Brittany Jones-Cooper

9 Reasons Why President Obama Should Visit South Dakota

Brittany Jones-Cooper

Thu, September 17, 2015 at 4:25 AM UTC

Mt. Rushmore — Can you imagine how great it would be if President Obama took a selfie in front of Mount Rushmore? It would break the Internet. No trip to South Dakota would be complete without a visit to Mount Rushmore, a national monument visited by nearly 3 million people every year. The landmark was completed in 1941 and proudly showcases the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Who knows, maybe one day they might carve out a spot for Barack Obama!

Black Hills and Badlands — President Obama can embrace the great outdoors with a visit to the Black Hills. Sure, it’s where Mount Rushmore is located, but there is so much more going on. The area is also home to Crazy Horse Memorial, Black Hills National Forest, Badlands National Park, and Devils Tower National Monument. From wildlife to scenic drives and endless recreation, you could spend weeks exploring the beautiful wilderness of South Dakota.

This August, President Obama should grab Michelle, buy some leather, and head to Sturgis, S.D. — home of the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. For 75 years, up to 500,000 bikers from around the world have gathered to participate in motorcycle competitions, show off their bikes, and party it up in Sturgis. We suggest that the president leave Air Force One behind and hop on a Harley-Davidson for his next trip.

Indian Tacos — South Dakota is one of the best places to go for indian tacos. This delicacy features frybread topped with cheese, tomatoes, onions, green chiles, olives, salsa, and sour cream. You have to know where to look to find them, and Cheyenne Crossing has become a popular pit stop for hungry tourists in search of the tasty tacos. President Obama never hesitates to try new foods, so we know he’d find this South Dakotan specialty irresistible. Photo: Nate Gray/Flickr

Attend a powwow — Powwows (or *wacipi* in Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota tribes) are important celebrations for Native Americans. The festivities are filled with colorful regalia, spirited drumming, choreographed dances, and traditional foods. They are open to visitors, and nothing showcases the strong Native American heritage in South Dakota like a traditional powwow. If President Obama were lucky, maybe he could even learn a dance move or two.(Photo: Hamner_Fotos/Flickr)

We know that President Obama loves music. Seriously, how woo-worthy was his rendition of “Let’s Stay Together”? So to tap into his soulful side, we think a visit to the National Music Museum would be the perfect excursion. Located on the campus of the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, this museum houses more than 14,500 instruments from America, Europe, and non-Western countries. In fact, many collections include well-preserved historically important instruments.

President Obama may spend his days battling Congress, but some real duels went down in Deadwood, S.D. This lawless town, established in 1876 during the gold rush, was home to miners and cowboys passing though. It was the Wild West, where drinking, gambling, and brothels were common. We know that President Obama likes to toss back the occasional beer, so he’d feel right at home at Saloon #10. The bar/museum displays historical Western and mining-camp artifacts and has a full bar.

City of Presidents in Downtown Rapid City — OK, this is almost too good to be true. As visitors stroll into downtown Rapid City, they come face-to-face with life-size bronze statues of our nation’s past presidents. How great would it be if President Obama painted himself bronze, like those street performers in Chicago and New York, and stood perfectly still on a street corner as confused tourists snapped photos? The City of Presidents is part of the Rapid City Historic District Tour, and a map of each president’s location is available online.

Even if you don’t like corn, you’ll love this next stop. Mitchell, S.D., features the “World’s Only Corn Palace.” Instead of using boring paint, this architectural masterpiece has walls made of uniquely designed corn murals. The Corn Palace is also redecorated each year using 13 different colors of corn ranging from yellow and brown to red and black. There’s even a Corn Palace Festival every August, complete with entertainers, carnival rides, and, of course, corn.

Mt. Rushmore

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Can you imagine how great it would be if President Obama took a selfie in front of Mount Rushmore? It would break the Internet. No trip to South Dakota would be complete without a visit to Mount Rushmore, a national monument visited by nearly 3 million people every year. The landmark was completed in 1941 and proudly showcases the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Who knows, maybe one day they might carve out a spot for Barack Obama!

During his time in office, President Barack Obama has made 39 international trips to 48 different countries. In other words, the man gets around…literally. What’s interesting is that the President of the United States hasn’t actually been to all 50 states. Go Figure!

President Obama checked off his 49th state when he delivered remarks on April 3 at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. That leaves South Dakota as the only state that Obama hasn’t visited during his almost two terms in office. But never fear, he still has time to make the trip. And to give him a little inspiration, we’ve gathered nine reasons why South Dakota is an amazing destination.

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