Brookings offers a different version of South Dakota from the famous landscapes of the west. Home to South Dakota State University, it has the energy of a college town while remaining small enough to feel relaxed and approachable.
If your road trip takes you through eastern South Dakota, Brookings is worth more than a quick fuel stop.
Discover the university town
South Dakota State University plays a major role in the character of Brookings. The campus brings students, sporting events, cultural activities and museums to a city that might otherwise be easy for travellers to overlook.
The South Dakota Art Museum and South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum are both connected with the university and offer two very different ways to learn about the state.
Spend time outdoors
McCrory Gardens is another highlight. Its landscaped gardens and arboretum make a pleasant change of pace, particularly if you have been spending long hours driving across the plains.
Explore downtown
Downtown Brookings has local restaurants, cafés and shops without feeling designed purely for tourists. That is part of its appeal. You can have a meal, walk around and get a glimpse of everyday life in an eastern South Dakota community.
A good road-trip stop
Brookings sits near Interstate 29 north of Sioux Falls, making the two cities easy to combine. I would consider Brookings particularly worthwhile if you enjoy university towns, regional museums or simply want to add places to your itinerary that are not dominated by South Dakota’s headline attractions.
The Black Hills may provide the dramatic scenery, but places such as Brookings help show how varied the state actually is.