North Dakota

Part of the Midwest’s Great Plains and one of the region’s northernmost states, North Dakota welcomes tourists with sweeping landscapes and friendly locals. One of the least populated states in the country, North Dakota is known as the Peace Garden State.

Nature in North Dakota is at once untouched and accessible. Teddy Roosevelt was so mesmerized by the land that he created the National Park Service to further protect it. Along the state's western side, a park in the former president’s name offers visitors excellent camping and hiking, as well as fishing and horseback riding. The park is divided into three units: North, South and Elkhorn Ranch, located in the famed Badlands. For the best view of these rock formations, ascend Buck Hill, one of the Badlands’ highest peaks.

The southern portion of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is home to the president’s mansion, Chateau De Mores, and the historic town of Medora. The most popular tourist attraction in North Dakota, Medora is like traveling back to the Wild West. The Medora Musical is a sure-fire way to get into the gun-slinging mood before heading to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.

North Dakota is also the place where explorers Lewis and Clark met Sacajawea. Visitors can follow the adventurers’ footsteps along a marked trail of 27 sites on their way to Bismarck, the state’s capital. The city is host to the state’s largest museum, the North Dakota Heritage Center, where guests are greeted by a bronze statue of Sacajawea.

Located in northeastern North Dakota, Devil’s Lake is an angler’s haven. Surrounded by majestic bays, fishing is available year round, and the surrounding forest provides visitors with a serene respite.

Continuing eastward, visitors arrive in Fargo, the state’s largest, and busiest, city. Located along the city’s western side is Bonanzaville, U.S.A. Here, tourists enter the Dakota Territory of the late 1800s. From Bonanzaville, continue into the city to visit the region’s largest house of fine arts, the Plains Art Museum, and catch a show at the restored 1926 Fargo Theatre.