When I think of the word hippie, I think pot smoking, unkempt appearance and the peace sign. That's just an outdated stereotype. The hippies of today don't necessarily have to drive a VW bus. The website Thrillist says every state has an eclectic hippie haven. I tried to think of the town they could've possibly chosen for South Dakota and instantly thought of a college town like Brookings or Vermillion, but it wasn't either of those.

The website chose Spearfish as the Best Hippie Town in South Dakota.

Any city that mentions a natural-foods store on the main page of its website knows exactly who it's attracting. Despite having the most expensive real estate in South Dakota, Spearfish is still a hippie haven. Why? The sheer wilderness of Spearfish Canyon, where one can spend the day hiking through some of the most underrated scenery in America then take a soak in Devil's Bathtub before enjoying an ice-cold Crow Peak beer at night. The town is also home to Black Hills State University (go Yellow Jackets!) which gives the Downtown a rustic, mellow feel. Combine that with the natural beauty of the surroundings and you've got yourself a hippie paradise.

As for our neighbors, Decorah, Iowa, Duluth, Minnesota and Lincoln, Nebraska made the cut. Read the entire story here.

 

 

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