DESTINATION

Rapid City

The ongoing City of Presidents project has the goal of placing a life-size bronze statue of each of the past presidents of the United States on downtown Rapid City streets; to date, there are 43 presidential pedestrians. AAA/iStockphoto.com
Main Street Square, in the heart of downtown, presents free evening concerts on summer Thursdays as well as during special events. Summer activities include movies under the stars, while an outdoor ice-skating rink entertains in winter. Main Street Square also features “Passage of Wind and Water,” a series of carved granite blocks by sculptor Masayuki Nagase. The granite sculptures feature abstract designs inspired by South Dakota's Badlands and Black Hills.

The Black Hills Powwow in early October is a celebration of Native American culture and heritage. The focus of the festival is the native dance competition, which draws contestants from throughout the United States and Canada. Iron Mountain Road, a scenic stretch of US 16, winds 28 miles southwest of Rapid City, intersecting with US 385 near Custer State Park.

Visitor Centers

Visit Rapid City 512 Main St. Suite 240 Rapid City, SD 57701. Phone:(605)718-8484 or (800)487-3223

Self-guiding Tours

Self-guiding tours of the city include both the Art Walk tour of the downtown district's outdoor street art and galleries, and a Historic Walking Tour highlighting several architectural styles. The tours are outlined in “The Official Rapid City Visitors Guide,” available from Visit Rapid City, 512 Main St., Suite 240. Visitors may also ride the narrated City View Trolley to see several of the city's top sites.

Shopping

Uptown Rapid, north of I-90 at 2200 N. Maple Ave., has more than 100 stores including JCPenney and Hobby Lobby.

Rushmore Crossing, south of I-90 exit 60, features several stores including Scheels , 1225 Eglin St., which has a vast selection of gear for outdoor enthusiasts; phone (605) 342-9033.

Downtown features locally owned boutiques and art galleries.

Black Hills Gold Jewelry by Coleman, 5125 US 16S, and Mount Rushmore Black Hills Gold, 2707 Mount Rushmore Rd., sell the area's signature commodities: jewelry handcrafted in the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore Black Hills Gold and Landstrom's also offer tours detailing the jewelry-making process.