Planning a trip to the Black Hills this year? Custer is located near main attractions, outdoor recreational opportunities, and many unforgettable experiences. Below is our list of 20 reasons to visit Custer in 2020 – many of which the entire family can enjoy!

1. Custer is home to great restaurants! Some are the top restaurants in the Black Hills according to TripAdvisor can be found right here in Custer. Our foodie community will provide a culinary experience you will not forget!
   
   


2. Horseback riding is a great family activity and the Black Hills are a perfect area to ride a horse. To make plans to get outside and enjoy the beautiful scenery from the back of a horse click here.
   


3. Make plans to attend the 9th Annual Gold Discovery Days, our community celebration held July 17-19. This event includes a carnival, hot air balloon launch, parade, car show, arts and crafts fair, and so much more!
   
   


4. Custer is close to some of the longest caves in the world: Jewel Cave (3rd) and Wind Cave (7th). Various cave tours of different abilities and lengths are available (including spelunking!) and both caves have many miles of beautiful hiking trails on the surface.
   


5. Enjoy an old-fashioned 4th of July with the entire family complete with an arts and crafts fair, a parade, kids activities, and fireworks at dusk.
   
   


6. Custer is close to some of the best scenic drives in South Dakota! Click here for a few of our favorites.
   
   


7. Custer is home to unique stores and quaint gift shops. You can find everything from a distinctive, locally-made product to a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
   
   


8. Custer is a great place to get some things crossed off on your bucket list such as a balloon or helicopter ride. The scenery is amazing from above.
   


9. Custer has great lodging with a variety of places to stay. The area has more than 50 hotels, motels, campgrounds, horse camps, bed and breakfasts, vacation homes, and resorts. Many are pet-friendly establishments so the entire family can enjoy a Black Hills adventure.
   
   


10. Don’t miss out on viewing Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial at night. Nightly from late-May until late-September, Mt. Rushmore has an evening lighting ceremony and Crazy Horse has their Legends in Light Laser Show.
    


11. Check out the Disc Golf Course in Big Rock Park, just 1-block south of Main Street Custer. Pick up a map of the course, discs, and score cards from the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce.
    
    


12. Be sure to enjoy entertainment with your dinner by partaking in a Chuckwagon Dinner and Show at either Circle B Chuckwagon Cowboy Dinner Show or Blue Bell Hayride Chuck Wagon Cookout.
    
    


13. Visit the 1881 Courthouse Museum in downtown Custer to learn about the area’s history. Also, the entire family will enjoy stepping back in time and exploring the old west as it really was at 4 Mile Old West Town.
    
    


14. Don’t pass on the opportunity to try rock climbing with Sylvan Rocks Climbing School and Guide Service. This local service provides rock climbing opportunities from kids to experts.
    


15. The public has two chances to walk up to Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain carving in progress: June 6-7 and September 27. This hike is the most popular organized hike in the United States (15,000 hikers in a record year).
    
    


16. You can experience the scenic areas of the Blacks Hills while getting some great exercise. The Mickelson Trail is 109 miles long and contains more than 100 converted railroad bridges and 4 rock tunnels.  Trailhead #10 is located across the street from the Chamber, and trailhead #9 is just 3 miles north of Custer on Hwy 385.  Opportunities abound to play on and adjacent to the trail, such as biking, hiking, running, and horseback riding.
    
    


17. The 7th Annual Black Hills Sounds of Silence Tesla Rally will be held May 15-17. Register today and come explore the Hills in your Tesla!
    


18. There are hundreds of miles of off-road trails in the Black Hills ready to be explored in your ATV, UTV, and dual sports! Custer’s Off-Road Rally will be held June 12-14.
    
    


19. The Black Hills region has hundreds of miles of hiking trails. Custer State Park, Black Hills National Forest, Wind Cave National Park, and Jewel Cave National Park all have popular hiking trails. From easy to strenuous trails, there is something for everyone. Black Elk Peak, located in the Black Elk Wilderness, is a popular trail to the “highest peak east of the Rocky Mountains.”
    
    


20. A “South Dakota Traffic Jam” in Custer State Park is an amazing life experience. The park’s 71,000 acres is home to a herd of over 1,000 bison and many burros who roam freely and often stop traffic along the Wildlife Loop Road. On September 25, the bison herd will be rounded up during the annual Buffalo Roundup.
    

“Stay in Custer and be minutes not miles from adventure!”