Field trips are a great way to reboot a bad homeschooling week, get out of the house when everyone has cabin fever, and learn about your local area. Before heading out, check out Jeanne's tips for improving homeschool field trips.
Our listing of South Dakota field trips for homeschoolers is ordered alphabetically by city. If you would like to submit a South Dakota field trip destination, you may do so using the red button above.
South Dakota Art MuseumBrookings
Since 1970, the South Dakota Art Museum has been a place for people from many different parts of the world to enjoy the artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. Permanent galleries, changing exhibitions, publications, lectures, workshops and guided tours provide the public, artists, university students and faculty with a variety of opportunities to learn about art and engage in the centuries-old dialogue between artist and viewer. The Museum features 6 spacious galleries, the Museum Store and the Kid's Sensation Station.
Oakwood Lakes State ParkBruce
This area was once used as a summer camp and an annual gathering spot for American Indians. Later, Samuel Mortimer arrived in 1869 and built the log cabin that still stands at the park. The visitor center showcases an archeology display of items found in the area.
Newton Hills State ParkCanton
Glaciers created this narrow strip of rolling hills and forest that is part of the geological formation called the Coteau des Prairie, which extends along the eastern boundary of South Dakota. At its highest point, the Coteau rises to more than 2,000 feet above sea level. Artifacts and burial mounds found near the park indicate that a Woodland Indian Culture inhabited this region between 300 B.C. and 900 A.D. The area's unique dark forest, amidst a vast open prairie, has prompted many recent legends, including of buried gold, robbers' hideouts and horse thieves.
Jewel Cave National MonumentCuster
At 200.3 miles, Jewel Cave is currently the second-longest cave in the country and the third-longest in the world. It is filled with calcite crystals and other wonders that make up the "jewels" of Jewel Cave National Monument.
Historic Adams HouseDeadwood
The Adams Museum's leadership in historic preservation led naturally to its involvement in restoring the Victorian home of two of Deadwood's founding families, including the Adams Museum's founder W.E. Adams. Built in 1892, the Queen Anne-style home with its oak interiors, hand-painted canvas wall coverings, stained glass windows, thoroughly modern 19th century plumbing, electricity and telephone service and original furnishings sat silent for almost 60 years after W.E. Adams' death in 1934, when his second wife Mary Adams closed the doors. Mrs. Adams left everything intact from the sheet music in the piano bench, the books in the library, the china in the pantry, to the patent medicines in the bathroom, the gilded settee in the parlor and even the cookies in a cookie jar. The home was purchased by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission in 1992.
Adams MuseumDeadwood
Deadwood's Adams Museum is considered the Black Hills' oldest history museum. Artifacts on display from Deadwood's infamous past reflect the powerful legends of Wild Bill, Calamity Jane and Deadwood Dick. From a one-of-a-kind plesiosaur, the Thoen Stone and W.E. Adams' love letters to a lively folk art collection, Lakota bead and quill work and Potato Creek Johnny's gold nugget; the Adams Museum exhibits capture the mysteries, the tragedies, the bawdiness and the dreams found in the history, art and natural history of the Black Hills.
Heritage Hall Museum & ArchivesFreeman
Heritage Hall Museum and Archives in Freeman, SD has 25,000 square feet of exhibits telling the immigration story of settlers who arrived in southeastern Dakota Territory in the 1870s, persevered and built a vibrant community. More than 20,000 artifacts are an excellent resource for Native American and South Dakota history. It includes a functional one-room school. While a self-touring museum, guided tours are available including specifically tailored experiences. The adjacent 40-acre Prairie Arboretum has a mile of walking paths through ponds, grasses, trees and flower gardens.
Oahe Downstream Recreation AreaFt. Pierre
Oahe Downstream is one of the South Dakota state parks that offers the opportunity for visitors to see the majestic bald eagle. During winter, bird watchers can view eagles that roost in the treetops below the dam. They typically can be viewed perching within 50 feet of the riverbank in tall cottonwood trees. Everyone is encouraged to visit the interactive South Dakota prairie butterfly garden located near the main entrance at Oahe Downstream. Find 17 species of native prairie plants, identify some of common butterflies, and learn something new about butterflies of South Dakota.
Palisades State ParkGarretson
Unusual terrain and a colorful past make Palisades State Park one of the most unique areas in South Dakota. Split Rock Creek, which flows through the park, is lined with Sioux quartzite formations varying from shelves several feet above the water to 50-foot vertical cliffs. For millions of years, Split Rock Creek cut deep gorges through Palisades State Park. Geologists estimate the Sioux quartzite spires are 1.2 billion years old. Four hiking trails twist and turn through these beautiful Sioux quartzite formations.
Wind Cave National ParkHot Springs
One of the world's longest and most complex caves and 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest, and associated wildlife are the main features of the park. The cave is well known for its outstanding display of boxwork, an unusual cave formation composed of thin calcite fins resembling honeycombs. The park's mixed-grass prairie is one of the few remaining and is home to native wildlife such as bison, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs.
Badlands National ParkInterior
Containing the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating 37-28 million years old, the evolutionary stories of mammals such as the horse and rhinoceros arise from the 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires. Bison, bighorn sheep, endangered black-footed ferrets, and swift fox roam one of the largest, protected mixed-grass prairies in the United States.
Mount Rushmore National MemorialKeystone
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share.
Fort Sisseton State Historical ParkLake City
Walk the grounds where the officers' quarters, stone barracks, powder magazine, guard house, and other buildings remain at frontier Fort Sisseton. This 1864 fort, atop the Coteau des Prairies (or hills of the prairies), is a rare reminder of the western frontier. The fort's name comes from the nearby Sisseton Indian Tribe, and it is now a picturesque state park that unfolds the area's history. Visitor Center with interpretive displays and gift shop is open daily from Open House Weekend through September. Guided tours are available, please call ahead.
Adams Homestead and Nature PreserveMcCook Lake
Spanning 1,500 acres along the Missouri River, this area was donated to the people of South Dakota in 1984 by Mary and Maud Adams, granddaughters of original homesteader Stephen Searls Adams. Restored historical buildings include: Lamont Country School, Sha/Adams House, Stavenger Lutheran Church and Brusseau Cabin. Tours of the buildings are available through reservation.
Lewis & Clark National Historic TrailMulti-state
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean.
Minuteman Missile National Historic SitePhilip
Here you will find remnants of the Cold War, including an underground launch control center and a missile silo. Minuteman missiles held the power to destroy civilization. Yet the same destructive force acted as a deterrent which kept the peace for three decades. At Minuteman Missile it is possible to revisit the Cold War and learn how nuclear war came to haunt the world.
Red Cloud MuseumPine Ridge
The Heritage Center of Red Cloud Indian School opened as a museum in 1982. It offers to the public - local, national, and international - an outstanding collection of Native American fine arts and Lakota tribal arts, located on the main campus of Red Cloud Indian School. One of the early successful museum located on an Indian reservation, The Heritage Center's fine arts collection includes over two thousand paintings, drawings, and sculptures representing a large number of different Native American tribal traditions. Its tribal arts collection concentrates on traditional Lakota arts and history.
Journey MuseumRapid City
The Journey Museum takes you on an incredible trek through time, from the violent upheaval that formed the mystical Black Hills over 2.5 billion years ago to the continuing saga of the Western Frontier. When your journey is complete, you will fully understand the legacy of the land and its people. Planetarium on site.
Old Courthouse MuseumSioux Falls
The building is constructed of native Sioux Quartzite stone, a popular local building material of the late 19th century. When completed in 1893, Dow claimed the structure would be the "largest courthouse between Chicago and Denver." Interior courthouse features include slate stairs, granite pillars, stained glass windows, and tiled fireplaces. Perhaps one of the most striking features of the building is the 16 large murals on the walls of the hallways painted between 1915 and 1917. Painted by Norwegian immigrant Ole Running, the murals detail early life in Dakota, natural features, and images of his home in Norway. Today, you can visit three floors of public exhibit space that provide a colorful look at the region's history.
Pettigrew Home and MuseumSioux Falls
One of R.F. Pettigrew's passions was his collecting. He was a world traveler and amateur archaeologist. His holdings led him to build his own museum on the rear of his home that opened to the public in 1925. Artifacts such as stone tools, projectile points, Native American clothing, guns, natural history specimens, and items related to the settlement of Sioux Falls all were included. When he died in 1926, he left his home and museum to the city of Sioux Falls to be maintained as a museum.
Washington PavilionSioux Falls
The Washington Pavilion is the perfect destination for your next field trip! Numerous engaging and inspiring science exhibits, performances, art and science programs and large format films will help supplement your curriculum and fulfill content standards. Enjoy reviewing our Field Trip Planning Guide below for all of the educational and fun options for your next field trip to the Washington Pavilion! https://www.washingtonpavilion.org/education/educators
High Plains Western Heritage CenterSpearfish
The High Plains Western Heritage Center includes a Five-State Regional Museum founded to honor the old west pioneers of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming & Nebraska. View quality exhibits of Western art, Artifacts & Memorabilia including the original Spearfish to Deadwood Stagecoach, turn-of-the-century kitchen, saddle shop, and a blacksmith shop. Forestry, mining, ranching & rodeo are also depicted. Outdoor displays feature a furnished log cabin, rural schoolhouse, and antique farm equipment.
Spirit Mound Historic PrairieVermillion
Having heard legends of little spirits living at Paha Wakan, now know as Spirit Mound, the Lewis and Clark expedition was intrigued. On August 25, 1804, while the rest of the expedition went on up the river, Captains Lewis and Clark took several men and Lewis' dog, Seaman, on a nine mile walk to Spirit Mound. Seaman, suffering from the heat, had to be sent back to the Vermillion River. Despite the rumors of danger, the men approached the hill and climbed to the summit. Years later, the Flood Control Act of 1944 resulted in damming of the river, and most of the sites where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped or visited are now underwater. There are very few places where a person can stand today and know that Lewis and Clark stood in the same exact location. Spirit Mound is one of those few special sites.
National Music MuseumVermillion
Founded in 1973 on the campus of The University of South Dakota in Vermillion, the National Music Museum (NMM) & Center for Study of the History of Musical Instruments is one of the great institutions of its kind in the world. Its renowned collections, which include more than 14,800 American, European, and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods, are the most inclusive anywhere.
Redlin Art CenterWatertown
An amazing architectural building with 3 stories full of Terry Redlin's art. Ask the front desk about the scavenger hunt for kids.
