If you haven’t visited the beautiful, powerful national monument that is Mount Rushmore, we highly recommend this as your next destination. Whether rural beauty and rustic stays are your thing or they are new to you, the nature and seclusion offered by the small town of Keystone, South Dakota will leave you feeling refreshed and hoping to visit again soon.

Although Mount Rushmore’s construction began nearly a century ago, you wouldn’t know it if you happened to stumble upon the beautiful artwork in the mountain when wandering the wilderness. It’s details and history are so interesting, unique and beautiful, most patrons are quite alright bracing a chill wind on the outdoor viewing benches conveniently put in place to view the strategic lighting upon the four presidents faces when sun sets.

Mount Rushmore’s beginning was as simple as South Dakota’s historian Doane Robinson wanting to bring people to the Black Hills region. It wasn’t until he contacted Gutzon Borglum that the idea for what would become Mount Rushmore was implemented. It was Borglum who convinced Robinson it should depict George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as this would give it national significance. Later he would also add Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt - Four presidents who contributed greatly to not only our freedom but our growth as the United States.

If you thought staring at the mountain or learning its history was the only thing to do at Mount Rushmore, it isn’t. Complete with a gift shop, restaurant and ice cream shop, you won’t go hungry - or bored.

The Memorial Team Ice Cream Station is named after the Rushmore Carvers baseball team, made up of some workers who were brought on for their natural gifts at pitching and fielding, and not their carving prowess, oddly enough. The Mount Rushmore amateur baseball team competed and took second in the state competition in 1939. Inside the ice cream shop, you will find lifesize photos of the players in their uniforms, as well as Thomas Jeffersons very own Vanilla ice cream recipe from 1780 available to order and printed to take home.

The Dakota Kitchen has yummy foods with an awesome view of Mount Rushmore, and features small details one might miss if not looking for them - such as the light fixtures fashioned after carvers on their swings.

For something a little more private, there is a path to a viewing platform to the right of the monument, with telescopes to view a close-up of the presidents faces. Continue along the path for a small adventure and different angle of the carving from below.

Where exactly is Mount Rushmore located in South Dakota? Well, unlike your imagination may be conjuring, it is located in Keystone, South Dakota. Once considered too remote a destination for travelers to get too, this quaint town has grown to incorporate shopping and dining options for the average traveler as well as included activities such as helicopter tours, the 1880 Train, ATV adventures and much more.

While the multitude of options may sound daunting, Keystone has maintained that small-town, rustic vibe and definitely fits the bill as far as theme and ambience go. With an array of beautiful options for your stays including everything from cabin rentals and camp spots to inns and hotels, there is a bounty of selection for your vacation.

For our stay, we opted for a little more rural stay by renting a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom cabin with the capacity to sleep 8 people, located on the outskirts of Keystone. This cabin rental at Backroads Inn & Cabins, was by far one of the best stays we’ve experienced, definitely better than most AirBnB experiences - and the fabulous part, we handled this reservation ourselves as we can do unique stays like this as travel agents. So keep in mind, if you’re interested in homes or similar stays, we can help you with that.

Watch the video below to see the cabin - excuse the poor lighting, we arrived late at night!

Still not convinced? There are some more activities to tack on to your vacation at Mount Rushmore, all within an hour and a half drive of Keystone - such as the colorful Badlands National Park, very unique city of Wall Drug (bring your souvenir money), Custer State Park, the beautiful Black Hills National Forest (which is where Keystone lies) the infamous city of Deadwood (be picky about where you shop if you’re brining little ones) and so much more.

However, those iconic travel experiences are going to be covered in separate blog posts. For now, hopefully we’ve convinced you to add Rushmore to your travel bucket list - and if so, grab a hold of us to help you plan that. You can get a free quote here. This was an amazing vacation with surprising beauty, history and fun.