Brookings, SD

Quick City Facts

County: Brookings
Population (2019): 24,415
Population (2010): 22,056

Data provided by US Census Bureau (2019)

The fifth largest city in South Dakota, Brookings had more than 18,000 registered residents as of the 2000 census. Named for Wilmot Wood Brookings, who supervised the building of a main roadway that traversed Brookings County, the city saw its first organized settlement, Medary, in 1857. The official city of Brookings was established near Medary to accommodate a central railroad path that would serve all of the existing communities. Today, the city functions as the official county seat.

Home to South Dakota State University, Brookings enjoys a rich academic culture. The college is the city’s second largest employer and is a major contributor to its economy. Two of the city’s main attractions, the McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum, are located on a 74-acre plot on the university’s campus. The site offers dozens of lush botanical gardens, prairie grassland, and a natural hedge maze.

The Swiftel Center serves as a multi-purpose civic and convention center, used for a variety of cultural events, entertainment performances, and business meetings in Brookings. The city’s Recreation Department provides a wide range of athletic and recreational pursuits for youths and adults, including baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, horseback riding, and cultural activities.

Art enthusiasts are serviced by four art galleries, including the South Dakota Art Museum and the Community Cultural Center. Early settlements and agricultural cultivation of the area are commemorated by such local museums as the Elkton Community Museum and the Mellette County Historical Society. A variety of local theatres, such as the Prairie Repertory Theater and the Brookings Community Theater, provide high-caliber dramatic productions throughout the year.

Downtown Brookings offers more than 150 unique dining, retail, and entertainment businesses. Avid shoppers will delight in the eclectic antiques, fine art, home furnishings, local jewelry, and literary offerings. Diverse dining establishments cater to a variety of tastes, including American, Chinese, Mexican, and Italian. Historical walking tours give visitors the opportunity to experience the rich heritage and architecture of downtown Brookings.

Popular Attractions

BackYard Grill

BackYard Grill

Sioux Falls

Termesphere Gallery

Termesphere Gallery

Spearfish

Eponymous Brewing Company

Eponymous Brewing Company

Brookings

Dakota Sunset Museum

Dakota Sunset Museum

Gettysburg

Fox Run Golf Course

Fox Run Golf Course

Yankton

Craft

Craft

Brookings

Firehouse Smokejumper Station

Firehouse Smokejumper Station

Hill City

Klock Werks

Klock Werks

Mitchell

Experience Sioux Falls

Experience Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls

Pringle Mercantile

Pringle Mercantile

Pringle

Laughing Water Restaurant

Laughing Water Restaurant

Crazy Horse

The Hello Hi

The Hello Hi

Sioux Falls

ACME Bicycles

ACME Bicycles

Rapid City

The Cave Collective

The Cave Collective

Rapid City

Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen

Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen

Sioux Falls

Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC)

Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC)

Deadwood

McCrory Gardens

McCrory Gardens

Brookings

Fort Pierre Chouteau Site

Fort Pierre Chouteau Site

Fort Pierre

Great Faces. Great Places.

South Dakota is an incredibly unique state in that each region offers a completely different experience then the others. Check out each of the regions to see what each has to offer!

Badlands

Western South Dakota

Featuring the Black Hills, Badlands, the Sturgis Rally. This region tends to be the most popular.

CENTRAL REGION

This region of South Dakota offers some of the best hunting and fishing in the entire central US. 

Eastern Region

The eastern region is home to the largest city in the state and provides visitors with a true "prairie" experience.