South Dakota is most famous for the badlands and the Black Hills National Forest. No matter what the weather is like you can’t come to South Dakota without seeing Mount Rushmore. Granted the weather might be chilly but this is an epic sculpture that shouldn’t be missed. The sculpture on the mountain features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The mountain is located in the Black Hills and is the world’s largest mountain carving. The faces are 60 foot high and 500 feet up. They look out over a setting the forest of the Black Hills.

Dress warm for the South Dakota State Parks weekend “Walk in the Park” program. These are held every weekend throughout the month and feature a wide variety of educational programs. These are guided hikes that give you the opportunity to learn about the parks and the wildlife that reside there. In the winter months enjoy snowshoe stomps, hikes, the Bald Eagles and other animal events. Events are held on the weekends and at various times and at different parks. Be sure to check the South Dakota State Parks site for more information for planning.

The Annual Artists of the Plains Art Show and Sale is held in Sioux Falls every February. The event is the longest running regional art show that promotes artists from the area. The public has the opportunity to view art by twenty-five invited artists. Themes range from Western and Native American to wildlife. There is also a silent auction that is held to give you the opportunity to purchase some of the art yourself. Awards are also handed out to the best of the show for paintings as well as three-dimensional artwork.

The National Music Museum is located on the campus of The University of South Dakota in Vermillion. The museum is filled with more than 10,000 instruments from various cultures and eras. They also offer audio tours that will lead you through the massive collection of musical instruments and artifacts. In South Dakota you have many options of things to do in February. Whether you want to stay warm and browse the many museums or enjoy the snow and learn to snowshoe, the options are endless.

South Dakota is the known as the land of great places, and great places. It is mostly famous for being the home for Mount Rushmore, but also well recognized for its abundant wildlife, and magnificent geography. It stands among some of the most beautiful places in the United States to visit, and still retains its reputation at representing greatness as Mount Rushmore’s location. Here are some of the great adventures in South Dakota that can enhance your vacationing endeavors:

Crazy Horse memorial: This memorial began in 1939 being carved by the great artist Korczac Ziolkoski; it is a tribute to all the American Indians. It remains unfinished as Kiolkoski’s family continues the legacy to complete it. When it is done, it will become the world’s largest mountain sculpture ever carved in history. Many people flock to crazy horse to get a glimpse of what might exceed Mount Rushmore in notoriety.

The Black Hills Caves: South Dakota houses many of the world’s largest and most vast caves that exist on this planet. It has two major distinctive national parks, Jewel Cave National park, and Wind cave National Park. South Dakota has eight caves that are open to the public, but many more that are closed. The caves that exist here are known to be the most enveloped, and contain the most intricate tunnels of all the caves that have been discovered in the United States. The Jewel Caves were named after; the apparent shiny reflections that the caves crystals cause to expel like prisms.

The Corn Palace: Unlike the many structures that are housed in South Dakota this monument is not made of granite. It is a palace made of corn. It was developed in 1892 to display and expose South Dakota’s ecological contributions to the United States. It is free for the public to view, and is one of the most uniquely intriguing form of architecture that has been built.

Laura Ingles Wilder: Visit the origin where famed author Laura Ingles Wilder changed the history of literature by writing several of her Little House on the Prairie books. View the actual house that she lived in, and basks in the setting she so well described.

The Missouri River: Running right smack down the middle of the state of South Dakota is the Missouri river. This river is a portal for tourists to enjoy the outdoors by entertaining themselves with recreational activities such as, fishing, camping, swimming, and kayaking.

Mount Rushmore: Of course no trip to South Dakota would be complete without taking in the Mount Rushmore location in Keystone, by getting your breath taken away by the monumental memorial that represents the great Presidents of the United States. Now known as the world’s largest mountain sculpture, Mount Rushmore continues to draw millions of spectators to its panoramic nostalgia.