Best Things to Do in Sioux Falls

These are the Sioux Falls. But they’re just the centerpiece of a 123-acre park on a bend of the Big Sioux River just north of downtown. It features walking paths and bike trails and the Falls Overlook Cafe, a popular lunch spot. 

The Badlands is South Dakota’s rock formation attention hog, but don’t sleep on Palisades. It’s got some of the most unique Sioux quartzite cliffs and spires you’ll find anywhere. 

In the winter, it’s Sioux Falls’ best skiing (and tubing) spot. In the summer, it’s full of hiking trails and panoramic vistas.

Along with being a beautiful hiking area, Good Earth State Park is a National Historic Landmark. It was home to Native American civilizations as early as 1300.

A year-round exhibit where an ever-changing roster of artists adorns the downtown streets with sculptures from Falls Park to Washington Pavilion. There are more than 55 in total.

Get on I-90 W., drive 25 miles and you’ll find a 60-foot-tall bull’s head. Around it are more than 50 sculptures, most made from scrap metal and old farm equipment.

Sioux Falls is home to full-scale replicas of two Renaissance masterpieces: Michelangelo’s David and Moses. 

An unpretentious bar with plenty of regulars and traditional lamb chislic. 

This is a hip, slightly -larger bar in southeast Sioux Falls that serves beef chislic.

Acclaimed pastry chef Chris Hanmer took home a gold medal from the World Pastry Team Championship and won Top Chef: Just Desserts. Now, he plates up elegant, European-style pastries in Downtown Sioux Falls. His French macarons are a must-try and come in unique flavors like fruity cereal and s’more.

A laid-back deli that blends comfort and creativity. They serve sweet and savory crepes, sandwiches, lunch specials and prix fixe dinners on weekends. 

An upscale restaurant with a seasonal menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients. Their Wagyu beef burger won the 2020 Downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle.

Their two, locally owned locations bake fresh, New York-style bagels on the premises all day long. 

A record store and “community-oriented art and music space” that’s gained a reputation as the city’s best small live music venue. They showcase local bands but also draw some bigger names who are passing through.

In 1918, this stone monolith was constructed as the Sioux Falls National Bank. Over 100 years later, it’s been reborn as a stylish and welcoming hotel. Its interior still shows off the bank’s interesting architectural features — specifically the vault, which now serves as an entrance to the hotel’s lounge. The rooms themselves offer an array of sleek, contemporary designs.

Also see:

Hotel on Phillips

The pulsing artery of downtown’s culture and nightlife is Phillips Ave. Stop by the throwback Phillips Avenue Diner, play some games at EightyOne Arcade Bar, sample some beer at WoodGrain Brewing Co. and definitely stop in at CH Patisserie (see above) for a macaron. 

The erosion of sedimentary rock has given the Badlands it’s striped-mountains look. The Badlands Loop Scenic Byway will take you to some of the park’s best lookout points and hiking trails. It’s nearly a four-hour drive from Sioux Falls, but there are plenty of campsites, so pack a tent. You’ll want to stay to see a sunrise over the painted hills anyway.

Rain, snow or sunshine, this place is a tropical paradise. The butterfly house lets you walk among 800 free-flying butterflies from around the world. And the aquarium offers hands-on encounters in the Stingray Touch Pool and Pacific Tide Pool.

Here you’ll get an up-close look at more than 1,000 animals, including endangered species like the snow leopard and giant anteater. It also includes the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, which houses 150 mounted animals.

The largest waterpark in the state. It has five waterslides, a wave pool, swim-up bars, go-karts, a mini-golf course and more.