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Frequently Asked Questions

 

You have questions on booking your Black Hills activities or vacation package?  See if you can find your answer below or have an agent assist you with your needs.

Black Hills Information

1. Where are the Black Hills?

2. What is the climate in the Black Hills?

3. How long should I plan my stay in the Black Hills?

4. When is peak/off peak tourist season?

5. What towns are centrally located in the Black Hills?

6. What are my transportation options in the Black Hills?

7. Where is the closest airport?
 
Attraction and Activity Information

8. Where is Mt Rushmore?

9. Are attractions open year round?

10. Do I have to select all attractions listed in a vacation package that I am interested in?

11. Do I have to pick a specific day to see my activities?

12. Which cave tour is the best?

13. Which attractions are kid-friendly?

14. How do I get the tickets for the attractions I have booked?

15. All of my attractions are listed on my arrival date.  Do I have to attend them on the day noted on my confirmation?

Accommodation/ Property Information

16. What is the address and phone number of the property I booked?

17. How do I know if I am receiving a package discount on the property that I am interested in?

Vacation Package Information

18. How will I save money by booking a package?

19. Why do the packages say starting price?

20. Where do I get to stay if I choose a package?

21. Why do you advertise the packages at a certain price if it is not available at the price?

Modifications/ Cancellations to your Reservation

22. Who do I contact if I need to make changes to my reservation?

23. What are the cancellation policies?

24. Where do I find my Travel Guard Policy information?

1. Where are the Black Hills?

The Black Hills run north/south along the western edge of South Dakota. 

2. What is the climate in the Black Hills?
The Black Hills are very seasonal.  In general, here's what you can expect from South Dakota's four seasons:
• Summer (mid-June - mid-September)
Warm (sometimes hot) days and cool nights are the norm from mid-June through mid-September.
• Fall (mid-September - November)
Comfortable warm weather through September and crisp cool weather into November make fall an excellent time to explore South Dakota.
• Winter (December - early March)
While temperatures can be cold, cold spells usually alternate with milder weather. Snowfall is prevalent-providing excellent conditions for winter sports.
• Spring (late March - mid-June)
Mostly sunny days, but this can be the rainy season. Spring snow showers are a possibility through early May. Temperatures can range from the 40s (4C) to the 80s (27C).

3. How long should I plan my stay in the Black Hills?
The average Black Hills length of stay is 4 days, 3 nights.

4. When is peak/off peak tourist season?
Peak Season: May through September;  Off-Peak Season: October through April

5. What towns are centrally located in the Black Hills?
Hill City, Keystone and Custer are the most centrally located communities.  

6. What are my transportation options in the Black Hills?
Having your own vehicle is the most convenient way to travel within the Black Hills.  As an alternative, group tours are available with pick-up/drop-off service to and from your hotel. Rapid City Regional Airport is the closest airport, with car rental options available.

7. Where is the closest airport?
Rapid City Regional Airport is located about 10 miles east of Rapid City, SD.

8. Where is Mt Rushmore?
Mt Rushmore is located 3 miles west of Keystone, SD.  22 miles SW of Rapid City.  12 miles east of Hill City.  27 miles SW of I-90.

9. Are attractions open year round?
Most of the family friendly attractions are open from mid-May to mid-September.  Many attractions, including Mt Rushmore, are open year round.  

10. Do I have to select all attractions listed in a vacation package that I am interested in?
No.  Some packages may have a required booking, but in general the packages can be modified to suit your needs.  

11. Do I have to pick a specific day to see my activities?
The only date and time specific activities are: 1880 Train, Jewel Cave National Monument, Chuckwagon suppers, ATV rentals, Trail rides, and Snowmobile rentals.  The rest of the activities are open-ended admissions good for any time during your stay, even though they have their date noted as your arrival date.

12. Which cave tour is the best?
One cave tour is not better than the other, they are just distinctly different:
Rushmore Cave is the least strenuous (200-300 steps) and is a 1 hour tour.  Famous for the largest concentration of stalactites and stalagmites found within a cave system in the Black Hills.
Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns has 300-400 steps and is 1 hour long.  It is known for it’s crystalline structures, including dog-tooth spar crystals.
Wind Cave National Park has 500 steps and is 1 hour long.  It is the 4th longest cave in the world and houses the largest concentration of boxwork in the world. 
Jewel Cave National Monument is the most strenuous cave tour.  1 hour and 5 minutes long with 700 steps, it is the 2nd longest cave in the world.  Jewel Cave is famous for its abundance of crystalline structures.

13. Which attractions are kid-friendly?
The Black Hills is a very family friendly area in general, with numerous family-approved attractions and accomodations at your disposal.

14. How do I get the tickets for the attractions I have booked?
When you book your reservation, you will receive your confirmation papers via email.  These confirmation papers are your admission passes to all of the activities that you book, with the exception of Mt Rushmore.  Mt Rushmore parking passes will be mailed to you.

15. All of my attractions are listed on my arrival date.  Do I have to attend them on the day noted on my confirmation?
Your activities are open-ended admissions good for any time during your stay, even though they have their date noted as your arrival date.  The only exceptions are: 1880 Train, Jewel Cave National Monument, Chuckwagon Suppers, Trail rides, and ATV and Snowmobile rentals.

16. What is the address and phone number of the property I booked?
Once you finalize your reservation, you will receive you confirmation papers via email.  Click on your properties link for address, amenities, and photos.  Otherwise, call one of our Travel Specialists at 1-866-601-5103 for property information.

 

17. How do I know if I am receiving a package discount on the property that I am interested in?
As you choose your vacation options, your package total will be listed at the bottom of the itinerary.  Your package discounts will be listed here, near the bottom of the itinerary below the total.

18. How will I save money by booking a package?
Lodging savings can be as high as 30%.  Activity savings vary from 10-50%, depending on the activities that you choose.  As you build your itinerary, your package savings will be listed at the bottom of the itinerary near the total.

19. Why do the packages say starting price?
Any of our packages can be modified by adding or removing dates, activities and number of people.  Therefore, the package price could change based on the changes you make to the package.  

20. Where do I get to stay if I choose a package?
You will be given a list of lodging options to choose from, which is based on availability.

21. Why do you advertise the packages at a certain price if it is not available at the price?
Advertised prices are not guaranteed because they are based on availability.  If the economy property does not have availability for the dates you are looking for, the price increases based on the properties that do have availability.  

22. Who do I contact if I need to make changes to my reservation?
Contact one of our travel representatives @ 1-866-601-5103 to modify your reservation.  You will then receive an updated itinerary via email.

23. Where do I find my cancellation policies?

 

 24. Where do I find my Travel Guard Policy Information?

 

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