Things to do in Aberdeen
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Aberdeen
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Storybook grounds reopen around 15 April with no rides until Memorial Day, and Sand Lake spring migration peaks.
Peak family season. Storybook rides, the Aquatic Center and lake swimming all run, with hot weather and storms.
Crisp fall, Northern football and theatre return, and the pheasant opener refills town in mid October.
Severe winter. January averages near 21 to 24 F highs and 5 to 6 F lows, with ice fishing and indoor picks only.
Snowmelt and mud, with spring geese building at Sand Lake and Storybook still closed.
What's on
- Fort Sisseton Historical Festival June
Living history weekend at the restored fort, about an hour northeast of Aberdeen.
- Brown County Fair Mid August
One of South Dakotas largest county fairs, with grandstand concerts and a carnival at the Aberdeen fairgrounds.
- South Dakota Pheasant Opener Third Saturday of October
Opening weekend fills Aberdeen hotels with hunters. Book weeks ahead whether you hunt or not.
Best things to do in Aberdeen
Storybook Land and Land of Oz
A free walk through nursery rhyme park with a Land of Oz, a Yellow Brick Road and cheap rides for young children.
Wylie Park
A 210 acre city park with a lake beach, playgrounds and picnic space that holds Storybook Land and the campground.
Dacotah Prairie Museum
Brown County history, prairie life and Baum material in an 1889 bank building, free and good for an hour indoors.
Capitol Cinema
A restored 1927 Art Deco theatre on Main Street for films and live community theatre in a grand old room.
Johnson Fine Arts Center
Northern State performance hall for theatre, symphony and concerts, and the campus pick for an Aberdeen evening.
Allevity Entertainment
A big indoor centre with laser tag, bumper cars, mini bowling and arcade games, plus food and a sports bar.
Aberdeen Aquatic Center
A city water park with a lap pool, leisure pool, tall slides and a lazy river for a hot summer afternoon.
Kuhnert Arboretum
A small free arboretum with labelled trees, a childrens garden and outdoor musical instruments for a quiet walk.
Where to stay in Aberdeen
Downtown Main Street
couples, theatre and dining trips
Walk to the museum, Capitol, Roma and Three22, with the Alonzo Ward as the only hotel and very few rooms in total.
East Side
families, hunters and airport arrivals
The newest chain hotels cluster on 6th and 7th Avenue SE near the airport and event center, with free parking.
North and Northwest
events and campers
The Ramkota event hotel and, a few minutes further, Wylie Park Campground for a walk to Storybook Land.
Think twice about
- 6th Avenue SE highway strip for a walkable stay
Not a safety problem. It is a well kept highway strip where every trip is a drive, so do not base there expecting to stroll to dinner.
Best restaurants in Aberdeen
Minervas Restaurant & Bar
The celebration steakhouse inside the Ramkota, known for steaks, walleye and a much praised salad bar.
Mavericks Steak & Cocktails
East side steaks with a hot stone experience, brisket dishes and a party room for groups of 20 to 40.
Roma Ristorante Italiano
Italian cooking in a historic bank building, with wood fired pizza, lasagna and a proper wine list.
Three22 Kitchen + Cocktails
Downtown American kitchen for South Dakota chislic and craft cocktails, with a rooftop bar in season.
The Flame
The old guard downtown steakhouse serving classic supper club dinners in split lunch and dinner shifts.
Pounders Pub & Grub
A beer pub with 40 taps, brisket blend burgers, many wing flavours and a patio for game days.
Millstone Family Restaurant
The diner breakfast locals start the day with, from 6am, with all day breakfast and classic pies.
Circus Sports Bar & Grill
A late downtown sports bar for hand pattied burgers and traditional bone in wings at low prices.
Outdoor things to do in Aberdeen
Wylie Thunder Road
Go karts, adventure mini golf and bumper boats inside Wylie Park for older children and groups.
Richmond Lake Recreation Area
A lake park 12 miles out with trails, a beach, boating, fishing and disc golf in summer and ski trails in winter.
Mina Lake Recreation Area
A quieter lake west of town with a beach, boat ramp, fishing for crappie and bluegill, camping and a group lodge.
Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
A vast James River refuge for migration birding, with a wildlife drive and a tall observation tower.
Lee Park Golf Course
The public 18 hole course south of Wylie Park, flat and wind exposed, with a range and low green fees.
Rolling Hills Golf Club
A public 9 hole course for a quick, cheap late afternoon round or a beginner and junior game.
Moccasin Creek Country Club
The private championship course east of town, the premium local round, reached by member or reciprocal play.
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park
A restored 1864 frontier fort an hour away, with original buildings, prairie grounds and a June history festival.
Best hotels in Aberdeen
The Alonzo Ward Hotel
Eighteen distinctive rooms in a historic downtown hotel, across from the museum and with Roma in the building.
Hampton Inn & Suites Aberdeen
The most reviewed quality chain in town, with a pool, hot tub and the free breakfast travellers praise most.
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Aberdeen, SD
A newer Marriott on the east side with a pool and free breakfast, the strong alternative to the Hampton.
Best Western Ramkota Hotel
The full service event hotel with Minervas inside, conference space and a water play offer for families.
My Place Hotel-Aberdeen, SD
Extended stay rooms with full kitchens that suit hunters and tournament families on a week long stay.
Wylie Park Campground
City camping and cabins inside Wylie Park, a short walk from Storybook Land for a low cost family base.
Is Aberdeen expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $55 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $110 a person |
| Splurge | $190 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Johnson Fine Arts Center: a few days ahead
- Richmond Lake Recreation Area: a few days ahead
- Mina Lake Recreation Area: a few days ahead
- Lee Park Golf Course: a few days ahead
- Moccasin Creek Country Club: weeks ahead
- The Alonzo Ward Hotel: weeks ahead
- Wylie Park Campground: a few days ahead
- Minervas Restaurant & Bar: a few days ahead
- Book hotels weeks ahead for the pheasant opener in mid October and for fair week in August.
- Book the Alonzo Ward first. It has only 18 rooms and sells out before the chains.
- Reserve state park camping and cabins for Richmond Lake, Mina Lake and Wylie Park on summer weekends.
- Mavericks only takes weekend reservations for 11am to 4pm arrivals.
Is Aberdeen safe?
- Winter driving is the main risk: ice, blowing snow, deer at dawn and dusk, and fast weather changes.
- Know the shelter location at your hotel or campground in summer storm season.
- Wear orange on prairie and refuge edges in hunting season, even as a non hunter.
Aberdeen travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Storybook Land rides end at Labor Day and the grounds close around 15 October. Do not build a winter trip on it.
- The Capitol and Johnson Fine Arts Center are dark many nights. Check a dated listing before promising a show.
- Downtown is quiet after about 9pm on weeknights. Late energy is in the sports bars, not on Main Street.
Getting around Aberdeen: public transport and more
- You need a car. The airport, hotels, Wylie Park, the lakes and Sand Lake are all separate drives.
- Parking is free almost everywhere, including downtown Main Street and Storybook Land.
- Walking works only downtown Main Street and inside Wylie Park and the Northern campus.
Who Aberdeen suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Aberdeen your trip
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