The Ultimate 7-Day Family Friendly South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
If you are looking for one of the top Midwest family-friendly destination that’s full of adventure, nature and history, this is the trip for you.
A South Dakota road trip is the perfect adventure for families, offering a blend of outdoor adventure, rich history, and so much fun. From exploring the iconic Mount Rushmore to spotting wildlife in Custer State Park, this is a trip that the whole family will enjoy.
This guide will walk you through exactly how to plan a 1-week, family-friendly South Dakota road trip, including where to stay, what to do, and how to make the most of your time while keeping it kid friendly.
Whether your family loves hiking, scenic drives, or hands-on learning, this is the ultimate South Dakota itinerary with kids, guiding you through the best experiences in the Black Hills.
Get ready for a trip filled with breathtaking landscapes, exciting discoveries, and so many memories!
Where to Stay
Where you choose to stay for your South Dakota road trip will shape your entire trip.
The key is choosing a central home base so you’re not constantly packing up and driving long distances. We found Rapid City to be the perfect home base for exploring so many nearby attractions, like Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands National Park and the Black Hills, but without having to hotel hop every night.
🏨 Best Home Base: Rapid City
Rapid City is the most convenient place to stay for families.
Why it works:
- Close to most major attractions (within 1 hour from almost everything we did)
- Tons of hotel + restaurant options
- Easy access from the airport
Best Family Hotels
- Hyatt Place Rapid City (sleeps 6 + free breakfast)
- Home2Suites by Hilton (full kitchen)
- Tru by Hilton (great location + budget friendly)
- Courtyard by Marriott Rapid City (connected to WaTiki waterpark)
🏡 Alternative: Cabin Stay in the Black Hills
If you want a more immersive experience, you could stay in one of the nearby smaller towns, like Hill City or Custer. While they don’t have a lot of chain hotel options, they do have lots of rentals and cabins.
Choose this option if you are looking for:
- more space for families
- outdoor areas + fire pits
- a quieter, more “nature-filled” experience
Search for cabins or rental homes here!
Packing Essentials for your South Dakota Road Trip
This itinerary is jammed packed full of adventure, and having the right gear can definitely make your days go by much smoother.
Here’s my must have list for your South Dakota road trip:
- Hiking shoes for kids
- Refillable water bottles
- Electric cooler for breakfast & lunches on the go
- Lightweight backpack for hiking and adventures
- Sunscreen + hats (shade is limited)
1 Week South Dakota Itinerary with Kids
Day 1: Exploring Rapid City
Spend your first day in the Black Hills by checking off some of the sights around Rapid City.
Start your morning at Bear Country USA – the coolest drive-thru zoo that will get you up close and personal to so many animals. We saw so many bears elk, deer and wolves, and even got bumped into by a grizzly!
After you complete the drive-thru portion, make sure to get out and walk around the rest of the park to see even more animals up close. Plus, the gift shop here is really great and has lots of fun finds.
Next, head to Reptile Gardens. This place is botanical garden meets reptile zoo, and was definitely a hit with my kids. We packed a lunch and ate at one of the picnic tables here, but they do have concession stands and vending machines available. Plan to spend about 2 hours here.
For the afternoon, head to Storybook Island, a free (and awesome) park in Rapid City. Imagine all your favorite childhood fairytale or storybook characters in one giant, interactive park. There’s a carousel, train rides, and a fun gift shop.
Enjoy dinner at Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City. There are several restaurants around this area to choose from, and in the summer they have concerts and activities going on here. They even have a fountain area where kids can splash and get wet, so bring swimsuits and towels.
After dinner, make sure to take a self-guided walking tour of all the presidential statues downtown. You can find them on every block, and they have QR codes you can scan to learn facts about each one. It’s a fun way to learn about some Presidential history, and a great way to explore the downtown area of Rapid City.
Day 2: Train Rides & Waterpark Fun
Today, you are going to head to Hill City for one of the most memorable experiences of the trip: a scenic ride through the Black Hills on the 1880’s train.
Make sure to prebook your tickets beforehand, as they do sell out! I highly recommend taking the first ride of the morning for the best chance at spotting wildlife.
The ride from Hill City to Keystone takes about 45 minutes, and you can choose to ride back immediately, or get off the train and explore. Make sure to bring some cash for concessions on the train.
We chose to spend a couple hours exploring Keystone, which I highly recommend! There are tons of cute shops and spots to grab a bite to eat, or sweet treat.
I also recommend walking over to Tramway Adventures (about ½ mile), where you can take a ride on the alpine slide and scenic chairlift! My kids loved this activity (and so did the adults!), and we totally would have rode it twice if there wasn’t an impending thunderstorm.
After you’re done exploring Keystone, hop back on the train for the 45 minute ride back to Hill City.
For some kid-friendly afternoon fun, head to WaTiki Indoor Waterpark. There are lots of slides, sprinklers, dump buckets and a lazy river – perfect for all ages.
For dinner, I highly recommend grabbing takeout or a picnic and heading over to the Dinosaur Park. There are picnic tables and benches along the way, and it’s the perfect spot to enjoy dinner while you watch the sunset over Rapid City.
Day 3: Spearfish Canyon + Waterfalls
You are going to spend day 3 by exploring Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, one of the most stunning drives in the region. The drive is about 45 minutes northwest from Rapid City.
Start the day at the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, which is free to visit, and is a really unique place to learn about some of the history of the Black Hills. Spend time exploring the historic buildings and grounds, and make sure to buy a bag of fish food from the gift shop so you can feed the hungry trout.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at the park next door, or sit down at one of the restaurants in downtown Spearfish, then headed into the Black Hills for an afternoon of hiking and waterfalls.
Start your adventure at the Community Caves Trail, a 0.6 mile out and back hike. While it is a tougher hike that is a steep uphill scramble, the payoff at the end is totally worth it. We spent quite a while sitting in the cool cave, taking in the views of the Black Hills.
After you finish the hike, keep going along the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, stopping at several waterfalls along the way, like Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls and Roughlock Falls (my favorite).
Read more about how to see 4 epic waterfalls in one afternoon here
Day 4: Badlands National Park
For day 4, it’s time to take a day trip to Badlands National Park. It takes about an hour from Rapid City. This national park does have an entrance fee of $30 per carload, or you can use your America the Beautiful Pass.
This landscape feels completely different from the Black Hills, and is truly one of those places that almost feels otherworldly.
Some kid-friendly spots that I highly recommend are:
- Door & Window Trail
- Ben Reifel Visitor’s Center
- Badlands Loop
- Fossil Exhibit trail
- Rim Road to see bison and prairie dogs
Read more about our day in Badlands National Park here
On your way back to Rapid City, make sure to stop at Wall Drug Store for some shopping and dinner. While the food prices are a bit steep for burgers and fries, it’s one of those iconic South Dakota road trip stops that you definitely don’t want to miss.
Day 5: Custer State Park
If you only get an early start 1 day of your South Dakota road trip, make it this day.
You want to arrive in Custer State Park first thing in the morning for the best chance at seeing wildlife, and to avoid the crowds of people. Take a drive along this 18 mile scenic loop, keeping your eyes out for bison, mule deer, burros, prairie dogs, coyotes and pronghorns.
We arrived to the park around 8 am, and it took us about 2.5 hours to complete. We saw tons of wildlife, and getting stopped by a bison traffic jam was one of the highlights of our trip.
After you finish the wildlife loop, drive along Needles Highway to Sylvan Lake. I highly recommend hiking the 1.1 mile Lake Shore Trail, which takes you in a loop around the whole lake. It’s a beautiful trail that takes you along some amazing rock formations, with lots of spots for kids to explore.
I also highly recommend renting kayaks from the store right next to the lake. It’s first-come first-served, so if you are visiting during peak season you might want to get your name on the wait list before you hike the Lake Shore Trail.
We did a 1-hour rental, which was the perfect amount of time to paddle out and get up close to some of the cool rock formations. There is a swimming area and beach that are great for kids, too.
If you still have time and energy after your afternoon at Sylvan Lake, check out the Cathedral Spires hike. 1.7 miles and rated moderate, this takes you past some of the most unique rock formations and offers epic views of the Black Hills.
Day 6: Mt. Rushmore + Jewel Cave
Finally the day you’ve been waiting for: Mt. Rushmore. I highly recommend another early start to this day to beat the crowds, as this is one of the most popular spots in the entire state. IWe arrived shortly after 8 a.m. and the crowds were thin.
Make sure to walk the Presidential Trail, let your kids earn their Junior Ranger badges, and eat some of Thomas Jefferson’s famous vanilla ice cream.
Read my full guide for visiting Mt. Rushmore with kids here
If you are interested in seeing the Crazy Horse Memorial, this is a great time to go, as it is a short drive from Mt. Rushmore. It costs $30 per carload to visit.
For the afternoon, head to Jewel Cave National Monument for some underground exploring. You definitely want to make a reservation beforehand if you plan on doing a cave tour, as they do sell out, especially during peak travel season. Make sure to spend some time exploring the Visitor’s Center, and let your kids earn another Jr. Ranger badge.
Day 7: Mammoth Site + Wind Cave National Park
For your final day, head south of Rapid City to Wind Cave National Park. Some must-do’s in this park are:
- Stop in the Visitor’s Center to learn about how the cave was formed, and earn Junior Ranger badges.
- Take a guided cave tour. Read more about how to book tickets here.
- Take a hike on the prairie. The Elk Mountain Campground trail or a section of the Prairie Vista Trail are perfect for kids.
- Check out the breathing cave to learn about how air flows in and out of the cave.
- Watch for wildlife – this park is home to bison, prairie dogs, elk and pronghorns.
After Wind Cave National Park, I highly recommend making a stop at Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. This is the largest mammoth fossil dig site in the world, and is so full of history and information.
It’s an active dig site, so you can actually watch them excavating the fossils, and chat with the paleontologists on staff. It was one of our favorite stops on our South Dakota road trip, and I am so glad we put it on our itinerary!
Tips for Visiting South Dakota with Kids
- Start early to avoid crowds at popular stops
- Pack lunches—some areas are remote and don’t have tons of great food options
- Download Google Maps + All Trails before your visit, as there are lots of spots with minimal cell reception
Final Thoughts
A South Dakota road trip is one of those trips that feels like a true adventure.
The drives are scenic. The attractions are unique. And there’s just enough variety to keep kids engaged without overwhelming them.
From riding a historic train to spotting bison in the wild, to standing in front of Mount Rushmore, it’s the kind of trip that blends fun, learning, and outdoor adventure in a way that just works for families.
