The Enchanted Highway was kind of fun. https://www.ndtourism.com/best-places/7-ways-be-awed-enchanted-highway
I admire the story behind it. https://www.kcci.com/article/north-dakota-man-creates-enchanted-highway-with-scrap-metal-sculptures/28566837#

I need to give a shout-out to the Hettinger County Historical Museum. It's like the country cousin of the American History museum. I've never seen anything like it. There are no placards. It's a jumble of historical artifacts. If someone offers you a guided tour, take it
https://m.facebook.com/hettingercountymuseum

The north part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is not busy at all.

If you can go to North Dakota when the canola is blooming, go then.

There are less known attractions that are also fun for the kids around Custer
rushmoretramwayadventures.com
Cosmos mystery area
Boating / swimming in lake sylvan
Hiking in Custer state park
Black hills (closer to Sturgis)

Anonymous wrote:We did SD as we drove cross country. Custer State Park and Badlands are excellent. We car camped at the free sites in Badlands, there are port a potties and you wake up to bison all around.

Didn't see anyone mention Wind Cave National Park but I would definitely add that to the list, right by Custer State Park.

Not much else to the state on our drive, we did stop by the Mitchell Corn Palace festival, the corn building was interesting but the food sucked.

I liked seeing the Corn Palace.

Wall Drug near the Badlands was fun to shop/see.

We also visited Devil's Tower when we were out that way.

We did SD as we drove cross country. Custer State Park and Badlands are excellent. We car camped at the free sites in Badlands, there are port a potties and you wake up to bison all around.

Didn't see anyone mention Wind Cave National Park but I would definitely add that to the list, right by Custer State Park.

Not much else to the state on our drive, we did stop by the Mitchell Corn Palace festival, the corn building was interesting but the food sucked.

Op keep in mind Sturgis motorcycle rally 8/1-11 in 2024. Things get to fill up in rapid city for the event, so if your dates fall on these, book early lodging if you decide to stay near rapid city

Just SD and ND? Popular to include Yellowstone and Grand Tetons (that’s what we’re doing).
Fly to Bozeman- overnight
3 nights Yellowstone
3 nights Jackson (Grand Tetons)
3 nights Rapid City/ Badlands
3 nights ND (air bnb near TRNP).
Fly out of Bismarck ND

Flying. Kids ages 10 and 12

I am doing this trip and have done a version of it without ND. Are you driving from DC or flying?

Anonymous wrote:North Dakota? Are you serious 😄? My itinerary for ND is to keep driving. And I say this as someone who grew up on the Minnesota side of the ND border.

Theodore Roosevelt NP is cool and much less crowded than Badlands.

To each his own.

DD was obsessed with seeing Mt. Rushmore when she was 10. Unfortunately she ended up being sick a lot of the trip. No North Dakota involved.

Flew into Rapid City
Custer State Park, especially its wildlife driving loop
Mammoth dig site in Hot Springs
Evan’s Plunge spring fed indoor pool in Hot Springs
Badlands National Park
Mt. Rushmore
Quick drive over the border to Wyoming to say we’d been there.

It’s a trip I never thought I’d take, but it was fun and the Black Hills are scenic.

Anonymous wrote:North Dakota? Are you serious 😄? My itinerary for ND is to keep driving. And I say this as someone who grew up on the Minnesota side of the ND border.

There’s a national park there.

NP

North Dakota? Are you serious 😄? My itinerary for ND is to keep driving. And I say this as someone who grew up on the Minnesota side of the ND border.

p.s. OP, what's the itinerary you're thinking about? that may help to give more tips... any kids? ages?

will you drive from dc or fly & rent a car?

we did south dakota as part of a longer road trip. Spent about a week in SD: stopped in Sioux falls for a couple of days, then 4-5 days near Rapid City: visited Custer Park, Mt Rushmore, etc. We stopped in Badlands NP on the way between Sioux Falls and Rapid City, it was nice but hot in the summer, and we felt that was sufficient for us. Loved the Custer area, so much to see and do, and it wasn't as hot, so really lovely.

10 days for both is doable, if you fly and drive. If you're planning on driving from DC, then i'd limit it to SD.

Has anyone done this trip? We probably have 10 days. If so, can you post your itinerary? In the early stages of planning for August.