Family activities

I just went this past summer with my kids, so I have some good information for you. We stayed in Rapid City and there's a lot of stuff in town. Assuming your kids are into presidents, you can take pictures with all the bronze statues downtown. On some intersections, you can get 4 at once (one on each corner), but otherwise they are a block apart so be prepared for a lot of walking if your kids decide they want to get them all.

Besides Mt Rushmore itself, you can visit Crazy Horse Memorial which is privately owned so it's more expensive, but they have a pretty big visitor center with stuff to do.

On the way to Mount Rushmore, we liked America's Founding Fathers Exhibit and right next door is Reptile Gardens.

If you go to Custer State Park, stop at the visitor center and check the map to see where the buffalo are currently roaming.

We happened to stay in a hotel connected to the WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort which was a good option for kids, especially if it's hot outside.

We were also going to go to Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Show, but it was too hot when we were there so we skipped it.

Oh, the parking pass for Mount Rushmore lets you go back in again, so you can go once during the day and again at night when they light it up.

Go to Needles Highway Scenic Overlook. It is in Custer State Park. Phenomenal Place. All of Sturgis (South Dakota) takes this ride. The rock formations are interesting.  

You can stay on the Indian Reservation in Eagle Butte at a Super 8 Rapid City Rushmore Rd. There are many caves near Keystone (South Dakota). The highways are wonderful in SD. Look for any Rock Stores. Beautiful Rock Specimens.  

l cant say enough about Crazy Horse. l paid extra and went to the top of the mountain. The most exquisite Indian Artifacts are here. Spend the day here.

As long as no one in your family has anxiety being underground, consider Jewel Cave National Monument or Wind Cave National Park. We enjoyed remarkable geology and a memorable experience ably led by a ranger at Jewel Cave.

I don't know about "best" but when my daughter took her family to Mt Rushmore (she was coming from Yellowstone National Park) they visited Big Thunder Gold Mine, and then she visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument  When my parents took me we were coming from the east and we went to Mt Rushmore by way of the Badlands National Park