Hello there,

Headed across the border next week with the family to do the Mt. Rushmore touristy thing.  Staying in Rapid City, any suggestions on family friendly things to do while we are there?  Any must see gun shops?  Figured with Ellsworth somewhat close by there might be some decent surplus stores to check out, but looks like there is only one in Rapid, or are there others closer to Ellsworth?

Was thinking of doing the helicopter tour of Rushmore but have been told its a waste of money for a 4 minute flight for the cheap tour and about 9 minutes for the most expensive.

Anyone eat at Fuji?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Hill City is a fun stop, eat at the Alpine Inn for lunch, amazing authentic German food. Cool dinosaur museum a few doors down from the Apline Inn, ride the 1880 steam train.

Not much for must see gun related stuff.

Ellsworth AFB museum is pretty dope, the B1-b's are out flying around all the time so you might get to watch them.

Total tourist traps but Reptile Gardens and Bear Country USA are good family places. There's Old McDonald's Petting Zoo, or some such, but I don't know how touristy it is. The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop is great. Fam will get to see all kinds of critters in their beautiful, natural habitat: antelope, bison, prairie dogs, burros that will mob your vehicle for food. Lots of lakes for picnicking. And, yeah, you gotta eat at The Alpine Inn in Hill City. Sugar Shack outside of Deadwood/Lead has amazing burgers. In Rapid I like to hit Talley's Silver Spoon for breakfast/brunch. Que Pasa has decent food and good margaritas.

First stop is a decent gun store

The surplus store is a few doors down from there if I recall. Haven't been

Pactola is a nice lake walk and decent shore fishing

Canyon lake in town is nice too and good fishing

Bear country reptile gardens and old McDonald's always are a hit with kids. They will be full but if you have kids you probably are used to it(none are that bad)

Spearfish canyon is a very pretty drive and relatively short with a few stops to hike.

Keystone is a tourist trap in general.

Hill City as said above is a nice stop.

Lake sylvan is full this time of year but still pretty and nice to hike around and swim or fish. The needles drive is worth the trip that way too

Fuji is good if you like that style of dining.  I like Delmonico Grill for fine dining.