Mount Rushmore turns 75 today and is still one of the most iconic landmarks in the country that has put South Dakota permanently on the map. In honor of the 75th anniversary of the completion of construction of the Mount Rushmore monument, here are five unique ways to experience the national park.
Dine With the Presidents
If you are an early riser, you can "dine with the presidents." Mount Rushmore National Park's Carver Cafe is open for breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., serving a classic American-style breakfast with scrambled eggs, home-style breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, biscuits and more with a view of the presidents above.
Share an Ice Cream With Thomas Jefferson
If you check out the hashtag #JeffersonIceCream, you are going to see a whole bunch of clever photos of people feeding an ice cream to Thomas Jefferson. Why is this significant? Thomas Jefferson created the first written recipe for ice cream in the United States.
Order up a cone of vanilla which uses Jefferson's original recipe, which dates back to 1780 and is produced by a local dairy farm. Then, snap a photo of yourself sharing it with him.
Go on a Treasure Hunt
There is lots to find around Mount Rushmore besides just the carved heads of some of greatest presidents. For rockhounds, there are more than 40 different minerals around the area of the Black Hills that include rose quartz, copper, silver and feldspar. For fans of geocaching, there are more than 160 caches in the surrounding area, resulting in a spectacular hunt.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Celebrating 75 Years of Mount Rushmore [/READMORE]
Watch the Presidents Light Up
During the summer months, from May to September, visitors have the chance to watch an evening lighting ceremony that includes a speech and a presentation from a park ranger as well as a video about the national memorial.
Visit the Sculptor's Studio
In the Sculptor's Studio, visitors can see how the artist built and refined his scale model of the memorial. This is an inside look at how the creative process came to life and features tools belonging to Gutzon Borglum as well as details of the carving process.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
