University of South Dakota in 2 Days: A Vermillion College Visit Fly-In Trip
A parent-first plan for visiting the University of South Dakota (USD) in Vermillion: how to book an individual campus visit, Coyote Visit Day or Saturday Morning Visit, check-in at the Wagner Welcome Center, the blue visitor lots, the Holiday Inn Express about a 3-minute walk from the Welcome Center plus Budget, Mid-range and Upscale options, drive times from Sioux Falls and Sioux City airports, the National Music Museum and Spirit Mound for siblings, and Vermillion weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 31, 2026.
The University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion from the air (September 2023). Photo: anup khanal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
School
University of South Dakota (USD, Vermillion, SD)
Days
2 days: fly in and drive to Vermillion, then a USD campus visit.
Fly into
Sioux Falls Regional (FSD), about 72 minutes from the Wagner Welcome Center, or Sioux Gateway (SUX) in Sioux City, about 50 minutes, with no traffic.
Best base
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion on N Dakota St, about a 3-minute walk to the Wagner Welcome Center.
Car or no car
You'll need a car from either airport. The three Vermillion hotels are 1 to 3 minutes from the Welcome Center by car; the Yankton and Sioux City options are 32 to 43 minutes away.
Registration
Book an individual campus visit (Monday to Friday, by appointment only) on USD's visit portal.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see the University of South Dakota, home of the Coyotes, in Vermillion.
USD's 274-acre campus sits in Vermillion, a small community along the bluffs above the Missouri River in the southeast corner of South Dakota.
Why this order
Day 1: fly into Sioux Falls or Sioux City and drive to Vermillion, about 72 or 51 minutes to the Holiday Inn Express with no traffic.
Day 2: check in at the Wagner Welcome Center lobby for an individual visit with a personalized campus tour and an admissions counselor meeting.
With extra time, the National Music Museum is about a 7-minute walk from the Welcome Center, and Spirit Mound, where Lewis and Clark stood in 1804, is about 8 minutes away by car.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
Individual campus visits run Monday to Friday and are by appointment only. You'll get a personalized campus tour, meet with an admissions counselor and can add an optional meeting with an academic program or department. Visits typically last 90 to 120 minutes.
Prefer an event? Coyote Visit Days let students pick sessions on academic programs, student organizations and campus life, with a campus tour, lunch and an information fair. Pick a date on USD's sign-up page.
Visiting on a weekend? Saturday Morning Visits are offered on select Saturdays through the academic year, with an admissions overview, a department presentation and a tour with Student Ambassador Scholars. They're by appointment only and may fill up.
Recruited athletes: USD says prospective student-athlete visits are scheduled through the Department of Athletics or the sport's recruiting coach.
Can't make the trip yet? USD offers a virtual campus tour, and admissions@usd.edu can set up a personalized virtual visit.
Tour availability varies by season.
Winters are cold: January averages about 31°F highs and 10°F lows in Vermillion, and February about 36°F/14°F.
Fall is a good time to walk campus: September averages about 78°F highs and October about 65°F, while November drops to about 48°F.
Summers are warm and wetter: July averages about 86°F highs and 63°F lows, and June is the wettest month at about 4.3 inches.
Check the Coyotes schedule before you book if you'd like to catch a game.
2. The suggested 2-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Campus times are to the Wagner Welcome Center, 1110 N Dakota St, where individual visits check in.
We list drive times only; check which airlines serve Sioux Falls and Sioux City for your dates. From the Welcome Center, Sioux Falls Regional (FSD) is about 72 minutes (66 miles) and Sioux Gateway (SUX) about 50 minutes (45 miles) with no traffic.
Day 1: fly in and drive to Vermillion
Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) → Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion
Driving (no traffic)
~72 min, 65.3 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) → Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion
Driving (no traffic)
~51 min, 45.5 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) → Best Western Vermillion Inn
Driving (no traffic)
~74 min, 66.4 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) → Red Roof Inn Vermillion
Driving (no traffic)
~70 min, 64.3 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) → Fairfield Inn & Suites Yankton
Driving (no traffic)
~82 min, 72.6 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) → Hilton Garden Inn Sioux City Riverfront
Driving (no traffic)
~13 min, 9.0 mi
Driving
Rental car
Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) → The Warrior Hotel
Driving (no traffic)
~13 min, 8.2 mi
Driving
Rental car
Arriving with daylight to spare? Spirit Mound Historic Prairie is about 8 minutes north of campus by car, open year-round with no entrance fee.
Day 2: USD campus visit
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 min, 0.2 mi (or ~3 min walk)
Driving
Walk or drive
Best Western Vermillion Inn → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 1.1 mi
Driving
Drive
Red Roof Inn Vermillion → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 1.4 mi
Driving
Drive
Fairfield Inn & Suites Yankton → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~32 min, 27.4 mi
Driving
Drive
Hilton Garden Inn Sioux City Riverfront → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~41 min, 37.1 mi
Driving
Drive
The Warrior Hotel → Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St)
Driving (no traffic)
~43 min, 38.1 mi
Driving
Drive
Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St) → National Music Museum
Driving (no traffic)
~7 min walk, 0.3 mi
Driving
Walk
Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St) → Spirit Mound Historic Prairie
Driving (no traffic)
~8 min, 6.3 mi
Driving
Drive
Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St) → Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)
Driving (no traffic)
~72 min, 66.3 mi
Driving
Drive
Wagner Welcome Center (1110 N Dakota St) → Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX)
Driving (no traffic)
~50 min, 45.3 mi
Driving
Drive
For an individual visit, park in USD's designated visitor lot, then check in at the Wagner Welcome Center lobby.
Blue lots are reserved for visitors and are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you park anywhere other than a visitor lot, you need a visitor permit from the University Police Department in the Davidson Building, or use a meter.
Flying out the same day? Allow about 72 minutes to Sioux Falls or 50 minutes to Sioux City from the Welcome Center with no traffic, plus time to return the car.
3. Campus by campus
The University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion from the air (September 2023). Photo: anup khanal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Individual visits check in at the Wagner Welcome Center lobby, home of the Office of Admissions, at 1110 N Dakota St, Vermillion.
Coyote Visit Days check in on the second floor of the Muenster University Center (MUC) instead, and no parking pass is needed for Coyote Visit Days or Saturday Morning Visits.
Visitor parking
Park in USD's designated visitor lot for your visit. Blue lots are reserved for visitors and enforced 24/7; everywhere else on campus needs a permit or a paid meter.
Meters take U.S. quarters only, at $0.25 for 15 minutes, and are meant for short stays; the free AMP Park app also works at metered spaces. Visitor permits for other lots come from the University Police Department in the Davidson Building.
Getting there
The Welcome Center is about 72 minutes by car from Sioux Falls Regional and about 50 minutes from Sioux Gateway in Sioux City with no traffic, and 1 to 3 minutes from the Vermillion hotels here. USD's Campus Maps, Directions & Parking page has an interactive campus map.
What to know
The National Music Museum is on campus at 414 E Clark St, about a 7-minute walk from the Welcome Center; it posts regular hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact
USD Admissions: Wagner Welcome Center, 1110 N Dakota St, Vermillion, SD 57069; 1-877-COYOTES (1-877-269-6837), admissions@usd.edu. General line: 605-658-6200 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: Vermillion hotels 1 to 3 minutes from USD, plus Yankton and Sioux City
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickBudget
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion by IHG
1200 N Dakota St, Vermillion, SD 57069
Why here
It's the closest hotel here to USD: about a 3-minute walk or 1-minute drive to the Wagner Welcome Center, with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists a continental breakfast (included), a pool, a gym, free Wi-Fi and included parking. Pets are not allowed, and the minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's on the west side of town by Barstow Park, about a 3-minute drive to the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists a buffet breakfast (included), a pool, a hot tub, included parking and pet-friendly rooms. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's on the east side of town, about a 3-minute drive to the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists breakfast (included), free Wi-Fi, included parking and pet-friendly rooms. The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's in Yankton, about a 32-minute drive west of the Welcome Center with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists breakfast (included), a pool, a gym, included parking and a 24/7 front desk. Pets are not allowed, and the minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's on the Missouri River in Sioux City, about 13 minutes from Sioux Gateway Airport and 41 minutes from the Welcome Center by car with no traffic, handy if you fly into SUX.
Good to know
Expedia lists a pool, a hot tub, a restaurant, free Wi-Fi, included parking and pet-friendly rooms. The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 5-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's a restored Art Deco hotel in downtown Sioux City, about 13 minutes from Sioux Gateway Airport and 43 minutes from the Welcome Center by car with no traffic.
Good to know
Expedia lists a rooftop bar, a spa with hot tub, sauna and pool, the adjacent Woodbury Steakhouse, free Wi-Fi, included parking and pet-friendly rooms. The minimum check-in age is 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
The Holiday Inn Express is a short walk from the Wagner Welcome Center and includes breakfast; the Best Western and Red Roof Inn are 3 minutes away and pet-friendly. Vermillion has no Mid-range or Upscale listings on Expedia, so the Fairfield Inn in Yankton and the Hilton Garden Inn and Warrior Hotel in Sioux City (good if you fly into SUX) are 32 to 43 minutes away.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
At the hotels
The Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Red Roof Inn and Fairfield Inn include breakfast; the Hilton Garden Inn has a restaurant, and the Warrior Hotel has a rooftop bar next to Woodbury Steakhouse.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
National Music Museum
414 E Clark St, Vermillion, SD 57069
A museum of musical instruments on the USD campus, with exhibition galleries in the historic Carnegie Library and the new Lillibridge Wing. Regular hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call (605) 658-3450 to confirm. About a 7-minute walk from the Welcome Center.
A state day-use site where Lewis and Clark stood on August 25, 1804, now being restored to prairie, with hiking, picnicking and birdwatching. Open year-round with no entrance fee. About 8 minutes north of the Welcome Center by car.
Park in the designated visitor lot (blue lots are visitor-only), then check in at the Wagner Welcome Center lobby at 1110 N Dakota St.
Flying in and out
Sioux Falls Regional (FSD) is about 70 to 74 minutes from the Vermillion hotels, and Sioux Gateway (SUX) about 51 minutes, with no traffic. Staying in Sioux City puts you about 13 minutes from SUX.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Vermillion 2 SE)
Spring: March averages about 48°F highs and 25°F lows, April about 62°F/36°F and May about 73°F/48°F.
Summer: June averages about 82°F/59°F and is the wettest month at about 4.3 inches; July averages about 86°F/63°F and August about 83°F/61°F.
Fall: September averages about 78°F/52°F, October about 65°F/39°F and November about 48°F/25°F.
Winter: December averages about 34°F/15°F, January about 31°F/10°F and February about 36°F/14°F.
Parent checklist
Book an individual campus visit on USD's visit portal (or a Coyote Visit Day or Saturday Morning Visit).
Book flights into Sioux Falls or Sioux City and a rental car.
Book the Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Red Roof Inn, Fairfield Inn, Hilton Garden Inn or Warrior Hotel.
Plan to park in a blue visitor lot, and bring quarters or the AMP Park app if you'll use a meter.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
1 Division I
Athletics
University of South Dakota
NCAA Division I The Summit League
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (University of South Dakota): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion by IHG (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Vermillion-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-Hotel-Suites-Vermillion.h1046236.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Best Western Vermillion Inn (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Vermillion-Hotels-Best-Western-Vermillion-Inn.h15762.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Red Roof Inn Vermillion - U of South Dakota (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Vermillion-Hotels-Red-Roof-Inn-Vermillion-U-Of-South-Dakota.h12324671.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Yankton (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Yankton-Hotels-Fairfield-Inn-Suites-By-Marriott-Yankton.h86189086.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Hilton Garden Inn Sioux City Riverfront (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Sioux-City-Hotels-Hilton-Garden-Inn-Sioux-City-Riverfront.h2058961.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: The Warrior Hotel, Autograph Collection (star class, amenities and policies, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Sioux-City-Hotels-The-Warrior-Hotel.h44692162.Hotel-Information)
