Literary Tourism

Literary Tourism: Storybook Island in South Dakota

In the home state of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House on the Prairie books, there’s another happy little bookish place: Storybook Island in South Dakota.

It’s a free theme park in Rapid City, open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

I should have assumed it was a park for children and a common place for children’s birthday parties. But I strolled around the park, skipping toward my favorite characters and snapping pictures of the cutest figures anyway.

Here is only a sampling of the delightful friends at the park. There are so many more, and a handful I didn’t even recognize.

If you’re traveling in the area, be sure to check out Literary Tourism of the Great Plains, too.

Welcome to Storybook Island:

Storybook Island in South Dakota

Say hi to Little Bo Peep:

Little Bo Peep at Storybook Island in South Dakota

Admire Rapunzel’s strong locks:

Rapunzel at Storybook Island in South Dakota

Have a photo shoot with Winnie the Pooh’s pals:

Winnie the Pooh Pals at Storybook Island in South Dakota

Follow the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and friends:

Wizard of Oz at Storybook Island in South Dakota

A park dedicated to children’s books would be incomplete without a Little Free Library:

Little Free Library at Storybook Island in South Dakota