Vacation Rentals & Villas

The geographic center of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, is located in South Dakota, 17 miles west of Castle Rock. With nearly 800,000 people living in South Dakota, it ranks 46th in the United States in terms of population, and it ranks 17th in the terms of total area. The state capital of South Dakota is Pierre but its largest city is Sioux Falls.

When in South Dakota you would experience a continental climate, with four distinct Seasons, ranging from cold, dry winters to hot and semi-humid summers. You would discover that reaching one of the many South Dakota vacations rentals peppered throughout the state is made real easy, by a well-connected network of road, rail and air. South Dakota's largest commercial airports in terms of passenger traffic are the Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Rapid City Regional Airport.

South Dakota is a treasure trove of adventures, sightseeing and activities, a place that has to be seen to be believed. After you have settled yourself in to one of the many comfortable South Dakota vacation rentals that are available throughout the state you can venture out to confirm this fact yourself. When in South Dakota, you have to inaugurate your trip with a visit to Mount Rushmore which has been made immortal through media and movies. In fact the official nickname for South Dakota is ‘The Mount Rushmore State' and you can explore this incredible sculpture for yourself, and educate yourself about the men who have been immortalized.

Next make your way into the Black Hills National Forest in Cluster, with its 1.2 million acre forest, at altitudes up to 7,242 feet, 1,300 miles of streams, over 13,000 acres of wilderness, 2 scenic byways and over 450 miles of trails, this place truly epitomizes the phrase ‘in the lap of mother nature'. Once you have made your way out of the forest head to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, enclosed and surrounded by exhibits, it is easy to forget that the Mammoth Site is a rich and active paleontological dig. More than 26,000 years ago, large Columbian and woolly mammoths were trapped and in a sinkhole and died here. During the tours, you can watch the fossils being uncovered, and if you plan well in advance your kids (ages 4-13) can excavate a replica site and learn to identify mammoth and giant short-faced bear fossils in the Junior Paleontologists program

Shift your focus from Mammoths to bears by exploring Bear County USA, it's a drive-through wildlife park just outside Rapid City, a great place to see bears up close -- and not in captivity. Bears stroll in front of your car, stopping to stare, stretch or scratch, or even nap. Bear Country USA has more than 250 black bear as well as elk, reindeer, deer, cougars, bobcats, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and buffalo. After the three-mile drive through the park, be sure to visit Babyland, a zoo-like area that houses baby bear, fox, otters, wolves, etc. The cub show in 'Babyland' is a must-see. Now that you have sampled some of the things on offer in South Dakota, you surely by now are planning an excursion and making reservations for one of those comfortable South Dakota vacation rentals.