Eight Things to do in North Dakota
North Dakota has a lot going for it. Here's our pick of the top eight things you must see on your next visit.
1. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a fantastic place to visit at any time of year as each season brings its own delights. The bison roam 365 days a year, as do the wild horses. If you are lucky enough to have a close encounter with one of these wild animals, keep your camera ready and don’t forget to stay in your vehicle!
It’s a good idea to visit both the South and North Unit when you go to the park. The North Unit is about an hour from the South Unit but well worth the trip for the dramatic scenery at every turn.
2. International Peace Garden
Nestled in the Turtle Mountains, the International Peace Garden (IPG) is one of the continent's most symbolic and scenic attractions. Created in 1932, the gardens are a unique tribute to peace and friendship between the people of the USA and Canada and you can literally stand with one foot in Canada and one in the US! The garden encompasses 2,300 acres of nature’s beauty, two pristine freshwater lakes, scenic hiking and driving trails, wildflowers, waterfalls, and a large variety of North American birds and animals.
Words cannot express the beauty, pride and peace many experience as they gaze over this impressive garden of more than 155,000 flowers in displays tucked in the terraces and walkways. The therapeutic sounds of flowing waters can be heard throughout the garden in various capacities. The American and Canadian floral flag displays are the only two floral displays throughout the garden, which remain the same every year.
Highlights include the Sunken Garden and the seven Peace Poles which carry the braille message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 28 languages, touching the hearts of visitors from around the world.
You will cross the border when visiting, so don’t forget your passport!
3. Foodie Tours
Fargo, North Dakota, is home to some amazing food experiences. Sign up for a foodie tour and experience the wide variety of foods that North Dakota has to offer. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that Fargo is more than meat and potatoes. Coffee shops, brewpubs, Mexican street food, German bier halls, and Japanese sushi are some of the tasty foods you will experience in Fargo.
Start your foodie tour at the iconic Fargo Theatre, located in the heart of downtown, and prepare to experience the food and culture of North Dakota in Fargo on a foodie tour that you will be talking about for years to come. Make sure to visit Drekker Brewing Company while you're here. Located in Downtown Fargo, this brewery crafts beer for the Viking in all of us, in a large hall fitting the Norse heaven it’s named after. Of all the North Dakota breweries, Drekker Brewing’s spacious beer hall is an attraction in itself. And if you’re wanting to try North Dakota and Fargo beer, the rotating selection here is the perfect starting point.
4. Medora Musical And Pitchfork Steak Fondue
Medora is located on the western edge of North Dakota and is the gateway to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Medora Musical is the longest-running outdoor musical in the country. Talented musicians perform a family-friendly musical every evening of the summer. The season runs from June through until the middle of September.
Pair your musical experience with a North Dakota style dinner at the nearby Pitchfork Steak Fondue which is literally just steps away. Chefs load up pitchforks with 12oz steaks and fondue them — western style! Paired with all your favourite fixin’s and an unbelievable view of the Badlands, this is a perfect dinner any night. Children aged 12 and under eat FREE on Sundays and Wednesdays with every one paid Adult Fondue meal. Your steak comes with baked beans, baked potatoes, garlic toast, coleslaw, vegetables, fresh fruit salad, brownies, cinnamon-sugar donuts, lemonade and coffee – all served buffet style. If you want a beer or glass of wine with your steak, they have you covered at the Tjaden Terrace Bar!
5. The Enchanted Highway
The Enchanted Highway is a collection of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures. These giant works of art were constructed by Gary Greff at intervals along a 32 mile stretch of highway in the southerwestern part of North Dakota. At the exit, you will see the giant Geese in Flight, which offers insight into the drive that awaits you. Highlights of this drive include Teddy Rides Again and Pheasants On The Prairie.
The route travels from Gladstone to Regent and you will find parking areas near the sculptures where you can stop and take photos. Their sheer size is amazing and they are particularly spectacular at sunset.
6. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, established in 1907, is the oldest state park in North Dakota and provides a variety of unique adventures to travellers of all ages. Travel through time and explore rich culture and history of the area by investigating artefacts at the Visitor Center Museum. Visitors will gain insight into the lives of the Mandan Native Americans who once lived at On-a-Slant Village by venturing through the reconstructed earthlodges. Discover old Fort Abraham Lincoln, Fort McKeen and what life was like as a frontier soldier as you journey through the blockhouses and furnished barracks and participate in a living history tour of the commanding officer’s quarters.
Hikers, bikers and horseback riders will gaze upon the breathtaking views of the Heart and Missouri river bottoms as they traverse the scenic trail system through the surrounding hills. Visitors can stay overnight in a cabin or one of over 100 campsites along the majestic rivers. Anglers can find success along the shorelines of both the Missouri and Heart Rivers.
7. The Maah Daah Hey Trail
The Maah Daah Hey Trail is a 144-mile EPIC single-track for hiking, biking and horse riding through the Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Old West town of Medora.
The Maah Daah Hey trail system showcases some of the country’s most unique and breathtaking terrain. Majestic plateaus, jagged peaks and valleys, large expanses of rolling prairie, and rivers intertwine to offer the adventurous outdoors enthusiast a taste of pure, unadulterated wilderness.
The trail features nearly every type of terrain found in western North Dakota. This varies from grassy flats and ridges to very rough steep clay badlands buttes with everything in between, including river bottoms and wooded draws to rolling prairie.
8. Roadside Art
Every state has its quirky or unique brand of "roadside" art. These photo stops are fun, distinctive and say a lot about the area in which you find them. North Dakota's top roadside art happens to be animals of mythic proportions. When travelling around the state, take a few minutes to check out these larger-than-life attractions. Dakota Thunder, the world’s largest buffalo, is located in Jamestown. Salem Sue, the world’s largest Holstein cow, can be found at Exit 127 on I-94. Steele, North Dakota, is home to the world’s largest sandhill crane. Sandy is 40 feet tall and is located partway between Bismarck and Jamestown on I-94. And don’t miss the world’s largest catfish, the Wahpeton Wahpper, a 40-foot long fibreglass sculpture of a catfish beside the Red River of the North in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Street Art - Bismarck, North Dakota, is home to Art Alley. Alley 5.5 is located between 5th and 6th streets, halfway between Bismarck’s Broadway and Main Avenues. Several artists have contributed to this beautiful project since it came to fruition in 2016.
