Originally Posted by Tanya934
If you get to Mount Rushmore early you can beat the crowds & have plenty of time to see it before it gets too hot.
There is a good restaurant on site that will serve anything from a snack to a full meal.
Whilst you're in the area visit Custer state park & get close to bison, burros & other creatures.
There are amazing views & plenty of things for the kids to do. The needles highway has some amazing rocks that kids can clamber on & you get some great postcard views of Mount Rushmore.
Keystone is a good place to recharge your batteries & if your kids are into the 'Little House' books, the town is where Laura Ingalls Wilders sister ended up.
We did both attractions in a day from Rapid City.
Badlands are incredible but take plenty of water as it's a very dry heat.
There is a good restaurant within the park.
Badlands takes most of the day from Rapid City & we did not get time to visit Wounded Knee.
Devils Tower has an interesting walk around the base which is all paved or has hard compacted dirt so it will be fine for kids.
Allow about 2-3 hours to walk round the base.
thanks so much for your advice. How early is "early" to Mt Rushmore for the fireworks? Several hours or like early in the morning?
I did not realize Badlands is that far away from Rushmore area. We were hoping to squeeze in Badlands and Wounded Knee in one day.
Checking on prices of places to stay and am finding out that nothing is inexpensive. Even my fave Hilton chain is $170. I guess I can't complain since it's holiday season and it is a tourist area, right?