hour’s drive due east. A sprawling, 76,000-square-foot wonderland of weirdness, the roadside attraction is home to strange shopping, an apothecary, odd photo-op stations and unexpected eateries. And that truly is just the tip of the iceberg.
SIOUX FALLS
South Dakota’s largest city, Sioux Falls, home to natural draws such as Falls Park, is a bastion of fun group activities and attractions, including some fresh lures groups can embrace, says Krista Orsack, director of marketing for the local CVB.
The amazing Sertoma Butterfly House & Marine Cove recently debuted such new elements as a Shark & Stingray Touch Pool, an Indo-Pacific reef-building coral exhibit, soft coral exhibit, seahorses and its Pacific Tide Pool. A jellyfish life-cycle aquarium exhibit will be opening in the next two months, and the Caribbean Coral exhibit will wrap a huge upgrade project in July 2016.
Another new addition, Badlands Pawn, opened on Thanksgiving of last year and is far from your everyday pawnshop. The complex includes an in-house radio station, a foundry, shooting range, performance venue, sandwich shop and even a tattoo parlor.
And for groups seeking substantial venue space, fresh options include expanded space at the robust Denny Sanford Premier Center and the recently launched venue known as The District, a 37,000-square-foot bi-level building located at the Empire Mall campus with space for corporate events, receptions and more, plus a snazzy restaurant and lounge.
SPEARFISH
“Spearfish is a wonderful city located in the northern Black Hills of South Dakota that offers a unique experience for group meetings and events,” says spokesperson Brian Gebhart with Visit Spearfish, adding that even its setting at the gateway to stunning Spearfish Canyon is a singular one—home to beautiful waterfalls, lush foliage and a host of trails and other outdoor activities.
The small college town, he says, is home to a variety of visiting events, from Corvette rallies to mainstream corporate meets. And a unique gallery is one of the more memorable venues, Gebhart remarks.
“One of our prize gems is the Termesphere Gallery, a viewing gallery and workshop of local, world-renowned artist Dick Termes,” he explains. “Throughout the year, we work with the South Dakota Department of Tourism with FAM tours for domestic and international travel writers, and this gallery is always a must-see for those groups.”
WATERTOWN
In the state’s northeast corner, one of Watertown’s most intriguing attractions is the Redlin Art Center, completely dedicated to the life and works of famed wildlife artist Terry Redlin. In addition to a large and handsome main building, the venue is home to Conservation Park, a 30-acre outdoor refuge with walking trails, gazebos and countless waterways.
As for newer offerings, groups seeking a dynamic, full-fledged event hub should consider the Swiftel Center in Brookings, about an hour’s drive due south of Watertown. Over the past year, Swiftel has revamped its main lobby/entrance, revamped its banquet room tech and lighting, and partnered with a local design studio to offer decorating options for clients. Swiftel is also in the process of adding digital screen technology throughout the venue.
