What to Know about Deadwood, SD
Heading out to South Dakota to visit Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park or over to Wyoming to tour Devil’s Tower? You just might want to plan some time to explore Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood was born in 1876 and has roots to legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Now less than 2,000 people call it home, but tourists from around the world come to create memories every year!
This post includes affiliate links. Lodging and food arrangements were received to help facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was received.
What to Know about Deadwood, SD
Where to stay: The Lodge at Deadwood
The Lodge at Deadwood sits just outside the city and overlooks the Black Hills and high plains of South Dakota. The vibe is laid back and family friendly with a great swim area for the family as well as fitness room and even casinos if you are interested.
By the time we arrived in Deadwood, we were ready to relax and stretch out. Our room gave us the perfect place for just that! There’s just something nice about finishing a long day of travel in a room that has a place for all 5 of us to stretch out, plugin, and relax.
The Lodge at Deadwood reminded me a bit of the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. It’s more than just a hotel, it’s an experience.
Where to Eat: The Gem Steakhouse
There are several restaurants available at the Lodge, but we opted instead to head into historic Deadwood and eat supper at the Gem Steakhouse.
**Something to note about Deadwood that is different from other cities that have casinos. When you think about casino towns, you may immediately think about Las Vegas. But Deadwood had a different vibe for us. To get to the restaurant, you enter the front door of the Gem Steakhouse, walk through the casino and take an elevator to the 2nd floor.
The Gem Steakhouse features hand-cut steaks, as well as a variety of fish, chicken and other traditional favorites. They even have chislic, the South Dakota specialty, on the appetizer menu!
After dinner, take time to walk the street of historic Deadwood and enjoy the throwback to an early time period of American history. If you have any questions about the area or what to do while you’re there, just look for the covered wagons that have visitor information.
Nightly Shootouts in the Streets
Plan your schedule so you can enjoy the drama troupes that perform nightly shootouts in the streets. When you check in to your hotel, ask for the evening schedule and then just show up on the right street corner for a fun family show!
Mt Moriah Cemetery
While you are in Deadwood, take a few minutes to drive over to Mt Moriah Cemetery where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jan are buried. There is a fee to enter the cemetery if you enter during the day, but after hours, it seems to be free to walk over.
There are trolleys that run from most of the hotels to downtown historic Deadwood if you prefer to park your car and take this fun mode of transportation.
Have you ever visited Deadwood? What’s your favorite thing to experience in historic Deadwood? I’d love to hear!
Heading to Mount Rushmore after you leave Deadwood? Check out my tips so you will know what to expect!
