Travel Adventures: Timing the Harvest Days 5k/10k in Britton, SD, and Family Fun in Aberdeen

Adventure around every corner at Storybook Land!

By: Greg Koch

Recently, my family and I took a trip to northern South Dakota for a timing gig with 605 Running Company at the Harvest Days 5k/10k in Britton, SD. Britton is a wonderful community that consistently reminds me of how truly special our state is. For this event, we partnered with Marshall County WOW, an organization whose mission is to promote health and prevent obesity, particularly in children, through wellness programs and opportunities in Marshall County, South Dakota. I've had the privilege of traveling to Britton for several years now, and it’s a trip I always look forward to—not just for the work but because my family loves exploring the area.

If you've never been to Britton, it's located near the North Dakota border, surrounded by several beautiful lakes and plenty of wide-open spaces. The drive is about 3-hours from Sioux Falls. This time, I traveled with my wife Chelsea and our daughter Violet. We decided to stay in Aberdeen for the weekend, with me commuting to the race early on race day. Aberdeen, also known as the Hub City, holds a special place in our hearts, and I’d like to share a bit about why we love it so much.

Having a 5-year-old daughter means that Storybook Land at Wylie Park is a must-do adventure for us. This was our third year visiting the park. We've camped at Wylie Park before, staying in the fantastic cabins available for rent, and we’ve also tried out various hotels. For this trip, we chose to stay at the Holiday Inn and Suites. With summer temperatures soaring to 96 degrees on Saturday, the hotel’s indoor water park was a big draw. The water park includes two hot tubs, a zero-depth play pool with fun features, and an amazing body slide with more twists and turns than your usual hotel water park.

After wrapping up my work at the race—Britton is about an hour from Aberdeen—I returned in time for our visit to Storybook Land. Some might call this park a hidden gem, but for those in the know, it’s a must-do summertime adventure. What I love most about Storybook Land, aside from the free admission, is that the food and ride passes are reasonably priced. The park is perfect for little kids, and the staff does an excellent job of regularly adding new attractions while keeping the older ones safe and clean. I can’t praise this park enough.

Additionally, I've done a complete 180 on my feelings about The Wizard of Oz. As a kid, I was completely terrified of the movie, but now, thanks to my daughter who embraces the scary (one of her all-time favorite movies is A Nightmare Before Christmas), I’ve grown to appreciate it. After reading the book with her and watching the movie a few more times, I can officially say that I’m a fan of The Wizard of Oz.

As I mentioned, it was hot during our visit. We spent a solid three hours at the park, including a quick bite for lunch. When the heat became too much, we returned to our hotel for some swimming. One of the great things about Storybook Land is that it stays open until 9 PM during the season, allowing for a long break in the afternoon heat and a return to enjoy more rides, slides, and fairytales in the cooler evening hours. I could go on and on about the many great things we’ve discovered in Aberdeen, but I’ll end with a must-stop treat: the Twist Cone.
For those interested, you can check out the race results here.

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