Fall Foliage And Adventure Awaits At This Vibrant South Dakota City Full Of Family Fun

Rapid City has come a long way since it was founded as a home for gold prospectors in 1876. Two record-breaking balloon flights in 1935 kicked off the Space Age, Kevin Costner shot his Oscar-winning "Dances with Wolves" nearby, and it is the second-largest city in South Dakota after Sioux Falls. For many visitors, however, the city is often used as a jumping-off point for Mount Rushmore, one of America's most famous landmarks, or other attractions like Crazy Horse Memorial, the Wild West town of Deadwood, and Badlands National Park. But passing through Rapid City without checking out its highlights is missing a trick: This small, friendly city looks resplendent in the fall and makes for a great destination for a family vacation in its own right.

Rapid City is located in the far west of South Dakota, and although it is best known as a gateway to nearby Mount Rushmore, it is also known as the City of Presidents for another reason: Its streets are dotted with life-like bronze statues of over 40 American commanders-in-chief. With the Black Hills to the west and the Great Plains to the east, the pleasant home to around 80,000 people is compact enough to feel welcoming and walkable, but large enough to offer plenty of fascinating sights that make it worth lingering for a while.

Fall is a gorgeous time in Rapid City, and there are plenty of outdoor activities in the Black Hills to make the most of the splendid colors. One of the quirkiest attractions can be found on a ridge overlooking the town. At Dinosaur Park, seven prehistoric beasts dominate the immense views across the region, making it great fun for a stroll with kids. Built in 1936, these dinos definitely look more friendly than the life-like terrors of "Jurassic Park." 

For more reptilian action, head to Reptile Gardens. Here, you can get hands-on with friendly giant tortoises, spot lizards in the impressive Sky Dome filled with tropical plants, and meet Maniac, one of the largest saltwater crocodiles in captivity in the Western Hemisphere. Wildlife of a more furry kind can be found a little further south of town at Bear Country USA, where you can take a safari tour through enclosures spread across 200 acres and spot black bears, wolves, buffalo, lynx, elk, and much more. Kids will adore the bear cubs!

Staying out in the open on a fine fall day, a visit to Outdoor Campus offers some lovely walking trails, a huge aquarium, and a free archery range. For younger children, Storybook Island is a delight, with rides and attractions featuring beloved characters from movies and cartoons such as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Rapid City has some interesting and fun things to do indoors, too. Fans of the supernatural can check in to the Hotel Alex Johnson, reputedly one of the most haunted places in the world. If you're brave enough, book ahead for a ghost tour, which includes a stay in one of its haunted rooms. You can encounter other strange goings-on at Cosmos Mystery Area, a weird place where you can't trust gravity. It's an old cabin filled with optical illusions that make for a fantastic photo op.

Rapid City and the surrounding area has events going on throughout the year, and some of the best occur during the fall. The season begins with the Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival, the city's biggest annual gathering. There are street vendors, food trucks, and family activities galore; many of them are pumpkin-related, including giant pumpkins, carving, and launching the fruits with huge catapults. At the end of September, the Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival offers a chance to see modern cowboys in action as around 1,400 bison are corralled in nearby Custer State Park. In October, Rapid City hosts thousands of indigenous Americans who come from all over for the Black Hills Powwow, one of the largest celebrations of its kind in the United States. The three-day event is full of music, dancing, and color. All in all, the city's combination of activities, local color, and seasonal events make for a great family trip during the fall.