Living in Sioux Falls — Parks, Things to Do, Events & Schools
A practical guide to life in South Dakota’s largest city: the parks and trails, the arts and dining downtown, the events that fill the summer calendar, and the school districts and colleges across the metro.
Parks · Things to do · Events · Schools · bryananfinson.com
Life in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota, with a population of roughly 217,900 (2025 estimate). It is the commercial and cultural anchor of a growing metro that stretches across several surrounding communities. Major employers include Sanford Health and Avera Health, and the metro is served by Sioux Falls Regional Airport / Joe Foss Field (FSD). South Dakota has no personal state income tax.
For people considering a move, the practical question is usually what daily life actually looks like — where to spend a weekend, what there is to do, what the calendar fills up with, and how the metro’s schools and colleges are organized. The guides below break the city’s lifestyle into four areas, each with a dedicated page. If you are weighing a move, the Relocating to Sioux Falls guide covers the logistics, and the Neighborhoods guide breaks down the areas of the metro.
Things to Know About Living in Sioux Falls
Parks & Trails in Sioux Falls
Where Sioux Falls spends time outdoors
The city’s park system ranges from the downtown waterfalls to formal gardens and a paved trail loop that ties the metro together.
- Falls Park — 128+ acres downtown surrounding the city’s namesake waterfalls, with an observation tower and the Falls Overlook Cafe housed in a 1908 power plant.
- McKennan Park — established in 1906, home to the Mediterranean Sunken Gardens and a 1926 bandshell.
- Tuthill Park — an 80-acre park with formal and Japanese gardens.
- Sertoma Park — roughly 42 acres, home to the Outdoor Campus and the Butterfly House & Aquarium.
- Sherman Park — site of the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, adjacent to the Great Plains Zoo (45 acres, opened 1963).
- Big Sioux River Recreation Trail & Greenway — a roughly 19-mile paved loop along the river.
Things to Do in Sioux Falls
Arts, dining and downtown
Downtown Sioux Falls concentrates much of the city’s arts, dining and shopping, with larger retail to the south and west.
- Washington Pavilion — downtown arts and science center.
- SculptureWalk — one of the largest outdoor sculpture exhibits, with 50+ rotating sculptures throughout downtown.
- Downtown breweries — including Remedy, Severance and WoodGrain.
- 8th & Railroad Center — a downtown gathering and dining spot.
- The Empire Mall — the largest mall in South Dakota.
Events in Sioux Falls
The warm-weather calendar
Sioux Falls fills its summer with outdoor concerts, fairs and community events.
- Levitt at the Falls — a free outdoor concert series near Falls Park, with around 50 free concerts each summer.
- Sioux Empire Fair — held in late July / early August at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds.
- Hot Harley Nights — a mid-summer motorcycle event.
Schools & Higher Education in Sioux Falls
Districts and colleges across the metro
The Sioux Falls metro is served by several public school districts, along with colleges and universities in and around the city. The list below is factual and for research only.
- Public school districts serving the metro — Sioux Falls School District (the primary district), Harrisburg, Brandon Valley, Tea Area, West Central, Baltic and Lennox.
- Higher education — Augustana University, the University of Sioux Falls and Southeast Technical College. South Dakota State University’s main campus is in Brookings, with a University Center presence in Sioux Falls.
Have a question about a specific part of the metro — a park near a neighborhood, a school district boundary, or what a particular area is close to? Talk to Bryan directly. You can also browse every neighborhood in the metro or view listings on the Sioux Falls Home Map.
Thinking About Making Sioux Falls Home?
From parks and events to schools and neighborhoods, getting the full picture of a city takes local knowledge. Let’s talk through what matters to you.
(605) 670-9846 · bryan@hegg.com