One of the noted scenic drives in Custer State Park but note that this is not actually in the state…read morepark. It is in the northwest side between keystone and the state park entrance. You can drive from the north to south but views are better from south to north! There are plenty of tunnels, bridges and lookout stops to take in the views. There is a lot of history along this road and it os worth using the "guide along" app and the black hills tour to get a deeper insight into that piece of it while you are driving the road. I wouldn't say this is a "must see" but if you are making your way back up to Rushmore or keystone from Custer this is the way to go and worth taking a little extra time to enjoy all of the views.

Iron Mountain Road is one of the best scenic drives in the Black Hills. It is part of the Peter…read moreNorbeck National Scenic Byway and it connects Custer State Park with Mount Rushmore. This road twists and turns through Black Hill. It's a beautiful road to drive but there are two places where you can get a very unique view of Mount Rushmore. On this road are two tunnels, the Scovel Johnson Tunnel and the Doane Robinson Tunnel, where you can see Mount Rushmore through the tunnel. I would suggest, to get this view, it's best to drive Iron Mountain Road from south to north (which is the direction you drive when you are driving to Mount Rushmore!). As you drive through the tunnels, Mount Rushmore will be right in front of you. You will start off by seeing Mount Rushmore off in the wayyy distance, and as you keep driving, Mount Rushmore continues to get closer and closer! Driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels also means that you'll be driving through Black Hills National Forest. Note: All Iron Mountain Road Tunnels are a one-lane tunnels. There is no entry fee to drive through Black Hills National Forest.

I love that there is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore, but you do have to pay for parking. It was…read moreregularly $10 or if you're over 62 it's five dollars you take a ticket when you go into the parking lot and you will pay at a pay station before you leave. It will ask you if you're over 62 There is a lot of room to view the monument as well as a restaurant, gift shop, clean restrooms, and plenty of areas to sit on benches and such to enjoy the environment Definitely something you need to check off your bucket list

We stopped at Mount Rushmore while driving through South Dakota, and it's an impressive site that's…read morevery well designed for visitors. The memorial is easy to navigate, with excellent viewpoints, informative exhibits, and a beautiful setting in the Black Hills. We also appreciated learning more about the history of the area. Knowing that the mountain was considered sacred by the Lakota people before it was carved gave us mixed feelings and added important historical context to the visit. If you have the opportunity, be sure to watch the short film in the visitor center. It does a great job explaining the history, construction, and significance of the monument, and it made our visit much more meaningful. Overall, it's a worthwhile stop, especially if you're traveling through the region.

For decades this was a gravel pull off of Skyline Drive. Now paved it is a great location for…read moreviewing West Rapid and The Blackhills.

A little bit of everything here including a glimpse at an original, untouched general store from…read morethe 1800s. Snacks, drinks, and souvenirs aplenty. A nice stop along our way.

Stopping by here is similar to stopping by Wall Drug, but dustier, older, and with more dead flies…read morelying around. There's a bar attached, so there were several people in the building, but overall, it was pretty empty. We were nervous about buying stuff as some stuff seemed really old. If you're bored, worth stopping by to see what an old store looks like for historic reasons (and the post office next door).

The downtown is filled with Native American craft shops, restaurants, independent book shops & a…read morevisitors center. Walking around here and admiring the statues of every president is the best way to take in this unique western city. The old buildings really lead to the charm here. The main square in the middle is perfect for sitting and people watching.

Drove around downtown. Seems like a pretty active place for a city this size. Lots of urban renewal…read moreunderway or completed. Restaurants, shops, and some civic minded things like statues on most street corners

If you get a chance, drive 30 miles or so south of Hot Springs on your next visit to the Black…read moreHills to see this not quite ghost town. There appears to be one home with 2 or 3 residents and the rest is deserted. A true example of a ghost town without a lot of touristy-ness Picturesque ruined buildings to photograph.

If you go in recognizing that this is a gourmet experience that emphasizes the presentation and…read moretaste profile in lieu of portion size, then you should be very satisfied. Our entrees were expertly prepared and presented. They offered a number of lovely cocktails that pleased the rest of my party, while I enjoyed a glass of the lovely Austin Hope Cab. I'm knocking off a star for the excessively loud 80's music curated by an aging DJ, along with over-worked waitstaff that were challenged to respond to every party. Expensive (for Rapid City), but a lovely splurge to celebrate the birthday of our friend. I only wish that the temperature (103F at 6 pm) would have allowed us to sit on the rooftop patio.

An amazing restaurant at the top of the historic Alex Johnson hotel! We are visiting Rapid City and…read moreMt. Rushmore for Independence Day this year. We made reservations a few months ago for this restaurant. Very thankful we did as it was full to the brim! The decor and ambiance brought us back to the roaring 20's. Our server, Alexis, was awesome. She was highly informative and gave us greet recommendations! I had the watermelon and strawberry gazpacho as an appetizer! Refreshing with spicy twist....delicious! Wish I had the recipe! My husband & I had the specialty pasta for the evening....a ricotta and herb filled tortellini with a melt in your mouth herbed chicken breast...all in a creamy light red sauce. Fantastic! Our friends had the beef filet (cooked perfectly by the way) and the Elk ribs. They both said they were the best they've ever had! We all shared the combination dessert plate....plentiful! Overall an amazing experience! Highly recommended!