Planning a trip to North Dakota

September 17, 2024

Planning a North Dakota Trip

A 50-state journey is not complete without going to North Dakota. Get there, someway, somehow! Plain and simple, North Dakota is not on the way to most places in the United States. Life takes its twists and turns but doesn't usually go the way of North Dakota, making it, by far, the most common 'last' contiguous state that travelers visit. The state embraces this by having a "Best for Last Club" to celebrate those travelers who save North Dakota for last. A trip to North Dakota, though, does not have to be as difficult or as expensive as one might expect.

Combine visiting North Dakota with a trip to South Dakota. You aren't going to get much closer to North Dakota than the Mt. Rushmore area. Take the extra time to drive just a little over 2 hours to the border. Take in the beautiful Dakota countryside, cross the border, put your feet down, breathe the crisp North Dakota air, and check ND off your list. But also consider going just a little bit farther (another 2 hours) to the Medora area and visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park. spend the night in Medora and attend the Medora Musical.
Make it a trip from Minneapolis. Get an inxpensive flight to Minneapolis and drive 3 hours 45 minutes via I-94 to Fargo. While you won't get deep into the state, you have rightly been to North Dakota when you have been to Fargo.
Book a hunting expedition in North Dakota. Check out different guides and outfitters at NDtourism.com.
Make a specific trip to North Dakota! By concentrating on what to do and see in just one state, you will more fully experience North Dakota! Request a Visitor's Guide from Travel North Dakota or spend time on the Travel North Dakota website to familiarize yourself with the state.

Time

The best time of the year to go is May to September due to the weather. You can definitely visit North Dakota over a weekend, but naturally, the longer you stay, the more you see! Our trip was three days - we visited much of the state, but the schedule was pretty aggressive, and we couldn't fit in all the places we wanted to explore.

Flights

Do you think it might be hard to get a flight to North Dakota? Think again. The airports may be small comparatively, but most major airlines fly into Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, and Grand Forks. We were able to get a great deal flying Allegiant Airlines direct from Nashville, Tennessee. ($54 one way) Consider flying into Minneapolis and driving to Fargo. Set a Google Flight Alert for your home airport to Fargo.

Rental Car

Rental car rates can vary widely. Check rates with Costco Travel, Capital One Travel, and Expedia. Rates are typically less with Turo. I usually go with a traditional rental car company for a road trip, as they would be better equipped to handle any potential car issues, especially in a low-population area.

Lodging

Popular lodging options can fill up in the summer. Book early if you want to sleep in a Conestoga wagon at the Medora Campground or a Percheron wagon at Fort Ransom State Park.

Experiences

As with lodging, popular choices can sell out during the summer, so book in advance if possible. For example, horse trail rides with Medora Stables sold out several weeks before my July trip, but luckily, some spots opened up the week of.

Famous people/History of North Dakota

Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes, Ojibwe (Chippewa or Anishinaabe), Sioux, Assiniboin, Yankton, Wahpeton, and Teton groups
Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation, Nueta, Sahnish
Theodore Roosevelt, Medora
Louis L'Amour, author, Jamestown
Sacagawea
Harold Schafer, businessman, politician, philanthropist
Lawrence Welk. Strasburg
Lewis and Clark, Fort Mandan
Roger Maris, baseball player, Fargo