Planning your trip to South Dakota

THE BEST WAY

From LAX, Delta, Northwest and United offer connecting service to Rapid City, S.D. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $239.

WHERE TO STAY

Lodging prices in the Black Hills jump to ridiculous levels during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 4 to 10 next year. A good time for travelers on four wheels to avoid the area.

Rock Crest Lodge & Cabins, 15 W. Mt. Rushmore Road, Custer; (605) 673-4323, www.rockcrestlodge.com. Twenty-one rooms in a thoroughly renovated old motel and 17 nearby cabins. Pool, playground, picnic area. Closed Oct. 15 through April 30. Rooms $59 to $89, cabins $100 to $190.

Rocket Motel, 211 Mt. Rushmore Road, Custer; (605) 673-4401, www.rocketmotel.com. Twenty-seven rooms in an immaculately maintained 1950s motel. No pool. Closed November through March. Doubles $58 to $90.

Custer State Park, (888) 875-0001, www.custerresorts.com. Has four lodgings. Sylvan Lake Lodge, built in the ‘30s with a ‘90s addition, has 35 rooms at $120 to $185 nightly, along with 31 cabins at $135 to $315. The Legion Lake Resort has 25 cabins at $110 to $175 nightly. State Game Lodge has a restaurant downstairs and seven rooms above, with nightly rates of $95 to $270. Next door in a midcentury addition are 40 motel rooms at $125 to $185 nightly. Nearby stand 23 cabins at $110 to $480 nightly. Blue Bell Lodge has 31 cabins at $125 to $225 nightly.

WHERE TO EAT

The Corn Exchange, 727 Main St., Rapid City; (605) 343-5070, www.cornexchange.com. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, dinner only, beginning at 5 p.m. Main dishes, long on local ingredients, run up to $30 for buffalo steak. Not very kid-friendly.

The Alpine Inn, 133 Main St., Hill City; (605) 574-2749. Lunch and dinner, with German dishes a specialty. Closed Sundays. For dinner, your only choice is 6 ounces of steak for $9 or 9 ounces for $11.

Sage Creek Grille, 611 Mt. Rushmore Road, Custer; (605) 673-2424. Lunch and dinner. Closed Sundays. No reservations. Dinner entrees $19 to $23.

TO LEARN MORE

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, (605) 574-2523, www.nps.gov/moru.

Crazy Horse Monument, (605) 673-4681, www.crazyhorsememorial.org.

South Dakota Office of Tourism, (800) 732-5682, www.travelsd.com.