The Most Advertised US Road Side Attraction | Visiting Wall Drug

Roadside attractions in the United States are usually fun little stop-offs that take a couple of minutes to visit. You stop, snap photos, and move on. Usually, if you didn’t previously know about the attraction, or if it doesn’t look that interesting from the road, you may not bother stopping. Wall Drug is one stop that I recommend you take time for.

On one of my previous road trips through South Dakota, while heading towards the Badlands, I started to notice signs for something called Wall Drug. I really didn’t give it any thought, as I had no desire to stop at some random drug store.

After a while, more and more signs started to pop up. They advertised things to do and see at Wall Drug, making it sound like a significant stop. That time, we did not end up taking the time to stop and kept moving on. After leaving our My Place Hotel room in Rapid City, the signs finally got my attention.

The Most Advertised US Road Side Attraction

I can’t confirm that this is the most advertised roadside attraction in the United States, as no one seems to know the actual number of signs on the road. I did end up counting 76 signs within 13 miles as we were approaching Wall, South Dakota. Apparently, this advertising has paid off, as they are said to receive 20,000 visitors during some days during the summer months!

What Is Wall Drug?

Wall Drug Store is essentially a tourist attraction with lots to do. It started as a drug store that gained popularity by offering free ice water to those who stopped by. The city of Wall has a speed limit of 20, and Wall Drug seems to take up most of the small town.

Wearing my favorite comfortable Rohan shirt! 

One of the other things they use as a big advertisement is the fact that they still offer coffee for five cents. On the inside, Wall Drug is basically a mini-mall. You can buy plenty of souvenirs and even jewelry.

I am sure this place was more interesting and useful back when it started, but it seems to be a place that focuses more now on getting tourists to come to buy things. Not that there is anything wrong with that, after all, every business has to make money to stay open.

There is also a rather large restaurant here, so if you find yourself doing some shopping you can also grab a bite to eat. The “backyard” of Wall Drug has plenty of photo ops, with props set up all around.

Should I Visit Wall Drug?

As with many roadside attractions, this is totally dependant upon what kind of attractions you like. There are plenty of people who would love stopping here. The five cent coffee, the shopping, the restaurant, and the opportunity for photos can certainly be alluring. It is definitely a populated place to stop when you are heading to Badlands National Park or Mount Rushmore. 

Even though I didn’t buy anything, I am definitely glad I stopped. It is pretty difficult seeing so many signs and not being curious as to what Wall Drug has to offer!

20 thoughts on “The Most Advertised US Road Side Attraction | Visiting Wall Drug”

  1. jbcowgill – I am one who loves to travel. I enjoy photography. I take many photos of my journeys. I also write short stories and poems.
    jbcowgill says:

    This is a place I may visit once. It looks more interesting that South of the Border in South Carolina.

    Reply
  2. brandib1977 – Ohio – I'm a single gal living in rural Appalachia. I have a job that keeps me busy and a to-do list so long I'll never see the end. Adventures- both big and small- are an important part of my life. Since I don’t even have a houseplant depending on me right now, I’m free to do basically whatever I please. This blog tells some of those stories. Life is pretty darn good!
    brandib1977 says:

    I love places like this and hope to go during my Badlands visit this year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    Reply
  3. elfidd / The Rooster – Maryland\'s Eastern Shore – An old retired Trooper who migrated south from Connecticut many years ago. Married forever to a great lady who loves to quilt, cook for the world and walk, ride and lift weekly. Been around the block a few times thanks to graduation from Parris Island U in 62 and SNHU in 84. This, That, and other things shall periodically grace this site. Together we have a dog, Ben, a cat, Simon & Four hens. The crafty Red Tailed Hawk has been slowly cutting down the size of our flock. e've had laying hens for over 25 years, a dozen or so Max. We've raised two daughters and a son, have had nine grandchildren and recently learned that #9 great is on the way.
    elfidd / The Rooster says:

    Wall Drug’s East Coast Rival, South of the Boarder, I-95 @ NC – SC Line. We hit the Wall, June 1, 2012.

    Reply

    • I’ve never heard of South of the Border until this post. I’ll definitely try to check it out now!

      Reply
  4. kagould17 – Not much to tell. After working for 3 companies over 43+ years (38 years 7 months with my last company), I finally got that promotion I had waited my entire career for……retirement. I have been exploring this new career for the past 7+ years and while it is not always exciting, the chance to do what I want for myself and my family instead of what my company wants has been very fulfilling. Early on, there was a long list of projects in my “to-do” hopper and I attacked these projects with a vengeance for the first 9 months of retirement. Eventually, my brain told me that this was not what retirement was about, so it took me another 5 months before my industriousness again took over and I attacked another line of projects, this time somewhat shorter and less complicated, as well as many new projects related to the family weddings in 2016. After going hard for 6 weeks and 3 weddings, my body was telling me to relax, then the flu bug hit and as soon as that was done with me, my sciatic acted up. No rest for the wicked. In 2020 and 2021, the Covid 19 pandemic changed the whole retirement gig. I was lucky to not be still working, for sure. I enjoy photography, gardening, working with my hands, walking, cycling, skiing, travelling, reading and creating special photo and video productions obtained in my first pastime. I may never become wealthy in any of these pursuits, but I already feel I am rich in life experiences far beyond any expectation.
    kagould17 says:

    We stopped here in 2018 and it was a hoot. We went for the 5 cent coffee and fresh cherry pie. The coffee was worth 5 cents and the pie may have been fresh……some time. A good stop to stretch your legs on an otherwise boring stretch of high speed highway. Allan

    Reply
      • kagould17 – Not much to tell. After working for 3 companies over 43+ years (38 years 7 months with my last company), I finally got that promotion I had waited my entire career for……retirement. I have been exploring this new career for the past 7+ years and while it is not always exciting, the chance to do what I want for myself and my family instead of what my company wants has been very fulfilling. Early on, there was a long list of projects in my “to-do” hopper and I attacked these projects with a vengeance for the first 9 months of retirement. Eventually, my brain told me that this was not what retirement was about, so it took me another 5 months before my industriousness again took over and I attacked another line of projects, this time somewhat shorter and less complicated, as well as many new projects related to the family weddings in 2016. After going hard for 6 weeks and 3 weddings, my body was telling me to relax, then the flu bug hit and as soon as that was done with me, my sciatic acted up. No rest for the wicked. In 2020 and 2021, the Covid 19 pandemic changed the whole retirement gig. I was lucky to not be still working, for sure. I enjoy photography, gardening, working with my hands, walking, cycling, skiing, travelling, reading and creating special photo and video productions obtained in my first pastime. I may never become wealthy in any of these pursuits, but I already feel I am rich in life experiences far beyond any expectation.
        kagould17 says:

        Worth the 5 cents does not mean it was good. LOL. Allan

      • Oh no, I think we are going the opposite direction! We are in Iowa right now, heading north to Lake Itasca then west into the Dakotas. We will be in Wall either Friday or Saturday!

      • Ah, okay!! Well if you’ve got some spare time you may want to stop and stretch your legs there for a bit! 🙂 You’ll definitely see the signs haha

  6. Tom Schultz – Was there ever a time that I did not love writing? If so, I can’t remember back that far. A decade or so ago, along with other life changes, I started exploring fiction, memoirs, and creative nonfiction to complement my essays. For me, writing is always about the melody and the rhythm, as well as the light and the image. Around the same time, I went to law school as a “nontraditional” (read middle-aged) student. After a couple stressful days in an auditorium at Michigan State University, packed with 1,000 other folks taking a bar exam, I survived and joined the Michigan bar as a newbie lawyer. I have the opportunity to write a lot at the day job, but felt the need for a place to express more creativity than is allowed within the four corners of a legal brief, and to share my feelings with others. Voila! Blogging. When I began, I thought my posts would be all about writing. Serendipity is a gentle goddess, though, and I soon rediscovered my passion for photography. With the aid of my fellow bloggers, I have worked on presenting a vision and, hopefully, conveying a sense of spirit through pictures as well as words. Politics has always been my passion, but not what passes for politics in our time, poisoned as it is with partisan rancor. No thanks, not interested in that scene. Only as we as a society can reintroduce spirituality, in all its emanations and wonder, into the political process (in the broadest sense) can we really extricate ourselves from the swamp and find a path forward. And it would surely help if we could in our journey find faith between men and women, too. The arts suggest to us the hidden potential for change in society. In the distemper of these times, beauty can be subversive. In my writing and photos, I hope to evoke some of the spirit in my favorite art, of all forms.
    Tom Schultz says:

    A close second might be “Little America” off I-80 in southeast Wyoming.

    Reply

  7. I absolutely love hearing your adventures and Wall Drug is a place everyone should experience at least once. It’s definitely a throwback to a long gone era. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Judy Guion – I started blogging in September, 2012 as a way to tell the stories of my family during the first half of the 1900's as told in hundreds of letters and pictures. I've been experimenting with various styles and story lines and continue to try new and different things.
    Judy Guion says:

    voyagesofmine – Stopped there about 40 years ago with my young children. Definitely worth the time – they loved it, it was a nice break from the drive across the country and all kinds of unique gifts and gadgets.

    Reply
  10. Pingback: My Place Hotels | Rapid City, South Dakota - Voyages Of Mine

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