Oct. 25, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies.

It won’t be long before the only thing that hasn’t changed at this riverfront resort is the gorgeous view out of your room.

Otherwise, it has been a full year of renovations at Arrowwood Cedar Shore Resort & Conference Center, which is part of Sioux Falls-based The Ramkota Companies.

“It’s looking great,” general manager Craig Gill said. “There’s quite a bit that’s newly updated and ready for one of our most popular times of year.”

The resort in Oacoma is right off Interstate 90 and includes 99 rooms with suites available. Some face the hillside, half face the Missouri River, and all have decks and balconies.

“We have four two-rooms suites. Two have a sitting area, and two have a family room, so they fit a range of needs, and we have some existing office we ultimately plan to renovate into three additional suites,” Gill said.

“The property really caters to a broad range of travelers.”

That’s especially true with hunters, who flock to Cedar Shore for its prime location in the heart of pheasant-hunting country.

“We see guests from Florida to Southern California, the Southeast and East Coast,” Gill said. “Most of the time, they’re coming for a four-day stay, and we see many repeat guests.”

Hunters at Cedar Shore enjoy dog-friendly rooms, a challenging sport clay course and even freezer space for pheasants.

“And then we can cook people’s catches,” Gill said. “We do that in the restaurant, especially with fishing. Pheasant season is a little tougher; we need more time because they’re harder to cook, but it can happen.”

Cedar Shore’s on-site dining options include The Bridges restaurant, which offers three meals a day during hunting season from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and has a menu of popular burgers, sandwiches, salads, pastas and entrees.

“There’s always new menus, and we like to offer seasonal menus,” Gill said. “We have some nice outdoor seating right off the dining room when weather allows, and hunters enjoy that every meal is offered here, so they don’t have to go looking for where to eat before or after a hunt.”

Hunting season is expected to build on a strong year for the resort. Guests have enjoyed a summer of time along the Missouri River, with renovated guest rooms and improvements inside and out at the resort.

“Our guest rooms have all new luxury bedding, luxury towels, updated fixtures, window coverings and flooring,” he said. “They’re really nice amenity packages and give the room a more resort-like look. There’s a lot more natural lighting, and overall the rooms just have a more luxurious feel.”

Outdoors, the entire resort is freshly painted, and the tiki bar’s renovation includes improved decks and a pergola.

The hotel’s corridors also received new carpet and wall vinyl, and there’s new lounge, pool and patio furniture.

The resort’s amenities include an indoor pool, sauna and hot tub, fitness center, game room, bean bag pit and business center.

“During the summer, families enjoy it for water recreation, and we see many guests who are traveling through the state and make a stop here on their way,” Gill said.

A marina offers 120 boat slips along with large and small pontoon rentals and tubes. Overnight boat slips and year-round fishing are available. A campground includes 44 campsites with modern restrooms and showers, a picnic shelter, convenience store, playground and sport court.

“And we’ll be improving the dock next season, which will allow us to offer more slips,” Gill said.

The community itself offers a variety of attractions, from the famous Dignity statue to the South Dakota Hall of Fame and Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center.

Business travel is a great fit too, thanks to the resort’s on-site convention center and “quite a bit of meeting space, especially for a facility our size,” Gill said.

“Whether you’re still hoping to host an event this year or planning for next, we’d love to share our options with you.”

Staffing at Cedar Shore is the best it has been in years, he added.

“We’re coming off a great summer and looking forward to welcoming the hunters.”

To connect with Arrowwood Cedar Shore, click here.