Each year, Family Fun Month is celebrated throughout the month of August. It is the opportune time to enjoy family with extra fun and activities.  Custer and the Southern Black Hills of South Dakota are incredibly family-friendly and perfect places to enjoy time together.  Here are a few ideas of fun things to do that the whole family will love:

Custer Area
1881 Courthouse Museum - Housed in the original Dakota Territory courthouse, the 1881 Courthouse Museum explores the history of the Black Hills and Dakota Territory from 1874 to present day.

Adventure Rentals - Enjoy time in nature on utvs, bicycles, scooters, slingshots, kayaks, and paddleboards.

Big Rock Park Overlook and many other hiking trails – Stop in the Custer Visitor Information Center for recommendations and maps.

Black Hills Aerial Adventures – Helicopter rides featuring eye level views of Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments, the unique to this area Cathedral Spires, Needles Highway, Custer State Park, the Badlands National Park and so much more.

Black Hills Balloons – Witness untouched wilderness, a breathtaking 360-degree sunrise and local wildlife from a hot air balloon.

Blue Bell Hayride Chuckwagon Cookout – Take an old-fashioned hayride in Custer State Park. Sing along as you travel through the back roads of the park to a quiet meadow where you’ll be treated to a chuck wagon feast and entertainment.

Blue Bell Stables-Trail Rides – Saddle up for a scenic ride in Custer State Park and the surrounding Black Hills.

Buffalo Ridge Adventures – Get out and enjoy time in the area on utvs, e-bikes, mountain bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards.

Crazy Horse Memorial – The world’s largest mountain carving in progress and home to the Indian Museum of North America.

Custer State Park – Home to a large roaming bison herd, this 71,000-acre park features scenic drives, fishing, swimming, hiking, camping and four outstanding resorts in a must-see setting.

Four Mile Old West Ghost Town – Step back in to yesterday and experience the old west as it really was.

Frisbee Golf Course – Get a map and check out discs from the Custer Visitor Information Center.

Grizzly Gulch Adventure Golf - 18-hole mini golf course

Hollingsworth Horses - Guided horseback riding that lets you ride where you want on their scenic 122-acre ranch.

Jewel Cave National Monument – Take a tour of the third longest cave in the world.

Mickelson Trail – 114-mile hiking, bicycling and horseback riding trail through the heart of the Black Hills.

South Dakota Outdoor Shop - Stand-up paddle board and kayak rentals for paddling around one of the many area lakes. (Stand-up paddle boards are great fun and an awesome way to spend a day on the water!) Mickelson Trail bike rentals and trail passes.

Sylvan Rocks Climbing School & Guide Service – Enjoy rock climbing in Custer State Park-good for beginners to advanced climbers.

Rockin’ R Rides - Daily guided trail rides in family-friendly, small group setting with professional and knowledgeable guides.

Rocky Knolls Golf Course – 9-hole park 36 golf course right in Custer.

Hill City Area
1880 Train – See the Black Hills by vintage steam train (starts in Hill City and Keystone)

Circle B Ranch Chuck Wagon Supper & Music Show – For supper, choose roast beef or BBQ chicken with all the cowboy fixin’s.  After supper, the Circle B Cowboys entertain their guests with old-time western music and ranch humor.

Rabbit Bicycles and Black Hills Shuttle – Rent a bicycle, tandem bicycle, e-bike, or electric bike PLUS schedule a shuttle to drop you off or pick you up along the Mickelson Trail.

Hot Springs Area
Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary – Take a tour to see hundreds of wild horses roam on 11,000 acres of their natural habitat. 

Mammoth Site – A National Natural Landmark that is an internationally renowned indoor working paleontological site/museum.

Wind Cave National Park – The sixth longest cave in the world.  The Park is home to bison, prairie dogs, antelope, elk, coyote, mule and white-tailed deer.

Keystone Area
1880 Train - See the Black Hills by vintage steam train (starts in Keystone and Hill City)

Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Mount Rushmore offers a variety of guided Ranger tours, interpretative programs and an award-winning audio tour. During the summer months, a moving and patriotic evening program ends with the lighting of the faces. A gift shop, café, and Sculptor’s Studio are also onsite.

Rush Mountain Adventure Park-Home of Rushmore Cave -  Explore Rushmore Cave on a scenic cave tour, cruise down the mountain on the Rushmore Mountain Coaster, soar through the air on the Soaring Eagle Zipline Ride, shoot 'em up at the Gunslinger 7-D Interactive Ride, and find your inner daredevil at the NEW Wingwalker Challenge Course.

Just Outside the Southern Hills Area
Bear Country USA – Unique drive-thru wildlife park features North American animals roaming free in their natural habitat.

Chapel in the Hills - The Chapel is an exact replica of the Borgund Stavkirke in Norway.  Also visit the prayer/meditation walk, log cabin museum, and grass-roofed gift shop.

Reptile Gardens - A premier South Dakota destination that houses some of the world’s deadliest snakes and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Reptile Zoo.

South Dakota Air & Space Museum - A free family attraction honoring the achievements of aviation, space, and military service in South Dakota and across the nation.  The museum has 35 historic aircraft and four large indoor galleries.