Sioux Falls in a day
A one-day plan for Sioux Falls: St. Joseph Cathedral, Falls Park, the Old Courthouse Museum, the Washington Pavilion, First Congregational Church and the Great Plains Zoo. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Sioux Falls in 1 day
Day 1
Great Plains Zoo
A zoo with animals from the plains and the world and an indoor Delbridge Museum, set among gardens close to the centre.
First Congregational Church
Historic Gothic Revival church of 1890s in downtown Sioux Falls, noted for its stonework and stained glass; visits depend on services.
Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science
A former high school turned arts and science centre, with a museum, a theatre, a science centre and an art gallery.
St. Joseph Cathedral
Roman Catholic cathedral of 1919 in the centre, a Romanesque Revival building with stained glass and a tall twin-towered facade.
Old Courthouse Museum
Local history museum in a pink quartzite courthouse of 1893, run by the Siouxland Heritage Museums.
Falls Park
The park around the cascades of the Big Sioux River in the city centre, with viewing platforms, the ruins of an old mill and a visitor tower.
Watch: Sioux Falls
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Sioux Falls
Late spring to early autumn, from May to September, is the best season for Falls Park, the zoo and the outdoor sights, with warm to hot days and some thunderstorms. Winters are cold and snowy, so many outdoor sights are less pleasant. The Sanford International golf tournament takes place in September, and SculptureWalk fills downtown from May to autumn.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Sioux Falls on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Sioux Falls on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Sioux Falls on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Sioux Falls
- Falls Park is free and open every day; the visitor center tower gives a view over the falls on the Big Sioux River.
- The Washington Pavilion has a museum, a science centre and theatres under one roof, so check which parts are open on the day you go.
- The Great Plains Zoo is mostly outdoors and best in the morning; some animals are less active in the heat or in deep winter.
- The Old Courthouse Museum is a pink quartzite building of 1893 in the city centre; check its opening days before going.
- Winters are cold with snow, and the falls partly freeze, so the outdoor sights are best from late spring to early autumn.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Falls Park: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First Congregational Church: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great Plains Zoo: Kuza18, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Courthouse Museum: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral: Jake DeGroot, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science: Schuym1, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
