When you think about planning a road trip, North Dakota offers an array of options. From charming towns and wide-open spaces to lively cities, especially on the eastern side of the state. There are so many beautiful landscapes, interesting attractions, and unique towns you can explore. With the wide variety of places to see and things to do, you’re sure to find areas and events that interest you. So whether you’re taking an RV across the country or looking for a weekend adventure, here are some fun and interesting places to put on your next road trip itinerary.
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in North Dakota and is in the Red River Valley region. The city is home to an international airport, an air force base, the oldest college in the state, big event venues, historical features, and the best farmland in the country. You could easily spend several days in Grand Forks exploring both the city life and surrounding open farmland.
For urban exploration, start with downtown Grand Forks. The unique downtown area is full of boutique stores and one-of-a-kind restaurants. You can take a tour of the Ralph Engelstad Arena and catch a hockey game while you’re there, or you could see who’s performing at the Alerus Center. If you like art, make sure to see the Picasso at the North Dakota Museum of Art or brown the Empire Arts Center Gallery. The risk-takers in your group might enjoy taking their chances at one of the many casinos. Or, kick back and relax at one of the impressive day spas.
For rural exploration, start with The Greenway for over 2,000 acres of outdoor views and activities. Then continue exploring the Red River Valley by watching the prairies and grasslands roll by on the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway, ending at Fort Ransom State Park. Bring a picnic lunch to Fort Ransom State Park and spend the day horseback riding or cross-country skiing. Lots of small towns in the region have unique attractions, like the 1872 Opera House in Lisbon, the national historic landmark Bagg Bonanza Farm, or the 4E Winery in Mapleton.
Fargo
Fargo is the most populous city in North Dakota and has a small-city atmosphere with a big-city vibe. This vibrant area is steadily growing, and with that growth comes fun new activities and attractions. So whether you’re looking for exciting nightlife, quirky attractions, or local history, there’s something in Fargo that will interest you. In fact, there are enough places to visit in Fargo that you might plan to spend a couple of days in the area.
Start exploring Fargo at the Visitor Center. You’ll find lots of information on things to do in the area, and you can take your picture with the original infamous Fargo movie prop, the woodchipper. For relaxed daytime shopping or exciting nightlife, the downtown Fargo area is where you want to go. Along Broadway, you’ll find hundreds of restaurants, unique shops, and lots to explore. Known for its public art, almost every building and electrical box in downtown Fargo has murals painted by local artists. Some murals are even interactive, making for phenomenal pictures.
There are so many great attractions in Fargo you might have trouble choosing which ones to explore. Bonanzaville is like time traveling to the 1800s, the Hjemkomst Center has a full-scale Viking ship, and the Fargo Air Museum is perfect for aviation fans. Stop by the Red River Zoo to ride an antique carousel, visit the Plains Art Museum to see Native American art, or check the historic Fargo Theatre for a show. When evening hits, check out the night scene full of comedy clubs, pub trivia, open mic nights, karaoke, bingo, dancing, and more.
Devil’s Lake
Devil’s Lake is the largest natural body of water in North Dakota, and the city of Devil’s Lake is a welcoming small tourist town. This is a great area to visit if you like outdoor adventures like hunting, fishing, and hiking. Or, if you’re more of an amateur historian than a fisher, there’s a lot of interesting local history to learn about. If nothing else, the scenic views traveling to and looking across the lake should put this location on your road trip itinerary.
Some of the best fishing in all of North Dakota is at Devil’s Lake. With a reputation like “Perch Capital of the World,” you can catch perch, white bass, walleye, and northern pike from the piers or on a boat. Waterfowl hunters will appreciate the thousands of birds that migrate to the lake in the fall. Besides fishing and hunting, there’s also hiking, swimming, birdwatching, scenic drives, and cross-country skiing. Check out Graham’s Island for the perfect camping spot. In the winter, ice fishing is a common activity across almost the entire lake.
There are several must-do activities in the city of Devil’s Lake. Check out Fort Totten to learn the full history of the lake region or drive the four-mile interpreted auto tour at White Horse Preserve to see wildlife. Visit the Lake Region Heritage Center museum to see special exhibits like the original federal courtroom, pioneers’ businesses, and Native American beadwork. The Sheriff’s House is an early 1900s home filled with unique artifacts and antiques from the area. Other fun activities include the Creel Bay Golf Course, Spirit Lake Casino, and the Fort Totten Little Theater.
Well, there you have it, some of the most interesting places to visit while road tripping through eastern North Dakota. Here at Rydell Cadillac of Grand Forks, we love taking road trips and exploring our unique state. There are so many amazing places to explore in eastern North Dakota that we couldn’t list them all. However, we like to learn about new places to visit, so let us know if we didn’t include your favorite spot. Tell us about your favorite road trip location so we can add it to our list.
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