Draper South DakotaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Draper, South Dakota.
1. Pioneer Auto Museum
VINTAGE AUTOMOBILE COLLECTION
Pioneer Auto Museum houses an impressive collection of over 275 vintage cars and memorabilia. Visitors can explore the 42 buildings filled with classic automobiles, motorcycles, and other Americana artifacts dating back to the early 1900s. The museum offers a fascinating glimpse into transportation history and includes rare vehicles like the Tucker and a film props collection.
2. South Dakota's Original 1880 Town
AUTHENTIC WESTERN EXPERIENCE
South Dakota's Original 1880 Town features more than 30 authentic buildings from the late 19th century that have been relocated and restored to create an immersive Old West experience. The town showcases period-correct furnishings, props from the movie Dances with Wolves, and a collection of memorabilia from Casey Tibbs, a rodeo champion. Visitors can step back in time and experience life as it was during the frontier days through self-guided tours and seasonal events.
3. Verendrye Museum
LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION
Verendrye Museum preserves and showcases the rich history of Fort Pierre and the surrounding area. The museum features exhibits on Native American artifacts, pioneer life, and the famous Verendrye Plate that was discovered in 1913 and proved French explorers had visited the area in 1743. Visitors can explore the collection of historical photographs, documents, and items that tell the story of this important South Dakota region.
4. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
AMERICA'S SHRINE OF DEMOCRACY
Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the 60-foot faces of four great American presidents carved into the granite of the Black Hills. The massive sculpture depicts George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, representing the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. Visitors can enjoy the Presidential Trail, Evening Lighting Ceremony, and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center to learn about this iconic American landmark.
5. Jewel Cave National Monument
UNDERGROUND NATURAL WONDER
Jewel Cave National Monument protects the third-longest cave system in the world with over 208 miles of mapped passages. The cave features a variety of rare formations including calcite crystals that give the cave its name and sparkle like jewels when illuminated. Visitors can choose from several guided tour options below ground or explore the 1,279-acre park with nature trails above the surface.
6. Custer State Park
WILDLIFE AND NATURAL BEAUTY
Custer State Park encompasses 71,000 acres of spectacular terrain and an abundance of wildlife, including a herd of nearly 1,300 free-roaming bison. The park offers scenic drives like the Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop Road where visitors might encounter pronghorn antelope, elk, mountain goats, and the famous begging burros. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, and swimming at one of the park's five lakes or climbing the granite spires that dot the landscape.
7. Historic Deadwood
LEGENDARY WILD WEST TOWN
Historic Deadwood invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of Old West legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock in this authentic gold rush town established in the 1870s. The entire city became a National Historic Landmark in 1961, preserving its rich history while offering modern entertainment including gaming, concerts, museums, and seasonal events. Visitors can experience daily shootout reenactments on Main Street, tour historic sites like Mount Moriah Cemetery, or try their luck at one of the town's casinos.
8. Missouri River
MIGHTY MO RECREATION
The Missouri River offers abundant recreational opportunities along its free-flowing sections and four major reservoirs in South Dakota. Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis & Clark Lake provide premier fishing destinations for walleye, bass, and other game fish. Visitors can enjoy boating, water skiing, camping, and exploring the river's rich history, which includes sites from the Lewis and Clark expedition.
9. Badlands National Park
OTHERWORLDLY LANDSCAPE
Badlands National Park protects 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The striking landscape contains one of the world's richest fossil beds, allowing scientists to study the evolution of mammal species like the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat. Visitors can explore hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and the Night Sky Program, which offers some of the darkest skies in the country for stargazing.
10. Crazy Horse Memorial
MONUMENTAL MOUNTAIN CARVING
Crazy Horse Memorial is the world's largest mountain sculpture in progress, depicting the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse riding a horse and pointing into the distance. The memorial was begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski at the request of Native American elders and continues to be carved today by a non-profit foundation. Visitors can tour the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational and Cultural Center, and watch laser light shows projected onto the mountain during summer evenings.
11. Black Elk Peak Fire Tower
HIGHEST POINT IN SD
Black Elk Peak Fire Tower sits atop the highest point in South Dakota at 7,242 feet, offering panoramic views of the surrounding Black Hills. The stone tower was meticulously constructed from 1935 to 1938 using materials carried up the three-mile trail by manpower and mules. Visitors who make the challenging hike to the summit are rewarded with access to the interior of this National Register of Historic Places structure and breathtaking views from the viewing deck across Custer State Park and beyond.
12. Wall Drug Store
ICONIC ROADSIDE ATTRACTION
Wall Drug Store began as a small pharmacy in 1931 and transformed into a 76,000-square-foot roadside attraction after offering free ice water to travelers. Today, this sprawling complex includes themed restaurants, Western art galleries, souvenir shops, and numerous photo opportunities including a giant jackalope and animated T-Rex. Millions of visitors stop each year to experience this quirky landmark known for its 5-cent coffee, homemade donuts, and western hospitality.
13. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
COLD WAR HISTORY
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserves two facilities that were once part of a nuclear missile field that contained 150 Minuteman II missiles and 15 launch control centers during the Cold War. Visitors can tour the underground Launch Control Center Delta-01 and see the missile silo Delta-09 where a training missile is displayed. The site offers a powerful reminder of the nuclear arms race and tells the story of the men and women who served during this tense period in American history.
14. Al's Oasis
LEGENDARY ROADSIDE STOP
Al's Oasis is a legendary roadside complex offering weary travelers a respite along Interstate 90 with its restaurant, grocery store, gift shop, and convenience store. The Western-themed restaurant is famous for its 5-cent coffee, homestyle cooking, and pie selection that has been serving hungry visitors since the 1950s. Travelers appreciate the clean facilities, reasonable prices, and the opportunity to stretch their legs while shopping for South Dakota souvenirs or stocking up on supplies.
15. Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center provides an authentic look at the lives and history of the Northern Plains Indian tribes, with special emphasis on the Lakota (Sioux). The museum's name, meaning "to honor the people," reflects its mission to preserve and promote Lakota culture through exhibits featuring traditional and contemporary Native American art, artifacts, and educational displays. Visitors can explore the indoor galleries and outdoor sculpture garden to gain a deeper understanding of Lakota history, values, and ongoing contributions to American culture.