SOUTH DAKOTA
June 17 - 24, 2024

Meet new friends and say hi to old friends as we begin our journey today, stopping in Council Bluffs, Iowa, overnighting at the Holiday Inn Ameristar. (D)

Following breakfast, we continue our journey, arriving in Rapid, City, South Dakota, late afternoon and checking into our deluxe accommodations for the next five nights, Home 2 Suites. Rapid City is the gateway to the Black Hills and known as the City of Presidents. Tonight, we will enjoy our welcome dinner reception. (B, D) 

This morning, we are joined by a Local Guide who will be with us for the next four days. Badlands National Park boasts striking landscapes of layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires. Wildlife abounds in the park’s 244,000 acres and can often be seen as we travel the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway. Next, we head to Wall Drug, where free ice water and 5-cent coffee has grown into a sprawling complex of shops, restaurants, and attractions, drawing visitors from around the world. Last, we will visit the Minutemen Missile National Historic Site which was established to preserve and interpret the history of the Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system. Dinner on your own this evening with great restaurants nearby. (B, D) 

Custer State Park is known for its stunning natural beauty, with rolling hills, granite peaks, and crystal-clear lakes. After our visitor center stop, which features a film of the park itself, we will travel the Wildlife Road where the buffalo roam. This part of the park features the Bison Center where we learn about their famous “Buffalo Roundup.” After our included lunch in the “Game Lodge”, we will truly enjoy the park’s beauty and history by traversing “Needles Highway” on a narrated jeep ride! This scenic highway is famous for winding through narrow tunnels and past towering granite spires. (B, L)