Falls Park
East Falls Park Drive, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
5 am - midnight
$
outdoor-adventures, seasonal-activities, road-trips, run
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Falls Park is the crowning jewel of Sioux Falls, and rightfully so.
This park was just gorgeous. I honestly cannot say enough about this park as a family destination. Before I road trip with my family, I always do at least some research and I knew this park was a stop we wanted to make on our South Dakota trip. Located just north of downtown Sioux Falls, this has to be the most beautiful park we've visited that's located right in the heart of a city. It deserves its reputation as the most beautiful spot in Sioux Falls.
This park encompasses 123 acres and features a beautiful 100-foot waterfall on the Big Sioux River. This park includes a paved trail, which I personally found very stroller-friendly, despite not being a flat trail. The girls had an absolute blast exploring this park, and they would happily have spent all day there. The girls examined wildflowers growing along the river's edge, climbed big boulders, and searched for walking sticks. Our family also enjoyed watching the resident ducks in the river. Of course, this park is a very popular destination, and on the day we first visited, there were professional photoshoots happening, other families exploring, and couples walking along the trails. Yet, it never felt crowded. This park is just that big.
My favorite surprise this park had to offer was something we discovered at the very end of our time there. The girls were walking along the sandy and rocky portion of the park and discovered teeny, tiny seashells hidden in the sand. This might have actually been their favorite activity at the park. We spent over an hour searching for these beautiful, tiny seashells, and the girls reveled in finding seashells of different shapes, sizes, and colors. It was lovely.
Facilities on-site were plentiful, even during Covid. There were full bathrooms available with flushing toilets, and there's a cafe on-site, in addition to an observation tower. The parking was great. We parked in one of the lots and we were the only car in that particular lot. Parking is free here, as well. After enjoying all that Falls Park has to offer, head over to Phillips Avenue Diner downtown for a quick bite, or a bit of dessert. Their cinnamon rolls are legendary!