10 Tips for Visiting Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota
The 28,295 acres of Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota are home to the 7th longest cave in the world, and the 3rd longest cave in America. The cave was discovered by Jesse and Tom Bingham in the early 1880s and 21 Native American tribes associated with the Wind Cave. President Theodore Roosevelt established Wind Cave as the 8th National Park in 1903, naming it after the barometric winds at the entrance to the cave. There are 156.3 miles of passageways in Wind Cave and 95% of the world’s boxwork hangs inside the cave, along with 12 species of bats (although we didn’t see any on our visit).
We spent a summer morning on 4th of July weekend exploring the park and taking a Natural Entrance Cave tour and loved it! The park is fairly isolated, with no dining options, so plan ahead and bring food. Here are our 10 tips if you’re planning a visit to Wind Cave National Park.
10 Things to Do with Kids in Hershey and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania may be known as a chocolate lover’s paradise and a dreamland for thrill seekers. Indeed, a visit to Hersheyland amusement park is a MUST when you are in town, but there are also many other places to explore in both Hershey, a town originally named Derry Church and changed to honor the man who created thousands of jobs and industry in the 20th century, and nearby Harrisburg, the capitol of Pennsylvania. As you drive through downtown Hershey, check out the streetlights- 55 of them are dressed up as wrapped “kisses” and 52 streetlights are dressed up as unwrapped “kisses.”