Rapid City & Badlands National Park

7 days
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Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Get ready for fun and fossils! This trip is a great way to get outside and reignite your love of discovery. Two nights in Rapid City will get your vacation started right. This family-friendly city is full of adventures that will delight everyone. Stay in the city to check out cool places like the Journey Museum and Learning Center or strike out a little fart...
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Overview

Trip type
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

What's this trip about?

    Get ready for fun and fossils! This trip is a great way to get outside and reignite your love of discovery. Two nights in Rapid City will get your vacation started right. This family-friendly city is full of adventures that will delight everyone. Stay in the city to check out cool places like the Journey Museum and Learning Center or strike out a little farther and see area attractions like Mount Rushmore or Custer State Park - South Dakota's first state park. Then, it's off to the city of Wall! 4 nights in this area will put you in close proximity to Badlands National Park, plenty of historic sites, and Wall Drug - the best place around to get souvenirs and spend a few fun-filled hours with the family. 

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIndependent
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transport
Start CityRapid City
End CitySouth Dakota

Destinations

Activities

  • Independent

Trip includes

    • Roundtrip economy class airfare to Rapid City (RAP)
    • Automatic rental car for the duration of your trip Pick up and drop off RAP 2 nights in Rapid City at Hotel Alex Johnson (Curio Collection by Hilton), or similar
    • 4 nights in Wall (near Badlands National Park) at the Best Western Plains Motel, or similar
    • Detailed day-by-day itinerary with trip highlights, hotel information, local guides, maps and daily driving instructions Please Note: this package is seasonal and available for travel from April through October only.

Itinerary

Day 1 Welcome to Rapid City!

You're gonna love it here! When you land, grab your rental car at the airport and drop your bags at your first hotel. There's so much to do here, you won't want to waste a minute. 

Tonight, you might spend some time in the heart of Rapid City at Main Street Square. No matter what season you visit, there's always something fun happening here! 

Day 2 Rapid City

Take off to one of the city's nearby attractions. In about an hour, you can reach Custer State Park, the mysterious caves of  Wind Cave National Park, or the sparkling waterfalls of Spearfish Canyon. And of course, don't miss nearby Mount Rushmore - the area's most famous attraction.  

Day 3 Rapid City - Wall

Set your course for Badlands National Park today! Your drive to your accommodations in Wall will only take about an hour, so you'll have plenty of time to explore. 

Before you check into your hotel, you may enjoy a scenic drive through the park along Badl...

Day 4 Wall

If you're traveling with kids under the age of 12, today is a great day for them to earn a Junior Ranger badge! Aspiring Junior Rangers can grab their activity booklet at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. After they've completed their training, they can bring their completed booklet to a ranger at the visitor center, take the Junior Ranger pledge, then collect their badge! 

Day 5 Wall

Did you know that Badlands National Park is among the top archaeology and paleontology attractions? Be a paleontologist for a day and set off for a bit of fossil hunting! 

After, visit the Fossil Preparation Lab (open seasonally). There, you can watch park paleontologists identify, prepare, and catalog fossils for display. 

Day 6 Wall

You might want to take advantage of another day in Wall by exploring the city. Stop by the famous Wall Drug. What started out as a pharmacy offering free ice water to travelers has now become an extravaganza that is part shopping mall, part museum, part arcade,...

Day 7 Depart South Dakota

It's time to say goodbye to South Dakota. You'll return your rental car at the airport and board your flight home. 

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,596
Price per day$228
Last Updated: 4/18/2024

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Great Value Vacations.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
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Trip ID
Greatvaluevacations-PK-GC4P-SH-RCB-RAP

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