If you’re traveling in South Dakota and looking to spice up your vacation with a few quirky and off-beat roadside attractions, this list is for you. From giant statues to ghost towns, these eight weird and wonderful experiences are absolute must-visits.
Giant Prairie Dog Statue (Cactus Flat)
Step into the whimsical world of Cactus Flat, South Dakota – a hidden gem where adorable prairie dogs rule the roost. This small, unincorporated community boasts a bustling population of these curious critters due to the Prairie Dog Town wildlife refuge, and to celebrate their playful charm, a local named Harold Zundel conjured up a larger-than-life surprise. Picture this: a colossal 12-foot, 6-ton prairie dog statue that stands tall and proud, capturing the essence of these furry friends in all their glory!
World’s Largest Pheasant (Huron)
Towering over Highway 14 in Huron, South Dakota, is the world’s largest pheasant. Constructed in 1959 from fiberglass and steel, this eye-catching statue stands 28 feet tall and weighs over 22 tons. Local legends weave tales about this statue, telling a story of a giant pheasant no hunter could catch. One day a young boy cornered the pheasant but spared its life, and the bird perched itself near the town as an everlasting symbol.
Cosmos Mystery Area (Pennington County)
Bend the laws of physics with the whole family at Cosmos Mystery Area right outside Rapid City. Reality isn’t quite the same inside this Mystery House. Water runs uphill, objects float, and people shrink and grow. The optical illusions in each room will boggle and intrigue the minds of all ages. Book your tickets online – tours tend to sell out quickly.
Dinosaur Park (Rapid City)
One of Rapid City’s original tourist attractions, this free park is home to seven larger-than-life dinosaur statues –– a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Apatosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus, Protoceratops, and Dimetrodon. Opened in 1936, the park is also home to a visitor’s center and café where you can buy dino-related gifts, including mugs, t-shirts and hats. Nearby, even more prehistoric fun awaits at the Museum of Geology.
Storybook Island (Rapid City)
Step into a world of fairytales at Storybook Island–a park and playground featuring characters and scenes from famous children’s stories. On the 8.5-acre property, there are over 100 settings to explore, including scenes from Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, and Snow White. Catch a live theatre production or take the train through the magical world. Storybook Island is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Petrified Wood Park (Lemmon)
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon is your textbook definition of a weird roadside attraction. Here you’ll find fascinating structures built from 4,000 tons of petrified wood, from Christmas trees to castles and dinosaur claw marks. Opened as a public park in the 1930s, this attraction draws in visitors with its twisted spires, dinosaur bones and 600,000 pounds of petrified grass.
Porter Sculpture Park (Montrose)
In Montrose, 35 minutes west of Sioux Falls, Porter Sculpture Park encompasses 18 acres of open prairie and features more than 50 art installations by artist Wayne Porter. Admission is only $10 and allows you to freely wander through the prairie, which is home to sculptures like a giant bull’s head, an evil jack in the box, colorful dragons, spiders, and more. Porter also conducts guided tours of the park, providing insight into his work and unique approach to sculpting.
Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town (Buffalo Ridge)
Like a scene straight out of HBO’s Westworld, Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town is a replica of a 19th-century Wild West community featuring mechanical figures playing the roles of bartenders, trapped miners, and even Abraham Lincoln. With the push of a button, these robots come to life, perform, and inform visitors about their lives. Located northwest of Sioux Falls in Buffalo Ridge, the ghost town was built in the 1960s and is only visited once per year for repairs. This has left the town in a state of disarray, creating a nightmarish scene of malfunctioning robots that is fun yet disturbing.
