Sioux Falls, SD Road Trips

The natural wonder that gave Sioux Falls its name, Falls Park offers multiple viewing areas and a five-story observation tower. From there, you can view not only the impressive waterfalls but some of the city's earliest and most historic buildings. 1 Falls Park, 309 E. Falls Park Dr, ☏ +1 605-367-7430. 2 Center for Western Studies, 2001 S. Summit Ave, ☏ +1 605-274-4007. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-2PM. More than 200 collections dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and cultures of the Northern Plains. Free admission, but freewill donations are appreciated. (updated Feb 2020) Old Courthouse Museum, 200 W. 6th St, ☏ +1 605-367-4210. Open daily. A National Historic Landmark that hosts lectures, workshops, children's programs and more. Admission is free. Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion, 11th Street and Main Ave, ☏ +1 605-367-6000. Tu-Th Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Features multiple exhibits for adults and children. Most exhibits are free. 3 Great Plains Zoo, 805 S. Kiwanis Ave, ☏ +1 605-367-7059. Open seven days a week, hours vary by season. More than 500 animals, from penguins to tigers to baby rhinos, inhabit the grounds. Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 3 to 12. Kirby Science Discovery Center (Washington Pavilion) (11th Street and Main Avenue), ☏ +1 605-367-6000. Tu-Th Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Home to more than 80 hands-on science experiences and the giant-screen Cinedome (IMAX) theater. $6.75 for adults, $4.60 for children. (updated Sep 2018) Butterfly House & Aquarium, 4320 S.

1 Sky Zone Sioux Falls. , 2 Thunder Road Family Fun Park. , 3 Wild Water West. - located in Sioux Falls South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, ☏ +1 605-335-7933. The SDSO is an award winning orchestra whose season spans from Sept to May. They perform in the Great Hall of the Washington Pavilion which is known nationwide for its excellent acoustics. Sertoma Park, 49th & Oxbow. Sertoma Park is a wide open area with a large amount of outdoor activities for all. There is a main part of children containing five incredibly large jungle gyms. There is a large complex right in the middle of the playground areas containing picnic tables, a perfect place for a family with many children to stop and have a snack or even lunch. There are many outdoor trails going throughout and around the park. They are great for bird-watching. The main trail goes by the Big Sioux River, a large grassy field, several ponds and some woods, and ideal trail for outdoor enthusiasts. The Seratoma Park is also home to a large butterfly house that contains both exotic and local butterflies. Sioux Falls has a surprising range of golf options for a mid-sized city, with courses of varying degrees of difficulty and comparably low greens fees. It is important to call early for tee times, especially in the spring and early summer. Bakker Crossing Golf Course, 47172 Clubhouse Rd, ☏ +1 605-368-9700. 18-hole, 6,900-yard championship caliber course on the outskirts of Sioux Falls. Greens fee for 18 holes range from $19-27. Elmwood Golf Course, 2604 W. Russell St, ☏ +1 605-599-3146.

Sioux Falls offers many ethnic restaurants throughout the city, offering ethnic Balkan, Italian, Ethiopian and eastern Asian cuisine. You can also find all of the usual chain restaurant suspects (everything from Outback Steakhouse to Olive Garden) the number of remarkable independent restaurants is small. However, there are a few eateries in the budget (less than $10), mid-range (less than $20) and splurge (more than $20) categories to get you by. The WP Cafe, 301 S. Main Ave, ☏ +1 605-731-2384. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Sun Noon-5PM. On the first floor of the Washington Pavilion, serves sandwiches and rotating entrees. Downtown location means the place can get quite busy. Phillips Avenue Diner, 121 S. Phillips Ave, ☏ +1 605-335-4977. Formerly the Market Street Diner, this place is an ideal breakfast stop if you're tired of Perkins, IHOP or Denny's. Their malts are top-notch. Hy-Vee Casual Dining, 3020 E. 10th St, ☏ +1 605-336-8947. Hy-vee is a well-known grocery store in the tri-state area however, in each store there is a dining area. The Hy-vee on E. 10th st has a wide- variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert options, including Chinese and Italian. Daily specials. Nick's Gyros, 1512 West 41st St, ☏ +1 605-335-1588. Huge portions, flavorful gyros, fast service, and interesting Greek decor. Johnny Carino's, 2310 S Louise Ave, ☏ +1 605-361-7222. Open for lunch and dinner. It's been voted the past 6 years as the best Italian in Sioux Falls. The menu is a mix of modern Italian dishes and old standards. They have a full bar and extensive wine selection.

Sioux Falls does sport a variety of nightclub options: Crow Bar, 2805 S Minnesota Ave, ☏ +1 605-332-2981. Across the street from Poppadox Pub, this bar has the reputation for being a biker hangout in the past. Poppadox Casino & Pub, 2808 S. Minnesota Ave, ☏ +1 605-336-8000. Wiley's Tavern, Main Ave (downtown). (updated Aug 2018) PAve, Phillips Ave (downtown). (updated Aug 2018)

Accommodations in Sioux Falls are plentiful. Budget accommodations will generally run less than $60 per night, while a mid-range hotel shouldn't cost more than $100. Since most hotels cater to business travelers, weekend deals are frequent and it doesn't hurt to call the hotel directly to try to get the best rate. Center Inn, 900 E. 20th St (next to Avera McKennan Hospital), ☏ +1 605-334-9002. Days Inn, 3401 S. Gateway Blvd (just west of I-29 & 41st Street), ☏ +1 605-361-9240. Microtel Inn & Suites, 2901 S. Carolyn Ave (close to 41st Street and I-29), ☏ +1 605-361-7484. Clean, comfortable hotel. Sleep Inn, 1500 N. Kiwanis Ave (near the Arena & Convention Center, off of Russell Street. 1 mile from the bus terminal), ☏ +1 605-339-3992. Super 8-Cliff Avenue, 4808 N. Cliff Ave (off I-90), ☏ +1 605-339-9212. Super 8-East 10th, 2616 E. 10th St, ☏ +1 605-338-8881. Clean hotel with pool & easy access to I-229. AmericInn Motel, 3508 S. Gateway Blvd (just west of I-29 & 41st Street), ☏ +1 605-361-3538. Baymont Inn, 3200 S. Meadow Ave (just west of I-29 & 41st Street), ☏ +1 605-362-0835. Best Western-Empire Towers, 4100 W. Shirley Pl (in the Empire Mall shopping area), ☏ +1 605-361-3118. Best Western-Ramkota Inn, 3200 W. Maple St (next to the Ramkota Exhibit Hall/Convention Center), ☏ +1 605-336-0650. Comfort Inn-South, 3216 S. Carolyn Ave (in the Empire Mall shopping area), ☏ +1 605-361-2822. Comfort Suites, 3208 S. Carolyn Ave (in the Empire Mall shopping area), ☏ +1 605-362-9711. Fairfield Inn, 4501 W.

Sioux Falls may be traveled by car, but also has courier and taxi service, as well as trolley service downtown in the summer. There is a municipal bus service, but it shuts down rather early in the evenings. The Sioux Falls Airport (FSD), 2801 N. Jaycee Lane, is the major airport in the area. The Sioux Falls Bus Terminal (SXF), 1500 W Russell St, serves virtually the entire continental North America. Sioux Falls is at the intersection of two major interstates, I-90 and I-29. Another interstate, I-229, travels from the southwestern part of the city to the northeastern part. This forms a loop around the city. From Chicago, travel west on I-90 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is eight hours. From Denver, travel east on I-76 into Nebraska until the I-80 interchange. Merge east onto I-80. Stay east on I-80 until you reach Omaha. From there, go north on I-29 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is nine hours. From Kansas City, travel north on I-29 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is five hours. From Minneapolis, travel south on I-35, and then west on I-90 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is four hours. An alternative route would be US Highway 169 southwest of out the western suburbs of Minneapolis. Travel south on Minnesota State Highway 60, just west of Mankato. Travel southwest to Worthington, and travel west on I-90 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is four hours. From Fargo, travel south on I-29 to Sioux Falls. Approximate travel time is four hours. From Montana, Wyoming, and Rapid City, Travel east on I-90 to Sioux Falls.

While there is some public transportation in Sioux Falls and taxis are generally available, the easiest way to get around the city is by car. Roads are generally well-maintained (with the occasional summer road construction) and traffic is quite light by typical North American standards, especially considering the exponential growth of the city. Sioux Falls is at the intersection of I-29 and I-90. Another interstate, I-229, runs from the southwest to northeast corner of the city, meaning that the vast majority of Sioux Falls is accessible via an interstate. Most of the major attractions, shopping areas, and dining establishments are located near two major east-west roads - 12th Street and 41st Street. Minnesota Avenue also has a large selection of restaurants and shopping places. Sioux Falls Metro operates 15 bus routes throughout the city. Fares are $1 for adults with books of 10 available for a 15 percent discount. Buses generally run every half-hour during the day, but nearly all routes stop running by 7PM and bus service on weekends is very limited. Lyft, ride share service has been available in the Sioux Falls area since 2017. (Uber is not). There are a handful of taxi services that operate in Sioux Falls. Fares are reasonable by U.S. standards: Best Taxi - Affordable Airport Taxi, +1 605-496-3751. Reliable Taxi Service Sioux Falls South Dakota, +1 605-653-2754. Sioux Falls Transit operates a trolley that operates Monday through Saturday from 10AM-8PM during the summer, and on Saturdays through the fall.