Every city has quirks. Sioux Falls is no different. There are particular things to this town that you don't necessarily see in other towns. Some make no sense and some make perfect sense.

Some of these things may come off as a jab or a criticism, but they are also things I have personally done as well, which was one of my criteria for this list. Yeah, I'm might be making fun of people with this, but if I do it's something I'm guilty of doing or have done before.

Get our free mobile app

1 - Kayak in Toilet Water

The Big Sioux River is not known for its cleanliness. Particularly the large amount of E. Coli bacteria that ends up in the river from the fecal matter (poop) from humans, pets, livestock, and wild animals. The city has taken steps to cut down on runoff pollution with buffer strips, it's still not fantastic.  Despite this, people every summer will spend hours kayaking down the brown with their friends. And it's fun, I've done it. But when I'm done I always wonder why I didn't just take the kayak I rented to Lake Alvin.

2 - Only Use the Middle of the Bike Trail

We have a fantastic bike trail in Sioux Falls. I have ridden it in its entirety a number of times and love the different views it gives of the city. But you have to be careful you aren't taking in the view too much when a walker, jogger, bicyclist, or rollerblader is using the very center or all of the spacious path as if they might fall off a cliff if they get too close to the grass. I've rolled my bike into the grass at least a dozen times because of this. I have also caused others to do this because I was so consumed with my fitness app or other distraction on my phone when I should have just stopped and dealt with it.

3 - Turn Noses Up at Double-Digit License Plates

This happens mostly while driving, and while the whole country judges drivers based on the state license plate their vehicle displays, it is unique to Sioux Falls that we can judge the rural residents of our state for not only our perceptions of their inability to drive well but also that we have no idea what county their two-digit license plate prefix is assigned to. Since we "urbanites" are so cosmopolitan with our stoplights and our eight-lane streets, clearly those hillbillies don't deserve our respect! (Be honest, you've done this too. Even the Lincoln County plates.)

4 - Walk Around Falls Park as if You've Never Been There

I've been to Falls Park no fewer than 100 times in my life. It has to be at least that many. But every time I'm there, I will wander around as if I've never been there. I think there are two reasons for this. One is that when the water is raging angrily in the spring with snowmelt it is always an amazing sight to see the falls splashing and crashing so intensely. The other reason I walk around like it's new is that the falls are such a main attraction I will always find a new thing I've never seen out there before that is up close to where you walk, not far off in a dangerous place like where the water show is happening. Like the plaque that sits on the west end of the footbridge that commemorated the opening of the bridge with my former co-worker and former mayor Rick Knobe's name on it.

5 - Eating Out as a Hobby

This probably isn't very unique compared to other cold-weather cities, but it's still very SF. The food is good. We love food. And in the winter It's dark a lot and we get bored. When I'm bored I have the horrible habit of eating whatever is within arm's reach. A similar thing happens in the winter in Sioux Falls as there are only so many indoor recreational activities that may trip our triggers, so we do what everyone likes to do, we eat and interact with friends or family. I don't eat out with the same regularity that I did before marriage and kids, lots of people do. In fact, it's an almost unachievable feat to try every single new place that ever opens in town. I'm sure some come damn close. I'm always amazed at the number of people who will wait an hour to eat in a restaurant. That's why I just go "Guess we're having Hy-Chi."