Cool Things to Do in Sioux Falls

   Lake Lorraine is a great place to take a stroll.  Get your "steps" in by walking the full one-mile loop around the lake.  The east side is not paved, but is a walkable gravel path.  The little lake is spring-fed and very clear.  There's a pebble beach on the west side where you can walk to the water's edge and see perch and sunfish.  Oversized Adirondack chairs at the south and west ends of the lake provide good spots to sit for a spell and enjoy the view or, if you’re so inclined, to practice your “ Edith Ann .” There's a sizeable beach on the northern edge of the lake where the Hyatt hotel is situated.  I've often thought of taking a staycation at the Hyatt (Sioux Falls' only) just so I could hang out on that beach.  Since the lake is privately owned, swimming and fishing are not allowed.  I wouldn't think loitering on the Hyatt's beach would be permitted either.   However, if you want to "legally" get in the lake, you can...

There is specific, local restaurant fare that I crave from time to time, and a Nick's gyro falls into that category.  A half-assed Arby's gyro isn't going to suffice, nor is a hipster gyro-esque concoction.  It has to be the real deal.  When that craving hits hard, I head to Nick's. Nick's has been serving up gyros since the early 80s, before most Sioux Fallsians even knew what a gyro was, much less how to pronounce it. Warm pita, spiced gyro meat, onion, tomato, and home-made tatziki sauce combine to make a simple, mouth-watering sandwich that satisfies. The Nick’s gyro sandwich is expertly wrapped in paper and tinfoil making it easily accessible with no mess, a perk if you’re downing a gyro sandwich in your car.  Pride of ownership shines through Nick's Gyros Restaurant inside and out.  They've taken an ancient Taco Bell and transformed it into a thing of beauty.  Colorful plants and flowers abound.  Both interior and exterior reflect a Grecian vibe...

  If you spend any amount of time in Sioux Falls, you’ll begin to notice a pattern of pink:  pink streets, pink courthouses, churches, schools, prisons, and homes. Pink is a prevalent color.  Sioux Falls was sorta built on pink, pink Sioux Quartzite that is.  Sioux Quartzite is one durable stone.  In fact, it's purportedly second only in hardness to the diamond.   Falls Park is a playland of pink Sioux Quartzite.  There are plenty of rock formations to climb on throughout the park.  Just be careful not to fall in the river.  It happens.  The Big Sioux River cascades over the quartzite to create the falls.  If you're visiting Sioux Falls, it's pretty much a requirement to go to the falls.   My favorite part of the park is the small sandy beach to the west edge of the smaller falls.  You will have to do a little climbing to get to it, but you'll probably have the cove to yourself once you get there.   The Fal...