The South Dakota Guide

is your detailed companion to traveling South Dakota. The Mount Rushmore State boasts glorious national parks, illuminating museums, and exciting entertainment options, like live theater at the Black Hills Playhouse and dance at the Dance Gallery of South Dakota.
The continental climate of South Dakota lends itself to a dependable weather pattern of warm in the summer, cold in the winter. Aside from weather, there are other important things to consider when planning when to go, including when you can take the time to get away and what activities will be available for you to participate in.

With a history steeped in Native American culture, tribal dances are important to the tradition of dance in South Dakota. Powwows are a great place for visitors to witness the amazing spectacle of tribal dance celebrations. The Annual American Indian Day & Powwow Celebration is an especially great place to experience the culture, with all-day dance competitions running alongside Native American presentations.
South Dakota is home to the world's largest sculpture – Mount Rushmore. Reaching 60 feet tall, the faces of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson are carved into the stone of the Black Hills. Your vacation to South Dakota would not be complete without a trip to see this vision of patriotism, which draws millions of visitors each year. For a brief history of the sculpture, along with more about the Visual Arts of South Dakota, visit our guide in the Arts and Entertainment section of this Web site.

When visiting South Dakota, vacationers will find that the state bird, the Chinese ring-neck pheasant, is a favorite entrée. Served alongside mashed potatoes and Dakota Bread, then followed by the official state dessert, kuchen (a dish similar to coffee cake), few other dinners will represent the culinary styles of South Dakota more.
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