Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Rapid City travel guide

Rapid City Tourism | Rapid City Guide

You're Going to Love Rapid City

With a population of 67,956, Rapid City is a must-see destination in South Dakota, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Rapid City deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Article

Where to Eat in Rapid City

If you’re looking for affordable options, Murphy's Pub and Grill (510 9th Street) and Kathmandu Bistro (727 Main Street) are great picks.

When to visit Rapid City

Rapid City in November
Estimated hotel price
$78
1 night at 3-star hotel
Rapid City in November
Estimated hotel price
$78
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Rapid City in July, when the average temperature is 73.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 12.2 °F, with an average temperature of 24.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 3.2″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Rapid City, with an average rainfall of 0.3″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Rapid City

Plane

When flying to Rapid City, you’ll arrive at Rapid City (RAP), which is located 9 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Rapid City include Emirates, Air New Zealand and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Rapid City departs from Las Vegas and takes around 2h 18m.

Bus

Rapid City’s bus station is located 0.3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Rapid City, you’ll arrive at Rapid City (RAP), which is located 9 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Rapid City include Emirates, Air New Zealand and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Rapid City departs from Las Vegas and takes around 2h 18m.

Bus

Rapid City’s bus station is located 0.3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Rapid City

RAPRapid City
CDRChadron

Airlines serving Rapid City

KLM
Good (1,333 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,929 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,444 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,213 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,561 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,064 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,697 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,411 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (11,161 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (345 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (642 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (471 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (734 reviews)
Southern / Mokulele
Good (27 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Rapid City

Where to stay in Rapid City

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Best Western Plus Rapid City Rushmore and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Rapid City - Rushmore South. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Rapid City, with prices from $42 to $522 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Rapid City are about 184% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Rapid City by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Rapid City

Most booked hotels in Rapid City

See all
Courtyard by Marriott Rapid City
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 362 reviews)
$94+
View
Residence Inn by Marriott Rapid City
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 653 reviews)
$120+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rapid City, SD
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2451 reviews)
$69+
View
Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City, Curio Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 805 reviews)
$94+
View
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rapid City
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 722 reviews)
$93+
View
La Quinta Inn and Suites by Wyndham at WaTiki Waterpark
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1621 reviews)
$92+
View

Renting a car in Rapid City

Renting a car in Rapid City costs $87 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rapid City is the Hertz branch at 4550 Terminal Road, which is 9 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Rapid City.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Rapid City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51.

Renting a car in Rapid City costs $87 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rapid City is the Hertz branch at 4550 Terminal Road, which is 9 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Rapid City.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Rapid City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51.

Best car rental deals in Rapid City

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$37/day

Economy

Standard

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$42/day

Standard
Find car rentals in Rapid City

Rapid City Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Rapid City city guide for the best Rapid City travel tips. To help you organize your Rapid City trip ideas, this Rapid City visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.