BISMARCK

The capital city of North Dakota is the gateway to the real West! The state's finest museum, the North Dakota Heritage Center, is found in the shadow of the skyscraper State Capitol. The Heritage Center has wonderful exhibits on Dakota prehistory and pioneer days. The art deco Capitol and its arboretum trail also deserves a look.

The Dakota Zoo in Bismarck is a popular family spot in summer, with animals displayed in natural surroundings along the wooded and scenic Missouri River. The zoo's new bear and wolf habitats and other playpen rank it among  the best in the Midwest. Other attractions include Huff Hills, the state's newest ski resort, five fine golf courses, the former Governor's Mansion. But the biggest attraction, from prehistoric times to today, has always been the Missouri. Wide sand beaches, miles of clean sandbars and marinas offering boat access make the Missouri the focal point of fun.

North Dakota Tourism

MEDORA

     The historic Old West town of Medora is the front gate to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and quite an attraction itself. The famous Medora Musical lights up the Burning Hills Amphitheater nightly in the summer. Sunset playing across the Bad Lands compete with the professional cast for the audience's attention. Medora's boardwalks are lined with curio shops, shooting galleries, Western museums and authentic, preserved reminders of its rough-and-ready past, including saloons with swinging doors and the Roughrider Hotel where Teddy stayed.

 A popular family activity and a great way  to see the Bad Lands is a trail ride, which can vary from one hour to several days. Brimming with campgrounds, shops and 350 motel rooms, Medora is North Dakota's tourist spot. Where City Slickers Become Rough Riders. Bully Good Times in Medora!

North Dakota Tourism

FARGO

 North Dakota's largest city, Fargo is a bustling metropolitan area in the midst of farm riches. Fargo has the state's only children's museum (Yunker Farm) and the biggest mall (West Acres), housing the Roger Maris Museum, which is dedicated to the Fargo native who hit more home runs in a year than did Babe Ruth.

Broadway Looking North. Fargo, N. Dakota, 1960

 

The well-preserved historic downtown is where you can find the Fargo Theatre, a 1926 vaudeville and silent film-hall with a working "Mighty Wurlitzer" pipe organ. The art modern interior is a fitting place for art films, stage plays and second-run movies.
Attractions in Fargo include the Plains Art Museum, among others; great public and private golf courses; parks; pools and, on summer weekends, a variety of live performances at Trollwood Park.

North Dakota Tourism

GRAND FORKS

 The oldest major city and perhaps the most cosmopolitan one in North Dakota, Grand Forks is home to the state's leading university and a major Air Force base. The North Dakota Museum of Arts and Chester Fritz Auditorium highlight the arts community of the state's second-largest city. The Center for Fine Arts and local galleries add to the cultural mix. The campus of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks offers both a wide variety of activities and places for quiet contemplation. Grand Forks has a water-slide complex with a miniature golf course, terrific riverside city parks and 63 holes of great golf, including the truly outstanding Grand Forks Country Club. Summer activities offer fun for all during Summerthing, Catfish Days, Heritage Days and Friends and Neighbors Day.

United by the joining of the Red Lake River and the Red River, Greater Grand Forks is an area of rolling plains and winding waters. Fun-filled activities and events offer excitement year  round.