Making extra stops is our specialty on The Iowa Gallivant, and North Dakota is one of the leaders in roadside attractions, museums along the way, and wide open skies. The legendary and historical road trip is waiting for you in the Peace Garden State!
*We had an incredible time road tripping through North Dakota and were given complimentary admission into some of the area’s museums. The views expressed are always of our own. Let’s get back to gallivanting!
Fargo (Spoiler Alert!)
Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota, and it knows how to give their visitors an iconic welcome, and this will not be the last buffalo you see. Whether its a work of art, stuffed, alive, or even fossilized, this state gets you stopping early and often!
The Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center kicks off our, “Hey, get your fannies out of the car and get a picture!”When you love your town you may want to give back, just like this man who created Fargo’s own touch of Hollywood.And I said to my wife, “I should totally see if they need me to put my palm in some cement….Holy crap! Metallica!”The Coen bothers have made amazing movies including some of my favs like the Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, and the one that made a wood chipper famous. The movie, Fargo, was award winning and you can experience a touch of the grizzly ending. The Fargo Woodchipper has it’s own Facebook page! How does that thing respond to its thousands of its fans?Fargo has some of the Midwest’s best murals and you can treat your road trip with a self guided tour and see all of them. This will take you by local breweries, great restaurants, and through an entertaining downtown district. Here’s an idea. Mural then a meal. Mural then a refreshing local craft cider. Mural then made from scratch soft pretzels with beer cheese dip. You getting the hang of this gallivant business?
West Fargo
County museum. One of my favorite word combos and we love supporting them. The Cass County Museum is combined with Bonazaville and the facility brings you back to the pioneer days of North Dakota. Reward yourself with learning about the region you’re enjoying and drop some serious Fargo historical knowledge at that next party. I know I will!
Bonanzaville-USA! I read the sign and re-typed it cuz its fun to say. Bonanzaville-USA!Native artifacts, jewelry, artwork, and history are in full display. North Dakota museums of all shapes and sizes have some of the best collections of Native American exhibits.
You can see authentic buildings with period decor, antiques, machinery, tools, and more history you can shake a stick at here. But don’t shake a stick here. That would be rude and there are some really old and priceless pieces that the community would like to keep around.
All roads lead to the gift shop, and the souvenir train always makes for a memorable stop.
Jamestown
Heading east and making many more stops along the way. Jamestown pulls in travelers and tourists everyday to see the National Buffalo Museum, Frontier Village, and a huge world record holder!
One must always strike a pose when entering an attraction taking you back to the 1800s. The cowboys and cowgirls of old would want you to.
Just a short walk through the village is the buffalo you can’t miss here in North Dakota.You can’t miss it because it’s the world’s biggest buffalo, and it towers over Jamestown. Don’t tickle it. Never do that.Another must-see North Dakota museum and a fantastic way to explore the region.We all love the huge museums, and I highly recommend visiting as many of them as possible. Don’t pass on these smaller local legends because they house a wealth of amazing history and artifacts. Many feature local artists with beautiful works you won’t see anywhere else.
Bismarck
Bismarck’s riverfront and the long walking trail along its banks gives you more of those photo-ops you love during a statewide adventure. Stretch your legs and behold more public art and recreate the Lewis and Clark expedition on the keel boat. You don’t become a real river captain by just staying in your car and wishing it to happen. You go to Bismarck’s Missouri River and make it happen!
You may never get this opportunity again. Feel the energy and direct the crew at will.
The best roadside attraction possible. A mighty sunset on the deck of the Lewis and Clark Riverboat experience.
Enchanted Highway
There are several miles of picturesque North Dakota plains everywhere, and you will see these landscapes among the many scrap metal sculptures on the 32 mile stretch through the Enchanted Highway. This will take you on a drive that is uniquely North Dakota and absolute gold for you roadside warriors.
I recommend a long road trip above anything else as a therapeutic way to treat yourself. These areas of North Dakota see thousands of people every year and they can supply many memories. I also recommend veering off the path and taking unplanned routes and discovering more than what you expected.
Medora
Scenic overlooks and powerful views are just as much a part of roadside Americana as the classic world records and public art you encounter all over the country. Medora is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Little Missouri National Grassland. That means amazing views that you can only see in Western North Dakota’s Badlands.
A view from outside the famous Medora Musical venue. Those ancient buttes, endless skies, and wild terrain are waiting for your own adventures.The Little Missouri River running north to Canada and giving us this perfect spot for a hike and incredible photos.The winding roads through Theodore Roosevelt National Park will bring you to trails like Elkhorn Ranch.There’s the rough rider himself. Looking powerful, focused, and ready to lead a crew of ranchers into the wilderness of North Dakota. I’m talking about Teddy, of course.
Get your smart phones, cameras, or even a large canvas with paint brushes because you are going to love what you see all over one of the Midwest’s most scenic states. A historically scenic quest through the Red River Valley in the east, the Lewis and Clark Trail along the Missouri, and the Badlands out west are ready for your travels. Load up that car and go-go-go!
Near the town of Linton on the Lawrence Welk Highway. A self imposed detour heading home gave us a double rainbow. Scenes like this make North Dakota legendary.
