Rapid City and Badlands Private Journey

Upon arrival in Rapid City, pick up your rental car and drive to your hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the evening relaxing and getting to know the area.

Spend your day at leisure exploring the sights of Rapid City or nearby attractions. You may want to spend some time at Main Street Square, where you’ll find year-round activities and a lively atmosphere before heading to the area’s most famous landmark, Mount Rushmore or nearby Custer State Park.

Explore Black Hills National Forest with its dramatic scenery and endless offerings of trails, streams, caves, and peaks. Those feeling adventurous may want to get the adrenaline pumping with mountain biking or rock climbing, while those seeking a more relaxed experience might consider taking a fishing excursion or a leisurely hike.

Leave Rapid City and depart for Wall. Upon arrival, you may want to experience the quirky prairie spirit of the town with a visit to shopping plaza/museum/arcade complex Wall Drug and its famous 80-foot dinosaur statue before taking a scenic drive along the Badlands Loop Road. This route features various outlooks with each view more breathtaking than the one before.

Today, head to Badlands National Park to discover the “Land of Stone and Light.” Within this dramatic landscape lie some of the world’s richest fossil beds, containing traces of the prehistoric animals that once roamed the land like saber tooth cats and ancient rhinos. Today it’s home to an array of equally majestic creatures including bison, bighorn sheep and golden eagles. Watch the modern wildlife or learn about paleontology with a visit to the Fossil Preparation Lab or a walk down the Fossil Exhibit Trail.

Spend another day exploring this stunning area. See the Crazy Horse Memorial, Porter Sculpture Park, or learn about pioneer history at the Prairie Homestead.

Check out of your hotel and head to the airport to return your rental car and board your flight.