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Culture September 27, 2016
Your car is packed, your schedule is free and now all you have to do is decide where to go. When considering where to vacation or where to take your next road trip, big-name states like California, Florida, Nevada, Texas and New York may initially pop into mind. If you don’t follow Robert Frost’s advice and take the road less traveled, though, you’ll be missing plenty of epic opportunities.
Perhaps the most understated one? South Dakota. Despite this state’s modest reputation, it offers plenty of natural beauty, historical hotspots and entertainment. With some help from Midwest Living and Uproxx, here are six reasons why every woman should visit South Dakota!
Whether you live in a crowded city or a rural town, you might not have had the chance to be blown away by the untouched beauty of nature. Visiting South Dakota can fix that! Besides being home to Badlands National Park – 244,000 acres of stunning shale and sandstone – South Dakota also offers men and women a variety of other parks to choose from. These include Custer State Park (which is one of America’s largest state parks and features roaming bison), Falls State Park and Palisades State Park (both of which boast plenty of gorgeous views, picnic spots and waterfalls or lakes.) If you need the perfect backdrop for a stunning Facebook profile pic, South Dakota’s parks have you covered!
Ever heard of “frybread”? If you’ve never been to South Dakota, you’ve probably never tasted their official bread – but you definitely should. Basically, it’s a thick and puffy piece of bread that mimics a dinner plate in size. (Carb lovers, rejoice!) The toppings are what really makes it shine, though: just picture all of your taco favorites like lettuce, olives, cheese, beans and ground meat (typically beef or bison). If you’re a beer connoisseur, you’ll also appreciate South Dakota’s up-and-coming brewery scene. Exploring another culture has never tasted so good!
Just as Jessica Simpson’s hit song declares, your boots were made for walking – and South Dakota offers plenty of trails to enjoy while you do! If you want to see the park that architect Frank Lloyd Wright considered the “most magnificent he’d seen,” check out Spearfish Canyon. If you’d rather walk up than around, explore the Spirit Mound Historic Prairie. The trail is a little less than a mile long and offers plenty of beautiful scenery to enjoy until you reach the peak – and its equally impressive views of South Dakota. If you’re looking for a vacation spot that you will also motivate you to exercise, South Dakota is it.
Every state seems to boast a few restaurants or stores that become tied to its name. California has In-N-Out; Texas has What-a-Burger and Buc-ee’s. When you’re in South Dakota, though, you’ll see sign after sign advertising Wall Drug. This iconic pit-stop was founded by Dorothy and Ted Hustead in 1931 and is now run by their grandson. Today, Wall Drug spans over a city block in size and includes several stores selling everything from ice cream to Native American handicrafts to Western clothing. If you want some wacky photos to send back home, don’t forget to pose next to their animatronic T-Rex, piano-playing gorilla or six-foot tall jackalope.
If you asked historians their favorite spots in South Dakota, the most common answer would probably be the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Not only can you check out the 60-foot faces from various viewing platforms (or even walk along the carving’s base with a park ranger), but you can also enjoy a variety of sculpture workshops and a patriotic ceremony every evening. If you’re more of a Wild West fan, you’ll love the town of Deadwood. Besides experiencing the gold rush in 1876, the town was home to famous western characters like Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok and Seth Bullock.
Did you ask Santa for a castle every year and he never delivered? Then use your trip to South Dakota as an excuse to explore an elegant castle (located in the city of Mitchell) that is made entirely out of corn, grasses and grains. The first castle was built in 1892 to show off settlers’ harvest; today’s castle stems (pun intended) pack to 1921 and is often home to a variety of stage shows and sports events.
So whether you want beautiful views, living history or just some crazy stories to tell, South Dakota is the state for you!
