Vacation packages to South Dakota: more than just the wide-open prairie

You might imagine South Dakota as a plain state - in more ways than one. But what the state lacks in big-city attractions, it makes up for in unique natural features and quirky towns.

While eastern South Dakota contains most of the state's population, western South Dakota, thought of by some as the gateway to the Wild West, likely offers the most thrills to visitors. Buying or building your own vacation packages to the Black Hills or the Wild West outpost of Deadwood will allow you to choose the sites that interest you most.

If you're searching for cheap flights to Rapid City, S.D., you may want to consider making the scenic drive up from Denver, where you might be able to find a better deal on airfare because it's a larger hub.

Here are some things to check out on your trip to western South Dakota:

Two national parks -- Badlands National Park offers visitors a chance to see stunning landforms, as it features uniquely eroded buttes that twist and turn, with striped rock in contrasting colors. Roads wind throughout the park featuring multiple scenic vistas. Wind Cave National Park features 131 miles of explored caves, with that number growing each year as explorers find more corridors.

The Black Hills -- Hills is a bit of a misnomer, as these pine-shrouded peaks can reach more than 7,000 feet and are the tallest mountains east of the Rockies. The Black Hills sprout from the Great Plains to the east and offer rustic charm and abundant recreation opportunities to visitors.

Monuments -- Perhaps the most iconic national monument outside of Washington, D.C., Mt. Rushmore is on a 5,700-foot peak in the Black Hills. Not far away, the Crazy Horse Memorial has been under construction since 1948 and even though it's far from completion, it's still a sight to see. The face of Crazy Horse has been completed and his head will be taller than the presidents' heads on Mount Rushmore when finished. The entire monument is expected to be 641 feet wide and 563 high.

Deadwood. Steeped in Wild West lore, this city within the Black Hills offers visitors the chance to step back to that era, as many of the original buildings still stand. The town also offers tourist attractions in the form of ski hills and casinos. The drive north through Spearfish Canyon is considered by many to be one of the most scenic drives in the country.

With the help of travel sites like Travelocity, you can design vacation packages that will allow you to see all the famous sites and some well-kept secrets of western South Dakota.

Courtesy of ARAcontent