At the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, you’re more likely to see a businessman munching on wild berries than punching away on his Blackberry.
These days, it’s become almost an anomaly to consider swimming turtles and scurrying squirrels as entertainment, which is why this facility’s wild environment is such a hit for visitors craving a bigger slice of the not-so-virtual world.
Located in Sertoma Park, the Outdoor Campus is a refuge from the routines and hectic schedules of everyday life and offers educational programs to reintroduce humans to nature. The project, started as a partnership between the City of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, continues to operate today as a venue for outdoor skills education for all ages.
“It’s a great place for small children to use their imaginations and play that they are camping,” said Thea Miller Ryan, director for the Outdoor Campus. “We have two miles of walking trails and can provide many different classes on hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, kayaking and more. I also love looking at our aquarium filled with native freshwater fish, but the park has a large playground, and the Sertoma Butterfly House is also located here. We are generally used for breakouts and spouse tours, and even though we don’t rent out meeting space, we provide programming for conferences and meetings that come to town.”
The campus is open daily and offers free admission for anyone looking to spend some time outdoors. The Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau can arrange for group visits, classes and team-building events, or groups can contact the organization directly to set up an eventful visit. Though there are no facilities to rent out officially, the park is a public space and makes for a great setting for a productive picnic powwow out of the office or as a natural backdrop to an al fresco birthday bash. The park includes a 3,000-gallon aquarium and more than 100 acres of tallgrass prairie and riparian woodlands.
Meeting Space
Despite the deceptively scholarly name, the main classrooms and study halls at the Outdoor Campus aren’t encased in cement or sheltered in a schoolroom. This campus takes its students outdoors to experience the exciting world of nature beneath the shade of a giant silver maple tree or in a field of native grasses. The Outdoor Campus’ more than 100 acres encompasses a butterfly garden and a two-mile series of walking trails, playgrounds, picnic areas and ponds. Although most activities take place outside, the campus also features an indoor center and nature museum with a 3,000-gallon aquarium.
Al Fresco
Catering is a loose term, as the venue is a public park. The staff will gladly arrange for groups to experience the thrill of cooking from a fire in a Dutch oven during a field trip or scheduled programs, but the best way to describe the dining options at this park is the classic camping mantra “Pack it in, pack it out.” At the Outdoor Campus, brown-bag lunches and picnics can be as elaborate as the person packing them wants them to be. Dining on the grounds is allowed, and groups can reserve the Sertoma Science Playground and picnic shelter across the parking lot by calling the city parks and recreation department. Alcohol is prohibited.
