Whether you like adventures in the great outdoors, learning something new at museums, or visiting a water park, Sioux Falls, South Dakota has something for everyone. If you’d like a little help planning the perfect visit, we’ve got you covered with a jam-packed Sioux Falls itinerary.
If you want a more relaxing vacation, you may want to rent an RV for your vacation in Sioux Falls. It’s easy to find a campsite in a modern RV park in or around the city, and you won’t need to worry about noisy neighbors on the other side of the wall, like in a hotel room. You’ll also have the freedom to travel from one attraction to the next at your own pace.
Search RV rentals in the Sioux Falls area.
Preparing for Your Sioux Falls RV Trip
When planning your two-day trip to Sioux Falls, the first thing you’ll need to do is choose your RV rental from one of the nearby RV owners on RVshare. If you have your own truck or SUV, you may want to choose a towable trailer so you can use your vehicle to get from one destination to the other after you’ve parked your RV. Just be sure to check the towing capacity on your truck before booking your RV to be sure they’re compatible. If you’ll be flying into Sioux Falls, you may find it easier to rent a motorhome instead.
Here are some guides to help you plan your RV adventure:
• How to Choose the Best RV Size
• What Happens After I Book My RV?
• RV Parking Tips
• Essential Packing Tips for Your First RV Rental
After you’ve chosen your RV rental, it’s time to pick the perfect RV campsite near Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls KOA Journey is a great choice if you want to have some peace and quiet while still having some options for entertainment right outside your door. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park of Sioux Falls also has lots of planned activities for guests to enjoy. Of course, if you want to be up close to nature during your stay, you can’t go wrong with a campsite in the Big Sioux Recreation Area.
Find other campground options in our comprehensive list of top-rated campgrounds in Sioux Falls.
Day 1: The Adventure Begins
Morning: Visit Falls Park
If you could only do one thing in Sioux Falls, you’d have to make time to visit the city’s namesake, Falls Park. The 128-acre park lies just north of the city along the Big Sioux River. A few must-see sights in Falls Park include the Queen Bee Mill, the Light and Power Company Building, Millrace and Dam, Seney Island, and the Horse Barn and Stockyards AG Experience.
Lunch: Enjoy Farm-Fresh Ingredients at the Falls Overlook Cafe
Since you’ll already be in Falls Park, there’s no better place to enjoy your lunch than the Falls Overlook Cafe. They offer a variety of family-friendly foods, including soups, salads, sandwiches, and, of course, ice cream. Many of their ingredients are locally sourced from farms in the area to support their mission of inspiring people to care about where their food comes from and how it’s made.
Afternoon: An Animal Adventure
The Great Plains Zoo is one of Sioux Falls’ most exciting attractions. This 45-acre park is home to over 1,000 animals and offers guests the chance to see animals like giraffes, tigers, and rhinos closer than ever. You could even ride a camel at the Hy-Vee Face-to-Face Farm! When you’ve finished touring the zoo, you can visit their on-site museum, the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, which features 150 mounted animals.
Setting Up Camp
After enjoying the day in Sioux Falls, it’s time to head over to your RV park to set up camp. You can check in at the campground office, pull into your spot, and attach the hookups. If that sounds like more work than you’d like to do, many RV owners offer delivery straight to your campsite. To find an RV rental with this service, just filter for delivery options when looking for your rental.
Dinner: Dine In
At the end of your first day in Sioux Falls, one of the best ways to enjoy a meal is surrounded by family at your campsite. Whether you choose to cook in your RV’s kitchen or toast your dinner on a campfire, you’ll have a wonderful time reminiscing about the fun you had throughout the day.
Day 2: Your Sioux Falls Adventure Continues
Morning: Experience the Legend of Jesse James
Devils Gulch Park is only a 30-minute (23.7 miles) drive from downtown Sioux Falls. While you’re there, you can hike along the many trails to see the waterfalls and red quartzite canyons. And, of course, no trip to Devils Gulch is complete without a visit to the famous bridge where the outlaw Jesse James was said to have jumped the 18-foot chasm over Split Rock Creek.
Lunch: Step Back in Time at the Diner
Grab a burger, french fries, and milkshake at the nostalgic Phillips Avenue Diner. This vintage restaurant was based around a silver Airstream trailer and gets rave reviews from locals and tourists alike.
Afternoon: Spread Your Wings
A visit to the Butterfly House & Aquarium is a fun way to spend a few hours in Sioux Falls. They have a 3,600-square-foot butterfly house and a 20,000-gallon tropical aquarium. The museum also offers educational events and classes throughout the year, so be sure to call ahead and see what exciting things are happening during your visit.
Evening: Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Sioux Falls is home to one of the oldest ballparks in the country, the Sioux Falls Stadium. If you plan a visit when the Sioux Falls Canaries are in town, you’ll make some awesome memories while taking in a game. The Birdcage also hosts all sorts of fun events, from Beer Fests to circuses, so there will almost certainly be an adventure waiting for you no matter when you visit.
Day 3 and Beyond in Sioux Falls
If you have more than two days in Sioux Falls, there are plenty of things to see during your stay, including:
• The Sioux Empire Fair: The Sioux Empire Fair is home to carnival rides, horse shows, and concerts.
• Wild Water West: This water park and campground features a waterslide complex, wave pool, lazy river, bumper boats, and more.
Winter Activities
If you visit Sioux Falls during the winter, be sure to visit Great Bear Ski Valley. They have 14 downhill trails, cross-country and snowshoeing trails, a terrain park, and a family tubing park. You could also visit Tuthill Park for sledding, ice skating, and cross-country skiing.
Indoor Activities
If you need to take a break from the heat or want to have summer fun after the season has ended, you can visit the Midco Aquatic Center. This indoor aquatic center features three pools, a water slide, and a splash pad.
Sioux Falls is full of exciting things to do, and there’s no better way to experience all the city has to offer than by renting an RV. From zoos to water parks, there’s always something new to explore.
