Top Things to Do in Fargo, North Dakota

Nordic influences, a diverse culinary scene and a thriving arts community are transforming Fargo into a fun—and funky—destination. Hunt for buffalo sculptures, stay at a new brewery-themed hotel, and dine at restaurants that specialized in foraged ingredients. It's all part of Fargo.

Do

Bison Sculpture Hunt

Fifteen bison sculptures, each painted by a different artist, scatter around the city. Some live on the streets, while others hide in businesses. See how many you can find while you scope out the perfect photo op.

Bonanzaville USA

Explore 40-plus buildings (such as a general store, log cabin, blacksmith shop and saloon) that simulate life when "bonanza" farms—huge acreages, most of which grew wheat—ruled the prairies in the late 1800s.

Brewhalla/Drekker Brewing Co.

Drekker Brewing Co.'s massive expansion, opened in 2023, includes a market with local vendors like Unicorn Park Find Foodery and Mangata Wine and Raw Bar, as well as a 40-room boutique hotel. Look for special events like pop-ups and makers' markets.

Downtown Fargo Street Fair

Downtown buzzes in mid-summer (July 13-15, 2023) with hundreds of booths with goods handmade by artists from across the country. Billed as one of North Dakota's largest free outdoor events, it also has plenty of fair-style food and entertainment.

Fargo Air Museum

Volunteer guides at the museum explain the history of the airplanes on display, from a replica of the Wright Brothers' Flyer to an unmanned drone with a 100-foot wingspan.

Fargo Theatre

The marquee of this restored 1926 Art Deco spot announces its independent films, concerts and other live events.

Hjemkomst Center

In neighboring Moorhead, Minnesota, a full-scale replica of a Viking ship stands as the centerpiece of this museum. Other exhibits include a re-creation of an ancient stave church.

Plains Art Museum

The sunny former International Harvester building houses a collection of 4,000 pieces, including contemporary Native American art. Admission is free.

Red River Market

Every Saturday from mid-July to October, enjoy fresh produce, live music and food trucks along 1st Avenue. Be sure to check out the area's evolving street art scene.

Unglued

The indie emporium stocks handmade goods—think a brick-and-mortar Etsy—from 200 local and regional artists.

Eat and Drink

46 North Pints and Provisions

The downtown gastropub dishes a fresh take on fare such as fish and chips, plus a rye flight and cocktails. Try the Hired Man (beer and a shot).

Bernbaum's

Nordic flavors—lamb with lingonberries, smoked trout salad—combine with Jewish standbys like matzo ball soup and swoon-inducing bagels at a Broadway location.

Blackbird Woodfire

Soft, chewy crusts with North Dakota flour support premium toppings on wood-fired pizzas at the Fargo spot.

Ishtar Mediterranean Cuisine

Meals at Ishtar like chicken shawarma, stuffed grape leaves and lentil rice reflect the international flavors that entrepreneurial immigrants are bringing to the city.

Luna Fargo

Creative fare might include duck breast with bok choy and wild blueberries. Purple Rain ice cream? Don't ask—just eat.

Mezzaluna

Fine dining spotlights pan-seared salmon and bison meatloaf. Staffers at the U-shape marble bar shake up high-end cocktails.

Rosewild

At the new Jasper Hotel, Rosewild uses Nordic techniques to prepare fermented and foraged ingredients. The menu might include a grain bowl with barley, quinoa, rye, wild rice, pepita, herb vinaigrette and seasonal vegetables; or house-fermented radishes with hearth-roasted carrots and garlic labneh. (Steaks, salmon and fries also available.)

Wild Terra Cider and Brewing

Sip on-tap ciders and kombucha teas in a former stable converted to a loft-like cidery with reclaimed wood. Similar to the tap list, the taproom's decor leans funky, with nearly 200 potted plants, rainbow-hued lighting and a bathroom wall covered with vintage cassette tapes.

Stay

Brewhalla

Opened in 2023, this entertainment complex from the folks at Drekker Brewing includes a boutique hotel, where each of the 40 rooms is themed to a different Drekker beer. (Hotel staff can even stock the latest brews in the mini fridge.)

Hotel Donaldson

Regional art adorns the 17 rooms in this 1893 brick hotel. The building—under new ownership in 2022—recently opened a new restaurant, Blarney Stone, with Irish pub-inspired fare.

Element Fargo

Stylish rooms, bright public spaces, a 24-hour fitness center and pool offer a welcoming stay at this Element hotel.

Jasper Hotel

Named for Jasper Chapin, the Father of Fargo and the town's third mayor, the 125-room Jasper Hotel anchors Broadway Square, a new mixed-use development downtown that hosts a seasonal ice-skating rink, live music and cultural events. Staff don bow tie pins in Chapin's honor, and the 10th-floor halls are painted scarlet, his signature tie color. The rest of the design leans more natural and Nordic-rustic, with doses of wood, metal and handcrafted tile.

For more information: fargomoorhead.org