Family discovers S.D. hidden gems in cross-state road trip

This paid piece is sponsored by the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

As travel experiences go, it doesn’t get more personal than this.

Lisa Garriss and her family were the only ones inside St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Hoven.

“It is beautiful,” said Garriss, a Washington High School and Augustana University graduate who moved back to Sioux Falls with her husband nearly two years ago after spending 30 years living on the East Coast.

“They had just completed a restoration, so we walked around and were the only ones in there, and it was just a very beautiful experience.”

They then decided to explore the community – population about 400 — which led to another memorable moment across the street from the church.

“There was a little thrift store there, and we started talking to the clerk, who was so excited to share the history of the church and told us we’d come at just the right time because they’d just finished the restoration,” Garriss said. “She shared about having her wedding there and how the whole town came together to make this a destination. She had so much history and knowledge and had lived there all her life. We talked for probably 20 minutes, and it made the trip. It really did.”

How does a family driving from Sioux Falls to far northwest South Dakota even know to stop in Hoven and a cathedral along the way?

Garriss was an early fan of the South Dakota Department of Tourism’s passport program, which began connecting her and her family with “Great Finds” across the state last summer.

While they began with trips to destinations not far from Sioux Falls, “I was really intrigued with the John Lopez Studio, and I thought instead of taking the interstate, let’s see what we can do in between here and there,” she said.

It led to a fall road trip from Sioux Falls to Lemmon with three days, two nights and a dozen destinations in between.

“My parents love to travel, and my dad knows every fishing hole in the state, so it was so much fun as we were driving to hear their stories,” Garriss said. “There was a lot of reminiscing about when I was growing up here.”

And there were a lot of new memories made along the way, including at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center in Chamberlain.

“It’s just a beautiful campus,” Garriss said. “We started our Christmas shopping there and plan to go back and spend more time. I’m from D.C. where there are wonderful museums, but you don’t get the same enthusiasm and one-on-one connections that you do traveling here.”

As they traveled the state, locals would recommend great spots to eat, stop for conversation and recommend other hidden gems in the area.

“The biggest takeaway was really getting into those small towns and experiencing the people,” Garriss said.

When they finally reached the John Lopez Studio, it didn’t disappoint.

“His work is just incredible, and it’s amazing to look at it so close,” Garriss said. “My dad asked the curator how long she’d worked for Mr. Lopez, and she said: ‘Well 50-some years. I’m his mother.’ So she shared the inspiration behind some of his artwork and how he got started with his career, and they talked about family, and it was quite the surprise. But she was willing to talk about anything and everything we wanted to know.”

Throughout their trip, the family logged into their South Dakota Great Finds Passport on their smartphone and checked in at various destinations.

“I earned a sticker pack that I’m using on my travel mug and the cutest field notes book that I’m using to write down fun spots and destinations,” Garriss said. “I know they do lots of prizes, but just doing what we’re doing is a grand prize in itself.”

And they’re far from done on the road.

“When the weather breaks, we want to go back up north toward Aberdeen, where it seems like there’s lot of fun places,” Garriss said. “And it seems like there’ still a lot in Rapid City I didn’t get to see, so I think my husband and I might travel out there. South Dakota really is a great place, and I’m looking forward to exploring even more.”

Click here to connect with the passport program and begin discovering your own Great Finds.