2024's 9 Most Adorable Small Towns In South Dakota
South Dakota is known and loved for its vast, endless spaces, warm and friendly residents (something special about the Midwest), small, laid-back towns, and world-class outdoor recreational opportunities. For those who love hunting or fishing, boating or camping — The Mount Rushmore State provides an unmatched experience. That said, a first-time vacationer will still find pleasure in exploring the state’s cornucopia of adorable small towns, many of which serve as cozy lairs from where visitors launch out to nearby attractions. Starting with Deadwood, discover 2024’s nine most adorable small towns in South Dakota.
Deadwood
Loved for its pulsating charm and picturesque setting, Deadwood is one of those towns that effortlessly disown their names. Expect an authentic Wild West town secreted inside a steep gulch and encircled by the greenery of the pine-speckled Black Hills National Forest. Once notorious for its gambling and gun-slinging reputation, especially during its Gold Rush era, Deadwood today features a historic Main Street that often feels like a step back in time. Pack your four-footer at The information center, housed in a historic train depot — where you will get help planning your Deadwood itinerary.
Stop for a bite at Saloon No. 10 on Main Street, where Wild Bill took his final shot. Wild Bill was a controversial but handsome gun-slinger, who helped bring order to the frontier West. From here, one can proceed to see Wild Bill’s gravesite at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Gun enthusiasts will have a blast at the Days of ‘76 Museum, especially at the Firearms Exhibit. And at the Whitewood Creek, which cuts right through Deadwood, one can indulge in some excellent fishing adventure.
Dell Rapids
Dell Rapids reclines immediately east of Interstate 29 about twenty miles north of Sioux Falls. This adorable eye candy is set along the Big Sioux River, the site of countless recreational activities. The rustic charm along the river rubs off on the town, making it appealing to lovers of natural beauty. Expect scenic bike trails, where lovely views sway the eyes of rides almost every step of the way.
The Sioux Falls trail system, also called the Sioux Falls River Greenway, features almost 30 miles of paved, multi-use pathways and connects many of the town’s parks and green spaces. There is the Carnegie Public Library as well, whose elegant facade, constructed from Sioux quartzite, sets it apart from other Carnegie peers. Dell Rapids Campground, where paved bike paths meander along the scenic river, is a relaxing spot to spend a moonlit night.
Keystone
It will be hard to find a South Dakota town where one can experience the tantalizing dreamscape of the Black Hills area as Keystone, the gateway to the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Start your adventure at Halley's 1880 Store, a funky, little space offering phenomenal burgers — or Big Thunder Family Bar & Grill — famous for their rattlesnake and rabbit sausage. Spend some time at Dahl’s Chainsaw Art, a free-to-visit sculpture park that displays an evocative array of fantastic craftsmanship. There is also the Dakota Leather Outlet, one of South Dakota’s best leather shops. Walking through the old classrooms at Keystone Museum is a nostalgic experience that transports the mind back to a simpler, less sophisticated age. This done, crown everything with a stay at Battle Creek Lodge, known for cozy cabins and beautiful scenery.
Hill City
“The Heart of the Hills” — as this South Dakota gem is known, is another adorable small town a first-time visitor will readily fall in love with. Tucked away about 25 miles southwest of Rapid City, Hill City is known for its top-tier outdoor opportunities, vibrant art scene, and rich history. One will have a blast exploring sections of the 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail — if just to marvel at the numerous converted railroad bridges and rock tunnels. Pick a nice print of a buffalo at Jon Crane Gallery on Main Street, a great place to visit and admire beautiful artwork by a talented watercolor artist. Check out Museum @ Black Hills Institute as well, an intriguing spot known for its collection of fossils and dinosaur displays. Crazy Horse Memorial is a short drive away — as is Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Lead
Lead is a quiet and slow-paced South Dakota favorite secreted in the northern Black Hills about 40 miles northwest of Rapid City. This town had its start via the dusty gold mines that once dotted the area, an aspect of the town that a first-time visitor can still relive. There is the Homestake Mine, for example, once the largest and deepest gold mine on the continent. To appreciate this mine’s place in history, nothing beats a trolley tour typically taken from the visitor center in downtown Lead.
Enjoy a filling meal at Lewie's Burgers & Brews — before exploring sites such as the Black Hills Mining Museum, the nearby Roughlock Falls Nature Area, a serene and picturesque spot ideal for spending some downtime, and Gold Run Park, where an interpretive trail winds through old concrete walls ultimately providing beautiful views of the town.
Custer
If you want to experience the allure of an authentic town, enjoy some elbow room, and just have a whole town to yourself, skip big cities for Custer, a jumping-off point to famous attractions such as Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, and the world-famous Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Black Hills Burger & Bun Co., whose burgers were once rated the best in the nation, should be a visitor’s first port of call. The annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup, which typically takes place every September, is a thunderous event that sees cowboys and girls herd more than 1,000 bellowing bison through the verdant terrain and into corrals for careful sorting. Aside from the rustic scenery that surrounds Custer, the town itself is beautiful and charming — and is home to some of the best galleries, restaurants, and shopping venues in the Black Hills. These include A Walk In the Woods, known for its inspiring selection of clothing and decor.
Vermillion
A cute, dainty town of about 12,000, Vermillion sits along the picturesque banks of the Missouri River just 38 miles from Sioux City, Iowa. A vibrant college town filled with classy restaurants, museums, and movie theatres, Vermillion boasts an eclectic line-up of attractions and amenities. Expect a heart-tickling atmosphere here, a charming downtown area, and numerous outdoor attractions.
A first-time visitor will enjoy hiking to the top of Spirit Mound Historic Prairie — just as Lewis and Clark did many years ago — or admiring 500-year-old lyres (and thousands of other musical instruments) at the National Music Museum, aptly called “America’s Shrine to Music.” There is also the chance to enjoy a round of golf at The Bluffs Golf Course, catch a game at Prentis Park, and savor a slow brunch at Café Brulé, known for its decadent desserts and espresso coffee drinks.
Hot Springs
Rounding off this list is Hot Springs, an adorable South Dakota small town that looks plucked straight out of a fairytale. This town rests in a sandstone canyon at the southern edge of South Dakota's Black Hills, just an hour south of Rapid City. Home to a population of less than 4,000, Hot Springs is small and slow-paced, yet classy and elegant. A first-time visitor will be captivated by the turn-of-the-century architecture that defines the downtown area of Hot Springs.
There is much to see and do here. One can step back in time at the Fall River Pioneer Museum, “where the past is present,” get wet at the Evans Plunge Mineral Springs, the oldest tourist attraction in the Black Hills, or catch the Main Street Arts and Crafts Festival, a 3-day carnival that features both local and out-of-state artists. Do not miss The Mammoth Site, an "active" excavation venue where bones of animals continue to be unearthed.
Yankton
Known as the “Mother City of the Dakotas,” Yankton is arguably the most historic town in the state. It once served as the territorial capital, when the jurisdiction included North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana: Yankton, a Native word for “people of the end village,” is set along the Missouri River close to its confluence with the James River. The town boasts many firsts. For example, it is the site of the first drive-in movie theater in the state, the first college in the Dakota Territory (Yankton College was founded in 1881), and the first high school. The Historic Dakota Theatre, built in 1902, has been entertaining patrons in the historic Meridian District for over a century. Outdoor venues here include the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Chief White Crane Recreation Area (and its quaint cabins), and Lewis and Clark Recreation Area, loved for its sandy beaches and scenic, multi-use trails.
The Takeaway
We all want to travel where the night is gay, the air friendly, the rhythm slow, and, as Harry Belafonte would add, where “the sun shines daily on the mountaintop.” South Dakota, with its vast open skies, outdoor attractions, roaming herds of bison, and friendly residents, can make for an excellent vacation destination. Plus, many of South Dakota’s towns are small, quaint, old-timey, adorable. If looking for specific recommendations, pay attention to Dell Rapids, Deadwood, and Keystone. These three — and the rest highlighted here — are 2024’s nine most adorable small towns in South Dakota.
