The gateway to adventure in the state begins with the town of Fargo.
Facebook: Travel North DakotaNorth Dakota is a spacious state, nationally known for its brutal, unrelenting winters. Fortunately for myself, I visited in late summer 2013, and the sun setting over the town of Fargo as I entered the state was a wonderful introduction into the northern state. One great thing about North Dakota is the late summer sunsets due to its northern location. Now, late summer sunsets are the least mother nature can do for the state considering winter is not polite, to say the least. Here are my favorite parts from my North Dakota trip:
Fargo
Considering Fargo city limits are immediately present upon entering the state from Minnesota, it felt like entering a mini-city. Granted I stayed in Fargo for the entirety of my stay in the state, I only saw the “real” North Dakota on the outer limits of Fargo, where cornfields were waiting, and spread into the distance.
If I had thought that seeing no traffic would be a thing here, I was wrong. Pulling into my hotel for the night led me to see vehicle plates from faraway places such as Colorado and Utah, so I was quite impressed that there were venturers coming to North Dakota from all over the country.
North Dakota was no exception to a suburban atmosphere, as there was a mall and clusters of chain restaurants surrounding the mall, typical of towns where businesses are located near each other. It honestly felt like a suburb in that part of Fargo, and it’s great to see commercial development and plenty of franchise amenities such as hotels, restaurants, and stores in every reach of the country.
Driving through downtown Fargo felt quaint, and though it was not a big downtown, it 100% had the semblance of a downtown district. Each downtown is unique, so it’s unfair to judge Fargo compared to Minneapolis or Chicago.
One of the most unique parts of my trip to Fargo was waking up in my hotel the next morning, a Sunday, only to realize some stores like Walmart did not open until noon. That was an interesting thing to learn, as I had never experienced that before. This led my family and I to explore Fargo’s Walk of Fame. The concept is like a Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it was Fargo’s version, and it had some signatures on a sidewalk. I remember seeing Bill Gates’s signature and being thoroughly impressed.
Like Kansas, North Dakota should not be judged as only corn country. Towns have a lot of heart and soul, and they are expanding. North Dakota provides a source of agriculture, and maybe some untapped adventures for the avid traveler.
