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Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SD

Photo: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorFreeFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

Falls Park

900 N Phillips Ave · Sioux Falls, SD

Why you should go…

Falls Park surrounds the waterfalls that gave Sioux Falls its name, on more than 128 acres along the Big Sioux River just north of downtown. Viewing platforms line the cascades, and a five-story tower with an elevator and outdoor deck is attached to the visitor information center. You can also walk past the quartzite ruins of the 1881 Queen Bee Mill and eat at the Falls Overlook Cafe, set in a 1908 hydroelectric plant.

  • #waterfall
  • #city park
  • #observation tower
  • #historic mill ruins

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Falls Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Siouxland Heritage Museums

    Free

    Two free Sioux Falls history museums: the Old Courthouse Museum and the Pettigrew Home and Museum.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Free Entry

    Old Courthouse Museum

    Free

    Free regional history museum in an 1890s quartzite courthouse in downtown Sioux Falls, with three floors of exhibits, a restored courtroom and 16 early-1900s murals.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Free Entry

    Pettigrew Home & Museum

    Free

    Free guided tours of the 1889 Queen Anne home of South Dakota's first U.S. senator in Sioux Falls' Cathedral district, with his own artifact museum attached at the back.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Thunder Road Family Fun Park

    Under $25

    A Sioux Falls family entertainment park with go-karts, mini golf, bumper boats and an arcade.

    2.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Wild Water West Waterpark

    Under $25

    South Dakota's largest waterpark, with a wave pool, lazy river and a six-story waterslide.

    9.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Palisades State Park

    Under $25

    Hike, climb or paddle among pink Sioux quartzite cliffs that rise above Split Rock Creek near Garretson.

    14 mi awayMore like this