Description: For those of you who have lived or traveled the east coast of the US along the I95 corridor, you have no doubt seen all of the "Pedro" signs for South Carolina's "South of the Border" . . . a tourist trap extraordinaire. Growing up in Virginia and as a young adult, I can remember many family road trips that included the mandatory stop at South of the Border. Well South Dakota's "Wall Drug" is right up there as a highway oasis of shops and restaurants, and other ways to separate you from your hard earned money!
I have driven across this part of the county a couple of times, but never made the stop. On this trip I wanted to stop by on my way west to Wyoming but I just couldn't seem to fit it into my already full day, so I did make the effort to stop on my Sunday morning cruise through. I was shocked at how busy the downtown area was before 10:00am, especially on a Sunday. Fortunate for me, I arrived looking for a parking space in front of Wall Drug at the same time someone was leaving with their $15+/dozen donuts. I suppose they were sent into town for the delights for after church or something. Sorry, there is no donut that is THAT good that I'm going to pay $1.36/$1.46 a piece (or the posted $15.72 for plain or $17.02 for frosted). I suppose since they have billboards advertising "free donuts" for veterans and honeymooners, someone has to pay for all of those freebies.
I mention the billboards; as with Pedro's place, you cannot drive across I90 without seeing them. They are everywhere, including Hwy 240 that comes up from Badlands National Park. Within the last 10 or 15 miles, they are more frequent, with there being several each mile on either side of MM 109 and 110 (the two exits to the Town of Wall).
I had considered having breakfast at the Wall Drug Cafe, but there was a wait to be seated so I took a pass and enjoyed something from my food stash in the van as it also seemed wrong to have ice cream in their soda fountain so early in the morning. I wandered around the various stores, including a candy & fudge shop, a gemstone & rock place and a western wear boutique for those of us who arrived in cowboy-land without a proper hat or boots. Walking the hardwood floor stores had the feeling of the old western days but with the cha-ching of the cash register.
In one of the mall area hallways there was even a small chapel for those who wish to pray or attend service during their travels.
All in all, Wall Drug is an interesting place and for folks who like to do a lot of souvenir shopping, it is probably as good a place as any to do so. It is also convenient in that it is less than five minutes from the highway, so the detour could be minimal if parking does not become an issue. NOTE: In addition to the street parking that runs both sides of the street for roughly two blocks, there is also a large gravel lot just before you get to Main Street. This is where RVers and overflow vehicles would be able to park.
Wall Drug has been operating and going strong since 1931. By the looks of it, they will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in less than 20 years. Now that would be a shindig worthy of free donuts!
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