This summer, I'm flying west to go to my friend's wedding in Bozeman MT. I'd like to stop by SD for a day or two since it's on the way. I'm a huge military history buff, so I was looking into taking a tour of the Minuteman Missile site and facility. Has anybody ever done this and would they recommend it?
https://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm

My plan is to fly into Sioux Falls, drive out west, and stay near Pierre. That puts me in driving distance of the Minuteman site, and possibly Badlands national park. Any other advice on what to see around the area?

Thanks

Your going to drive from Pierre to Bozeman? That's a 10 and a half hour drive..... and its a really really boring drive to boot. The silo tour is cool but there is literally nothing else around, its closer to Wall than Phillip I think, so you could hop on over to Wall Drug and see that. Ellsworth AFB has a cool museum with planes outside and some cool shit inside, last 2 times I was there the B1b's were out flying around nice and low.

Planning on flying from SD to Bozeman, which probably entails driving from PIerre back to Sioux Falls.

Ew.

You'd be better off trying to fly into Rapid City if possible.

If you fly into Sioux Falls, you're looking at a boring three-hour drive to Pierre, a boring two-hour drive to Wall, a boring two-hour drive back to Pierre, and then another boring three-hour drive back to Sioux Falls, only to fly out again.

I guess that does look better. If I stay in Rapid City it will also be close enough to visit Mt Rushmore and other nearby attractions

just booked my tickets. Will be flying in and out of Rapid City instead.

On the itinerary are the Minuteman Missile site, Elsworth AFB museum, and Mt Rushmore. Looking for recommendations for other scenic spots in the Black Hills or Badlands National Park, as well as decent places to eat in Rapid City. Thanks

Good choice. I always make sure to drive Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, Needle's Highway. Try for Spearfish Canyon too. Places to eat in Rapid, I like Que Pasa and Talley's Silver Spoon for breakfast. Hill City has the Alpine Inn for great German food at lunch. The Sugar Shack south of Deadwood/Lead looks like a complete dump but serves amazing burgers.

+1 for the Alpine Inn, very very good German lunch. A surprisingly good dinosaur and fossil museum a few doors down too, its the guys that found Sue the most complete t-rex ever and got fucked over by a greedy rancher and the government.

damnit...just realized that the Sturgis Motorcycle rally is from 8/4-8/13. I'm going to be in town on 8/1-8/3...think I''ll miss the crowds? Maybe I'll stay east and stick toward Badlands National Park

You'll miss the worst of the crowds but you won't miss them entirely. Sturgis has "official" dates but a lot of people show up beforehand.

I had no idea that existed in Philip.

Just got back and had a great time in SD.

Minuteman Missile historic site is great. The visitors center is a very cool museum about the buildup of ICBMs in the great plains states and in the context of the Cold War as a whole. The ranger led tour of the Delta-01 Launch Control facility is awesome as well. The control facility is totally preserved as it was in the late 1980s, and you get to go down into the bunker through the blast doors into the actual launch control station. Well worth the $6 admission. Tours book up fast.

SD Air and Space museum is cool too. Nice static displays and you get to see B-1s fly in and out of Elsworth AFB right next door.

Also spent a couple days hiking Badlands National Park, which was awesome. Definitely one of the coolest national parks I've ever been to. I tried to stay east of Rapid City due to the growing Sturgis Rally crowds.