Sioux Falls: Waterfalls, Trails and Culture

Sioux Falls brings together waterfalls on the Big Sioux River, an extensive trail network, wildlife, and culture to offer a range of travel experiences. When planning a hotel stay, it helps to first identify the themes you want to shape your trip. Would you most like to enjoy the scenery and trails, explore wildlife, or combine art, performing arts, and science? These priorities give your trip planning a clear direction without requiring every interest to take up an equal amount of time.

Falls Park and Trails Along the Big Sioux River

Falls Park is located north of downtown Sioux Falls on the Big Sioux River. On average, 7,400 gallons of water per second flow over the falls, dropping 100 feet. Several viewing platforms and a five-story observation tower offer different vantage points from which to see the waterfalls. These figures describe different features: the gallons figure indicates the average volume of water, while the feet figure indicates the height of the drop. This makes it possible to understand Falls Park both in terms of its location on the river and the scale of the falls.

Two named offerings should be distinguished when it comes to trails in Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls Recreation Trail has more than 45 miles of paved trails. The Greenway Recreation Main Trail Loop is 19.13 miles long and runs along the Big Sioux River. These distances answer different planning questions: the first describes the extent of the trail system, while the second gives the length of a named loop. If you are considering the scale of the trail network, the figure of more than 45 miles is the relevant one; if you want to follow the explicitly named river route, the Greenway Loop is the specific trail.

Wildlife and Seasonal Attractions

The Great Plains Zoo is home to animals from seven continents, and its campus includes more than 20 acres of habitats. This gives you two ways to orient yourself: the range of wildlife and the area of the habitats. The zoo also has seasonal attractions such as a splash pad, a carousel, and a train. Their availability varies by season. If these additional activities are important to your trip, factor in the time of year and check whether they are available.

Art, Science, and Performing Arts

The Washington Pavilion in downtown Sioux Falls features performing arts events, visual art exhibitions, interactive science galleries, and year-round educational programs. Its offerings range from performances to science and education. If you want to include culture in your trip plans, this breakdown can help you distinguish between stage performances, visual art, and interactive science galleries.

The Visual Arts Center has eight galleries featuring works by local artists, internationally recognized artists, and Indigenous artists from the Northern Plains. The galleries bring together several artistic perspectives; the Indigenous artists are specifically identified as being from the Northern Plains. If visual art is one of your travel interests, this variety offers a specific theme to explore.

For a different approach to culture and knowledge, the Kirby Science Discovery Center offers more than 100 interactive exhibits. They provide hands-on learning for all ages. Compared with the Visual Arts Center’s focus on visual art, the Discovery Center emphasizes interactive science. This distinction can be helpful if you want to account for the different interests of people in your travel group as you plan.

Choose a Hotel Based on Your Reason for Traveling

Travelers who prioritize nature and trails will focus on different sights than those who want to plan around art, science, or wildlife. Before comparing hotels, make a note of which themes matter most to you. This will keep your search aligned with your own travel plans.

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