The Corn Palace

So during our planning for our out-west camping vacation, we came across the Corn Palace. We wondered what on earth a Corn Palace was. Was it a palace made out of corn? Was it a palace that contained everything corn? It was on our way out west so we thought to ourselves, “when in Rome…” So we pinned a stop on our route to see what exactly it was.

Mitchell, South Dakota

The Corn Palace is located in Mitchell, South Dakota. The entire palace is adorned in everything corn (275,000 ears including the husks). It is a free attraction and definitely one you won’t find anywhere else. Although it’s a bit “corny,” but it’s also fun and unique. The palace itself is  an entertainment venue with a lot of seating for athletic and various entertainment that takes place in Mitchell throughout the year. When not in use for events, it is a tourist attraction where passerby’s can and check out the murals created made entirely from corn. In the upper level, there are artists renderings of previous murals and various photos from events held there during the last 100 years.

The day we were stopped in, there was a large gift shop in the lower level that contained all things corn for sale including shirts, bottle openers, dish clothes, hats, stickers, mugs, etc. On the main level, there was a snack bar with what else??? Corn-on-the-cob of course! So we enjoyed some hot buttered ears of corn before we hit the road.

Free parking is another plus to visiting this attraction. We walked about a block from the palace which was perfect for stretching our legs. All in all, it’s a unique stop if you are driving by the area. We spent less than an hour there. Though similar to Wall Drug, we would not go out of our way to go here, it was worth a stop when driving through.

Notes: For additional information on this attraction, you can view their website directly at HERE
If you enjoy hiking and exploring the great outdoors, be sure to check out one of our favorite hikes in South Dakota – Black Elk Peak