South Dakota’s Best Date Spot is a Timeless Classic

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, lovebirds everywhere are searching for the perfect way to woo that special someone in their lives.

That quest has prompted AOL to compile a list of the Official 50 Best Date Spots in the USA for 2026.

In South Dakota, the top date spot has been a part of the Sioux Falls community for more than 100 years.

The Japanese Gardens of Terrace Park get the nod because, according to AOL:

You and your date can enjoy a sweet picnic or a leisurely walk through these gardens. With exotic flowers, stunning trees, and a gorgeous lake to sit beside, it’s the perfect spot for a relaxed afternoon filled with good conversation.

The Japanese Gardens were constructed in the 1920's in Terrace Park. The original design included waterfalls, ponds, stone paths, retaining walls, bridges, and a variety of plant life. The purpose of the Gardens was to provide South Dakota residents with a taste of Japanese life and culture.

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The Garden's completion was the realization of a dream of Joseph Maddox, caretaker of Terrace Park from 1918 to 1936. The late Mr. Maddox, who had completed a two-year correspondence course from the American School of Landscape Architecture, dreamed that the garden would be a City showplace.

At one time, the Garden included pagodas, hand-crafted umbrella-covered benches, reed lanterns, flower urns, a wishing well, arched foot bridges, ponds, waterfalls, stone temples, stairways, and lanterns. There were 14 tree and 16 shrub species used in the original design.

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