Rapid City, South Dakota, Selected as a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Awards Winner

Visit Rapid City is delighted to share that Rapid City, South Dakota, was named as a winner in Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Family Travel Awards. The full list of awards can be found here

The gateway to the Black Hills, Rapid City is the hub of adventure and an iconic family vacation destination. 

“Rapid City is America’s family playground,” said Brook Kaufman, President & CEO of Visit Rapid City. 

The largest city in western South Dakota, Rapid City has an array of offerings, from full-service hotels to outdoor adventures and museums to national monuments. In and around Rapid City, it’s easy for visitors to pursue family adventures, with highlights that include Mount Rushmore, Reptile Gardens, the Black Hills, Dinosaur Park and Custer State Park, as well as museums, events, trolley tours, amazing restaurants and local shops.  

As part of the awards, testers from Good Housekeeping visited Rapid City and spent three days exploring the community and the surrounding area. Here’s what the testers had to say about Rapid City: 

“The vibe of the destination is definitely young families with kids, and that’s who I think would enjoy this vacation the most. The stores in the downtown area are super impressive; Rapid City is definitely more of a kid-friendly place overall and is great for any kind of kid.” 

With Rapid City’s close proximity to so many national attractions, it’s easy for visitors to get out and experience those icons. 

“The true highlight of the trip for both of us was Crazy Horse Memorial®. The memorial itself is one thing, but the story behind it is truly remarkable. Plus, the overall costs of food and the attractions all seemed very reasonable, which makes this ideal for young families with kids looking for a fun yet educational trip.” 

The Good Housekeeping Institute experts spent eight months reviewing hundreds of submissions to find the best travel options for all types of families. When selecting the winners, judges considered standout picks for every trip preference and budget. Winners were selected by travel agents, travel editors, engineers, product analysts and scientists — as well as over 100 travel testers who were recruited to provide first-hand feedback. Travel gear was evaluated in the GH Institute Labs and on the go during real-world travels. Judges considered durability, ease of use, comfort, convenience, innovation, performance and other factors. Testers experienced destinations, attractions and travel services to provide insight into aspects like family-friendliness, service level, amenities, activities, inclusivity, sustainability and more. 

To learn more about the Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Awards, visit goodhousekeeping.com/familytravel2024. Learn more about Rapid City at visitrapidcity.com. 

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About Visit Rapid City:
Visit Rapid City is the official marketing organization for Rapid City. The vision is to make Rapid City the top visitor destination by inspiring people to experience Big Things in Rapid City by sharing the Rapid City story to spur economic growth through partnership and innovation.  

Visit Rapid City Media Contact:              
Tia Troy     
tia@lightningbugpublicrelations.com 
406.529.8314