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Wall Drug Store
Categories: Shopping Drugstores Arts & Entertainment Art Galleries Shopping Art Galleries Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Drugstores, Art Galleries, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
510 Main StWall, SD 57790
(605) 279-2175
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for Wall Drug Store
Review Highlights
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"...a giant rabbit, and they recently installed a $250k t-rex." In 10 reviews -
"...excess of Wall Drug makes the Badlands even more beautiful." In 14 reviews -
"...are pies, freshly made donuts, and an ice cream counter." In 3 reviews
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62 reviews in English
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Review from John S.
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wall Drug is Wall Drug, one of the most profoundly touristy spots in the entire country. But at the same time, there's a spirit of earnestness to it. The pharmacy within the drug store is still family owned and operated, and people can actually go and wade through the tourists to pick up their prescriptions.
There's something warm and comforting about that fact. Also warm and comforting are the cowboy hats, boots, jeans, and delicious pecan rolls all for sale here. -
Review from Denny B.
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
Are you kidding me? This is a total tourist trap. http://www.yelp.com/bi... Leave your wallet and cards at the hotel and THEN go to this bizarrre place.
This is a perfect palce for fat, Midwest, blue haired ladies to stock up for their relatives with worthless shit at exorbitant prices. -
Review from vira k.
Chicago, IL
4/13/2012
My family and I stopped at the cafe for lunch and the food was terrible!
Not to mention the fact that the other patrons looked at us like we were a bunch of sideshow freaks - I guess they've never seen Asians eating burgers before?
Don't waste your time here, it's just a tourist trap. It's not even fun kitsch. -
Review from Mike M.
Sierra Madre, CA
5/2/2012
It's so sad that people can't feel the history and stories about wall drug. Tourist write
poor reviews they just don't understand----I just want to say thanks to the Hustead fa
mily-----I'll se ya soon--------
ps---food is old school and great----(super donuts) -
Review from Shorty P.
Portage, WI
5/7/2012
OK idiots that say wall drug is boring you don't know kids. You all think you know what your children like but i do because i'm a kid. And just because you parents don't like to watch tyour kids doesn't mean the kids don't like it morons. I've been to walldrug and it is amazing
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Review from Emily T.
8/29/2011
I guess I still don't get it...
Wall Drug signs appear along the highway (90) as soon as you enter the state of SD and do not stop until you leave. So two stars for your advertising efforts, Wall Drug.
The city of Wall is pretty boring (as is everything AROUND the town). The store is a racket and just another hot-spot tourist attraction.
I still don't understand the cult-like following of Wall Drug. -
Review from Kim Y.
7/22/2011
Wall Drug - located literally in BFE South Dakota is the 'Rock City' of BFE! For hundreds of miles around the wide open plains of South Dakota giant billboards ask, no beg, you to come look at the brontosaurus, the 30 foot jack rabbits, eat ice cream and for the love of god, finally use a bathroom and enjoy 'free water'.
I'm not sure if Wall Drug is really all that fantastic or if after driving through NOTHING for hours, it just feels that way, but since I am a positive person I am gonna say its one of the finest chintzy tourist attractions I've ever encountered.
The history is pretty interesting and the collection of what seems like abandoned pieces from other old attractions is endless. Wanna pose on a pretend buckin' burro or see an animatronic cowboy and Indian fight? Wall Drug has you covered. They also offer up quite a few varieties of junk food and lots of free h2o. The food is typical but not too overpriced like it could be.
Stop in, stretch your legs, grab a snack and a straw cowboy hat and get back on the road to civilization for gods sake!Listed in: Kim's Roadside A-mur-ica!
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Review from Dan D.
9/7/2011
Wall Drug is a fun and funky stop ...
If you can get past the fact that you just got suckered into the biggest literal tourist trap ever!
If I was writing this review after the first time I was coersed into stopping out of curiosity, I probably would have given a one-star review based on sheer disappointment. Wall Drug is, simply put, one giant gift shop!
But this was my SECOND visit (albeit begrudgingly) and by knowing what I was in for, it was actually not that bad this time around!
You can find nearly every kitschy knick-knack you can think of at Wall Drug ... from wooden cork cap guns, to state spoons, to unique and strange flavours of fudge.
Just make sure you bring an open mind, a low expectation and some good old American cash, cause as Admiral Ackbar would say ...
"IT'S A TRAP!" -
Review from Andy C.
7/13/2011
I knew this day would come. I knew there was a day when I'd get on Yelp and review Wall Drug. And it was an event I dreaded, because prior to going on my Badlands trip, every source I consulted at least mentioned Wall Drug. And on the road, I saw signs for Wall Drug. I truly thought I was going to the pinnacle of greatness...and then I got there.
Location: 3 out of 5
In the olden days, I can see how being located in Wall, SD would be of great use to people passing through. With the advent of truck stops, I would consider Wall, SD to be important because of its proximity to Badlands National Park...but not for its housing of Wall Drug. At any rate, it's right off of I-90. Truly, you won't be able to miss the advertisements that tell you when and where to exit the interstate.
Variety of Flea Market Items: 10 out of 5
Variety of Useful Items: 0 out of 5
If you like flea markets, you'll love Wall Drug. If you like practical things that you can use, you'll hate Wall Drug. I am in the latter category. You see - if I want to buy a t-shirt, or a bumper sticker, or a shot glass, I don't have to subject myself to the ridiculousness that is the overgrown flea market known as Wall Drug. I can get these items simply by entering my closest TA truck stop, AND I'd probably pay less money. As a matter of fact, I know I'd pay less money for a comparable item because buying items at the gas station down the street turned out to be the better deal.
And why do I need to buy an item 'from' every State? Will people think that I've been to all 50 States if I show up at their homes with cheaply made refrigerator magnets? Do I need ornate floor lamps juxtaposed to stuffed (taxidermy, not plush) animals and cowboy boots? Do I really need to experience a 500 seat cafeteria that housed either screaming kids or older people? If I take a picture next to cowboys and Indians, or even a fake dinosaur, will my life be enriched? If I walk through a fake "western" town, will I be have true grit? The answer to all of these questions is a strong and resounding, "No." And yet - Wall Drug still exists, because unfortunately - there will be people that answer "Yes" to one or all of these questions.
Customer Service: 2 out of 5
And if I do choose to finally sit down and relax at the fountain and have a peanut butter malt, do I need to be treated with indifference and general apathy? (though understandably, the poor kid that had to serve me also had to serve the hundreds of ill-behaved obese children in the store that day) No...I can probably do without the attitude.
Price of my PB malt: 4 out of 5
I remember thinking that at least the malt I had was reasonably priced.
Quality of PB malt: 1 out of 5
Then a few hours later, I had major gastro-intestinal malfunction. Since the PB malt was the only thing I'd actually consumed that day, I am fairly sure that me painting the porcelain later that afternoon was a direct result of said malt.
Overall: 2 out of 5 (Generous)
The location of this establishment saves them from a seemingly inevitable 1 out of 5. So does my historically generous policy of rounding up. Honestly, if you're hell-bent on going to Wall Drug, you're going to go to Wall Drug regardless of what any review says. So enjoy yourself, but afterwards...I told you so.Listed in: Places to Avoid Like the…
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Review from Jason R.
4/28/2011 8 photos
This review is *cough* years out of date (2008), but I just can't resist. Wall Drug keeps popping up in the most likely of places. Any restaurant covered with stickers has a Wall Drug bumper sticker *somewhere*. I don't expect Wall Drug has changed substantially.
Basically: ice water + mechanized Tyrannosaurus + historical photos + nickelodeon = WIN!
This is a tourist place. Has been since they first offered ice water to travelers during the Depression. But if you pay attention, you can learn a bit about the region. The back building has both a T-Rex and photographs. Many photographs. You easily could spend days just studying these snapshots of South Dakota history. Everything from the clothing to the interaction to the cultures are worth it. Among all the fake, this is real.
We experienced Wall Drug just before passing through the Badlands. I suspect that's the best route. The excess of Wall Drug makes the Badlands even more beautiful. You go from children bouncing on everything to a mountain goat perched atop an impossible rock. People tossing money and coins to prairie dogs tossing chunks of mud. And when the sun sets, the colors dance with the shadows.
I imagine dawn is similar. We really need to return. Excuse me, but now I want a glass of ice water. -
Review from Chris C.
Andover, MA
9/22/2011
Tourist trap hell...quite simply the biggest gift shop in South Dakota. T-shirts, native american trinkets, western artwear...all the standard things you find in every town out this way. However, they have fantastic homemade pie (cherry or apple) and that made the stop worth it. Add in a $.05 cup of coffee (really a nickel!) and not a bad place to grab some lunch.
If you're in South dakota you'll see the signs for miles around so you need to stop and just see what all the fuss is about -- imagine South of the Border in the west. Something you need to see if you're out this way.
And yes I did buy a shirt, the selection was pretty good. -
Review from Ryan S.
7/2/2011
Like everybody else who stops at Wall Drug, I did so on a road trip and used it as an excuse to stretch the legs. I had heard about it a fair amount and wanted to check it out for myself. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into.
It is the biggest collection of useless stuff I think I've ever seen. There are so many trinkets in so many different stores. It has all of the businesses of a small city squeezed into the size of one city block, under one roof.
I'm glad I can mark it off of my list of crappy touristy stuff, but I don't see myself going here again. (That is until I'm driving on I-90 again through South Dakota bored to tears ;)) -
Review from Nikki B.
Seattle, WA
8/24/2011
Wall Drug, if nothing else, is a tourist happenin' spot with crazy jackalopes and $0.05 coffee. It's comparable to Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle, although its about 10x bigger. We stopped by Wall Drug since we were passing through South Dakota anyways and there was a billboard for it every 2 miles pretty much through the entire state (victory for not-so-subliminal advertising). If you are spending time in SD, check out this place for neat-o souvenirs, cafe munchies, or convenience store needs. I was expecting a lot more donuts but when we got there, they only had two types out (plain and maple), my inner fatty self was much disappointed.
All in all, its a cool place to stop by if you are on the road for a while but in the end, its mostly just another souvenir shop with crazy stuffed animals on the wall and cheap coffee (not that I don't like that...). -
Review from Mon P.
Minneapolis, MN
6/6/2011 3 photos
After seeing soooooooooo many signs along the way to Mt. Rushmore, I had to stop and see what this place was. It was basically a tourist trap, but it was still a fun stop.
Like Amie S. already mentioned, this is not just a drug store. This place has so many shops adjoining together. They even have chapel in there too!
It's definitely worth a stop. -
Review from Amie S.
Seattle, WA
5/31/2011
Legend of Wall Drug had reached me through some of my Midwestern friends, but I truly had no idea what I was in for. I thought, ok, a giant Woolworth-type drugstore with a soda fountain and some goofy, kitschy souvenirs or something. Um, no. The place takes up a whole city block and has a façade like an old west town. Cross the threshold and guess what? You kind of ARE in an Old West town. The interior is set up with little alleys and storefronts to mimic one, anyway.
But wait - there's more! In addition to the book shop, western shop, jewelry shop, souvenir shop, candy shop, toy shop, restaurant, and - oh, yeah - the drugstore, there's the Backyard, complete with covered wagon, mini Mount Rushmore, giant jackelope, kid-friendly "rock mine," singing raccoons, and a roaring T-Rex! Not often do you find a roadside attraction of this caliber along a major interstate - the good stuff is usually on the backroads. I guess what I'm saying is, if you happen to be driving across South Dakota, pull over. Go see it. It's insane. At the very least you can say you've been there, and walk away with a free bumper sticker out of the deal. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Sammamish, WA
10/18/2011
We had fun tracking the signs to wall drug. I think I got to 70 or so. :-) This is a fun place to visit and have lunch. I tried the Coconut Cream Pie, which was huge, but good. I also had the Legendary Hot Beef Sandwich. Talk about comfort food! LOVED it!! There was plenty of shopping and I loved looking at the paintings in the dining room. My kids "panned for gems" and had fun with that. It's generally a fun time, although some of the outdoor things like the stuffed buffalo need some care. Would come back and visit!
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Review from Kel S.
9/14/2011 1 photo
Not sure why for approximately 100 miles we saw signs advertising that we should hit up the "largest drug store in the country". Likely because there is nothing else in South Dakota east of the Badlands. It was not all that. It was very kitschy. Lots of overpriced junque. The 2 redeeming qualities: the very best cake donut I have ever tasted came from this establishment. Also, the coffee was only 5 cents. If it weren't for this, the review would have likely gotten a single star.
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Review from Wilmer G.
San Diego, CA
8/2/2010
How could I not stop here after being subliminally coerced by the hundreds of miles of road signs leading up to it? After all, a guy's gotta eat, right? I knew as I got off at the exit that I was very likely about to experience the second largest man-made tourist trap in South Dakota (Mount Rushmore is #1), and I was right. I was kind of in a hurry so I skipped the trinket store and museum, and went straight for the food.
The food itself was okay. It's your basic cafeteria food; filling and okay-tasting but nothing spectacular. I had the roast beef sandwich because it was advertised on the menu as "world famous" or some other lofty description like that. The sandwich is served open faced with a scoop of mashed potatoes and brown gravy over the entire plate. It was not bad, not too dry or salty which is common for a sandwich like this. I also tried the freshly-made doughnuts which were really good. I even got one for free after I told them I was in the military.
The disappointment of the day, though, goes to the ice cream. After lunch I went to the ice cream counter and ordered a strawberry shake. I was horrified as I watched them make it, because they were actually going to use the vanilla soft serve mixed with some kind of red syrup. Really? You have real strawberry ice cream right there in the freezer and you're going to make me some neon-red crap concoction instead?
I was fortunate that I didn't actually have to drink it. There was something wrong with the soft serve machine and it ended up all watery; the perfect excuse to send it back. I ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream instead, but was still disappointed. It didn't taste like chocolate at all: completely artificial flavoring. I ate about four bites and threw the rest away.
Two star material, but they get a third star back because I really loved walking around and reading about the interesting history of the place. Just stay away from the ice cream and definitely try the donuts. -
Review from Pete G.
Sudbury, MA
10/6/2011
I'd rather eat at Wal-Mart. This place could have been fun. It could have been mediocre. It was neither. Amazing that a place surrounded by cows servers a $9 burger that tastes like cardboard. Not even good cardboard. Don't waste your time. Keep on driving.
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Review from Krsna V.
6/4/2008
One word: LAME
There is no way you can miss this tourist trap while driving on I-90. There is a billboard every half mile saying something about Wall drug. After seeing the 100th billboard, I was intrigued. Surely, a drug store in the middle of SD does not need to advertise so much. So, I pulled up google on the phone and started looking for information on Wall drug. We took the exit and drove in to town to see this attraction.
oh good lord, what the hell is this? I appreciate the history behind it, but it is now a "mega mall". Might as well go ahead and call it a discount mall with 20 little glorified dollar stores. If this is one of your state's major attraction (considering the number of billboards that are used to advertise it), I feel sorry for you. Really sorry.
In a state where the majesty of Badlands and the patriotism of Mt. Rushmore are equaled by the adventure sports and scenic beauty of Spearfish and Custer national park, Wall drug has NO place to be billed as a tourist attraction.
An extra star for the history behind it and the the fact that the original owners handed out free ice water to thirsty travelers.
Skip it and keep driving until you get to the Badlands.Listed in: Road trippin'
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Review from George R.
9/14/2008 5 photos
Yes, I had heard about all the Wall Drug signs along the highway and was told that I had to stop in Wall, SD to see the infamous drugstore. I was driving solo on my trip from Rapid City, heading east on I-90. I had just left The Badlands when I started seeing the signs. Big ones, small ones, close to the road, back towards the hills...
To pass the time, I put my car on cruise control, pulled out the digital camera, and began snapping shots of as many Wall Drug signs as I could. I took around 50 pictures before I finally lost interest.
A little while later I arrived in Wall, SD. I made my way through the town and found parking quite easily. My first thought as I entered the Wall Drug complex was that it was like walking into a HUGE version of the store/gift shop at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. It was like a big, indoor, country mall of sorts. Lots of novelty trinkets, touristy gifts, mini shops. Nothing all that special in my opinion.
I glanced around a bit and then left Wall Drug about 30 minutes later. It was okay. I don't think I'd make a special trip out of the way again. But at least now I can say, "Yeah... I've been there." (no enthusiasm in that statement)
It may be a good stop for families with kids who have to make a quick stop somewhere just to get out of the car for awhile. But if you're not into tourist traps, just stick to the highway and keep on driving. -
Review from Teej T.
Urbana, IL
1/27/2008
I am absolutely torn between being madly in love with and absolutely terrified of Wall Drug, the largest and most self-aware tourist trap in the history of the United States, nay the universe.
As a kinda sorta not really hipster, I am in love with ironic statements and cheesy things. Therefore, Wall Drug is the greatest place in all of creation. It is a cheesy department store/drug store/mall/museum/greasy spoon diner/80foot dinosaur corral/arcade location ever....
....DID I JUST SAY 80 FOOT DINOSAUR? Yes. Yes I did. A freaking dinosaur. In nowhere, South Dakota. God Bless this land.
Anyway, it's a kitschy spot that found success in offering free ice water to tourists driving across country (perhaps to visit their great aunt in Michigan as well) during the Great Depression, and it continues the charming tradition, although it also serves up a delicious slice of cheesy American kitsch that I both adore and abhor.
So I love you Wall. I'm just glad that I've seen you once. Never again. :) Unless I have children, then, well....i guess. -
Review from Ryan C.
1/11/2009
Yeah, you've seen the signs so many times..."500 miles to Wall Drug." Just what the hell would prompt someone to drive 500 miles just to go to Wall Drug? Plain and simple: Curiosity. Yes, you'll find western gear such as Coon Tail caps, cork pop guns, metal coffee cups... stuff you'll need really need to survive in the wilderness.
Outside of western gear, you can find more trinkets of souvenirs than you could ever imagine. I've been here a few times and it's always interesting just looking at all of the hidden treasures that sit about.
I've always wanted to hunt Jackalope and obtained a license to do so when I was there. Wall Drug is one of the few places to obtain Jackalope hunting license. Jackalope is a gamy meat that sorta taste like chicken. However, I've gone hunting a few times and just can't seem to find them out there? I was told they are all over the place...
Yes, it's worth the time to stop in and discover something interesting. Just how far is Wall Drug from my house? 843 miles until Wall Drug. -
Review from S N.
Brooklyn, NY
5/20/2010
WTF.
They are running the most aggressive billboard campaign I have ever seen in my life.
300+ miles of non-stop signage, all the way across South Dakota. I saw my first Wall Drug sign all the way out by Mount Rushmore.
Good Lord.
And you know what? It works. I was planning to stop by, after about the 50th mile of signs. I was expecting a tourist trap. I know it's a tourist trap. I'm like Einstein in that way. But then, the very last sign... open 10am-7pm. And I drove by at 7:09PM. DANG!!! -
Review from Mike D.
Brighton, MA
Updated - 5/9/2010
I felt like kind of an asshole stopping here based on the bumper stickers I'd seen over the years (which were generally on way overly-stickered cars that also included instructions to subvert the dominant paradigm and not get mad at the driver for having voted for Bill and Opus, etc.) but I have to say that my experience here was 100% positive and reminded me of why this county is so great.
1. These people made out like bandits without providing any sort of vital service to the country (cf. Bill Gates) with thoughtful entrepreneurialism. God bless them.
2. The five cent coffee was way better than the dollar plus coffee I was getting anywhere else in this neck of the Plains. Why the gripes?? I had fifteen cents worth!
3. The pancakes and the donuts were remarkably good.
4. I didn't need toenail clippers or any shitty Western art but it was kind of fun browsing.
5. The 12 minute T-Rex.
6. The Christian motorcyclists we encountered at our motel and the restaurant--nice, wicked hard-praying dudes.
As lots of people point out, it's a tourist trap. Thanks. How about pointing out that animals breath oxygen while you're at it? We drove around the country seeking diversions (as people do) and this was a major highlight.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/16/2008
Part western outlet shopping and part old-time roadside attraction with the best 5 cent cup of… Read more »
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Review from kiki d.
Milpitas, CA
8/2/2008
By the time we got there, I'd been reading Wall Drug signs for approximately 10 hours (ok ok, it just *felt* like 10 hours).
Contrary to what's implied on some of the signs, coffee is *not* 5 cents (unless you're a veteran), but the cold water *is* still free.
The place is kitschy. I got my photo on a giant rabbit, and they recently installed a $250k t-rex.
The drugstore itself is a bunch of smaller 'departments', some of which sell drugstore items, some sell decorations, food, and random things.
I'm glad to have experienced it . Once. Exactly once. Please don't ask me to go back. -
Review from Bill G.
7/4/2010
Stopped here twice for food while visiting Badlands National Park. The manager at our motel said it's the best eats in town. Seeing what dungholes most of the other restaurants looked like from the outside, I believe her.
The cafeteria serves up solid, basic food. Don't expect to find anything fancy on the menu, just burgers, sandwiches, and a half dozen or so blue plate specials. The food was all freshly prepared. The cafeteria is huge but has a small army of employees who are eager to help you find your way around. Save room for dessert-- there are pies, freshly made donuts, and an ice cream counter.
As for the rest of Wall Drug, well, if you've ever been within 500 miles of the place or know anyone who has, you know about it. It's a huge, all-under-one-roof emporium of everything a traveler could want, and then some. Sure, there's plenty of tourist trap crap here, but the store's fun to walk around in before hitting the road, and some of the departments are genuinely useful. The outdoors store sells a bunch of stuff you might need for camping and hiking, and the western wear shop is a good place to buy a hat or a pair of boots if yours are wearing thin. -
Review from Mimi H.
Rocklin, CA
5/25/2009
This place is a trip!
Wall Drug isn't a rest stop, It's a main attraction!
Sure, They sell snacks and souvenirs- but shortly after you wander in front door, you can tell this place is different.
Maybe it's the endless assortment of tacky "who would buy this crap' kind of bric a brac, or the stuffed and mounted Jackalopes, or even the 'Backyard' of animatronic animals. But, there is something about this place that will have you giggling and using up all the memory on your camera.
Whatever it is, you'll be sure to have countless inside jokes and a ton of great memories. -
Review from GIR ..
San Francisco, CA
12/31/2007
There is no fighting it, if you are driving across country your brain will have been billboard bored (in every sense of the word) by the vast signage Wall Drug has peppered along the way and you simply will end up here.
It's a kitchy goofy place to stretch your legs, use the restrooms and peer at oddities (the items there as well as a number of the people), what's to kvetch about? -
Review from Dan L.
9/27/2009
You will stop here... The hundreds and hundreds of signs on I-90 will make sure of that!
Really just a cheesy tourist trap with overpriced gits and greasy spoon food.
The one thing worth trying is the freshly made doughnuts.
I did find a cool medicine crusher thing- the thing that is on a lot of pharmacy signs... anyone know what it's called? Looks like a bat and a bowl. It was under $10 and looks like marble, though I doubt it is.
Stop there, because when someone talks about traveling cross country on 90 the topic of Wall Drugs is sure to come up. -
Review from Wayne E.
Seattle, WA
11/13/2005
Like the previous review, the best reason to stop at Wall drugs is just to put the several hundred Billboards you have seen for it behind you. Starting in Western Montana and continuing on, you can bet you will see a Wall Drug billboard at least every 50 miles.
Unlike the prior post, buying things is pretty much a good time at Wall Drug. Some of it is the usual tourist stuff you would expect, but surprisingly, you can find things you actually need in one of the many corners of the store (really a collection of many stores joined by a western facade and wooden walkways!).
I think you can see it all in 30 minutes or less, complete with ice water or an ice cream...or you can spend hours....which you have as you are literally in the middle of the great plains...and the next town is at least 45 miles away. -
Review from Michele D.
Niles, IL
8/21/2010
I'm a major fan of Wall Drug. Their donuts are the best that I have had, EVER! The store itself is very humorous. They sell everything from regular drug store stuff to strange toys, knick knacks, jewelry, pottery, books, rocks, etc.
The back yard is fun. There is a jack-a-lope back there. There is also a singing monkey bartender. If you go into the building on the other side of the back yard, there is a rather life-like T-rex that wakes up and growls every 12 minutes. He was cute when he wasn't growling.
There are also some cowboy figurines that sing and play instruments when you put quarters in.
The food in the restaurant is really good, too. And did I mention the donuts? The donuts are the best! Coffee is 5 cents, so you can't go wrong with that.
Certainly this is a place for tourists, but what else would it be? They pride themselves on advertising a lot. They got their start by offering free water to travelers, so even in the beginning they were there for tourists. -
Review from Andrew T.
9/23/2009 2 photos
Wall Drug is definitely a tourist trap, if not an unusual one. I'm sure everyone has already mentioned the free ice water, cheap coffee, etc. It's conveniently located at the end of the Badlands Scenic Loop, which we finished in the early morning on a recent trip to Yellowstone, so it was a convenient breakfast stop.
Breakfast was decent - not remarkable. Pancakes and (McDonald's style) hash browns hit the spot after driving all night, though. I have nothing to say about all the shopping - all looks gimmicky, so paid very little attention.
All in all, I would not miss this place if you have the time - there's a sculpture garden in the back with some incredible stuff - jackalopes and bunnies and goofy stuff you can have some serious fun posing with. We have some killer pictures. -
Review from Erin L.
10/16/2009
One Word: Tourist Trap
- Saw signs on I90 399 miles away
- Cool history to it but it has changed owners and it's a tourist trap now
- IF you have children, it might be a better place to stop since they basically sell a lot of crap and a lot of kids toys and things.
- 5 cent coffee sucks
- Food wasn't that good -
Review from Andrzrej K.
Brooklyn, NY
3/26/2010
Breaking up the monotony on I-90 are many small, large and even medium sized bills staking claims and directing you towards Wall Drug store in Wall, South Dakota.
Some people get mad when they realize that Wall Drug Store is really a pre-fab building with a semi-circular cross-section, constructed of corrugated steel and a poorly replicated facade.... but all they expected was a big drug store, so whats up with the dissapointment?
"I expected a drug store, But instead it is a indoor fleamarket"
Inside many treasures can be found- but none better than the patrons of all shapes and sizes (mostly overweight, some in motorized carts) the fudge:motorized cart ratio is fairly high here 5:2 -
Review from Amy P.
Eugene, OR
5/11/2008
Danger Will Robinson, Danger...tacky tourist trap ahead! Yes, this place is pure kitsch and I'm not ashamed to say I loved it.
The food was a typical menu from a hometown diner, water was 10 cents, coffee 5 cents, and the sandwiches served on white bread.
However, you aren't going there to eat, you're going there to walk through the gift shop. Not only because you have to see what useless item that says Wall Drug you need to buy, but also to people watch. Serious fun I say! -
Review from Bruno A.
Chicago, IL
5/25/2007
What do you expect in the middle of nothing? By the time you hit Wall, you should be happy to find anything, nevermind a small town built on tourism, a giant dinosaur, wax figures playing cards, a faux western town- high noon town and enough cheap garbage that anyone with kids will walk out of with their pockets considerably lighter?
Wall is fun if you don't expect a lot. The appeal of it is that it's all crap yet everyone that leaves the place gets warm memories whenever they spy the WALL DRUG bumpersticker in Manhattan, Miami or Mars.
Oh yeah, there are a lot of douchebags on bikes that give you dirty looks if you're driving something with more than two wheels. Just ignore em and let them get back to their accountant jobs after their weekend of playing badass.
I wouldn't take anything but memories back from wall. Anything you can get there you can get just as easily at the state fair. My heart goes out to the poor souls that live there year round. -
Review from Randy W.
Suffolk, NY
9/29/2009
Old wooden indians, junk shops, bad coffee, tacky crap ... welcome to Wall Drug Store. I'm always amazed when the Travel Channel features this place. It is the definition of tourist trap. There really is almost nothing of value here. And yet somehow stupid people make the trip and stop. How does that happen? I wish I knew.
The Drug Store has some nice ice cream. -
Review from delwin y.
Pierre, SD
7/24/2011
After driving all over South Dakota and seeing their signs plastered all over the highway I can't say I'm really impressed with it. It feels like a tourist trap and feels artificial.
At the very least they aren't lying about what they have in their signs, but the actual implementation is kind of hodgepodge.
There are lots of historic pictures, but they aren't very well documented or explained. There is a gold/gem mining area, but you can find the same in any assortment of amusement parks with an old west town area. There is a giant mountable rabbit, but that's about it. There's an animatronic T-Rex, but again that's about it and it just seems out of place. The advertised ice cold free water exists though on the day I went is was not ice cold and just cool.
The assortment of shops that line the area sell old western style clothing and goods which are fairly true to heart also seem kind of forced.
All in all I would pass it up unless you've been driving for hours and really need a stop. Even then unless you really want to walk around waste some time a gas station might just be better. -
Review from Red Tail H.
Sunnyvale, CA
7/4/2010
Horribly, completely, kitsch. If you don't need food, don't bother stopping here. If you do need food, this seems to be one of the best games in town.
The food is genre Americana, with some really tasty donuts thrown in as a side note. I wanted to try some of the pies, but the crusts were overcooked.
If you need overpriced junk instead of food, there's plenty of it there. Otherwise, I'd steer clear.
