Upstairs at the Saloon, you’ll find the Deadwood Social Club, offering a finer dining experience.

You can even pay your respects at his grave, found in the town’s Mount Moriah cemetery. This Wild West town is known for rodeos, music jams, and all sorts of festivals so check out special programming at Outlaw Square to know what’s going on.Įat & Drink: For dinner, order a local craft beer and burger at Deadwood’s Saloon #10, where Wild Bill was famously shot during a poker game. Wander the old streets where actors perform shoot-outs, tour the town in an old stagecoach, and try your hand at gold panning at the old Broken Boot mines. Stay: Under Canvas Glamping is just a few miles from Mount Rushmore and has on-site programming like yoga, nature walks, and bike tours.īreakfast: Grapes & Grinds offers the best of both worlds: coffee and wine! Start your day with a bagel and brew and grab a bottle of wine for later.ĭo : Explore the wild west town of Deadwood, where real-life (and HBO) legends Wild Bill Hickcock and Calamity Jane called home. Despite the high-end fare, the food is affordable and the restaurant has a casual outdoor patio that is pet-friendly. Skogen Kitchen is a Nordic-themed restaurant offering gourmet food that’s typically hard to find in this area. Jefferson is credited with bringing the first recipe for ice cream to what would become the United States During May through September, Mount Rushmore puts on evening light and music ceremonies that go through the history of the site.Įat & Drink : While at Mount Rushmore, swing by the Memorial Team Ice Cream station and treat yourself to Thomas Jefferson’s ice cream, made with the original recipe used in 1780 by the nation’s third President. The Nature Trail also connects to the Presidential Trail and takes you to the Carver’s Studio, where you can find tools and models used in the construction of Mount Rushmore. If you prefer to stay outside the park, check out Frontier Cabins in Wall.īreakfast: Head to Cedar Pass Lodge Restaurant and try the fry bread topped with wojapi, a Native American berry sauce.ĭo: Hike the half-mile Presidential Trail to take in views of the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Staying within the park may be a bit more expensive but it’s worth the splurge, as it allows you to enjoy sunrises and sunsets right from your window. Stay: Cedar Park Lodge is located within Badlands National Park but it books up fast so plan ahead. It’s about 10 minutes from the Badlands so the town is a popular place for affordable food and accommodations. If you’re a fan of astronomy, plan your visit for July, when the area hosts the annual Badlands Astronomy Festival.Įat & Drink : Fewer than 800 people live in the town of Wall, but 2 million people stop at its famous Wall Drug each year for food, photos, and shopping. There’s also almost no light pollution here so the astronomy and night viewing are also incredible. Badlands bike tours can also be arranged. The remoteness of the park makes it perfect for backcountry hikers and campers who want to escape the crowds and explore wilderness far from trails and roads. Do : You can drive the 39-mile Scenic Byway in the Badlands National Park in about an hour but you’ll want to spend the most time along Sage Creek Rim Road (on the western edge of the loop), as it’s one of the best places to see bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, and prairie dogs.

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