Pierre Flights:
Flights to Pierre
Pierre is the capital city of the state of South Dakota, in the USA. This is the second smallest capital city in the whole of the US with a population of only around 14,000 people. Despite this the city is home to a huge State Capitol building and several other attractions.
There are a couple of options that visitors can consider when looking at flights to Pierre. The city has its own airport, Pierre Regional Airport (airport code: PIR) though this is only small and handles only domestic flights. Great Lakes Airlines offers flights to Pierre from Denver, Colorado, and Northwest Airlink offers flights to Pierre from Minneapolis/St Paul. Visitors can choose either to get a flight to Pierre via these cities and airlines, or another option is the use the largest airport in South Dakota, Sioux Falls (airport code: FSD) then transfer by road. Unfortunately this is 300 kilometres (187 miles) distant so quite a substantial journey. Airlines offering flights to Sioux Falls from South Africa include Delta Air Lines, KLM, Northwest Airlines, Air France, United Airlines, British Airways, BMI, and Virgin Atlantic Airways, and all except Delta offer two stop flights.
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The Tourist Attractions in Pierre:
When visiting Pierre the first thing you should probably be aware of is the pronunciation of the name. The city is not pronounced as you would expect, a la French, but instead it is pronounced ‘peer’!
Being a small city Pierre is not huge on tourist attractions but it’s an attractive destination all the same, its small size being part of the appeal.
South Dakota State Capitol
For such a small city, it’s surprising just how large the State Capitol building is! Pierre was chosen as the capital of South Dakota when the state was granted statehood in 1889; it’s central position within South Dakota being the primary reason for this. The state capitol was started in 1905 and construction ended in 1910. The impressive architecture did not end on the outside as inside the building are marble staircases, a decorated dome, mosaic floor tiles and more. Visitors can take a tour of parts of the building.
Memorials
The grounds of the State Capitol are also recommended for a pleasant walk and to view the four memorials that feature here. These include the impressive Fighting Stallions Memorial, the Flaming Fountain Memorial, the Law Enforcement Officer Memorial, and the World War 2 Memorial.
Fort Pierre
A good view of the State Capitol can be found from Fort Pierre which is situated across the river. This small settlement was the original town in the area.
Oahe Lake
Just to the north of Pierre is Oahe Lake and Dam. This reservoir is the fourth largest man made reservoir in the country, stretching for 372 kilometres (231 miles) to the north. The dam produces electricity for most of north central USA, and the lake is a popular retreat for city dwellers where fishing and boating are very popular.
When Should You Visit?:
Summer is the best time to visit Pierre is you prefer warm to hot weather, with the average high hitting 31.6C (89F) in July. Winters can be quite harsh in terms of temperatures – January is the coldest month when the average high does not even reach zero, at -2C (28F).