South Dakota The Monumental State

Mountains carved with faces. Faces carved with history.

South Dakota is not on the way to anywhere. It is a place you have to decide to visit. And the travelers who decide to come are rewarded with the Badlands at sunrise, a 50-foot Lakota woman overlooking the Missouri River, the largest motorcycle rally in the world, and four 60-foot granite presidents staring out over the Black Hills.

This is Volume 2 of Driving America — a premium independent guidebook series covering every U.S. state. It is the most thorough guide to South Dakota currently in print.

WHAT'S INSIDE:

• 16 destination chapters covering every region — Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Yankton, Pierre, Chamberlain, Mobridge, Aberdeen, Watertown, Badlands National Park, Rapid City, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Hill City, Deadwood, Spearfish, Sturgis, and Hot Springs

• 6 special chapters on the things that make South Dakota matter — Lakota Country (with cultural protocols for respectful visiting), 1.8 billion years of Black Hills geology, wildlife of the prairie and Black Hills, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally universe, food culture (chislic, walleye, frybread, kuchen), and South Dakota's surprising "firsts"

• 28 archival photographs from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive at the Library of Congress

• 6 custom maps and diagrams including the Black Hills, Badlands North Unit, the nine reservations of Lakota Country, and a geological elevation profile

• Itineraries for 3-day, 5-day, 7-day, and 10-day trips

• Restaurant recommendations from 50-year traditions and culturally significant local spots

• Practical guidance on budget, accessibility, families, couples and solo travelers, seniors, and essential safety

THE EDITORIAL APPROACH:

Every chapter includes an "Honest Take" — direct, opinionated guidance that tells you what's worth your time, what to skip, when to come, and how long to stay. No generic praise. No paid placements. No invented restaurants. Just the perspective of a frie