South Dakota
Travel Guide North America USA Midwestern United States South Dakota
Introduction
South Dakota is a state in the midwest of the USA and has about 815,000 inhabitants, ranking it number 46 of the US states. Although much of the state is regarded as the midwest and Great Plaines, but the west of the country much more resembles the west of the country with mountains, rocky areas and the famous Badlands as one of its highlights.
Geography
South Dakota covers roughly 77,000 square miles. It borders Minnesota and Iowa to the east, North Dakota to the north, Nebraska to the south, and Wyoming and Montana to the west.
Cities
- Aberdeen
- Brookings
- Huron
- Mitchell
- Pierre, the state's capital
- Rapid City
- Sioux Falls, the state's largest city
- Vermillion
- Watertown
- Yankton
Sights and Activities
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is the iconic monument to US political history that is carved into the side of a solid granite mountain. It consists of the faces of four famous US presidents. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. In fact the statue is a compromise as the original design also included the upper bodies of the presidents. The design is by Gutzon Borglum, who also was the supervisor on the project, but it was his son Lincoln Borglum, who finished the project in 1941, which is also the year in which his father died. There is a visitor center, named after Lincoln Borglum near the mountain, where more information about the construction of the monument can be found. In the evening Mount Rushmore is illuminated for two hours after sunset.
Crazy Horse Memorial
This monument depicts Crazy Horse, a Native American warrior of the Oglala Lakota tribe. It shows him riding a horse with left arm extended and index finger pointing into the distance towards "his lands". It is carved on Thunderhead Mountain on land sacred to some Native Americans. The statue was started in 1948 and has yet to be completed. SO far the most notable part of the statue is the face which was completed in 1998. The most emphasis since the completion of the face lie on the carving of the horse's head. The most rudementary removal of rocks is done by placing explosive in the mountain. The entire project is privately funded from donations. The builders refused funding from the US government. A glimpse of how the project might end can be seen here.
Other Sights and Activities
- The Corn Palace is located in Mitchell and is the one and only!
- Badlands National Park
- Wind Cave National Park
- The Black Hills - A mountain range in the west of South Dakota
- The Custer State Park - Located in the Black Hills, with large herds of American Bison.
Events and Festivals
Weather
Getting Around
By Plane
By Train
By Car
Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.
For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.
South Dakota has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.
By Bus
By Boat
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Hotel and Motel Chains
There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include:
Contributors
Utrecht (80%)
from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
Peter (15%)
from My Shout
as well as Lavafalls (4%), Herr Bert (1%)
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This is version 19. Last edited at 15:04 on Feb 18, 11 by Utrecht (+102). 14 articles link to this page.
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