Storybook Island Reviews

The size of the park was impressive. The themed play areas are a little dated, but well maintained. Clean, and has music playing. They have a gift shop and concession stand. Kids spent hours there just playing. Excellent park!!

Very nice park with a cool layout. Tons of story related things. Plenty of swings and slides in many areas of the park. Slides and swings are part of the characters and children’s stories. Park is free. Train and carousel are $2. They also have a gift shop and concession stand.

Our 6 year old had a blast running around here after a long day of adventures set by adults. Great photo op. If we visit again while the kids are young we would stop back here. I'm glad it's free: I wouldn't pay to go in.

We spent about 2 hours at Storybook Island with an 5 and 8 yr old. They loved it. The place was clean, had water fountains through out. Definitely a place to come again.

Yes, we were the only family there with teenagers and no little ones in toe. The park is free and was awesome. Lots of good photo ops and it was a good trip back in time, remembering the teenagers when they were young.

We stopped here on our week long trip in the Black Hills. My kids loved it! Seeing all the story book characters in "real life" was the coolest part. They did not spend much time actually "playing" on the swings/slides/etc but discovering which book character was next. So cute! And free! Can't get better than that! :-)

Great place for younger kids - like a big nursery rhymed themed playground. Great place to run around. Not too much shade but it is entirely fenced in. Free to get in but they do charge for train and carousel rides ($2). There is a snack shop and an ice cream stand. The day we were there a group of Indian dancers and drummers were putting on a costumed show. There is also a picnic area adjacent to the park and gift shop. Mostly for younger kids but my 10 and 12 year old enjoyed looking at the little play areas and going into some of the play houses. Good for a walk around for sure.

When your kids are tired of going on tours and travelling let them blow off some steam here at this storybook themed playground. There are picnic grounds outside and bathrooms that were descent for a park. The train and carousel are both two dollars a ticket and were fun. We went twice on vacation

The grandkids had a great time even though it was hot. There is popcorn, ice cream etc for sale and a small gift shop. Worth the time to drive there and it's free

There are over 100 storybook and fairy tail characters featured in this large park. Kids of all ages will enjoy the expansive concrete displays. The staff throughout the park was really helpful. The logical layout allowed “kids to roam freely” with the characters. Kids will enjoy the trail ride. Take the train ride. This FREE amazing awesome attraction is a must stop.

Great place for us to take our 9, 6, & 3 yr old twins. We spent a couple hours here and our kids loved it. PLUS IT'S FREE!
Rapid City did it right when they built this place. Wish every city had something similar.

This was a great stop for the kids (ages 6 and 7) to play and it was free. They did have a couple activities that you could pay to do like a merry go round for $2 and a little train ride. They also had a snack stand and gift shop. There were lots of little play/climbing structures with themes of nursery rhymes, Disney movies, etc. The kids had a blast!

Remember your old storybook days? This is the place to bring back your memories! This will keep your kids busy for most of the day and it is FREE!

This is a must to take your kids to. We took both my 4 year old and 1 year old, and they had a blast. There is no fee but they do run on donations. There is so much for them to do. I was here 17 years ago, and it was just as fun now as it was then. My son loved all the things to sit in and climb on. He was able to run around and play and get that energy out all while bringing me back to my own childhood.

This park is a great place for letting the kids out to run around and expend some energy! The storybook characters are well made, and look like they do in the books. It is free, and they ask for a donation, but it's your option. Plenty of places for us older folks to sit and rest. Still enjoyed walking through here with the grandkids.

We love this park and visit it as often as we can. They have special events that are always amazing as well!!!

This is a cute place probably more for the younger kids, although my teens did like it. They took pics and ran around to all the different stories. It's a cute park

This park is open all summer and is FREE! Kids, particularly in the 3-10 age group love this place. Some picnic areas just outside the park so nice place to visit with families and just spend some relaxing time.
In December they decorate the whole park with lights and for a dollar/person can walk through and enjoy the real Christmas spirit with carols and hot chocolate.

We were told that there were Christmas lights during the holiday season. We decided to go during the evening and walked around looking at the displays. We also got to meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus for pictures and a visit. The kids had a blast riding the train around to view the Christmas lights. It was a great place to go and visit.

Great place for the littles! Great area for them to run and play and the place is simply adorable and so clean. Admission is free. The carousel was inexpensive and it was fast!! The workers were very safety minded , making sure everyone was buckled in. Would highly recommend this place

This was a very cute park located in Rapid City. Our kids are 10, 7, and 5. Everyone enjoyed checking this place out. We spent about an hour there wandering through the displays. It was incredibly hot the day we visited, but worth the stop.

This is a must visit if you have kids. There is no charge, but they do have a donation box. It is a huge playground area with all sorts of story book character play area's. There even is an area smaller children ages 5 and under. There's a small train to ride around the grounds, a snack bar and gift shop.

A variety of different experiences for kids of all ages. Friendly people and variety kept up the kids interest.

We ended up here late on a drizzly day after lots of other structured activities. The storybook theme was cute, but most of the things were in need of paint and plaster repairs (lots of peeling, cracks, wear and tear).Some of them were so poorly done that you couldnt even tell what they were supposed to represent. I was afraid a few were going to topple over. There is a little train that you can purchase tickets to ride thru the park on (not sure of the cost).
My kids had a lot of fun just running from area to area (even the bigger kids), climbing on old fire trucks and trains, going in a tree house, in Cindrerellas carriage, in little play houses. There was not that much to actually do-many of the structures just stood there with nothing to climb on or ride, but they still had a surprisingly good time. Old metal slides that you never see anymore gave them good rides, but due to the drizzle I had to keep wiping them off to prevent totally soaked pants. I think on a sunny day they would have had even more fun.
As it got later and darker, I had trouble getting them to leave. The price was right-and I am not sure why they liked it so much, but if you have the spare time and little kids, it is worth a stop.

Free exciting park for kiddos with really affordable activities like bouncy house, carousel, and train..if you want to do those they are 2 dollars per ticket. We all had a blast! Great place to explore. We went back twice because it was such a unique, free, and fun experience.

Shown a list of highlights in the Rapid City area you young ones, Storybook Island was first choice. It did not disappoint. Certainly best for kids in single digits of age, but everyone can find something of interest. No guards or attendants to keep you from bringing in water or the like. Concessions and restrooms only at entrance/exit.

My wife and I stopped here on a recent trip to the Black Hills. We have been here many times, many years ago, with our kids but we had almost as much fun this visit watching other children having a great time.

Lovely FREE park provides a lot to do for kids with many of your favorite characters of childhood. The train was intriguing for my little niece who had to go on numerous rides! The park is open all summer but closes in the fall. It does re-open Christmas time, then the park twinkles magically with thousands of lights & you tour to Christmas music. Santa was there to visit and take photos with the kids. The summer provides theater productions and you can even have birthday parties there and the surrounding park area is a lovely place to have a picnic. It's a must see attraction!

Wow the grankids love this place, a lot of fun stuff for kids to do. A lot of characters from children books. I would greatly recommend this place

Kids love storybook Island. Free, wander through, get some cool photos, and see the sites! Very relaxing.

My mom and I LOVED this place! We needed to waste some time before having dinner with a friend so we decided to check this place out. We were so glad we did! Brings back childhood memories :) This is a great place for families AND adults/solos. It's almost like a taste of Disney world.

gift shop a bit pricey but the children loved all the different scenes and train ride. they also loved the slides and diggers.

Took family here and they were largely uninterested. They were bored after 20 minutes.

I woukd recommend other parks or activities.

This is a place that if you have little kids you should make a must see. It is free and the kids will love it.

This is a wonderful free park for the kids. There are a ton of storybook characters with swings/slides etc. for the children to enjoy. It' doesn't have quite as much as the one in Aberdeen, South Dakota but if you're looking for a free day of fun for young children in Rapid City this is it!

all kids should go to Storybook island, our kids are in there late 30s and they still remember how good it was

My kids loved this place! Did I mention it was FREE?
There were some activities that required a fee (I.e. The train ride was $2.00 per kid to ride). Other than that, the kids could climb and play all over the park with familiar characters all around them. As a teacher, I was so happy to see this place and took many photos to use in my classroom. The only issue we had was the bathrooms. They closed the bathrooms for cleaning 30 minutes before the park closed and no one could use them. So needless to say, make sure you use the potty an hour before they close, or you will have to use the park potty outside of Storybook Island (very smelly and dirty). The gift shop was quaint and cute. I'm glad we made time to go here. It was a great place to make memories with the kids...and best of all, it was FREE!

I can’t believe this is a free park. My 5 year old really enjoyed it. We were only there about 90 min but it was enough to get lost in the fun of it. Great spot.

We happened to see find this place by accident and I am so glad we did. Our grandchildren ranging in age from 5-16 thought it was great. The 5 year old was thrilled to find all her favorite storybook characters. Best of all it didn't cost a thing unless they want a train ride. Amazing place.

We’ve always loved this park. I took my own children there. I even did summer theater there before children. The kids love the kiddie train and the carousel. The nursery rhyme displays are colorful and inviting. The park is very inviting.

What a wonderful break from driving! My child was running from one place to the next and lived every moment spent here.

You can't beat the price. It's a wonderful place to spend a couple hours goofing off with the kids. My kids loved playing around everything and taking pictures with all of the fairy tale statues.

There are quite a lots of things to see, the young kids would be happy, many picture opportunities, we planed to get the little train ride, however, when we went to the train station and want to buy ticket, the staff said that the last train already set off, but she allowed us to take some pictures with the train before driving the train inside a cabin, the environment there is nice, moreover, it's free, no admission fee, you need to pay if you get on a ride. We don't have enough time to see all in details as we came late, so next time when passing by, may go there again, but this park is suitable for younger kids, the teenagers may feel boring?

It is a free attraction but accepts donations. It far exceeded our expectations, that is for sure! It is a huge place! There is a bouncy house which has a minimal cost. There is a park for 5 and under only. There is a train ride which has a minimal cost. We spent at least a couple of hours here. Our 5 year old loved it here.

So fun no matter how old you are. Take the kids, grandkids, or just yourself. So fun to see everything. Nice paved walk. Play area at the end for the kids. Gift shop to browse. Snack items to buy. Spend as much time as you want to. Wonderful Christmas displays. So much fun to walk down memory lane.

Anyone who gives this less than 5 stars is simply a grinch. It’s a lovely, magical and wonderful park for young kids. I’ll gladly pay the $2 for the charming train ride. My kids loved it and so did I.

Visited Storybrook island with grandparents and young children. The park is absolutely charming! Almost every nursery rhyme is represented with some kind of unique playhouse/sculpture/ride. It was almost sensory overload for young kids because it is so colorful and fun. There were some Disney characters as well. Riding the train and carousel is a fee but entering the park is donation only. They have a small snack shop there and a cool gift shop. There is also a play area for under 5. Great, entertaining place and lots of fun photo opportunities!

We spent nearly 3 hours at the park with a 9 yr old and 3 yr old.and thy both thought it was great. entrance is by donation only and well worth donating to. All the employees we dealt worth were very friendly and accommodating. W do have to return for another visit because in the 3 hours we were there we missed a few themes.

It is great to see many parks in the city and a friendly park for the children and also pets.We could not spend much time here as it was raining

A visit to Mother Goose land awaits at Storybook Island. this wonderful park is shaded, provides benches for grown ups to rest on while the kids explore and play.

All sorts of fun displays and play structures. The place is free unless you want to donate. Very cute well maintained play area. Lots of fun!

This free attraction is wonderful for the whole family. There is also a dog (on leash) area for a nice walk. The Parking is easy and SBI can be found right off Jackson Blvd and Sheridan Lake Road intersection head north.
There is a concession stand with treats and gift shop. This is perfect for some photo’s with all kinds of storybook backdrops. A+

A must-see for those with young children, and a great way to play 'story book jeopardy.' Brings back memories and helps create more! Free but please be prepared to donate!

Children love this place. There is plenty of space to run around and go into the stories. There is a place to reserve for birthday parties also. Very spacious and fun for the young kids.

Grandchildren from birth-10 y.o. like Storybook Island. It's basically a little playground with storybook character themed sets. They have a carousel that was put in a few years ago, but it's not great. No music, and goes a little fast for small children. Costs $2 for a ride, at least in the 2016 season. The little train is cute for the younger kids. Takes maybe 3-4 minutes to make it's loop, and costs $2 each no matter the age, so maybe not the best value for a family. There is a snack bar, and the park is pretty clean. Unfortunately you must exit through the gift shop, which I do not like. Makes the nice experience end badly most of the time...

Walk through this wonderful place and remember all your storybook characters in this park. It is FREE!

Went with my wife and 3 year old. From the outside it didn't look like much and we considered leaving but we were so glad we went in. There are a bunch of things to see and do. My daughter loved it. I only wish that my hometown had something like this.

If you are ever in South Dakota, do not miss an opportunity to visit Storybook Island! Although this is not one of the commonly noted tourist attractions, it is one of the best things to do with children in the area.
Storybook Island is a colorful, intricate, deeply detailed playground full of every fairy tale character you can imagine. Disney characters, Cat in the Hat, Sesame Street characters, Wizard of Oz, and more fill this space with wonder!
A carousel, train ride, numerous slides, play houses, a tree house, and various vehicles including a boat, helicopter, and train are only some of the play structures on Storybook Island. Ice cream, slushies, and other quick, fun snacks are available for purchase. If you are in the process of planning your itinerary for a South Dakota trip with children, consider planning at least 3-4 hours here. You will be so glad you didn’t rush through this magnificent, magical park!
There are many incredible things to do in South Dakota. Storybook Island is sadly missed by many tourists who prioritize other attractions. Take my advice- go to Storybook Island and enjoy a kids’ paradise!

Went here on a Tuesday and it was a great time! My kids are ages 9-12 and still enjoyed this free park. There are signs of age on some of the exhibits and our kids are probably a little old but it was super cute and would have been fantastic had our kids been a little younger. If you have young kids, do it!!

Very awesome Christmas light display.All donation s go to upkeep.must see for families. Good during summer as well. Kids really love this place.

If you are in the Black Hills area and have kids ages 2-12 this is a must stop. It is free for a donation and well worth the stop. You can easily spend a couple hours here.

We took our 7 year old daughter there, and she had a blast exploring all of the fairy tale play areas, the train ride, and the caurosel ride.

I have been going since a child and it was so fun to bring my 11 month old. Lots to see and do! Free!!! They do have a donation box. Lots of photo opportunities! Fun for all ages! There is ice cream! Cute gift shop. It is easy to get to. I would allow at least an hour to two with this stop.

Our family with 5 children ages 7 and under, really enjoyed this cute park. It had something for everyone, and so many exhibits to climb on, ride on, jump on, and just sit on. Very engaging for the imagination. would like to spend more time there.

The place is nice and the staff is welcoming. I came here as a child and was pleasantly surprised to see it in such good shape after all these years!

The kids loved seeing all of the exotic animals. It was a wonderful experience. Thank you South Dakota

We spent the afternoon there with our 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren, ages 3-10. Even the oldest boys, ages 8 and 10, had a good time. There is a $2 per person fee to ride the little train, but the park is really free of charge. They have more of a Disney theme than they did years before, but that only added to the fun for the kids. There is food and a gift shop if you wish. The 3 year old ran from place to place and was so sad when it was time to leave the park. This is a great place for kids to burn off some energy and for families to get great photos.

This place looked amazing but it was already closed for the season. The kids were so disappointed. The website did say they were closed for the season, I just didn’t check. We are visiting SD from Ky so we prob won’t be back out this way for years. I really wish they were open in the fall, even if they had to charge for admission. Especially since it’s advertised so much.

My five-year-old daughter loved visiting Storybook Island. What a fun place, and an amazing asset to have in the community. Entry is free, and the only things that cost money are the train, carousel and food. We had a wonderful visit.

Where else can you see such an entertaining venue for youngsters and adults too wanting to re-live the fun storybook characters? And such an delightful way to spend a few hours on a nice day. I can visualize a picnic under the huge beautiful cottonwoods
and don't forget the camera to record those memories made here

A rare freebie in an area where everything costs a buck. It has all the old fairytale characters in little settings, a train ride and carousel (for a cost of $2 ea). There were places to get concessions. This place is an at your own pace and the kids really seemed to enjoy themselves...

This is a really fun place for the kids, and they even get some learning out of it. All the nursery rhymes are familiar to the adults so it's fun for us too. Great picture opportunities for the whole family.

We were fascinated by the action, the themes, the landscaping, and the rides they offer. Such a fun place for kids and BIG kids alike. Will be returning for sure, They say Christmas is amazing with all the kizillion lights. Can't wait.

I remember this place from when I was a kid, and it's still amazing. It's clean, charming, and free—how is it free?! We had a perfect evening there and absolutely loved it. Wow, keep it up!

This place was really really cool! I can't believe it's free! Our daughter loved it and we splurged for the $2 train ride. Like no playground on earth. Give yourself a couple hours here.

My 8 year old granddaughter was interested in this place, but any older and she would have been bored. Lots of swings and playgrounds with statues of storybook characters. Nothing terribly enthralling - thankfully it was free!

Every December story book island becomes a Christmas wonderland! We made our first visit to see the lights last night and it was packed, but despite the crowds, it was great! Come prepared to walk a ways because parking is limited. Normally it’s free but during Christmas lights it’s $3 per person. Still worth it!

I left the planning up to my husband this day, and I was flabbergasted at how adorable the park was. So unusual. My kids all loved it. Our boys are 13, 4, and 2 and the new teen even enjoyed it. They were so worn out after exploring this park. I couldn't believe it was free.

This is especially delightful for children. But, it is also fun for those your at heart and remembering all the childhood nursery rhymes and stories.

My daughter and I have visited this park for about five years now. We have seen plays there, attended fall festivals there, rode the train, played, and we have made wonderful memories there. Its free also. I highly recommend for a family outing with children.

They have done a great job at providing a family friendly amusement park for children of all ages. And the price is right!

This free attraction is a great place for your younger kids (younger than teens, anyway) to burn off some energy. There is a lot of traditional playground equipment (swings, slides, monkey bars, etc) mixed in with a large amount of Disney and fairy tale characters . Disney music plays overhead the whole time. Various areas are broken up by a nice stream, with numerous interesting bridges connecting them. Older kids may not last as long as younger kids. Note: some features (carousel for $2, train ride) do cost money.

What a fun location to check out characters from classic story books. Free attraction to enjoy with lots of history about.

This place is amazing! All sorts of fairy tale characters are featured in there own unique abodes. The kids of all ages will love this visit. Our family has so much fun coming up with little stories for each scene. Many photo opportunities await. Definite must see.

Storybook Island is a must see for our family. I came here as a child, and now our grandchildren have had the delightful experience of seeing storybook characters in this park setting. We rode the train. There are lots of opportunities for photos. This is not an amusement park - the only ride is the train. But it is a charming island of calm. Admission is free. You can purchase snacks, and the train ride was inexpensive.

What an awesome playground! The theming is hilarious and totally retro, metal slides and all! My kids didn't want to leave. Worth a couple hours of your time.

Absolutely wonderful place to be. Not only do your children love going in and on the fairy tale houses, but we did too. Children songs play through out park. There is a gift shop at the end. This is a free park but donations are accepted. There is a special playground for kids under age 5. Always enjoyed this special park. Don't miss out, your children can run around freely with you, this park is fenced.

This stop was top on our list for our stay in Rapid City. We loved all the classic storybook themes, and our kids had a great time playing on all the unique play structures and interacting with the stories. It was a little disappointing that concessions weren’t open, especially as it was a very hot day and we could have used some time to sit and cool off with a cold drink/treat. If you’re from an area with a cooler climate, I strongly suggest going as early in the morning as possible and packing a lot of water. We only made it about an hour, as we had a lot of difficulty with the intense heat, and shaded spots are limited.

Took a break here with a large family group (kid's aged 7 months through 13 years old). Kid's had a great time, could barely keep up with them. Lots of great things for them to play on from classic story book characters (jack and jill, old lady in the shoe, etc) to more modern characters (cat in the hat, snow white). They even had a special play area for little ones. Park was free. Spent the $2 per kid to ride the train and they loved that. Weather started turning bad on us so we left before we got to do the carousal. Even the teenager was amused posing with the characters. Cute gift shop you exit through. Concession stand with the standard concession stand fare. Most statues/playground was in good repair, some could use some repainting but what do you expect when 100 kids climb on something every day. Good number of people in the park but it's so large it didn't feel crowded at all. Highly encourage people with young kids to stop by.

Storybook Island was lots of fun! We packed our own picnic lunch and ate outside of Storybook island in the grass area (there are a few picnic tables). After lunch we spent 2 plus hours in Storybook Island, and easily could have stayed longer. The kids loved climbing, swinging, sliding, running, and seeing their favorite book/movie characters. There is a gift shop, magic show, and snack area as well. Getting into the park is FREE but the other areas cost. The park is very clean and well taken care of. Totally worth the trip!

I visited this place when I was a kid and couldn't wait to take my son. There was so much more to see and do. We easily spent an hour here. The best part, its free! It is also a stop for the city trolley!

if you have small children and you read to them, this place will stay with them for a lifetime. I was there at 6 years old and carried this memory for the next 50 years, not knowing where it was. at 56, with my grandchildren, all the memories were still there. It is not Disneyland, and you adult sensibilities will not be overwhelmed, but your children will love this place. And it is free.

We decided to detour to Aberdeen for Storybook Land on our way to Rapid City. It was fantastic we spent all day walking through the park. My children who vary in ages 12, 11, 9 and 6 all had something that they absolutely loved. None of them got bored and all of them kept wanting to go on which is a definite plus

This park is free (save for the few rides) and has enough going on to entertain both adults and kids of any age. We spent a couple hours here, and I think we had just as much fun as our 9 year old did. The park is a nice break from the main stream tourist fare found in and around Rapid City.

This is a great thing to do with kids. The statues are kinda ran down and broken. I think they should use some of the donations to repair things that are broken. It's definitely good for something free but I wouldn't wanna pay to do it. We rode the train which was super cute. Great idea, kids loved it just needs updated.

This place has possibilities, many of the displays were well-kept and cute. It was obvious that some are in need of urgent care and upkeep. Each site has a sponsor that is supposed to be keeping up with the site, there is a plaque acknowledging previous sponsors and current sponsors on each site but even some with current sponsors were in need of repair or at the very least cleaning. It would be nice if they had something next to each site with details about the story it represents. Not all the sites are interactive some are slides build with slides, some are climbing allowable, but most are for you to admire. There is a small train that goes around the park suitable mainly for very small children and there is also a section of the part that is only for small children as well. Park entrance is free, there is a small snack stand at the entrance and to exit the park you have to go through a gift shop. The park depends on donations and revenues from the gift shop and the snack stand. I wish the shop had more story island-based merchandise, it really had nothing you cannot get at your local Target or dollar store. At Christmastime the sites are decorated with Christmas lights, there is hot chocolate for sale and Sants comed to visit. If you have younger kids this is a great way to spend the day.

I rated Story Book Island as a 3/5 mainly because it was average. If your a family with toddlers to 10 year olds then this will be a wonderful and enjoyable place to take them! I seen a lot of families and single parents trying to get photos, however couldn’t get one with themselves in it. I think it would greatly benefit Story Book Islands guest if they would offer a photographer to take pictures or even if they had a designated employee to take pictures.

We were planning on just eating a picnic lunch then run for a bit and head back to the cabin but we stayed till the kids could handle it. They loved it and parents did too. A lot more attractions to play on than shown. I was expecting like 8-10 there is probably 35 maybe more?? It's all free but you can leave a donation that is worth every penny.

Good place to walk around after dinner. Lots of fun things and characters for the kids to see. Good free family fun, and a clean place. Felt safe while here

This was precious. Check the park hours. Good parking off a busy street. Fully fenced in park. Free to go in but asks for a donation - we were happy to donate.

We took teens there to walk after dinner while on our trip. They loved reliving their childhood there. We got great photos. We laughed a lot. It is meant for smaller children but my teens loved walking around. We were there about 45 minutes and we were able to walk off the after dinner aches from a long car ride while traveling. It was so cute and we enjoyed every minute of it.

My kids lived this place. My wife came here as a child. She was so excited to be able to take our kids here too. It even took me back to my childhood with the many themes that we all can relate to.

I can’t recommend this park enough. There is so much for younger kids to do and enjoy, though some of it is definitely lost on kids today (e.g., Barney statue). What a great place for them to play and burn off some energy. All of the features are in great shape, too. It looks like they’ve either just added or are in the process of adding an indoor carousel. It wasn’t running, but my family was there only an hour or so before closing time. I’d recommend bug spray, as they were out biting like crazy.

I really cannot believe it's only a $1 donation per person to enter this park. It is was a LOT cleaner and nicer than I imagined. We went multiple times during our trip!

Can't really complain about free fun! There were a lot of bugs. I don't know how this park has not got sued by Disney for copyright infringement.

We never miss going to see the Christmas lights, the employees are always a joy to be around and the park is just beautiful during the holiday season.

This donation-only park is a great place for k and pre-k kids. My 10 and 9 yr olds were a little bored but my toddlers loved it. Cute exhibits all over. It started raining so we rode the carousel and I was surprised how fast and long it went for only $2 per child. I would suggest 2-3 hours altho ours got cut short from the rain.

Great place to take young children for hours of fun. It makes the nursery rhyme story characters come to life.

Awesome destination while on vacation in the Black Hills for those with younger children. Expansive playground activities themed for Disney movies, nursery rhymes and more. Our 4 year old loved it! We came 9 years ago when our older kids were 7 & 5 and they loved it too. Free admission with a place to leave a donation.

My family loved this place. The experience was very magical and we visited several times during our visit. There is no fee but several donation boxes throughout the park. The train ride costs $2/per person and was very enjoyable. Since there was no entry fee, it left plenty of money to buy refreshments throughout the park and souvenirs at the end. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to have a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

A outdoor walking tour of 3D story book type displays. Great place for young and old to let their imagination run free. Bring a camera for sure. Children will burn off excess energy playing on many of the exhibits making for peace and quiet in the car.

We have been coming to Storybook Island since I was a kid. We now bring our kids when we travel out about once a year. My kids love it and always try to recreate their pictures from the year before. The park is kept up to date and it really is clean and friendly. We will continue to come and hopefully will take my grandkids some day (far in the future).

This is an amazing place for kids to spend hours. Very well done playground. This is a must see and do for families with kids.

This is our second time here. We cam.last year and all the kids remembered it and wanted to come back.
There are no special effects or anything special. Just a place the whole family can enjoy,tell rhymes, and tales and enjoy the outdoors

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This place is just magical, a really awesome park for little kids and even big kids can have fun too. I really enjoyed taking my kiddos here.

Wonderful place to take young children. All the nursery rhyme characters in a hands on setting . There's a nice play yard and picnic area. Best of all it's a free will offering.

Great place for the kids to enjoy a beautiful day in the Black Hills, with lots to remember about the story books and seeing all their favorites

We love coming to storybook island during the summer and winter! Always a fun atmosphere for children, and adults! Has all the storybook characters. It's free which is awesome and great place for birthdays!!

We took our 1-yr. old grand-daughter who we were visiting for the summer on a trip from Maine. This is a well-maintained park considering the free admission. The story - book theme was very entertaining to us but I'm not sure how many of the characters are familiar today. The only charges were the train ride and the merry-go-round. The merry-go-round speed was much too fast but the train was fine. You can also purchase food at locations and souvenirs upon your exit. It's possible to enjoy a couple of hours here without spending a penny so I recommend it highly.

My grandchildren just love this park. There is so much to see and do. Very clean park too. We had a picnic to celebrate my birthday. So fun!!

Very nice park with no entrance fee. There is a small charge for riding the train or carousel. Best for younger kids and families. Beautifully landscaped and maintained.

I'm a teen at a place for 5 yr olds lol (I have two younger brothers), this place was a Lil outdated the paint was peeling on some of the characters. T
hey really did a horrible job with Winnie the Pooh and most of the characters. but if you have younger children they will most likely love this place, it is also free!!
the train was honestly my favorite the choo choo train song that was on the Disney Junior channel back in the 2000s (I haven't heard in forever) played, it was pretty cool beans.

Very Well Done and lots to do for the littles. Climbing, sliding, rides on train or carousel. What a gem and good practice for me to recall the many different nursery rhymes too! Fab place. Thank you

Stopped here on our vacation, part of the park is closed, you can't bring in your own water. Park has 2 rides for kids however both were broke down on our trip. Storybook Land in Aberdeen, SD is 100x better.

A great place for the little ones to blow off energy. Well maintained, clean and well taken care of. Swings, slides and so much more

We were told to go to Storybook Island by a family member who used to live in Rapid City. We have a 14 year old daughter, and it sounded more suited for small children so we were going to skip it. However, we ended up driving right by it on the way out of town, so we decided to stop. Honestly, we all loved it - even the teenager. If you've got children in the 3-10 age range you MUST go! It was so darling and fun. There were a wide range of story play sets to run and climb on. The little train wasn't running, but it looked really cute. We spent an hour walking around, but I think if you had little kids, you could spend a few hours here and easily occupy them. It's fun and free, but you can't take food inside.

Rapid City's Storybook Island is a local landmark and a favorite of residents and visitors alike. A great attraction all year long, it's really special at Christmas time at night when the whole park is ablaze with Christmas lights! Put on a warm hat and coat and enjoy. What treat.

Wonderful site for kids of all ages. I grew up in the area and it is amazing how far this attraction has come.

looking for something to do with the kids in rapid city area. this place is always a big hit. its fun in the sun. you can have a picnic, enjoy the play ground, take pictures with the storybook characters. all the workers are awesome.

This park is always well maintained...keep in mind it has been around since 1952. My uncle helped do a lot of the masonry in the early 70's. Every time we come up, we try to take the kids for an hour or two. Kids from 2-92 will enjoy this.

If you are driving through Rapid City with kids, definitely stop at Storybook Island. No admission—just donation boxes. There is an additional cost for the little train ride ($2) and the bouncy houses (which our kids didn’t even see because so busy climbing and running and playing). No outside food or drink allowed inside the park, but there are picnic tables near the parking lot before you enter. There are multiple bathrooms, concessions, and a gift shop. There all statues of classic Disney characters and nursery rhyme and fairytale characters and some playground equipment. There were also “princesses” in costume walking around for photos with the kids. The park is best for young children. Ours—ages 4,8,9–loved it. One of the playground areas had a sign saying it was for ages 5 and under, so we skipped that section. Overall, a very cute place to take the kids. They could have played for hours, but we had to get on the road, so they reluctantly left.

Our 5 year old had a ball! Our 12 year old even loved the sand box diggers. This is a great free park in Rapid City with tons of little displays to honor classic children's stories. A fun hour or two.

There is nothing like this where we live. Not even close. And it's free!!' My 4 year old granddaughter didn't know which way to run. She was very excited. And it was fun to see all the characters also. Spent a couple hours but easily could have spent more.

I lived in Rapid City many years ago and took my children there regularly. Then I took my grandchildren. Such fun and entertainment for the kids with lots to see and do. I recommend it highly for your family whether you visit or live there.

The kids (8 and 5) loved our afternoon at the park - lots to explore, and even better that it's free! Nice gift shop too.

Great evening looking at lights, riding train and visiting Santa. Everyone enjoyed the evening and beautiful lights and Christmas music.

Happy to see the park was still there and increased in size and attractions since visit in 90's. A treasure for families to visit for free. Well maintained and cared for.

This is the cutest park ever and it’s awesome that it’s free to visit! My 3 and 1 year old boys loved it, but I think my husband and I enjoyed it just as much. It’s full of all your favorite storybook characters and really makes you nostalgic for your own childhood. It’s definitely worth a visit and make sure to leave a donation to keep the park going.

The downtown area is a wonderful place to do your eating, shopping, photographing the 43 president statues, watching the friendly locals and tourists.

Our grandkids love it....volunteer for spring cleanup! So much for them to see and play on, also a special area for younger kids!

This is a super fun place to take the kids in the summer. They can climb,run,swing or chase bunnies. Lots of shady seats and a couple of drink stands. They also do a fabulous Christmas light show in December.

We had such a great time walking around this place. The kids kept busy and it was great exercise for all. So wonderful that the community had such a great free place for children and families! Took the little train ride and the kids couldn’t be happier, everyone napped great after... so parents couldn’t be happier!

Great place for a family with little kids. Admission is free but you should donate. My kids 4 and 2 loved going around to the different areas. The park is actually fairly big. You have to pay a small amount to go on the carousel or the train, but for little kids it is worth it.
There are some nice shaded areas too for hot days. The concessions are a pretty good value too.

All the storybook characters are here, you can go in their house, go in a tree house, ride a train around the island, pet the animals.
And at Christmas the light display is wonderful.

You cannot go wrong bringing the children here to play. So many things for kids of all ages to enjoy. Sit in the shade under a tree in the grass or grab a picnic bench and enjoy an ice cream treat. Stroll along the creek for a peaceful end.

This is a fun place to take the family. My kids really enjoyed it. Even the other older ones. It is free and gives you something to do on your vacation that wont break your budget.

We are not kids but still worth it. This place will bring back the old movies that were 20-30 years ago. My grandfather even got a kick out of the place.

I went to college at SDSMT in Rapid City as a single mother of a 2 year old. We LOVED this place. I love how cheap it is and my son loved going there all the time! We now live a few hours away and come back every winter for the Christmas lights and Santa. He is now 10 and we have such amazing memories of this place. I am so happy it is still open!

Story Book Island is fantastic during the holiday season with their light displays!! Always a must see every year and a great place for the kids during the summer months to play!!

Charming park with lots to see & interact with. Lots of benches & many shade trees. Lots of fun. They recommend a donation you can drop in the box when you enter. You can pay for a train ride, bounce house, or carousel. We didn’t opt for any of those since we were just there for an hour. It was freshly painted & well maintained. I loved how there was a mix of new & old and classic story rhymes-we tested the kids on the rhymes. Great experience!!

This wonderful city park is as good as any commercial attraction in the entire Black Hills/Mount Rushmore area and best of all, it's all free!

Storybook Island is a gem for children and families to share. The adorable figures are creative and easy to climb on. Perfect to take photos with and make a fun playtime for kids. Favorite place!

The kids loved it - a 7 yr old and twin 5 yr olds. Free admission tho they encourage a free will offering. We were the 1.5 hrs. The train ride was cute, around $3/person. Great music throughout with good messages. I was skeptical after looking at pictures online, but it had lots of places for kids to climb into.

This is a free park for people of all ages but really meant for children and families. They also have a Craftshow in late Summer!

We had really no expectations whatsoever and my kids were in heaven! I love that it’s free (except concessions and the bounce house). All the figures kept my kids running amok from one spot to another and we loved singing along with Disney themed music as well! They’re begging to go back before we go home :)

After reviewing several pictures of this park I worried that it would be lame for my kids but I was completely wrong. The place is enormous, eclectic, and cool for children and adults alike. The park is very whimsical and has very imaginative parts that include unique water scenes as well. My 4 year old and 6 yearl old kids loved exploring every nook and cranny of the park. They also have a train and merry go round that the kids can ride for $2 as well as some concessions. The fact that entry to the park is also free makes it a must see for families with younger kids. There are a couple of lackluster components but overall the park is very engaging.

We rented the birthday house for my daughters second birthday. When I had booked it over the phone they told me the price and that I could come a half hour early to set up. As it got closer I found out from reviews online that you had to set up everything (tables, chairs, etc) and at the end, clean everything up. Not a big deal, but this would have been nice to know when i had booked it. We got to storybook island 15 minutes early and right away the manager was very rude to us and told us she couldn't let us in for a few more minutes. No big deal. But then she wouldn't even let us in 5 minutes early and was arguing with us about the "policy".So finally she unlocked the birthday house and the gate and then sat there and glared at all of our guests as they were walking in. After the party we talked to the head manager who was also very rude and clearly didn't care that we didn't have a good experience, especially with the price we paid to rent it. We definitely won't be coming back here.

For a free park, it's great! The kids love all of the characters to take a picture with. It is kept really nice. Great fairy tale music playing.

This picture does not do Storybook Island justice. My 4 year old granddaughter really enjoyed it, going into the little buildings etc, The 10 year old grandson didn't mind it. Wasn't thrilled, but was OK with it. He had his own activities we had done so this was quieter and more low key, but nice for the littler person.

This park was great. So much fun for our kids (2&4), I wish we would've discovered it sooner so we could've spent more time here! What an awesome little treasure in Rapid City.

Loved this place kids had a blast! Just as i remember as a kid along with some changes!!! Will go again as kids already asked to go back the next day!

There are several free things to do in Rapid City. Get on the trolley for $2 and ride to Storybook Island, get a pass to get back on to go to Dinosaur Park, etc

Spent a few hours here in my recent family trip to rapid city. Super neat playground which my kids loved. It is so different than any other playground and is well kept I would encourage a visit.

Oh my goodness what fun!!! Free family fun at a super fun entertaining park. Our family of ten all enjoyed it so much! Lots to do!

We were not sure what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised! The kids absolutely loved this place. Over a 100 different things to play on and see that all resemble some type of storybook character or object. This park is free to go to, and is very well kept. Plenty of parking available at the entrance. It is spread out over a large area, so crowding doesn't seem to be a problem. A family could easily spend a few hours here! They had a small gift shop area, bathrooms on site, as well as a little snack shop. For a fee you can also ride their small train, or an indoor carousel.

This is a great place for young children to run around and burn off some energy. the story book scenes are very cool and overall in good shape.

The facilities are very clean and well-kept. The kids had a ton of fun! They loved the carousel, the train and the freedom to run and explore to displays. I especially loved the artist who was doing caricatures. She is SO talented. We immediately framed ours as soon as we got home.

Storybook was absolutely perfect for a baby shower to welcome a little princess. Indoor, kitchen, private restroom, a/c, playgrounds, and tables with seating.

This is something you would never see in Ca. This park is beautiful and filled with fun for everyone, specially children. They use characters from Disney, Nickelodeon, and many other sources to create a fun play atmosphere. They even have an area that is a playground for under 5 year olds. This place is great and it is for free

Fun little spot to take photos of your favorite books. We had gone to this place years ago and they have really updated the park. Kids enjoyed posing for photos. Great memories

So much fun for all ages! My family and I visit at least twice a month in the summer. A good way to get some energy out.

Definitely a great place to visit. Lots of statues and things to crawl on and play on. There is a playground there as well. My 7 & 4 year old loved it. I was amused as well. Best part it's free.

They are so great here, they take donations to keep the park running so we always try to go in the summertime. There are lots of fun things for kids to see and to play on. They base everything on fairy tales, and integrate newer cartoons into the park. My son loves it... It is also a lot of fun to go during Christmas. They decorate all of the fun things with Christmas lights! It is a must see!

This is a free park full of statues and playgrounds based on favorite children's stories. Kids (and kids at heart) of all ages will have a great time. We enjoyed taking a seat and watching families have fun.

Took our grandchild there and see just loved it. She ran to each attraction and enjoyed each one. She wanted to play in the water around the park of course. We will go back again.

Disappointed that this is open from Memorial to Labor Day, Marcia at Sleep Inn discovered there was a special celebration and our 6 year old granddaughter spent 3 hours there and would have stayed longer. Many on-site vendors and special activities made an already great child's park even better. The nursery rhymed theme attractions stimulates imagination and interactive fun. The sign at the entrance reminds us that we will never have this day with this child again so enjoy every second

Kudos to the Rapid City Rotary Club for such a terrific community service. The grandkids loved the park and had to be pried away. The weather cooperated so it made for a perfect afternoon activity.

Made this stop for our one year old. Very cute area for small children and I'm in a great area to have a family picnic. They're small stations to buy drinks and certain food items. And a train and Carousel for the children to ride which are just $2 a piece. Entry into park is free I would recommend this stop if in the area with small children.

We stopped by here for a few hours prior to heading to the airport to kill time.
For free admission (donation welcomed), this park was elaborately made with lots of characters from children’s story books. I personally wonder if Disney officially approved to let this park use their characters, but who cares... as long as kids seemed all enjoyed and fascinated by Disney characters, and they may travel to Magic kingdom one day to have parents to drop lots of $$$ to Disney ... so this deal should be good.
There’re some $$ required rides like a train ride and carrousel but only 2$ per ride.
Food were not widely available. Gift shop supplied some drinks and snacks only. No ice cream, either.
But overall, only with a few bucks (or even at zero $), kids seeming had so much fun. This place is highly recommended to parents from toddlers to elementary
schoolers or even higher.

Great place to let young kids run around and burn off energy. it was a great stop after a long day in the car.Only charge is a $1.00 donation

We only stayed a about an hour but I know my kids could have stayed longer. So much to see and do and after a 5 hour drive it was a great pit stop to stretch our legs.

It is really impressive how much effort and upkeep is put into this unique and very special park. Our grandson always loves to visit and we spend hours exploring, talking about all the historical characters and old favorite storybook characters that have come to life here! What a wonderful brought to life experience for children - and memories of simpler times for all of us! Thank you Rapid City, South Dakota for having this lovely and enchanted park.

We just moved to the area and passed the sign for "Storybook Island". I felt like online it just seemed old and under kept but boy was I wrong! You can tell that this place has been around for a while, but the workers keep the place so clean and nice! It's a lot bigger than I anticipated also. FREE fun on a nice day! (Free, but to ride the train or carousel, it's $2 each. Not bad!!)

This place is free!! How great is that?!? My 9-year-old was skeptical when we first got there - but he soon was going around to everything. It was a great way to spend an hour or so. Younger kids would want to stay for a long time.

Great place to bring your littles in the summer. They can run off some energy in a safe, loving environment. From Thanksgiving thru Christmas, it is a winter wonderland with thousands of lights, tasty hot chocolate, train rides, and regular visits from the guy in the red suit. Free admission in the summer and very inexpensive during the winter! A great place to make family memories.

My 5 & 8 year old would have spent all day here it we let them! There are gems to look at around every corner, and although we couldn't figure out every story the characters were from, they were all whimsical! The favorites were the blue whale and humpty dumpty. For a free, fun place to stop it can't be beat!

My kids are in their 30's. I brought them here when they were little now I'm bringing my grandson. There's a special area for younger kids...a plus!

I remember coming here as a kid on SD trips... I brought our two boys when they were quite young (2 and 5 I think). We came back this year and they are older, I was worried they were too old (13, and my youngest's 11th birthday). We stayed for a couple hours and they had a blast. I quizzed them over the nursery rhymes, they rode the train, and played on some of the many creative play structures. I love that they are still young at heart... so am I. The kid's music playing just makes it all the more magical.

You will feel like your going back in time to being a child. This place is a lot of fun for kids and adults.

Love that it's a free destination!!!! I remember going to this 30 years ago so I was so excited to bring my girls. My 8 year old loved it. My 9 year old I think liked it but wasn't screaming about it from the roof top. It's a good attraction break that breaks up the national parks.

This was the cutest park ever, and free. Which makes it even better. The kids had a blast and I was taken back to my childhood thinking of all the nursery rhymes and fairy tales represented. Would definitely recommend. Also take a little bit of money in if your children want to ride the train or carousel. When we went they were both $2 each per child. So very reasonable

We've been going to Storybook Island for 25 years. I started taking my daughter and now we take the grandson.
This is one of the greatest parks in Rapid City. They have all the story book characters, many places to play and a few areas to catch a bite to eat or a refreshment. The train is a hit with all the children.
Get there early or go late to avoid the heat and plan for 4 hours because there's so many things to see. Please leave a donation so they can keep this wonderful park Free for all kids to enjoy.

Kids did have a lot of fun. Our Kids ages 11, 9, and 6. I would think it's perfect for kids 8 and under. Worth the donation though.

Back again with our younger kids - Our 5 and 11 year old loved it! Beautiful grounds. Many kids' shows/movie characters around the park. Is free but donations welcomed. Train and carousel have nominal cost. Didn't care for ticket seller - withheld my change and "asked" if I wanted to donate. I physically took my change out of his hand - rude. Doesn't change my review - still a favorite stop during our time in Rapid City.

This is a great place to take young children! As the name indicates, the park is filled with various storybook character themed playground equipment. The park is free, but they do ask for donations to cover operating costs. They also have a great Christmas lights display over the holidays. The holiday display is fun for all ages, and they sell hot drinks at this event. The Christmas lights display does have a cost.

Well thought out park for kids and families. Was amazed at the array of activities. A highlight of our trip!

Storybook Island is an excellent venue for family fun. The children especially enjoy all the activities.

This somewhat disney and fairytale themed park is great for kids of all ages. Visit on a summer day or come and see the Christmas lights.

Perfect place to bring your toddlers and children especially 5 and under. Adults will enjoy this place too. Make sure to buy an ice cream cone from the ice cream stand in the back of the park and have the kids ride the train around the park. Please drop a few dollars in the donation box because admission is free. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it in the beautiful park right outside Storybook Island.

Great free Park to visit with young children. There are concessions available. The train ride is very short but the song they play is rockin' so 10/10.

This has always been a go to spot when we come to the area. I loved it as a child and my kids loved it. They didn't want to leave. Most of its free but they do have a few other activities that cost money like the bounce house, train ride, etc.

This park is free! Hubby went to senior center nearby to play pickleball so I went by myself. Loved all the storybook character statues and watching families with their children enjoy the place.
Loved Yogi Bear and Boo Boo and Wizard of Oz the most!

I expected this to be really cheesy. Instead this was a heavily themed, huge playground for children. Our kids (10 & 6) loved playing here. We spent 2 good hours here without getting bored. My wife & I enjoyed walking around the different exhibits and sharing some of our favorite kid's stories with our children. Plenty of great photo ops here. Worth the trip if your kids love playgrounds.

This is such a wonderful place for kids of all ages. It let's you enjoy your story book friends as well as your family!

Keep in mind it's for young children but a great way to enjoy a nice day!
Bring a lunch for the park..

There were so many characters including winnie the pooh, cinderella, and so many others. We walked around for a whole hour taking pictures and exploring. There are so many interactive character scenes and even an island!

Storybook Island is such a treat. I went there on vacations as a child and am so thankful to be able to take my children now. The classic characters are so much fun to see. My children had so much fun pointing out the different people they recognized from the stories we read. This is a clean, safe place for children to enjoy themselves. I cannot believe that it is a free ($2 suggested donation not at all monitored or enforced) attraction. Again, what a treat.

This place is a must go! Our little 16 month old had a blast! Can't believe it's free!
We did the train ride and it was totally affordable $2 a person. Highly recommend going for an hour or two!

My 6 and 3 year enjoyed it! My 8 year tolerated it for his siblings. Great free family activity! Although, donations are appreciated.

We (family of 12...6 children) had a wonderful time at Storybook Island!The kids absolutely loved it! They actually made positive comparisons to their Disneyland/world visits!(The great music sent out over the speakers really sets the mood for a happy time!) They could have spent their whole weeks vacation in this park of wonderful storybook characters! The gift shop was small and souvenir selection was overpriced especially for children given a budget to spend(needs a selection of books ranging from 1.00 to 5.00 and the store would make a good profit from them!)...but still a great time.

I have spent countless days at Storybook Island in the last 20 years. I brought my daycare kids here and then my own at least once a month. It is a fun wholesome place for kids to run off some energy and there are plenty of areas to have a picnic or snack shacks to purchase refreshments. The Christmas lights are also a yearly outing in our family. Awesome!

Seeing storybooks come to something which can be touched and explored is a fun way for the kids to get out and stretch.
This place is even more highly recommended during Christmas time when it is decorated with lights for the season

When we pulled in to the parking lot and heard Disney music playing, we knew we were going to have a great time! The park is definitely retro, think 1960s, but well maintained. The kids loved seeing storybook characters come to "life", and playing on the equipment. There is a train ride and carousel, each costing $2 per person. If you're visiting Rapid City with little kids, it's definitely worth a couple hours of your time.

I LOVED this park but unfortunately my personal experience was not great. The website did not state that the merry go round and train run only after 4:00 pm. We planned a morning visit while on vacation and did not have the flexibility to return. But this park is a treasure for the children of Rapid City and those fortunate to visit as they pass through. Take a picnic and enjoy some family time!!

This free amusement park is perfect for a road weary family with young children. Our 4 yr old and 14 mos old loved the many swings, slides, and structures to climb on. The carousel and kiddie train ride are $2 per ride. The grounds are well maintained and fenced in, though the fiberglass structures could use some paint. Overall, the park was very nostalgic and wonderful for families. I wish more parks like this existed in the U.S. -- the world would be a better place for it!

A great little gem for families with small children. This park is amazingly free and has as much entertainment value as many parks that charge significant entrance fees.

Went with my daughter, her husband, and their four children ages 5 to 9. Great place to take younger children where they can run and play and see a lot of storybook characters. Also, nice to take a ride on the carousal and train. You can see that it takes a lot of effort to maintain this location and keep it bright and clean.

My kids loved this park, but we were nearly carried off by the mosquitos you could ride. Take your off if you go here.

Our kids our 5 and 8 and this was an excellent stop for us. It is free to enter. We spent $2 each on bounce house area, $2 each on the fast and fun carousel, and $2 each on the train.
Parents fully enjoyed it as well.

We stopped in with our children (12,10, &4) for a quick visit while we were in town. An hour and a half later, we had finished the park much to the disappointment of our 4 year old. If she had her way, she would have stayed all day at this colorful collection of new and old favorite characters that you can play on. Some favorites included: Nemo, Winnie the Pooh, the Train Ride, Pirate Ship, 101 Dalmatians, and Snow White's House. Unbelievable that this is a free attraction for the family! They do have concessions available as well as a magic show for a small fee. Kids loved this place! We will definitely stop here again when we are in town!

Awesome place for families! /delightful time and fun to watch other families enjoying the atmosphere.

Kids loved all the statues, and ran from each to each as they said the character's names. Perfect for ages 2 and up. Our 5 year old had a blast. The carousel and train rides were a nice, inexpensive add-on that we has no problem adding since the park is donation free will admission.

This free city sponsored park is full of fantasy and childrens' sotry characters and settings. It is all free except is you want concessions or a train ride through the island par. Our grandkids were enchanted with the place and spent happy hours there.

Huge free playground with very cute themes and things to play on, boat, helicopter, sand pit. A few things do cost such as the train ride (skip it) and bouncy house. My 3 year old couldn't get enough the older kids liked it as well.

We took my son at 11 months and again this summer at 2. He loved it even more. I also have been going since I was a kid. Well maintained. Free will donation to get in. Train and carousel were $2. You could picnic outside of the park. Highly recommend this stop. We went in the morning before it got too hot.

All of your favourite fairy tale characters are at this park. There is no entry fee to the park, although they do accept donations. It is geared towards younger children; however, my children (9 & 7) enjoyed it too.

We decided to stop by on a whim and I am so glad we did! I just wish we would have come earlier. My girls loved going through the park. It has a fantastic collection of both old fairy tales and current ones. There were a few that my daughter's had never heard of and it was fun for me to explain it to them. Loved every second of it!

We visited Storybook Island for the first time this summer with children ages 6, 9, 12, and 13. It was a highlight of our visit to the Rapid City area. It's totally free (but there are ample opportunities to donate which I encourage you to do). I would plan for about 2 hours to spend enough time in the park. There are so many things for kids to play on and so many opportunities for pictures! The older kids we were with even enjoyed it. It is definitely a great stop because it is cheap and entertaining. They also have a cute gift shop and a park outside where you can eat a picnic lunch.

We were traveling through SD towards Custer State Park and had some time to spend in Rapid City. Our kids are 19 and 16, but little kids at heart - thanks to all of our Disney trips :) This park is so nice. Clean and whimsical. There are tons of cute little storybook characters and play areas. They sell snow cones too! If you are in town, I highly recommend walking through this FREE park.

A perfect stop for small children. Free and an open place for them to run and explore. Fun to identify different storybook characters. Great for pretend play. Bring your sunblock!

This is an incredible place to take smaller children for a wonderful experience. There are theater productions and many nursery and fairy tale pieces. Most of them are interactive so the kids can climb and experience it on a wonderful level. For Christmas time the displays are truly splendid with lights!

Its unbelievable that this park is free for kids to enjoy and to live out their imagination.
Yes many of the displays have been around for a while but its a lovely fun place for families with small children

I like that it is a free attraction and my grandson just loves it! While I often think they are behind in some maintenance, the kids don’t mind. Bring some money for the train ride.

If you in Rapid City and need a place to take your small children to, this is the place. All of the common story book characters are represented, from Humpy Dumpy to Rapunzel.
A small train will take you and the children for short excursion around the park, lots of photo opportunities and lots of opportunities to run off excess energy.

Our Grands both loved this wonderful park!! Will definitely return again!! Great fun for the Kiddos!!

We visited Storybook Island with my kids and grandkids. There are all sorts of things to play and ride on. The train was a big hit. It is a very pleasant park with streams running through it. The girls got their faces painted.

Even today was their 60th year it is cute and clean. From Humpty Dumpty, Three Little Pigs to Pinocchio and Wizard of Oz. Pooh land thru a tunnel. Saw some dressed up characters. Don't know if it a normal thing or just today for the 60th.

This wonderful park featuring storybook characters celebrated their 58th year when we visited in August! My grandchildren love pretending to be the characters like Cinderella & hop in her carriage, or climb on the real train & old fire truck! There is so much to see & do including a train ride or riding the carousel! Brings back memories for grandma & creates new ones for all!

We go to this at least 5 times a year! I have a 12 year old and 4 year old. There is enough to do that they both enjoy themselfs! PLUS. It is free! They do ask for donations to keep it free though. We also went to the holloween function last year loved it not to scary for the little ones and not boring for the older ones. We go to the Christmas lights too. They do charge per person for the holloween and christmas walk though 3-5 dollars per person, not bad at all plus it is all lit up and wonderful to stroll through in the evenings!

Took our 2 young sons here and they enjoyed it. Think of it more as a park rather then an amusement park. No cost to get in and play on the slides and things. The train ride is extra, but still hard to complain when it’s no cost to get in.

This was a cute, fun place for kids to visit with many different characters to take pictures with and houses/things to climb in. It's free and is worth taking your kids to on a nice day!

How many things anymore are free? Not many! This is without a must do if you are in the Black Hills with young children. Storybook characters in a park/playground type setting. Super cute! So many fun things for kids to play on in such a fun setting!

Storybook island is a lot of fun for little children.... a little outdated, but the small kiddos don't care ;) make sure to bring a few dollars with you for the carousel & train ride :)

Lots has been written.

Yes, it's for kids, but adults can appreciate the space too. Big shady trees, exhibits are very well maintained. Just a nice spot to hang out for a couple of hours. Bring a picnic or buy from the concession.

TIP * admission is by donation*. Carrosel is 2$ per ride.

My kids (6 and 3 yo) are obsessed with this place. They wanted to go back every day. They got ice cream and balloons (for a fee). They love the train.

Lots of nice play structures for the kids with all the popular story characters. Our kids had such a good time that we came back the next day as well. Only wish that the train ride had been a bit longer. For $2 per person, they could have gone around the whole park.

Great place for the kids to burn off some energy. Nice that it is free. Wasn't too hard to find, lots of parking. Unfortunately it was excessively hot the day we went, so the kids got a little overheated. My kids are 7 and 8 and really enjoyed it. We would have stayed longer if the day had been cooler.

Took our grandson there and he had a ball. so much fun for the under 8 age group. Will take him back this summer.

Went as a family visiting Rapid City area. Our 8 year old wanted to go back the next day, but due to time schedule could no do. Well worth the time, very well done. Even as an adult, brought back childhood memories. Took many great pictures of the grandkids!

My two girls loved storybook island. We went after lunch in the heat of the day so the slide were very HOT. I appreciate that there’s a place you can take your children to that wholesome. Additional Information: No charge but donations appreciated; Wheelchair accessible; snack shack before entering as well inside the park; train ride $2.00 per person; carousel ride $2.00 per person.

This place is so fun for children! Grandkids are 6 and 9 and they had a great time! First thing they told their parents when we got home is that it is free!

I had visited this place when I was a child, so it was a great treat to be able to return with my own child. It was a very hot day, and unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot of shade so we didn't spend as much time there as we would have on a cooler day. We still had a great time, and my 6 year old son loved everything about it. The fact that it is free is just an added bonus.

This is a cute play area, good for smaller kids (pre-k and younger). There is a little train that goes around, that could be enjoyable.

My teen daughter thought this place was fun...we enjoyed stopping by...it's free, it's fun and absolutly darling.

Great for kids and adults...Was super bummed it was under construction....but enjoyed Dr. Seuss...No admission Fee ...it is FREE with parking...

My kids (6 and 9 yrs old) absolutely loved everything about this place. It was free to get in but donations are recommend to keep it going. All the rides are inexpensive and the food is a good price so there is no reason to have a good time for a good price!

Really fun park. A gem of rapid city. For children of all ages. So many places to play and run around. Really worth the time.

This was our second time visiting and it didn't disappoint! We had kids at all ages with us. The place is clean and well kept. Train ride was so fun for the little kids and they loved hearing us tell the stories as we went to each figure.
So much fun for picture taking on Snapchat and other social media. The fountain is neat and great for more family photos. Bathroom available and clean. Lots of areas for picnics and a game of frisbee or spikeball. We didn't see the gift shop.
Workers were young and friendly.
This is a happy place to visit and a break from the touristy stuff in other venues.

This is a playground plus! There are so many Disney and other childhood classics represented here, it will bring out the kid in anyone. We arrived within an hour of closing time, so did not get the chance to do any of the rides, but my kids did not care. They enjoyed themselves just the same. I highly recommend this as a stop on your trip when you just need to fill some time and to let the kids burn off some energy. There are bathrooms and a small gift shop here as well as ice cream, but this by no means is a huge amusement park. It costs absolutely nothing to come in and just enjoy the scenery. Some of the sculptures are showing their age, but you can tell that a lot of love and care has gone into this park. There was a sign showing a plan for an inclusive playground for the future, so be sure to donate so they can improve on this amazing place. While this isn't a must see, it is worth a visit and a place we would visit again.

I came here as a child when visiting family nearby and now, a generation later I am bringing my own kids. The only things I remember visiting this area of South Dakota was Mount Rushmore and this place. Yes, this park stuck in my memories all these years and now coming back almost 30 yrs I can see why. What you have is so special and it is incredible that you continue to run it through the kind donations of visitors. There is such a peace being there and all our kids were giddy with excitement. We will be back again.

This was a perfect place to stop for the kids! Lots of places to climb, play, and run! Cute displays, train rides, and carousel. Free, which is also wonderful!

After driving several hours, this was a great place to stop with our Littles to stretch and get their wiggles out. They had fun finding their favorite stories and exploring. We opted to go on the train ride, which was fine for kids but absolutely not exciting for the kids but the $2 wasn’t too bad since the park was free. The kids really enjoyed it. They were bummed when they saw that the wizard of Oz was closed along with a few others behind a gated area. Definitely worth the stop.

This place is amazing for kids! And can't beat FREE! There is a gift store if you want to spend money though :) Great place to relax, some of the structures can get hot in the sun but a great experience.

Storybook Island is a must stop if you have kids. It is free and you can make a donation if you like. The kids will get a lot of exercise running around the park, climbing, swinging and running. Nice park setting with a stream. A small train that takes them around the park was a highlight. This did cost $2 each. It was not crowed, has lots of parking and a small gift shop.

An interesting park for kids to play in with storybook themed play areas. Spent a couple of hours there, some of the sets were showing their age..

Don’t miss out on this gem. It is affordable family fun with so much to see! An enjoyable storybook character themed park. Concessions, train & carousel rides available for purchase.

Giant playground designed for kids. The Kids couldn't decide what way to go because there sere so many things to see. There was a variety of playground equipment to play on in between the characters. Outside of storybook island the park was very relaxing.

Wonderful park for children and adults to roam and stretch their legs. I loved seeing all the characters from stories brought to life along with some old school playground equipment. The grounds were kept wonderfully, snack shacks and ice cream were available to purchase, no entry fee was awesome and the gift store was cute and reasonably priced.

Visited with a 7,5, and 10 month old. They all loved it! They loved climbing on the exhibits , going into the "houses" and the picture opportunities are endless! We couldn't believe this is free. We stayed for about 2 hours. Lots of different scenes the kids could play on and "in". Bring your imagination and you could be in your favorite fairy tale. This is a must see with small kids !

This is a very lovely Park. It is very clean. You can go into some of the homes. This is a fantastic place for children. Lots of fun things for them to do.It is free

My family and I walked through Storybook Island with all of their Christmas decorations lit. Fresh snow, a little chill in the air, got us all in the spirit of Christmas. The lights that are put up throughout the park are amazing, a little hot chocolate and an Eileen's cookie were a treat for all of us. And we finish the visit by seeing Santa in the gift shoppe. No matter what age, it is a great time. Anyone having family in or around Rapid City through the end of the year, I would highly recommend visiting Storybook Island.

Visiting this wonderland for kids is "the most fun experience" as described by our 9 year old. This park has a bit of everything from a child's dream world. From Pooh the bear to an old fire truck, this place is truely amazing. Admission is free (donations accepted).

If you know your nursery rhymes this is the place for you
Let the kids explore all the sites. It's a big playground and it's free
Although if you want to ride the merry go round or train there is a small fee
All the beautiful sites around that you can see and this is something to entertain the kids!

Excellent gem in rapid city, sd, ONLY if you have small children (lots of people the day of our visit) and can handle lots of little kids running around. Big property with lots of photo opporunties.

I lived in Rapid City until I was 5 and had fond memories of Story Book Island. My kids like it as much as I did. I'd say that it's really the most fun for the under 8 crowd, but my 10 year old doesn't seem to mind going with his younger siblings. The 3 year old could stay there forever! So great that it's still free!

Families should love this park with plenty of running space and characters that all kids should learn about from stories and nursery rhymes. Donations keep this attraction open, and even though some things could use an update, kids love it!

Have been to Storybook Island several times over the years and it never gets old. This is a super activity to do with the kids if you are on a limited budget or even if not on, either way there is no entrance fee and plenty of things for the kids to do for free. Even if you are an adult it is fun to walk around the beautiful grounds and remember your childhood stories portrayed in larger than life statues. During the summer special plays are put on for kids outside from an open stage, performed by collage age students with great talent. There is also a special section with fun activities for younger children.

Our kids loved Storybook Island! They were running everywhere just amazed at the next thing you could see. This was truly a highlight for them on our trip to the Black Hills area. I've never seen a public park like this and was greatly impressed. It was on of the highlights of our vacation.

Storybook Island provides a great place for children to see characters from your favorite fairy tales. I highly recommend this as a visit for anyone in Rapid City that is traveling with small children.

This is the most charming place! I do not have young children (teens and upper elementary) and was absolutely enchanted with this place. The atmosphere is sweetened by Disney and other whimsical music playing through loudspeakers. And, you can't beat the free price-tag for entrance.

This isn't a state-of-the-art park. It's mostly slides and swings scattered everywhere. But, kids will have fun climbing in Cinderella's coach, going in the Cat in the Hat's house, or walking under the bridge near Pooh's corner. It's more of an exploratory place--lots to catch the eye.

For a small fee (under $2), kids can ride a carousel or a train through the park. We arrived a half hour before closing, and both were closed down. There's also some kind of bounce house, but I didn't check out the prices.

You can also purchase concessions here, and there is a gift shop.

This is a gated park that has definite hours. So, make sure you check before visiting.

This is a little gem in Rapid City for small children. Fun, charming, well laid out and great fun.

Train ride is a 1 minute rip off.

Carousel ride is fun but goes so fast that seat belts are available (and necessary).

Not only does this park offer FREE admission, but it’s the cutest and best one we’ve ever visited! Great way for your kiddos to get rid of energy while exploring and using their imagination. You DON’T want to miss this place!

Took our kids (2 & 3) pretty much at nap time, and even at this bewitching hour the attractions kept their attention for about an hour. Not much for moms and dads except to watch the kids. Kids had a great time, and I had fun watching them. Kind of boring for me though.

My kids are 8 and 6 and this was a bit on the young side for them. Some fun photo ops and room to run around. They would have really enjoyed it when they were a bit younger.

This park is a Rapid City staple. I went here as a child and still try to visit at least once a year for their annual Holiday celebration. Many interactive storybook scenes.

This is hands down the best public park I've ever been to and we travel a lot! All three kids ( ages 11, 9 and 5) loved it and begged to stay longer. We went back the next day during our vacation as well. There are plenty of places for parents to sit and watch the kids play. They have so many things to play on and do. The park itself is free, but you could buy concessions - which were priced reasonably, and if you wanted to ride the train, merry go round or bounce house it's $2 per child.

really a wonderful place to visit. Our kids are 2.5 and 4.5 and LOVED it, including the short train ride. And really...you can't beat free!

After a few days of dragging your 7 and under children through Mount Rushmore and the other tourist sites take a half day off and reward the family with a relaxing morning or afternoon just for them. The whole family can totally relax here and there is no problem parking or getting stuck in traffic, etc ...Plus it is FREE. You can bring a picnic lunch (it is only a few blocks from 2 major supermarkets on Mt. View RD). A nice stressful break for everybody. Please leave a donation so others can continue to enjoy this special place !

Great place for the children to have fun and let off some energy. The people out of there stories come to life.

This is a very well-maintained park inside a park (storybook island is fenced-off from the rest of the city park it sits in). It is obvious this park has been around for a long time, judging from the age of the attractions (Raggedy Ann...you get the idea?). I believe the local Rotary Club sponsors and pays for the upkeep, so admission is free, but they do have a gift shop, two snack shacks and a "train" that drives around the park for a small charge.

This is a nice attraction for the little kids to explore different storybook tales. Also a free attraction so makes it even better.

My husband and I went here. It was fun for me to see all the tales come to life and take pictures. (Can you tell my husband was a reluctant participant?) When we first arrived, there is a castle for the entrance. The castle has a stairway that you can walk up. Playground equipment was cleverly integrated.... like a giant brown gorilla holding two swings. Everywhere we walked, there was some new tale depicted. Among my other favorites were Captain Hook’s ship, Cinderella’s Coach, Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, 3 Little Pigs, and 101 Dalmatians... just to name a few.

Cute park for the kids but some things need painting. Was a bit hot for some of the slides. My kids are 8 9 and 11 they didn't have much fun but hey it was free.

SBI has a lot of room for kids to run around and enjoy the Disney and storybook character inspired areas. There are always activities going on as well as special events throughout the year.

We went to Storybook Island one evening to fill some time. I thought it would be more geared towards our youngest (10) and our 2 teenagers (13 & 14) would be bored, but they had the most fun. It was a great place for all of us and we actually had a really good time. And best of all it was free!
Definitely a must!

She loved the carousel best. She is the 3rd generation of this family to enjoy this wonder facility.

Christmastime here is nothing short of magical. Lights everywhere, Christmas music playing softly, hot chocolate stands and even Santa and his reindeer. Beautiful! A lovely eau to spend a little family time.

This place was great to get the kids out to run for a few hours. It is free, but they suggest donations to help the park keep going and keep clean. There is a gift shop and concessions set up in the park if you are interested. They have a carousel and train to ride, both cost extra. There are so many different characters spread throughout the park. Houses to climb in, tree house to climb, slides to slide down...this place is great for the kids to burn off tons of energy. There is a spot for littles only. It is great for kids from 1 year old to tween age. There is a park right next to it so you can bring a picnic lunch and spend the whole day in that area if you wanted to.

Fun stop along the way for kids. Plenty of swings and slides among the charters.
Free admission!
I gave this a 4 because some of the characters could use a quick coat of paint.

My daughter is 3 and had so much fun here. I couldn't believe that for a free attraction, it was so big with so much to do. There are so many different story characters and lots of things to climb, quite a few playgrounds, a carousel, and even a little train to ride. There is a nice picnic area before the actual park and there are even grills. We will definitely be back!

This little park was well maintained. It was a delight to take pictures with several fairy book characters; even for my older kids.