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Rapid City, South Dakota (CNN) 窶年estled in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Rapid City is a scenic urban getaway that hasn窶冲 lost its small-town vibe.
While it窶冱 the state窶冱 second largest city, visitors can explore its greenway, museums, art and history, or indulge in craft beer and increasingly diverse dishes 窶� all within a few minutes窶� drive, walk or bicycle ride.
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And the surrounding landscape is home to enough natural and manmade wonders 窶� from the Badlands to the Crazy Horse Memorial 窶� to keep you busy for a week or more.
Historic City of Presidents
Rapid City promotes itself as the City of Presidents, a nod to its location 24 miles from South Dakota窶冱 most iconic attraction, Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
In town, locals know summer窶冱 in full swing when tourists are snapping selfies with bronze statues of Harry S. Truman and Richard Nixon. Street corners throughout Rapid City窶冱 historic downtown are home to life-sized sculptures of nearly all US presidents. (President Donald Trump窶冱 statue has been unveiled and will be installed in fall 2025, and President Joe Biden窶冱 statue is in progress).
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The trail of presidents, which launched in 2000, is a self-guided experience. The visitor center downtown has a City of Presidents Guide, or you can download a digital version to take a walking tour or scavenger hunt.
窶弃eople love touring and looking at all the statues,窶� said Ally Formanek, CEO at Visit Rapid City, the city窶冱 tourism office. 窶廬t窶冱 a fun and unexpected way to learn about history.窶�
Founded in 1876 by disheartened gold prospectors, today downtown Rapid City is a mix of historic landmarks such as the 1928 Hotel Alex Johnson and the 1912 Elks Theatre, along with restaurants, coffee shops, specialty stores, boutiques and art galleries that reflect the busy modern city. An indoor aquaponics farm, sourdough and gluten-free bakeries, a meat market and deli specializing in locally raised beef, and a comedy club are some of the new additions to downtown, just in the past year.
Main Street Square, downtown窶冱 anchor, hosts about 150 events year-round in and outdoor public space that offers interactive fountains in the summer and ice skating in the winter.
Jess and Cody Skinner own The Silver Lining Creamery, an ice cream shop at Main Street Square. Jess Skinner compares Rapid City to 窶彗 mini Denver窶� with fewer crowds but plenty to do and see.
窶弩e have such a unique downtown with all these local businesses,窶� Jess said. 窶廬窶况e been to a lot of different cities and downtowns, and I think ours is one of the best.窶�
窶弩e always get compliments about how friendly everyone is here 窶ｦ that everyone is so nice,窶� Jess said. 窶弋ourists can stop and (ask for directions) and people here are so kind and so helpful.窶�
For an easy way to see Rapid City, the narrated City View Trolley Tour highlights local landmarks and history. The tour窶冱 only stop is at Chapel in the Hills, a 56-year-old Norwegian stavkirke, a traditional timber-framed stave church found in Scandinavia, with a meditation trail on its grounds.
窶廬t窶冱 a place to slow down and catch your breath. People tend to linger here,窶� said Brian Kringen, managing director at Chapel in the Hills, a striking wooden structure with an elaborate tiered roof.
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