Some of my readers seemed a little surprised when I wrote about Reptile Gardens in my last post. Surprised that we have reptiles in South Dakota and surprised that there is more to see in South Dakota besides Mount Rushmore. I thought I would share a few of the exciting things to see and do in Rapid City, and the surrounding areas. Visit this website for a list of 46 family approved area attractions.
I mentioned only a few of the great attractions at Reptile Gardens. I'm afraid my last post didn't really do it justice. There is so much more than alligators and turtles available to see there. Inside the skydome are hundreds of snakes as well as other reptiles, birds, and even spiders and cockroaches on display, all from a safe distance of course. The skydome is much like a very large greenhouse with numerous plants and other vegetation growing. It truly is like an indoor jungle. There is also a Prairie dog village that has a cool place where the kids can literally see inside the prairie dog village. There is also a snake snow and a bird show in addition to the alligator show that I mentioned in my last post.
I mentioned only a few of the great attractions at Reptile Gardens. I'm afraid my last post didn't really do it justice. There is so much more than alligators and turtles available to see there. Inside the skydome are hundreds of snakes as well as other reptiles, birds, and even spiders and cockroaches on display, all from a safe distance of course. The skydome is much like a very large greenhouse with numerous plants and other vegetation growing. It truly is like an indoor jungle. There is also a Prairie dog village that has a cool place where the kids can literally see inside the prairie dog village. There is also a snake snow and a bird show in addition to the alligator show that I mentioned in my last post.
Speaking of lions and tigers, there is the Spirit of the Hills wildlife sanctuary. I've never actually been there but plan on going there this summer with my kids.
And speaking of bears, another fun place to visit is Bear Country USA. We went to Bear Country a couple of weeks ago when they hosted a car show. We got in for a reduced price which allowed us to see the car show and the baby animals they have. I snapped a couple of pictures of the baby bears.
It would be impossible to talk about everything so I'll just mention a few more. I already talked about the Mammoth site in Hot Springs in another post. There are also numerous caves and hiking attractions too. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mount Rushmore.
Jordan, Kaylynn, Kimberly and Flat Stanley at Mount Rushmore March 2006.
Mount Rushmore is beautiful and impressive. The museum at the monument is equally as impressive. I've heard that there is also a great hiking trail there, which my family really needs to do one of these days.
There you have it, in a very small nutshell, some of the fun things near our home. As we do more site seeing this summer I will post other highlights from the area.
Posts
12 people have something to say:
I love that picture at Mt Rushmore. That's so awesome!
Aww, the baby bears :)
The Mammoth site is very interesting, I'm sure my kids would love it.
Who knew there was so much to do in SD? Thanks Amanda.
Don't forget Crazy Horse.....and the caves....and the big water park...and shopping, and food...ahhh, I love Rapid City.
I read a book about a family immigrating from Norway and homesteading in South Dakota, and have wanted to visit ever since. So, in a few (or a lot more) years my husband and I will head that way, in our RV and matching Hawaiian shirts!
Thanks for the tour!
Ahhh, Flat Stanley. We mailed him to Utah when we lived in Texas. My brother-in-law used photoshop to make it look like Flat Stanley was at a BYU game, at the Eiffel Tower, hiking the Y. It was too funny.
I seriously want to visit the Reptile Park. I'll have to talk to Sei about it.
Great pics!!
LOL at Flat Stanley! "D" is reading those books right now and loves them! I'm sure my boys would just love to see the reptile gardens, but yikes! I'm not sure if I would want to! :)
I love your new header and blog look! :D
South Dakota is so fun! You forgot cosmic mini golf and that wierd tilty place that we never went to and deadwood and ...
It's always fun to pretend like you're a tourist in your own city! We did Flat Stanley this year, too. He went to Chicago with my in laws. Funny!
South Dakota sounds like a big playground. So much to do and see! Oh the baby bears! Cute! (Do you ever watch "The Colbert Report?" Bears!)
I remember reading Flat Stanley as a little girl. That's a fun idea to take him on a tour.
North Dakota is jealous of you and your amazing state propagandizing skills, amanda. They wish someone would boast about their state like you've done with South Dakota. Hey, is this really a clever ruse to get a bloggy friend convention to meet up in South Dakota? That is clever!
NCS: Just doing my part to increase tourism in Rapid city. ;)
Angel: I know, I know, there is so much to say and I left out a lot. Maybe I'll have to do a part two.
pj: You can park your RV here anytime. It beats the Walmart parking lot! :D You'd fit in real good with the walmart parking lot rv'rs with your matching hawaiian shirts.
tori: We got flat stanley from my niece in Arizona. We were taking him to some of the sites in South Dakota. Come on up!! We'd show all the sites.
suzanne: It's all very safe. I love it because you get to see them up so close, yet not too close!
wendy: Rapid City part II is sounding like a very good idea! :) We did go to the weird tilty place and it was really weird, but cool!
nikko: I feel like a tourist here, because there is still so much we haven't done yet!
mary: I love the little bears. I don't watch the Colbert report. You might have to elaborate. I hope flat stanley enjoyed his stay in south dakota.
Elastic, am I that obvious? Dang, I was hoping no one would figure me out yet still get the idea! :D
Mary, I got the Colbert reference :) But I don't know what a flat Stanley is, other than his being in the pic. Fill me in!
Post a Comment