But it takes just minutes to launch a boat and escape on the crystal-clear Missouri River. State government is the largest employer here, and there's little industry, so the air is clear, too. It is a prime fishing water for walleyes, salmon, pike and smallmouth bass, not to mention a bountiful vessel for sailboats, water-skiing and those perky but sometimes irksome personal watercraft. Camouflage is the wardrobe of fall when the annual migration of Canada geese draws thousands of eager hunters.
Waterfowl use the Missouri River as a resting place on their southward journey.
Mighty mule deer and whitetails also lure the gun-toting crowd, and some of the nation's finest pheasant hunting is not far away, either. The local airport is served by Great Lakes and Mesaba Airlines, which respectively link travelers with United and Northwest Airlines. Under 18s, free. The South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium is open seven days a week. Under 2, free.