South Dakota is the epitome of the Midwest, thanks to our beautiful landscape, good people, and delicious home-cooked food! While we already knew this, this fact was just recognized by a national publication which named these 2 South Dakota locations as some of the best in the Midwest:

The results are in, and Midwest Living just named Badlands National Park and Wall Drug as 2 of the winners of the Best of the Midwest 2021!
Martin Kraft/Wikimedia Commons
According to the list, which includes such categories as wellness, travel, food, and culture, the best National Park in the Midwest is Badlands National Park, citing how its "ancient buttes, pinnacles, and canyon(s) form a dramatic shift in the prairie landscape," as well as noting the popular Badlands Loop Road and jaw-dropping Notch Trail.
James St. John/Wikimedia Commons
Created by geologic forces of deposition and erosion 69-million-years+ ago, the Badlands - which were once covered by an ancient sea that finally retreated - truly are a remarkable sight.
National Park Service; Photographer: D. Luchsinger/Wikimedia Commons
In addition to Best National Park, South Dakota also made the cut for Best Photo Op, a la Wall Drug. 
Konrad Summers/Wikimedia Commons

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As per Midwest Living, "The question isn’t whether to take a photo at this billboard-hyped kitsch factory off Interstate-90," but rather "where to start," naming the iconic Jackalope, miniature Mount Rushmore, and lifesize T. rex.
Mbailey/Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 1931, Wall Drug was your run-of-the-mill SoDak drug store that gained popularity over the years, thanks to clever advertising via billboards around the country (and world)! Today, Wall Drug is housed in a 76,000-square-foot building and is visited by an estimated 2 million people each year.
Uncredited member of South Dakota National Guard/Wikimedia Commons
Other categories in the "Best of the Midwest 2021" include Best Public Art Collection (Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Des Moines, Iowa), Best Diner (Rosie's Fine Food and Wine, Detroit, Michigan), and Best Midsize Town (Fargo, North Dakota, pictured).
formulanone/Wikimedia Commons
To learn more about this list and other Midwest gems, please visit Midwest Living's website.
Wapcaplet/Wikimedia Commons

To learn more about these Midwest gems, check out Walk Through 242,756 Acres Of Rock Formations At South Dakota’s Badlands National Park and The History Of This Iconic South Dakota Store Is Unexpectedly Awesome.

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Featured Addresses
Wall Drug Store, 510 Main St, Wall, SD 57790, USA
Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA