On Vacation

On Vacation: What would life be like in South Dakota without vacation time? This episode explores how leisure and travel have been entwined with the history of South Dakota from the earliest times. Even in the 1830s, visitors "vacationed" here to see our natural wonders. From Mount Rushmore National Memorial to the Great Lakes on the Missouri, from the lower James River Valley to the lake country of Sisseton, South Dakota, is a vacation wonderland.

Episode Activities

Episode Quiz

Student Glossary

Guided Notes (answers)

Crossword Puzzle (answers)

Discussion Cards

Class Activity (download) Tourism: Then and Now

Episode Script

Related Resources
Additional videos, activities, and more below.

Screenshot of the Dakota Pathways: On Vacation YouTube playlist.

On Vacation Additional Videos

YouTube Playlist with a variety episode related topics including the Badlands, the Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore

Photo of artwork - photos of two original Corn Palace murals, one of a farmer and one of a bird scene. There are also two recreations made with tissue paper.

Tissue Paper Mural - Corn Palace

Learn about the world’s only Corn Palace, and create or recreate a Corn Palace mural using tissue paper.

South Dakota Department of Tourism

There are plenty of fun things to do in South Dakota for adventurers of all ages and interests.

Archival photos of the Black Hills Passion Play.

Black Hills Passion Play 1939-2008

For 69 summer seasons, the Black Hills Passion Play drew people to a 6,000 seat Spearfish amphitheater.

Archival photo of a grandstand full of spectators.

Forestburg's Ruskin Park

Ruskin Park is significant because it illustrates the history of recreational activities in the Midwest.

Archival photo of a busy street during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Races

The South Dakota Historical Society looks at the history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Archival photo of Alfred Hitchcock standing next to a photo of Mount Rushmore.

Alfred Hitchcock at Mount Rushmore

The South Dakota Historical Society chronicles the filming and controversy of Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

Archival photo of two hunters holding shot guns and pheasants.

The Culture of Pheasant Hunting

The South Dakota Historical Society takes us back to the early to mid-1900s pheasant hunting traditions.

Wall Drug Store Art Activity (download)

Design and present a marketing plan.

Native American Tribes in South Dakota

Experience genuine hospitality, discover authentic art, and hear about a fascinating history & unique culture.

A person climbing spires in the Black Hills.

Climbing Black Hills Spires

Pete Cleveland's climb of Superpin still baffles and astounds nearly 50 years later.

Custer's Big Rock Aerial Tramway

The idea was perfect. Build a cable car tramway originating in downtown Custer that would transport tourists.

Archival photo of Dinosaur Park, Rapid City, SD.

Dinosaur Park Sculptor Emmet Sullivan

In downtown Rapid City, you can see giant creatures on a ridge of sandstone at the top of a hill.

A pheasant hunter walking in a cornfield.

State's Pheasant Tourism Efforts

Hunters take to the South Dakota prairie every year for the fall pheasant season.

Pheasant Salad Sandwiches

For the hunters in your class - WWII Pheasant Canteen's famous pheasant salad sandwich recipe.

The Miller Bulls

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Bonus Activity: Many communities in South Dakota have unusual tourist attractions. Identify attractions in your region. Then, design and build a “scaled” model of a new tourist attraction.

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