SNAPSHOT: South Dakota

SnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel concepts to destinations and activities worldwide. Expose yourself to travel!

Author - Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds
TNNW Travel Correspondent

~ South Dakota ~

My travels around our great country have allowed for personal exploration of off the beaten path places and led me to opportunities which enhance the journey through personal discovery. Tie this in with having travel partners all over the nation who assist in independent and group travel plans and it’s a winning combination.

For a state ranking 16th in size amongst the 50, South Dakota averages 10 people per square mile with population around 755,000 and is surrounded by six states (Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota). The only knowledge I had prior to visiting for the first time was that South Dakota is home to the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore. It’s not often that the business traveler takes time out to explore a region. Usually our time is filled with meetings, seminars, and rushing back to the airport. With South Dakota’s attractions featuring stone carvings with heights to 6 stories high, and surrounding areas of phenomenal beauty such as the chiseled spires, deep canyons and jagged buttes; it is a destination well worth stopping to explore.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Located 25 miles southwest of Rapid City, and surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is an inspiring American attraction. From the first glimpse as the winding road brings the four American presidential faces into view, it is a perfect attraction to include for business or pleasure. The 60-foot faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers who began drilling into the 5,725 foot mountain in 1927. Deemed priceless today, the project took 14 years and cost only a mere one million. The mountain was named in 1885 after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York City Attorney who was traveling in the area on business.

I had the opportunity to strike up a conversation with travel industry leaders on the Avenue of Flags which leads to the memorial’s Grandview Terrace and it was difficult to concentrate on the discussion as we drew nearer to our seating for the evening Sculpture Lighting Ceremony. It was as though the air was filled with the grandeur of American pride as I stood before the faces which I had seen before only in pictures. The program is a nightly event during the summer and the Park Service offers a fantastic introduction to the Memorial. The night we attended members of the Armed Forces were encouraged to participate in the flag ceremony. Seeing friends on stage being recognized for their contributions to our county brought tears to my eyes and many in the audience. Imagine an entire amphitheater singing together in celebration of our freedom. It is my favorite attraction in South Dakota since it touched my senses and gave me an incredible feeling of appreciation for the men and women who created such a powerful attraction.


Crazy Horse Memorial
Marketed as the world’s largest mountain carving and located in the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse Memorial sculpting began in 1948. Chief Henry Standing Bear convinced sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to honor American Indians. Known as the storyteller in stone, Korczak prevailed over decades of financial hardship and racial prejudice he encountered in trying to create an American Indian memorial in the Black Hills. He dedicated the last 36 years of his life to working on the mountain, refusing to take any salary. After his dead in 1982 at the age of 74 his family continues his dream. When finished, Crazy Horse will stand 641 feet long and 563 feet high.


If you can’t travel to the Crazy Horse monument anytime soon, watch the progress from their web cam: http://crazyhorsememorial.org/webcam

Badlands National Park
For extended hiking and camping adventures, the Badlands National Park just might be the perfect South Dakota destination. The southwest region offers a tapestry of colors on the prairies that were created through on-going rains, freezes and thaws that revealed millions of years of sediment in spectacular formats. Early trappers and Native Americans encountered moon-like landscape and “bad land” is the perfect description for travels over the rugged terrain. Badlands National Park is one of the largest protected mixed-grass prairies in the US and covers 244,000 acres with 64,000 acres designated as wilderness. Wildlife such as bighorn sheep, bison and deer are often spotted. For additional information, see http://www.nps.gov/badl.


Corn Palace
Murals of corn and grains cover the World’s Only Corn Palace in Mitchell. During annual harvest time the murals are replaced with fresh corn and a new theme of pictures. Eleven different shades of corn are used in the designs. Established in 1892, the Corn Palace was conceived to showcase the area harvest and prove the fertility of the South Dakota prairie. Today, more than 250,000 visitors go to see a building literally made of corn. Creating the murals each summer is a team of approximately 20 and costs over $130,000. The Corn Palace is a free and interesting attraction which is open during the summer season.


Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead

Growing up in the 70’s, my sisters and I were always fascinated by the wholesome family tales of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her siblings. A trip to De Smet allows visitors to Laura’s actual homestead which was featured in several of her Little House books including “By the Shore of Silver Lake”, “The Long Winter”, “Little Town on the Prairie”, “These Happy Golden Years” and “The First Four Years”. See the original Ingalls homestead, the house that Pa Ingalls built, take a covered wagon ride and attend an 1880’s school session. Nothing is better than immersing yourself in a different time by taking in pioneering activities! Open during the summer season only.

Take the headaches out of planning … call an expert!
Shebby Lee Tours based in Rapid City specializes in the great American West and feature award-winning historians bringing the legends of the area to life. Want to feel the thunder of pre-historic beasts as they rumble by during the fall Custer State Park buffalo roundup? Or travel with a local expert who really knows how to showcase the destination? Speak to a local and receive the best insight into a destination! For information on a top selling tour in South Dakota, see this link (note- book early as this tour will sell out!):

http://www.travelalliancepartners.com/tap/partner/pages/PkgSLT.aspx?pid=22&sid=7&oid=67

When I first heard South Dakota was the destination for a networking meeting, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I’ve stood in awe before the Presidential statues, heard the eloquent voice of their Governor discuss their rich heritage and giggled with friends over their unique photos in front of a building made of corn, I can honestly say I’m delighted to have visited a few of America’s treasures.


Planning a business meeting or vacation to South Dakota? Contact:

South Dakota Office of Tourism
711 E. Wells Ave / Pierre / SD / 570501
Phone: 605-773-3301 / Fax: 605-773-3256
Web: http://www.travelsd.com/

Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau
444 Mt. Rushmore Rd. N. / Rapid City / SD / 57701
Phone: 605-718-8489or 800-487-3223
Web: http://www.visitrapidcity.com/

Need a quality tour operator in South Dakota? Contact:

Shebby Lee Tours, Inc.
PO Box 1032 / Rapid City, SD/ 57709

Phone: 605-343-4852 / Fax: 605-343-7558

Web: http://www.shebbyleetours.com/
http://www.travelalliancepartners.com/tap/partner/pages/PkgSLT.aspx?pid=22&sid=7&oid=67

_____________

Submission: August 2009

Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds
marketingCents, llc.
Email: Stefanie@marketing-Cents.com
Twitter: @StefanieGorder

SnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel concepts to destinations and activities worldwide. Expose yourself to travel!

For more information, please visit Stefanie's TNNW Bio.

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SNAPSHOT: South Dakota