The urge to travel isn’t just sparked by the need to explore new places. For many of us, travel is a mental reset. A break from reality that allows us to focus on ourselves and the people we are with. It’s a special time to form deeper connections and to come away feeling rejuvenated. If you're looking to lean into spiritual and wellness experiences during your travels, Rapid City might just be the perfect place for you.
Through Movement
Start your vacation off reducing stress and anxiety on the greens in Rapid City. The beautiful golf courses in our city offer something for every level of golfer and are the perfect way to spend time outside soaking up the sun and fresh air. It's even a great way to get some exercise if you forgo the cart rental and walk the course.
Reach vacation Zen through movement by attending a yoga class at area studios like Sol Yoga Collective. This donation-based yoga studio offers a vast selection of classes including Hot Yoga, PiLonnies, Balanced Yoga and more.
Rapid City’s art scene offers a variety of ways to unwind. Art classes like Prouty Pottery’s clay classes allow you to get your hands dirty in the best kind of way. Get into the zone molding something out of nothing with the guidance of the instructor. Or head to Canvas 2 Paint where you can sip on a beverage and add your personal touch to a follow-along painting class. Both options provide a fun experience, allow you to unleash your creativity, and free yourself from everyday stressors.
Movement through hiking is plentiful and extraordinary in the Rapid City area. Fresh mountain air, glorious sites, and the peace offered by nature is truly unbeatable. Explore our top 10 trails list for suggestions or find some closer to Rapid City here.
Stress relief is found for many through fishing - and we definitely have that in our area. With prime fishing locations like Rapid Creek, Canyon Lake Park and more surrounding our city, you can find a new place to fish every day of your vacation. New to the activity, but think it might just be your ideal way to unwind? Book an instructor with a local business like Dakota Angler & Outfitter or attend a free fishing class with the local experts at Outdoor Campus-West.
Through Personal Care
Mind and body unite in relaxation when you treat yourself to a spa day. And there’s no better time to do so than on vacation! Book a romantic couples massage in Rapid City at Mystique Edge or a girl’s trip pedicure. They consider themselves the “perfect place to escape” and encourage guests to turn off or silence their cell phones and use quiet voices to fully enjoy the experience.
A unique experience can be found around a 60 minutes’ drive from Rapid City at Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa. Here you can soak in one of their six outdoor natural mineral spring pools that range in temperatures from 80-105 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to mention its fairy tale like setting.
You can also dip into the waters in Rapid City at Deep Wellness Center! Their Epsom salt pools allow guests to float on the surface of water that is kept at skin temperature. The experience allows complete relaxation through the freedom of gravity while blocking noise and light pollution of the outside world.
The polar opposite experience of floating is found at The Body Spa & Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy offers full body rejuvenation through dry nitrogen “flash freezed” cold air. This chilling effect helps individuals experience many benefits to body and mind.
Through Flight
Book a flight with Black Hills Air Balloons. Their tour takes you on a sunrise flight above the beauty of Custer State Park. The stillness of the balloon, the rhythmic “whoosh” of the flame, all combined with the effortless feeling of floating make this a highly rated experience for a vacation reset. If you visit in September you can attend, or even purchase tickets to take flight, during the annual Stratobowl Historic Hot Air Balloon Launch. This historic launching site is surrounded by canyon walls right outside of Rapid City. Onlookers get to watch from above as around ten to twelve hot air balloons rise to eye level and continue to float overhead and above the trees. If you are interested in riding in a balloon during this event purchase your tickets in advance due to limited availability. And believe me, it's worth it! This one-of-a-kind experience lifts balloon riders out of the canyon surrounded by other hot air balloons and then sends them drifting through the open skies.
Through Events
The Mount Rushmore Sunrise Easter Service is a unique experience that takes place once a year at Mount Rushmore. This event started in 1945 and continues to grow in visitation each year. It’s an unconventional, even monumental, way of celebrating Easter. Service starts bright and early at 7am in the amphitheater. If you can’t make it for this event, still consider an early morning visit to Mount Rushmore! One of the reasons its sculptor Borglum chose this mountain was for the direction it faces, it allows maximum sun exposure and a magical moment when the first light of day dances on the granite.
Every July thousands gather in Memorial Park in Rapid City for the biggest Christian music festival in the Black Hills – Hills Alive. This two day festival features some of the biggest names in Christian music, and it’s completely free to attend. Head to their website to see who will be performing this year.
Through Sites
The Black Hills area is a deeply spiritual place. Ancestors of Native American tribes are ingrained in the Paha Sapa (Black Hills) and consider it the center of the universe. The Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota customs emphasize the importance of balance in the distinct natural landscapes of the area. Sacred sites like Hinhan Kaga Paha (Black Elk Peak) and Mato Paha (Bear Butte) have a special presence about them and a soothing nature for many who visit. Throughout the hills there’s a feeling and peacefulness that can’t really be put into words – it’s best just to experience it yourself. Please enjoy your visit while respecting the people, lands, and culture of tribal communities.
Open from May through October, the relaxing grounds of the Chapel in the Hills is the perfect place for reflection. Visitors can find a quiet retreat within the walls of this Norwegian chapel or enjoy a peaceful walk through the pines on the Meditation Trail. Worship services are held every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evening at the chapel during the summer months starting at 7:30pm. During the Holiday Season the Chapel grounds are illuminated with lights and seasonal guests can attend an Advent worship service.
Take the time to truly unwind and reconnect with the things you find most important. Our area has everything you need to refocus and find peace. Discover more experiences our area offers in the related content below.