After leaving St. Louis on our grand expedition west, my parents and I drove across Missouri and up through Nebraska, landing at our second stop, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We didn’t do a whole lot in Sioux Falls–it was a long driving day and was mainly a stopping point towards our next goal of Mount Rushmore.
The Drive
On the way, we did make a stop at Weston Bend State Park along the Missouri River to stretch our legs.
It was a nice little spot to get out of the care and take a look at the muddy Missouri River, not must past Kansas City.
Since this was an over 9-hour drive, we didn’t do much when we got to our hotel, a convention-center Sheraton with its own miniature Sioux Falls waterfall in the lobby.
Dinner at Minerva’s
The one thing we did manage to do was to eat a nice dinner at Minerva’s, an old-fashioned steak house. We dined at their original location in a corner lot in downtown Sioux Falls and had a very nice meal. It wasn’t particularly trendy, but if you want an upscale American dinner, Minerva’s fits the bill.
Putting the Falls into Sioux Falls
What we didn’t see that night, but you could if you travel to Sioux Falls, is the beautiful Sioux Falls themselves. Situated in Falls Park in the middle of downtown, the falls of the Big Sioux River are surrounded by lovely parkland and a few historic buildings, like an old mill and a power plant turned into the Falls Overlook Cafe. Art sculptures can be found around the park and there is frequently an open-air market. Walking and biking trails connect Falls Park to the rest of the city.
Other Attractions in Sioux Falls
Other than the falls, there is a nice complement of art galleries, wineries, breweries, and restaurants around town. The beautiful St. Joseph’s Cathedral is open for self-guided tours. A memorial for the U.S.S South Dakota can be found in Sherman Park, and you can tour a beautiful example of a Queen Anne home at the Pettigrew Home and Museum. The church, the memorial, and the house museum are all FREE to visit.
But one thing you don’t see everyday is the Catfish Bay “Greatest Show on H2O” water skiing spectacular! This looks like a hoot! Held Friday nights at 7pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this is a silly, all-volunteer water skiing and stunt show. Tickets are $12 and under if you buy in advance, $14 for walk-ups.
As always, I wish we had more time to spend on our trip, but it was time to cross South Dakota, make a stop at Wall Drug, and head over to see Mount Rushmore.
Love the pictures! Sioux Falls looks amazing!
Yay! It was a fun trip!