By Rhea Landholm, office coordinator at Main Street Square and Destination Rapid City

The Main Street Square ice skating rink is one of the newest places to visit in Rapid City, and was even voted the best “first date” place in Rapid City.

Did you come see us last year? If you did, you would see that the rink is in an oval shape, and is bigger than New York City’s Rockefeller Center. There are plenty of places where people can sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. There’s even a fire pit where you can warm up.

If you’ve only seen Main Street Square during the summer, you know that the distinct oval shape is there, circling a lawn and the interactive fountain area. Main Street Square staff has been working hard the past couple of weeks to erect dasher boards, and to lie down glycol matting in that oval (right over the green grass).

This week, staff has been spraying water on the mats with the hose, and the chiller, a large refrigeration system that is set up in the alley, is pumping glycol underground to those mats, to freeze the ice.

The ice should be ready and glistening by Saturday morning, when the rink will open at 10 a.m. When you arrive, be sure to visit the Skate Shack to pay for a wristband that allows you onto the ice (and sign a waiver, or have an adult sign for you). We also rent ice skates if you don’t have your own. Helmets are free!

Once you have a wristband, you may skate the entire day. So, skate for an hour, then visit local shops and restaurants, and return to the rink later for more skating.

I can’t wait to glide across the fresh ice, and watch the mini-Zamboni drive in circles cleaning the ice.

Join us at Main Street Square in Downtown Rapid City for [FUN]²!

Check out Main Street Square’s Facebook page too – just search for Main Street Square!

If you’re looking for a shopping experience with a little something for everyone, look no further than Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City. This past week, we paid a visit to the Square and I was completely impressed by the progress that has taken place during the last several months. The first time I visited the Square was last November, and while that trip certainly sparked my interest in the project, this visit caused me to see just how amazing Main Street Square really is. In November, there were people skating on the ice rink and holiday music was playing, giving me the feeling that I was a part of a charming Christmas scene. This was so movie-moment-perfect that I got caught up in the spectacle of the Square and failed to notice how well-planned and user-friendly the area is. It is obvious that the Square was designed to be enjoyed; there are dozens of chairs throughout the facility and the public “green” area promises year-round entertainment and enjoyment for the community, as well as for visitors.

On the website dedicated to the shopping side of Main Street Square, the series of boutiques and eateries are described as being “a galleria of interesting things to see, taste and buy.”  The stores truly are exceptional and should be experienced firsthand! My personal favorite is Mitzi’s Books, which I think personifies everything a bookstore should be, but I also enjoyed wandering through the outdoor adventurer’s haven, Roam’n Around. You also shouldn’t miss the Gnar Spot, which is the only rider-owned and operated skate and snowboard shop in the area. The variety of stores incorporated in Main Street Square makes the experience even better. For example, Who’s Toy House is a fantastic toy store that provides a colorful array of unique toys and games to store-goers. Beyond the main building which houses these stores, Rapid City’s downtown area boasts a wonderful array of shops and restaurants, all of which are worth venturing into.

I definitely recommend that visitors to the Black Hills pay the Square a visit, it’s certainly worth the time. I can hardly wait to see what the Square will become in the future, and what it will come to mean to the Rapid City community. For more information about Main Street Square, please visit http://mainstreetsquarerc.com/.

Amid bustling Rapid City, there is a place where favorite childhood stories live. Rapid City’s Storybook Island is one of South Dakota’s Great Places.

Storybook Island opened in 1959 after the Rapid City Rotary Club saw a need for establishing and operating a free children’s park. Through donations from individuals and community businesses, Storybook Island was born and was an instant success. Residents and visitors of the Black Hills area continue to enjoy the family tradition that has been in existence for over 50 years at Storybook Island.

Upon arrival at the park, guests are instantly reminded of beloved storybook favorites. The park is filled with sets that portray characters from children’s classic stories, famous fables, and favorite nursery rhymes. See Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs house, travel through Winnie the Pooh’s 100-Acre Woods, and take pictures with the famous Dalmatian dogs.

The park features a train ride, a maze, various playgrounds, and swing sets.

Storybook Island also features a children’s theatre. Although the park is free there is a small admittance fee for theatre performances. The tickets per person are $1.00. Performances include: Rapunzel, The Crocodile Prince, Rumplestiltskin, and The Greatest Superhero. Most of the shows are scheduled for every Tuesday through Saturday at 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm. Visit Storybook Island’s Children’s Theatre website for more details regarding performance times for the summer.

Storybook Island is open 7 days per wwweek from 9 am to 8 pm. To learn more visit the Storybook Island website.

This information is part of the South Dakota Department of Tourism’s Great Places series.

Imagine what 1,000 tons of dirt and miles upon miles of steel fencing looks like inside a civic center. It looks like what PRCA Rodeo has named one of the Best Indoor Rodeos. The Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo is kicking off another great year on Thursday, January 27; the event runs through Sunday, February 6.

Each year Rapid City, South Dakota hosts this great event that includes PRCA rodeo action, cattle sales, team roping, AGHA show, horse sales, ranch rodeos, North American Sheepdog trials, a large selection of booth and vendors and free entertainment.

The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo provides a great way for families to get out and enjoy events and vendor booths while the weather is frigid. The event is held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Imagine what 1,000 tons of dirt and miles upon miles of steel fencing looks like inside a civic center. It looks like what PRCA Rodeo has named one of the Best Indoor Rodeos. The Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo is kicking off another great year on Thursday, January 27; the event runs through Sunday, February 6.

Each year Rapid City, South Dakota hosts this great event that includes PRCA rodeo action, cattle sales, team roping, AGHA show, horse sales, ranch rodeos, North American Sheepdog trials, a large selection of booth and vendors and free entertainment.

The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo provides a great way for families to get out and enjoy events and vendor booths while the weather is frigid. The event is held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Growing up in a family with four kids (all in braces) we never really had the money to take lavish vacations…instead we took lots of road trips. My dad would hook up the camper and my mom would pack coolers full of snacks and away we would go on our “Griswold-like” getaways. We always made lots of stops and enjoyed the sights along the way. Today, I still look forward to a good road trip, especially across South Dakota. That’s because there are so many fun and interesting stops along I-90 that can make your road trip a true adventure. So grab the kids and hop in the car because here are my top 10 places on the way to the “faces”.

10. Palisades State Park in Garretson - This will take you a few miles off the interstate but it’s worth the extra time. You’ll be driving along next to cornfields when all of a sudden you’re in a quartzite canyon carved by a meandering creek. Rock climbers love the Palisades for its 60-foot vertical cliffs, be we love it because of the unique beautyf in the middle of a flat prairie.

• HISTORY BUFF ALERT! Located in the park is Devil’s Gulch. This is where legend tells of the outlaw Jess James jumping the gap to escape lawmen. Today, a bridge will guide you across the gap or you can take a pontoon ride on Split Rock Creek and learn all about the infamous incident.

9. Sioux Falls – Located just off I-29 and I-90, Sioux Falls is the place for fine dining and excellent shopping. You’ll also find all kinds of family-friendly attractions like museums, zoos and water parks.

8. Mitchell – Home to the World’s Only Corn Palace, Mitchell offers unique family attractions you’ll only see as you head west on I-90. Mitchell also has museums that showcase homesteading, prehistoric and Native American history.

7. Chamberlain – Nestled along the shores of the Missouri River, Chamberlain is a great place to find some peace and quiet. Visit the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center to view historic exhibits and Lakota fine art, then head over to the South Dakota Hall of Fame to learn about famous South Daktoans.

• HISTORY BUFF ALERT! Stop at the I-90 Visitor Center and re-trace the footsteps of explorers Lewis & Clark. The visitor center has exhibits and artifacts, not to mention an overlook shaped like the deck of a keel boat.

6. Pierre – The capital city on the Missouri River has many activities for families. The galleries of the Cultural Heritage Center tell stories of South Dakotans with life-sized exhibits. It’s always fun to feed the geese that live on Capitol Lake, or look for the elusive blue tiles in the Capitol building. The war memorials are a must-see as well. These life-like statues depict men and women from all service branches who have fought in WWI, II, Korea and Vietnam.

5. Pioneer Auto Show in Murdo – Nothing says road trip more than a collection of historic cars, rocks and other Americana nostalgia. The Pioneer Auto Show has almost 400 rare and collectible cars, tractors and motorcycles. Highlights include a 1948 Tucker, the Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee and Elvis Presley’s Harley Davidson.

4. Badlands National Park – This truly unique site features lunar-like rock surfaces and colorful plateaus. Badlands National Park is filled with water-chiseled ridges and rugged canyons perfect for hiking and stretching your legs. If you’re really lucky you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black-footed ferret which was re-introduced into the park in 1994 as part of a recovery effort. The Badlands are also home to big horn sheep, buffalo, deer and antelope.

• HISTORY BUFF ALERT! Western South Dakota played a key role in the Cold War with more than 150 nuclear missile silos and 15 launch control facilities buried under the prairie grasses. Two of these sites, the Delta One Launch Control Facility and the Delta Nine Launch Facility, have been preserved to provide visitors with a unique Cold War history lesson. The launch facility dates back to the Cuban Missile Crisis and only a few modifications were made when deactivating the site. The Minuteman National Historic Site is located near the north entrance to Badlands National Park.

3. Rapid City – Before you get to Mount Rushmore National Memorial make a stop in Rapid City. While you’re there, wander downtown among the Presidential statues or visit one of the family-friendly attractions.

2. Crazy Horse Memorial – More than 50 years ago an immigrant sculptor began this mountain carving memorializing the great Lakota Sioux chief Crazy Horse. Today, you can see this monument-in-the-making and learn more about the rich Native American heritage of the Black Hills.

1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial – You will stare America’s history in the face when you stand at the foot of Mount Rushmore. Carved out of a granite mountain, this Shrine of Democracy symbolizes our country’s commitment to freedom and democracy. Don’t miss the nightly lighting ceremony where you will learn more about the making of the monument and pay tribute to our troops who bravely defend the United States.

Those are my 10 places on the way to the faces. Do you have a favorite I-90 stop?