As soon as you enter South Dakota, you’ll see hand-painted signs advertising everything from buffalo burgers and free ice water to homemade ice cream and Western clothing. Seriously, there are over 3,000 of these signs in the state so you can’t miss them, and they’re all advertising one store: Wall Drug.
What is wall medicine? Well, it’s a 4,645-square-foot Western-themed drugstore that is South Dakota’s most famous roadside attraction, located in the small town of Wall (pop. 800).
A few years ago we spent 24 hours at the world’s largest Buc-ee’s, and it was such an interesting experience that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do something similar at Wall Drug. That’s why we spent 24 hours exploring Wall Drug and discovered the 11 most interesting things you can do there, from buying cowboy boots to riding giant jackalopes.
1. Drink a cup of free ice water
How did this drugstore go from a small family business (in an even smaller town) to a roadside attraction that attracts more than 2 million visitors annually? Three words: free ice water.
After purchasing the company in 1931, the Hustead family struggled for several years to bring business to the store. That was until one sweltering hot summer day, Dorthy Hustead came up with the idea to post signs along the state’s major highways advertising “free ice water.” This may not seem like a big selling point, but in the mid-1930s, ice cream was hard to come by and cars didn’t have air conditioning. Honestly, we think the Hustead family probably invented the idea of free ice water that is so common in the US today.
Since that day, Wall Drug has never had a problem attracting customers. Ice water is still free and a refreshing way to cool off on a hot South Dakota day.
2. Explore the Drugstore Museum
Before it was a huge roadside attraction, Wall Drug was just a modest drugstore. Today you’ll find a replica of the original drugstore that you can enter, complete with old-fashioned medicine bottles. It’s a cool way to see what drugstores looked like almost 100 years ago.
3. Play games in the arcade
Wall Drug is basically a Western-themed Disneyland, but without the rides. In lieu of rides, the drugstore offers plenty of classic and modern arcade games that are fun for all ages – and somewhere in the arcade is a life-size T-rex that actually roars! We hear there are many more cool, family-friendly activities during peak season, like water shows and gold panning!
4. Admire the world’s largest private Western art collection
Since the early days of Wall Drug, the Hustead family have been avid Western art collectors. Today, Wall Drug features more than 300 original illustrations and watercolors that take you straight back to the days of cowboys and gold mining in the Wild West.
5. Take photos with dinosaurs and jackalopes
Jackalopes (which we discovered on this trip don’t actually exist) appear to be Wall Drug’s mascot. Outside the pharmacy you will find a giant jackalope and a giant dinosaur that you can climb on top of. Don’t forget to take some photos before you go to remember your Wall Drug experience!
6. Buy a pair of cowboy boots
Wall Drug basically has all the South Dakota themed souvenirs you could ever want. T-shirts, sweatshirts, magnets and more: if you want it, they probably have it. In addition to the typical souvenir fare, Wall Drug sells many souvenirs from local artisans that you can’t get anywhere else. You will find handmade cowboy boots, cowboy hats and beautiful Native American jewelry.
7. Eat a Buffalo Burger
In addition to all the other crazy things Wall Drug has to offer, it also has a sit-down restaurant that seats 530 people. The menu includes their famous buffalo burger, hot beef sandwiches and rotating daily specials such as chimichangas, fried chicken and stromboli.
8. Enjoy world-famous donuts (and 5-cent coffee)
In addition to savory dishes, Wall Drug serves several all-American desserts, such as apple pie and homemade ice cream. Probably their most famous dessert are the donuts, which we can confirm are some of the best we’ve ever had. These desserts pair perfectly with a steaming cup of coffee, which costs 5 cents in the restaurant and 99 cents for a takeaway cup. It’s not the best coffee ever, but how can you turn down a deal like that?
9. Attend a church service
There are many strange and unexpected things inside Wall Drug, but the most unexpected for us was the Traveler’s Chapel, where a church service is held every Sunday.
10. Try ‘Better than Buc-ee’s-Fudge’
When we did our 24-hour challenge at the World’s Largest Buc-ee’s, Kara tried their dark chocolate caramel fudge and called it the best fudge she’d ever had…so far. Sorry Buc-ee superfans, but Wall Drug’s caramel fudge might beat Buc-ee’s version.
11. Explore Badlands National Park
Wall, South Dakota, is often referred to as the gateway to Badlands National Park. Located just 8 miles from the Pinnacles entrance, Wall Drug is the perfect place to refuel before adventuring into the national park. Wall Drug is also just 76 miles from the iconic Mount Rushmore, if that’s what brings you to South Dakota.
Is Wall Drug worth the visit?
After 24 hours at Wall Drug, it’s clear why this bizarre but fascinating drugstore has become a living legend that attracts millions of visitors every year. Whether you want to cool off with free ice water, grab a pair of cowboy boots, or indulge in world-famous donuts, Wall Drug offers a fun experience like no other.
Watch our video below to see our full experience at Wall Drug and if you enjoyed this article, be sure to read about our experience at the World’s Largest Buc-ee’s!
Hi! We are Kara and Nate. High school sweethearts from Nashville, TN whose shared love of travel led us on the adventure of a lifetime. In 2016 we quit our jobs to travel the world for a year. Seven years later we still haven’t stopped! We quickly fell in love with life on the road and captured our travels on video. We’ve visited over 100 countries and have been fortunate to build an amazing community of subscribers to our YouTube channel and Daily Drop newsletter. We are so grateful to be able to do what we love every day and we hope our story and content can inspire you to travel somewhere new!
