Deadwood

We'll be doing some traveling around S. Dakota and will probably stay in Deadwood for at least one night. Any recommendations for a hotel? Don't want high end but clean and comfortable. We will have to actually PAY for accommodations this trip (GASP!) so we're not looking to spend a lot of money.
Any "must do's" in town? Thanks.

 

When we were there several years ago, I believe(?) we stayed at the Hampton Inn. I do not have a good recent suggestion. The entirety of Deadwood is pretty compact and you will be able to hit it all regardless of which hotel you stay at.

When are you going? If you are going as part of the bike rally in Sturgis you are probably too late to book anything.

 

Iron Horse Inn is an older historic place about one block off the main street - easy on the budget so don't expect a lot of upscale amenities but everything you need, bed was comfortable; old fashioned Victorian decor, very clean and staff is pleasant and helpful. Room was a bit on small side, reserve a 'queen' or you may end up in a double bed...if more than two, reserve a larger room. Parking is tight everywhere in Deadwood, but the hotel staff will assist you if space not available in the adjacent lot for guests. Good cafe on premise. Casino on main floor - almost all the downtown hotels have small casinos.

If you are traveling with family, my niece and family have stayed at The Lodge at Deadwood and they loved it - great amenities, pool, sports bar, plenty for the kids to do. More expensive but they said it was worth it for the kids.

Not to be missed: Mount Rushmore about an hour away, Crazy Horse Monument is a work in progress, awesome.
Also: Boot Hill (Wild Bill Hickok/Calamity Jane), Broken Boot Gold Mine, Adams Museum (just ok) but free with donation request.

As previous poster mentioned, if there is anything going on in Sturgis when you visit, you won't find an available room or it will be priced out of sight.

 

Thank you both. We're going in Sept so bike rally won't be a problem. I looked at the Lodge and it's more than we want to pay but the Iron Horse sounds like our kind of place. From your description it sounds like the Hotel Nevada in Ely. We will be doing the tourist thing so we'll visit all of the above and more. We're flying into DEN and taking a week to see it all. It will be just the two of us. Not much gambling but we will throw some money into the slots here and there.

 

I second the Iron Horse Inn! I have a friend in Deadwood that i visited last summer and i stayed here for a couple nights. At the time they were tooting the fact the "Bachelor" Chris Soules from Iowa had stayed there when they were filming in the area! It's very quaint, has a nice outdoor restaurant, and within walking distance of anything in the historic Deadwood downtown. I was surprised to discover that Kevin Costner owned the casino i was playing BJ in that first night - Midnight Star! I enjoyed Deadwood - Crystal Gayle was performing outside one night and all of downtown was blocked off to watch! Fun town.

 

Look into staying at Keystone, Nancy!
You are right down the street from Mt. Rushmore!
And since you won't be doing much gambling, you can just drive to Deadwood (about an hour north)
Close to Custer and the Rapid City.

 

We have a long list of places to visit so we have to start planning an itinerary. We're interested in Black Hills, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Badlands, Lead Mine, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Deadwood, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, Devil's Tower, the Wildlife Refuge and anything else we can see along the way. Would kind of like to see the Corn Palace too but that's probably too far out of the way. If anyone can help with an itinerary from DEN that hits as many of the above as possible, that would be greatly appreciated.
Michelle, we'll definitely look into Keystone one we figure out where we're going.

 

I liked the Wind Cave.

 

In Deadwood we have always stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. I think 3 times now. We have been extremely happy with it. Parking (room key) is 1/2 block down in one of the city lots, but it's an easy walk (wouldn't be if my mom were with. We have also stayed in Rapid City several times at varying chain motels. All still an easy drive to the attractions. We usually do a 'circle' type drive each day and hit a few things.

 

I stayed there in 2007. A little on the pricey side but right in the heart of Deadwood on Main Street. Easy walking distance to various attractions.

 

+1

We dropped into Deadwood maybe 20 years ago, kind of as a side trip to a driving trip to Devil's Tower and such. We could not get a hotel in Deadwood proper, so we stayed in Belle Fourche (properly pronounced "Bell Foosh") and drove over to Deadwood that night. There were several "casinos" on the main street but at the time they had a regulation that each "casino" could only have up to 35 or so machines, so there were many of them and they looked quite roomy compared to LV ones. At the time it was all coin-in, coin-out, no TITO except for a few lottery machines disguised as regular VP machines which printed a ticket that you had to take to the cashier.

No blackjack or roulette that I remember, but I do recall seeing an idle big-6 wheel in one place.

We stopped at the one place that had a buffet for breakfast the next day on the way back.

I'm assuming it's more like other SD casinos now.