Children’s fairytales and fables are always popular. From the ‘Three Little Pigs’ to ‘Humpty Dumpty’ to ‘Old McDonald’ and more. And what better way to see them all play out than in person at Storybook Land in Aberdeen, South Dakota?
Aberdeen is a three hour drive away — taking either I-29 or I-94 (and they’re both beautiful drives)! It’s a town of 26,000 with a Target, Walmart, and lots of restaurants to choose from.
What is Storybook Land?
Storybook Land is located within the 210 acres of Wylie Park. It’s filled with statues of nursery rhymes and also the Land of Oz.
The best part is that the admission price is free! Yes, you read that right, FREE!
They do have ride tickets to purchase for $3 per ride or $20 for 10 rides at the concession stands in the main building with the gift shop. Rides include a tea cup ride, a mini train, a rollercoaster, a carousel, and a hot air balloon ride. They also have a larger train to ride that goes throughout the entire park. I highly recommend this — you can see so much of the park from the train!
The area in Storybook Land is way bigger than what I remembered as a child. There is the Storybook Land side and then in another part of the park is the Land of Oz. In the Land of Oz, it has a little of everything from The Wizard of Oz.
You can go through Dorothy’s house (which I recommend — it’s air-conditioned!) and it simulates the tornado scene. Then you can even follow the famous, yellow brick road!
On the very outside edge of Storybook Land are animals, including elk, prairie dogs, buffalo, llamas, and more. And if you don’t want to walk all that way, just take the train, it goes past all of them. And there are also animals by the Old McDonald’s barn area.
Other Activities to Do in Aberdeen, SD
Right by Storybook Land is a Thunder Road. They have everything from go-karts, water bumper boats, and mini golf! It’s fun for the whole family, although it does cost a bit more than Storybook land. Allevity Entertainment is a supercool new spot to play games as well!
Also, right in Wylie Park is a fishing pond and pier. We will definitely be bringing our fishing rods next time!
For a sweet treat, stop by the Twist Cone. They even put little candy eyes on their cones! There’s nothing like local ice cream on a vacation weekend.
If you need to cool down, make sure to visit the Aberdeen Aquatic Center! They have diving boards, drop slides, floatable play features, zero depth entry pool, a water slide tower with 3 slides, and a lazy river.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, located right by Target in Aberdeen.
If you have a family with a lot of young kids, the pool area is perfect! They have a separate kiddie pool that had eight inches of water and a frog slide. The “big” pool was about three to four feet deep and had a giant slide.
Plus, they have a continental breakfast in the morning, which is always a perk.
I have heard another great option is the Best Western Ramkota. And it’s not too far from Storybook Land.
If camping is more your style, there is a campground right in Wylie Park. They have places for tenting, hooking up a camper/RV, or renting one of their cabins on-site.
I highly recommend going to Storybook Land — it’s the perfect place for a family vacation with littles!
Have you been to Storybook Land? If so, what was your favorite part? Let us know in the comments below!
MORE TRAVEL IDEAS
A great way to end the day is at the Twist Cone walk-up drive-in, where they pit candy eyes on the cones for kids!
The Aquatic Center is another fun, outdoor attraction with a large splash pad, lazy river, lap pool, and two large slides.