Boutique Hotels in Rapid City, SD

Home to the famous Mount Rushmore landmark, Rapid City lies east of Black Hills National Forest in Western South Dakota and is known as “The City of Presidents” for its abundance of Presidential statues throughout town. When planning a visit to this stunning South Dakota city, make a point to tour the indelible iconic sculptures of the four U.S. presidents at Mount Rushmore. There’s also an array of fascinating museums and centers to tour, including the Journey Museum and Learning Center (displaying local history and geology exhibits) and the Reptile Gardens zoo. Plus, while in town, you can’t miss the public art project “City of Presidents,” a series of43 life-size bronze presidential statues that spans several blocks downtown. Enjoy your stay from the best boutique hotels in Rapid City and prepare to be amazed by everything this city has to offer.

Without a doubt, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is top of the list to see when staying at boutique hotels in Rapid City. The memorial park stretches an impressive 1,278 acres, with the memorial itself centered on a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This incredible landmark was realized by sculptor Gutzon Borglum from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son, Lincoln Borglum. While visiting the iconic sculpture, you’ll marvel at the 60-foot-tall heads of four United States presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Specifically chosen to represent the nation's birth, growth, development, and preservation, this memorial is one worth writing home about.

While on vacation in Rapid City, get excited about the wealth of hearty, prairie-approved foods of the area. After all, South Dakota’s culinary scene is known for its cornucopia of dishes heavily influenced by Native Americans, Scandinavians, cattle hands, farmers, meat eaters and vegetarians alike, as well as the inventive women of the area. While in Rapid City, you can expect to taste delicious dishes like Indian fry bread, buffalo burgers, and desserts like lefse and mocha cakes. Of course, it wouldn’t be a visit to South Dakota without trying its hallmark meat dish, Chislic. Locals will recommend it, tourists rave about it— Chislic is cubed red meat, typically beef or lamb, deep fried or grilled and served with a mouth-watering dipping sauce. Also worth trying is the town’s Indian Tacos, Fleisch Kuchele (a pocket of handmade dough filled with seasoned hamburger and onions and deep-fried to hot, flaky goodness), locally-grown asparagus, Chokecherries, Pasties, Wojapi, Rhubarb, local honey, and an array of locally crafted desserts.

For something sweet, try Kolache, a soft baked yeast dough pastry filled with a generous dollop of sweet fruit filling, drizzled with glaze, and sprinkled with a hint of streusel. Or opt for Lefse— a Norwegian-American staple that uses a flat potato bread paired with a spread of butter, sprinkled with sugar, and rolled up. But the town’s true coined dessert is Kuchen, the German word meaning “cake.” Kuchen is a delicious cross between cake and pie crust that is made in shallow rounds and spread with fruit and rich custard and baked to a creamy delicacy. You can find these foods and many more surrounding the best boutique hotels in Rapid City during your unforgettable stay.

Enjoy your time in the iconic Rapid City, and don’t forget to check out our top boutique hotels in Denver, Minneapolis, and Des Moines.