Top Things to Do in Rapid City, South Dakota

A 3-mile drive takes visitors past bears, wolves, reindeer, elk, mountain lions and 15 other species of North American mammals. Bear cubs frolic at a wildlife center.

See an intricately carved stave church, a replica of the Borgund Stavkirke built in 1150 outside Lærdal, Norway.

Bronze statues of 43 presidents line downtown streets. Find maps at visitor information centers or download a guide.

A big-screen movie sets up your walk through time. Progress through exhibits that show how the area changed from the dinosaur period to Wild West days to the devastating flood of 1972.

The fossils on display at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology span the history of South Dakota and include dinosaurs, marine reptiles and plants. If mineralogy intrigues, check out agates, meteorites, fluorescent minerals and other finds in the Hall of South Dakota Minerals.

Native American art, beaded dolls, drums, pottery, tribal regalia, jewelry and more fill the shop downstairs at Prairie Edge. An art gallery and bead library occupy the upstairs.

The world's largest reptile zoo houses more than 225 types of reptiles and amphibians, plus prairie dogs, birds and insects. Shows, exhibits and kids' activities like gemstone panning add to the fun.

Twenty-one granite pieces at Main Street Square reflect the natural and cultural history of the region. Artist Masayuki Nagase carved the project over five years.

Get up close to 30-plus aircraft and four missiles at an indoor-outdoor space next to Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Locally owned Armadillo's serves up ice cream, fruit smoothies, malts, sundaes and more in tempting combos like Armadillo (chocolate ice cream, peanut butter dip, hot fudge, chopped nuts) and Banana Cream Pie (vanilla ice cream, toasted coconut dip, banana and whipped cream).

The state's first fully licensed artisan distillery crafts vodka and 13 flavored liqueurs inspired by an old family recipe. The tasting room hosts comedy and game nights and live music.

Splurge on a 16-ounce ribeye with poblano cream sauce or try a seasonal special, such as bison pot roast, in the fine-dining spot downtown.

Try Indian and Nepalese specialties such as tandoori chicken, vegetable samosas and lamb kabobs.

A rotating selection of 40 draft beers complements thin-crust pizzas that come in flavors like Bob's Popper (cream cheese, ranch sauce, jalapeño, bacon and raspberry preserves) at Independent Ale House.

Visit for tastings, pizza paired with wine and free winery tours.

Enjoy hand-mashed guacamole, a solid vegan and vegetarian selection, a lively patio and rooftop cantina, and the city's largest tequila selection (with 50-plus featured labels) at Que Pasa Cantina.

The diner-style restaurant serves breakfast and lunch comfort food like sausage breakfast bowls, pork chops, chimichangas, and grilled ham and cheese.

Diner-style breakfasts segue to a mix of comfort food and upscale fare for lunch and dinner at Tally's. Burgers and pasta share the menu with dishes like grilled bison skirt with citrus-glazed mushrooms.

Guests at the Hotel Alex Johnson can sip craft cocktails or eat dinner while viewing the Black Hills, buttes and prairies from the 10th and 11th floors.  

Brick flooring with Native American symbols and a lobby chandelier of war spears hint at Native American and Germanic Tudor influences. Six presidents have stayed at the 143-room downtown hotel, which opened in 1928.

More information: visitrapidcity.com