It’s not just the proud American in me, but our favorite place to vacation as a family is South Dakota. The wide open ranges, the rolling black hills, the historical monuments and the people all make South Dakota a magical place.
I surprised my family with a last minute vacation to get them out of their cabin fever mindset and it did them wonders! We always stay in Keystone. 3 minutes to Mount Rushmore, 45 minutes to Rapid City and an adorable tourist-y town that provides unique food and fun shopping!
Our favorite hotel of all time is the Roosevelt Inn. It’s at the edge of town, close to Mount Rushmore and provides peace and quiet while also being walking distance from the bustling town!
They have an amazing pool, an arcade room, and the most beautiful views available in Keystone. They recently renovated it making it even more comfortable and eye-catching. Their breakfast is beyond delicious with many different options and selections to choose from.
Not only is this our favorite place to stay for the amazing amenities, rooms and people but across the street.. It boasts tubing hills, alpine slides, bungee jumping, zip-lining and more. That was the first thing we did when we got there because although it’s only a 5 hour drive from our house the kids were so excited to get exploring!
For dinner we decided to check out the Keystone board walk and tried a newly opened pizza place called Blazers Pizza. Incredible food, beautiful views of the strip and wonderful owners who were passionate about their food!
After dinner we went back to the hotel and enjoyed a dip in the pool. It’s always empty and we had the whole area to ourselves. The kids were stoked and exhausted afterwards 😉
After an amazing nights sleep we drove up to Rapid City and tried out the WaTiki Water Park. Let me tell y’all.. I am SO jealous this is an exclusive South Dakota thing because we had a BLAST. I wish we had something like this in Colorado!
There were slides, a lazy pool, a bar and a bistro – Something for everyone in the family! We booked a table and they had a basket full of everything we needed as soon as we got there. Complete with stuffies for the kids to keep, towels, waters, a bistro coupon and more!
The kids were BEAT after this so we went back to the hotel, took a nap then hit Rushmore. It never ceases to amaze me the grand scale of the sculptures and the feeling of being so close to such an important part of our history.
After walking around and reading we decided to head to dinner. We tried the Powder House for the first time and man I’m kicking myself that we hadn’t gone sooner. It was amazing. Beautiful full mountain views, delectable food, and wonderful service.
After an amazing dinner we went back to the hotel, got some rest and got ready for our last day of adventure. The kids were bummed but looking forward to another day of fun.
Wanting to make the most of our last day of vacation we got an early start with the Roosevelt Inn’s amazing breakfast stocked with a variety of goodies for even the pickiest of eaters!
A family tradition is to always hit the Bear Country Zoo on the last day. It’s fun, calming and so memorable we never want to rush through it so we ensure enough time to take our time!
The kids were so excited to see so many baby animals and they were all out and active – Especially early in the morning when they’re ready for food and play!
Down the road is an amazing dinosaur museum that we make sure to hit everytime for Hudson, because obviously he’s a dino-wiz.
Sadly it was time to leave, but we stopped at the Crazy Horse memorial before we made it out of South Dakota because it is such a powerful place to learn and discover the beauty and importance of preserving the Native American culture. The kids loved it and we were in awe at the progress they’ve made on the sculpture just one year later!
South Dakota will always hold a special place in our heart and our favorite family vacation spot as it’s wholesome, quaint and historical.
We cannot thank the Roosevelt Inn enough for allowing us the opportunity to stay there for another year of cherished family memories. It’ll always be the place we stay when we come into town and the kids constantly ask to go back. Interested in booking a stay there? They’re affordable, clean, and always friendly. They’re located at 206 Cemetery Rd, Keystone, SD 57751, call (605) 666-4599 to book a room for your family and let them plan your stay while you plan the fun!
(I was compensated for this post, all opinions are my own)
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