Good Morning


We wake up in our La Quinta room in Sioux Falls feeling refreshed and ready to greet the day like adventurers with slightly frizzy hair and noble intentions. Breakfast, check. Bags packed, check. That dramatic “we ride at dawn” spirit? Absolutely — even though the sky outside is serving brooding watercolor realness in all shades of storm-cloud gray.


Our mission: explore the Great Plains Zoo, then begin our westward pilgrimage along I-90 toward Wall, South Dakota — mystical land of prairie, billboards, and the great and powerful Wall Drug.


Rain patters — steady but soft — and we are undeterred. We get coffee (because even heroes know their priorities), arrive ten minutes before the zoo opens, and sit in the car like damp but determined adventurers. By opening time it shifts to a drizzle, the air crisp and enchanted, the kind of weather that feels romantic.

Colorful autumn leaves in various shades of red, orange, and yellow scattered on the ground.

Beautiful autumn leaves on the ground of Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Australia


We enter the zoo and step right into the Australia section, where snow monkeys are having an absolute rager in the rain. They swing, they leap, they holler — tiny fuzzy daredevils living their best wet life. One baby is flinging himself at older monkeys, the embodiment of “someone play with me or I riot,” and honestly, I get it.

A macaque perched on a fallen tree trunk in a forested environment.

Macaca fuscata. A snow monkey reacting to a younger snow monkey jumping on the fence. Conservation status: Least Concern (Population Stable)

Next up: a cluster of kangaroos huddled under a pergola like church ladies waiting for the storm to pass. Their wallaby friend is wiser and ducks inside — a tiny, soggy introvert after my own heart.


Inside the Primate House, squirrel monkeys flit around like toddlers let loose in a bouncy house. Baby Lolo — nine months and pure chaos — keeps pestering the adults, and I respect that dedication to fun. The colobus monkeys look elegant, the ring-tailed lemur looks like he's seen some things, and I offer him a silent prayer.

Two squirrel monkeys sitting close together on a branch in their enclosure.

Saimiri. Two squirrel monkeys huddle together on a branch. Conservation status: Endangered

A ring-tailed lemur resting on a log with rope wrapped around it in an enclosure.

Lemur catta. A ring tailed lemur cleans its tail. Conservation status: Endangered

We float onward to admire Australian sheep (apparently responsible for 25% of the world’s wool — go off with your fluffy selves) and then — surprise — Bactrian camels. Yes, camels. In an Australia exhibit. Turns out they live feral in Australia because humans once had ideas. Big ones. Questionable ones.

Close-up portrait of a black-faced sheep with white wool against a blurred background.

Ovis aries. A sheep practically poses for a photo. No conservation status available for domestic breeds.

Close-up side profile of a brown camel's head showing its distinctive fur and facial features.

Camelus bactrianus. The camel seemed to enjoy the rain. Conservation status: Critically endangered

And then we encounter glory: the New Guinea Singing Dogs. Mystical gremlins of the rain with voices straight from legend. They howl; we howl back. It is a spiritual exchange. If an elf wandered by strumming a lute, I wouldn't blink.

Face to Face Farm


Face to Face Farm is next — goats everywhere, eating like tiny royal beasts accepting tribute. Jeremiah feeds them proudly because no man is more joyful than one handing snacks to animals. A big-horned sheep watches us from a nearby hill like the neighborhood HOA president deciding who’s allowed in.

A white goat with long hair and blue eyes looking up at the camera.
A black and white goat standing in a wooden shelter with another goat visible in background.
A black and white goat with small horns stands in a wooden pen looking to the side.
Someone in a purple sweatshirt feeds a small goat through a wire fence at a farm.

African Savannah


In the African Savannah, most animals sensibly skip the drizzle, but the zebras grace us with their presence and their perfect stripes. They stand there like runway models in a rain-themed editorial spread.

A Grevy's zebra grazes on fallen leaves in an autumn field.

Equus grevyi. This zebra was just enjoying the leaf snacks that day. Conservation status: Endangered

We pass a hilarious tortoise sign (with zero tortoises present — they are inside sipping hot tea and minding their business) and head toward the North American Great Plains.

Green zoo sign asking visitors to report tipped tortoises to staff with a hotline number.

North America


Here we meet bison. Then black bears. Then grizzly bears — and one female grizzly in particular who is not having it. She growls at the male, bangs on the food door like she’s demanding to see the manager, and then tromps out to find a snack in the pool. I take a video. Internet loves it. Validation achieved.

Close up portrait of a brown grizzly bear with thick fur and dark eyes.

Asian Cats


We finally wander to the cats — sleeping like royalty, uninterested in mere mortals. Amur tiger, snow leopard, Pallas cat — all in nap mode, living the dream.

Leaving the Zoo


We leave the zoo damp, delighted, and absolutely charmed. Taco Bell becomes our road-trip feast (Michelin stars are a state of mind), and we merge onto I-90 West — rolling toward Wall and the promise of big skies, bigger prairies, and tomorrow’s Badlands adventure.