Rapid City

Rapid City is in the Badlands and Black Hills region of South Dakota. It is a convenient base for travel on to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, the Badlands, and the Black Hills National Forest.

Rapid City is often referred to as just "Rapid" by the locals, and the name Rapid City originated from Rapid Creek. In 2020, it was home to 75,000 people.

It is known for its convenient tourist attractions located near city services. Reptile Gardens, Bear Country, and Cosmos are just a few.

By plane


Non-stop services offered:
 * United Airlines (operated by SkyWest) Multiple daily flights from Denver, Colorado, multiple weekly flights from Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois, and seasonal flights from Houston, Texas.
 * Delta Air Lines (operated by SkyWest) Multiple daily flights from Salt Lake City, Utah and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.
 * American Airlines has nonstop flights from Dallas/Fort Worth and seasonal service from Chicago.
 * Allegiant Air (Budget airline) has nonstop flights from Las Vegas and Phoenix/Mesa.

Connecting an overseas flight to Rapid City is often relatively cheap. Flights to Amsterdam start at $500.

By car
I-90 is the main highway that passes through Rapid City, South Dakota. The highway is more scenic coming from the west, however the Badlands lies east of Rapid City, which has a scenic highway for more aesthetic appeal.

By bus
Rapid City can be reached from almost anywhere in the US with two or less connections. There are daily services aboard Jefferson Lines from the Twin Cities, Sioux Falls and on to Wyoming. Jefferson lines contracts with Greyhound, while offering a superior service to Greyhound one can book them in connection with Greyhound quite economically. Powder River Lines (Operated by Coach USA) offers service to Wyoming and on to Denver and the West Coast.

Get around
Many people choose to use a personal vehicle, but it is not necessary. All of downtown Rapid City's attractions are walkable.

To reach other places, such as the Rushmore Mall, one can use the Rapid Ride System from the Milo Barber Transit Center. There are four loop routes featuring buses going in both directions about every 70 min around each loop. Fare is $1 and includes a transfer.

If you want to travel before 6AM or after 6PM, you will have to take a taxi, there are plenty in Rapid City for your needs. Also, there are several travel services that are available for the "night life" to ensure a safe and inexpensive ride home, Scooters and Jonesy's Party Bus.

Do

 * - located in Rapid City
 * Go antiquing.
 * - located in Rapid City
 * Go antiquing.
 * Go antiquing.
 * Go antiquing.
 * Go antiquing.
 * Go antiquing.
 * Cool off at one of the water parks.
 * Talk to the locals.
 * Taste the wonderful coffee at any local coffee shop

Eat
Rapid City is one of South Dakota's culinary centers.

There is a gelato stand on Mount Rushmore Road with excellent Italian ice cream. Baken Park (at the intersection of W Main St. and Mountain View Rd.) offer several fast-food chains. North Rapid, the area around Rushmore Mall, offers several sit-down chain restaurants as well.

Sleep
For easy access to I-90, look up the many hotels off LaCrosse St in North Rapid. Hotels and motels in Rapid City tend to have substantial seasonal variations in room rates, as Rapid City is a busy jumping-off point for the Black Hills in summer but frozen into torpor in the winter.

Campgrounds are strewn all along Mount Rushmore Highway.

Go next
Rapid City is the gateway to all the attractions and beauty of the Badlands and Black Hills. Simply start driving south.


 * Black Hills National Forest
 * Deadwood is possibly America's most storied small town from the wild frontier days.
 * Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a short drive away, as is the larger (though incomplete) Crazy Horse Memorial.
 * Sturgis, roughly 12 miles to the East of Deadwood, is the home of the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August.
 * Wall has Wall Drug, whose ubiquitous signs will be more than familiar to any visitor driving on Interstate 90.
 * Keystone if you love trinket shopping, or looking that perfect piece of jewelry, visit Keystone, SD. Close to all the Black Hills attractions, a town that you cannot pass by without wanting to stop.