Four million visitors each year come to Rapid City to experience its history and nearby attractions (most of which have been listed previously).

The localsare extremely friendly (among the nicest I've encountered throughout my travels), the local cuisine is superb (a buffalo burger is a must) and there are two more attractions in the city that make our list.

A snake lounges on a tree branch at Reptile Gardens.

First off, I hate snakes. They're scarier than my frizzy out-of-control hair on a humid day. Just the thought of a small, non-venomous one is enough to make me shiver, never mind a whole building packed to the rafters (literally) with the world's most poisonous reptiles. But not being one to back down in the face of fear, I visited Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, home to eight of the 10 most venomous species of snakes in the world.

So, yes, like their tag line states, there's more than reptiles at Reptile Gardens. But the cute birds and exotic flora are not what make mouths drop open in awe. No, the vipers and pythons and rattlesnakes do that. The dozens of varieties of crocodiles and alligators do that.

There's so much to see and experience at Reptile Gardens, it's no wonder USA Today named it as one of the top 10 roadside attractions in the country.

The other must-see in Rapid City is The Journey Museum, an interactive trip through South Dakota's past, from the formation of the Black Hills to modern times, focusing on the area's rich Lakota heritage.

All in all, a road trip through the Black Hills will give visitors a taste of everything - from nature to adventure, from educational to kitschy, from spiritual to patriotic, you'll find it all in South Dakota.