Welcome. The fresh air, sunshine and wide open prairies greet you when you explore the “Little Town on the Prairie.” Whether you are looking for a fun family vacation, a hunting or fishing trip or some unique shopping and dining, De Smet has it all. Visit the original homes of famous author Laura Ingalls Wilder and take a covered wagon ride or take in the Laura Ingalls Wilder pageant.

Visit Lake Thompson, just eight miles east of De Smet, South Dakota’s largest natural lake. It’s an angler’s haven with walleye, perch and northern pike. The De Smet area also offers the best pheasant hunting in east central South Dakota. De Smet also offers many unique shops on Main Street, midwestern hospitality and a wide selection of restaurants.

• Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, Inc. – www.discoverlaura.org
  Discover Laura Ingalls Wilder with a visit to “The Little Town on the Prairie”, De Smet, South Dakota. Laura’s stories come to life when you join costumed guides for a visit to the original homes of author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Explore the Sureyors’ House where Laura and her family spent their first Dakota winter. Laura wrote about this home in her “Little House” book, By the Shores of Silver Lake. Visit the home that Pa built, the Ingalls Home, and learn what happened to Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura, Carrie and Grace. Experience a unique journey into Laura’s life and history!
• Ingalls Homestead – www.ingallshomestead.com
  Visit the prairie of Laura’s “Little House” stories. Pa Ingalls and his family claimed this piece of Dakota Territory as their homestead. Sample 1880’s pioneering life: Covered wagon rides, Historic school session, Hands-on pioneering activities, and Prairie learning center. Plan an old fashioned family day to De Smet, South Dakota.
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant – www.desmetpageant.org
  Capture the pioneering spirit in an annual production of one of Wilder’s 5 books written about her growing up years in De Smet. The setting sun and Dakota prairies provide a wonderful backdrop for the outdoor pageant. The pageant is held one mile southeast of De Smet. From the pageant grounds you can see the land Pa homesteaded and the cottonwood trees Pa planted. The big slough and Silver Lake are nearby. “Little Town on the Prairie” brings Laura and her prairie wonderfully to life.
• The Loftus Store – www.loftusstore.com
  The Loftus Store has been your “Quality Store” since 1879. The original building still stands today. Laura wrote of Mr. Loftus and his store in her well-known book, The Long Winter. Walk where Laura walked. Discover original shoe boxes and shoes found in the attic 125 years later. Free admission. Visa and MasterCard accepted.
• De Smet Depot Museum – Harvey Dunn School – website
  De Smet traces its history to the year the railroad reached this location. The railroad depot is now a museum that features exhibits on De Smet’s early history, a South Dakota wildlife display and a country print shop. Adjacent to the museum is the schoolhouse attended by prairie artist Harvey Dunn who was born near De Smet. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
• Hazel L. Meyer Memorial Library – website
  Several of Harvey Dunn’s original works are on display in the city library, along with a large display case housing a collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder family memorabilia. Public internet access computers, wifi, a copier and fax machine are also available at the library.

• Oxbow Restaurant – De Smet, SD
• Klinkel’s III Bar & Grill – De Smet, SD
• Prime Time Tavern – Huron, SD

• Schade Vineyard & Winery – Volga, SD
• With the Wind Vineyard & Winery – Rosholt, SD
• Wilde Prairie Winery – Brandon, SD

• Lake Thompson
  Visit Lake Thompson, South Dakota’s largest natural lake, just eight miles east of De Smet. An angler’s haven with walleye, perch, and northern pike, the lake boasts designated swimming and beach areas for a day of fun in the sun. The De Smet area also offers the best pheasant hunting in east central South Dakota and lots of midwestern hospitality.
• Washington Park
  De Smet was named for Father De Smet, a Jesuit missionary who spent his life among the Indians, and a statue in his honor stands in the city’s Washington Park. Picnic facilities, a modern playground, campsites with electricity and water, restrooms with showers, a volleyball court, and horseshoe pits are also located in Washington Park.
• Rose Vincent Memorial Park
  4-H Park and Rose Vincent Memorial Park provide additional picnic facilities and modern playgrounds.
• Summer Recreation
  Other recreational facilities available in De Smet are an athletic park, bathhouse and swimming pool. Summer youth activities include girls’ softball, and boys’ pee wee & midget baseball.
• Kingsbury County Country Club
  611 7th Street SW, De Smet, SD 57231, (605) 854-3134. Enjoy some time on the links at our fabulous golf course. Green fees: 9 holes-$16, 18 holes-$24, All Day-$35. League nights: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – 5pm start. Soft spikes required. Golf cart rentals available. The course is 3,053 yards long from the back tees, a Par 36 course with a men’s rating 34.4 and slope 111. Forward tee distance is 2,870 yards, a Women’s Par of 37 with a rating 35.9 and slope 120.