If you’re wondering what Rapid City has to offer to family with kids, you’ll be glad to know that Rapid City boasts no shortage of fun summer attractions and things to do in the winter months such as attending the Ski for Light event at Deer Mountain and enjoying skiing at Terry Peak ski area.
Other great things to do in Rapid City with the family include:
Parks & Playgrounds
If you’re looking for family things to do in Rapid City SD outdoors, the city’s parks and playgrounds offer a great opportunity to enjoy fun recreational activities.
One of the best parks in Rapid City where you can enjoy lots of fun activities with kids is Storybook Island (nearby Sioux Park), and Dinosaur Park which is one of the most interesting places to visit in South Dakota.
Dinosaur Park boasts live-size dinosaurs sculptures on display, while Storybook Island is free to enter, and boasts a children’s theatre and lots of themed-areas and attractions like a maze and a steam engine where kids can have a go at being a train engineer!
If you’re visiting the city this summer, another of the most popular family things to do in Rapid City SD is to visit Rushmore Waterslide Park and Reptile Gardens.
Rushmore Waterpark boasts a kiddies’ pool, a hot spa and river rapids; while Reptile Gardens boasts lots of retile collections and various live shows such as snake and hawk shows..
Great Outdoors
Rapid City is just a stone-throw away from the Black Hills National Forest, which means plenty of fun family outdoor activities on offer such as camping, paddle boating, canoeing, fishing, horseback ridding and hiking.
Biking is another popular pursuit in Rapid City, and taking a ride to Mt Rushmore in Keystone to see the famous stone heads of the Presidents is one of the most popular things to do with kids in South Dakota.
If you're wondering about hiking trails closer to Rapid City, you'll find plenty of hiking and biking trails along Rapid Creek, which is just a short drive west of downtown Rapid City.
Fun Entertainment & Cultural Attractions
If you’re wondering about indoor things to do in Rapid City with kids, attending one of the Youngstage plays at the Black Hills Community Theatre is one of the best things you can do in town for fun evening entertainment.
If you fancy checking out cool optical illusions, visiting Cosmos Mystery Area is another of the top family things to do in Rapid City SD (it’s worth checking out especially if you’re visiting Mt Rushmore since it’s along the way)
Another great place in downtown Rapid City where you can find more family-friendly entertainment is at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is Rapid City’s main exhibition arena, so it hosts everything from concerts, sport games and annual events.
Two such annual events that you wouldn't want to miss at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center are the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo (in late January) to see cattle drives and cowboy shows; and the motorcycle show during the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August.
Cultural Attractions
As far as cultural centers and museums that you can visit with the family, Rapid City is home to the Dahl Arts center and the Journey Museum, both great attractions in their own right!
The Journey Museum is located nearby North Rapid shopping center, and boasts great exhibits and artifacts on display such as fossils, Native American and early pioneers artifacts.
The Journey Museum is also a great place to catch fun family events and live demonstrations every third Sunday of each month.
The Dahl Center is located also in the heart of Rapid City (not far from Rapid City public library), and it’s another great place where the entire family can have a great day out.
The Dahl Arts center boasts lots of interesting art exhibits as well as an interactive play area where kids can enjoy hands-on activities.
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