South Dakota is located at the South of the North Dakota, the West of Iowa and Minesota, the East of Wyoming and Montana, and North of Nebraska. Agricultural industries make the biggest economy contributions in South Dakota. Cattle are the main livestock which is about five buffaloes per resident. Agriculture products contributes an estimated of $20 billion on the economy yearly.
Mt Rushmore is the most famous tourist attraction of South Dakota which attracts more than 3 millions visitors annually. The National Monument is a historical attraction with the head carvings of the Presidents on the mountains. Those Presidents are Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. These carving were designed by Gutzom in year 1927, and the construction completed in 1941. This size of the carvings is about 60-feet heights and it can be seen clearly from far and even on the way driving towards Mt Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road. Visitors can learn the overall history by visiting the visitor center and the Sculptor’s Studio.
Badlands National Park is another place where visitors should never be missed on their trip to South Dakota. It is about 90 minutes drives away from Mt Rushmore where the unique landscapes of the park is formed by hills and pinnacles. The entire park takes up about 244,000 acres and the headquarter is located at the East. Wake up early to watch the sunrise in Badlands is one of the best activities, especially for the visitors who interested in taking photographs. Along the journey, bison wanders freely and create the best scenery of the park. For visitors that come from the Pinnacles Entrance, they can enjoy the unique scenic views with rugged rock formations, which is the last well kept grassland in the States. Hiking is the main activity for the park and it is designed to suit all fitness levels of visitors. Children can gain some knowledge with their educational materials at the Visitor Center. Also, Junior Ranger Program is available for enrollment which is best suitable for children to challenge themselves and be educated about the wildlife.
The Corn Palace is located in Mitchel, presents an unique America icon, it is to give respect to the corn farmers of South Dakota. The palace was built since 1892 with the unique architecture design of the building and nowadays it is used mainly as convention center, music avenue and sports arena. The Corn Palace, features the true living about the local residents, which is a popular attraction for tourists. The history of corn growing can be traced back since 1,100 years ago. There are several museums in the area, namely Dakota Discovery Museum, Prehistoric Indian Village and McGovern Legacy Museum showcase the related information about corn growing and technology. Visitors can walking to the Historical Street of Mitchel to enjoy more activities such as picnic and relaxing in Hitchcock Park, enjoy best delicacies at restaurants and cafes.
The Crazy Horse Memorial is another project similar to Mt Rushmore sculptures. It was started since 1947 and it is still under constructions until today. The progress is being so slow as they do not accept funding from the government but only rely on public funding. Korczak Ziolkwoski was involved in the project of carving the sculpture, to memorize the hero of the Lakota people – Crazy Horse who battled in the war in 19th century. The size of the carvings is expected to be 27 feet higher than the Mt Rushmore sculptures, with the total length of 641 feet and height of 563 feet. There is a viewing deck where the visitors can have a paranormal view of the Crazy Horse carvings and there are restaurant available at the area.
Custer State Park is well-known for Needles granite towers, takes up 71,000 acres of the land, which is the states biggest state park. Beautiful scenery with more than 1,000 head of bison living freely around the park is the main attraction for visitors to relax and enjoy the sightseeing. Along the road to the park, The Iron Mountain Road, offers impressive scenery which is as great as the park. As the park is located on Black Hills, it is best location for adventurous seekers to hike or bike around the park. There are activities suitable for all ages and families, such as bird watching, fishing and boating on Sylvan Lake, picnic and camping. Sylvan Lake is the center of the Park, with the surrounding of stunning rock formations and forest. With beautiful scenic available, many photograph lovers are attracted to catch the best views near the lake.
Spearfish Canyon is one of the must see Natural land. It is famous with the stunning waterfalls, spectacular cliff walls, and the beautiful Spruce pine trees on the hills. The Spearfish Canyon curves through a deep and narrow ravine on the northern border of the Black Hills, presenting the fascinating scenic views with rock formations and waterfalls. The important stops are namely Rough Lock Falls, Spearfish Peak, Bridal Veil and Little Crow Peak where visitors can hike along the trails to enjoy every unique scenery. Visitors are encouraged to visit this land especially during Fall/ Autumn season to see the turning color of the foliage. During winter, the waterfalls are frozen solid creating amazing looking mini ice sculptures.