6 Best Romantic Weekend Getaways & Places to Visit in North Dakota

Check into one of these relaxing hotels, inns and B&Bs for a weekend of rest and rejuvenation. Whether your idea of a perfect trip is a country inn surrounded by nature or a city hotel with easy access to shopping, restaurants and museums, there are many great places to visit in North Dakota. Play a round of golf, go on scenic walks, treat yourself to a massage, swim in the pool, and have a romantic dinner tasting new flavors combined with delicious wine.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

6 Best Romantic Weekend Getaways & Places to Visit in North Dakota

• Element Fargo, Photo: Element Fargo
• The Hotel Donaldson in Fargo, Photo: The Hotel Donaldson
• The Dakotah Rose Bed and Breakfast in Minot, Photo: The Dakotah Rose Bed and Breakfast
• The Grand Williston Hotel in Williston, Photo: The Grand Williston Hotel
• Gladstone Inn and Suites in Jamestown, Photo: Gladstone Inn and Suites
• Cover Photo: Courtesy of Pierrette Guertin - Fotolia.com

More Ideas: Lewis and Clark Riverboat

The Lewis and Clark Riverboat offers a fun and relaxing way to do some sightseeing of the local area of Bismarck, North Dakota, the riverboat continues the long tradition of steamers along the Missouri River at the Port of Bismarck. From the month of May to the month of September riverboat cruises are offered on the Missouri River, providing guests with a memorable adventure. In addition to various public cruises, the company offers adventures with bus tours, charters, weddings, and business meetings. For guests with a particular date in mind, charter cruises can be arranged for reunions, school outings, wedding receptions, family events, and company events.

Public cruises last about one to two hours in duration, depending on the route taken by the Lewis and Clark Riverboat. While reservations aren't necessarily required, they're highly recommended to save a seat as the public cruises fill up rather quickly. Reservations are needed, however, for lunch and dinner cruises. Reservations are required so the company knows how much food needs to be prepared. For guests without a reservation, tickets for the public cruises can be purchased at the entrance to the riverboat based on availability. Guests can also ride aboard the lunch or dinner cruises without buying a meal.

Public cruises offered by Lewis and Clark Riverboat are scheduled around private charter cruise events. Therefore, public cruises aren't available every day. Since private events vary each day, visitors are advised to check the riverboat's website for available cruises. In the event of strong winds or severe weather, public cruises or private charts may need to be rescheduled or cancelled. If guests book a cruise that ends up being cancelled due to inclement weather or other reasons, there are three options available to them. Guests can choose to receive a refund, reschedule their cruise, or receive a pass for a ticket that can be redeemed on a different day.

Visitors aboard the Lewis and Clark Riverboat are not allowed to bring outside beverages or food. Snacks and drinks are available for guests to purchase aboard all riverboat cruises. A cash bar is also provided during public cruises and private charters. Guests are recommended to arrive twenty minutes before their cruise is scheduled to depart, as that is around the time they can start boarding the riverboat and the top deck fills up quickly.

In addition to public cruises, the Lewis and Clark Riverboat is an excellent venue for company meetings, parties, weddings, reunions, and other special events. The riverboat can accommodate groups of up to one hundred people. Special rates are available for regularly-scheduled private charters for groups of forty people or more. Groups can choose to have a sit-down meal for up to sixty-four people on the riverboat's lower level, or choose a buffet to enjoy dining on both levels. A variety of beverages and snacks are available for passengers to purchase at the boat's fully-stocked bar. All public and private events also feature a cash bar.

1700 North River Road, Bismarck, North Dakota, Phone: 701-255-4233

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More Ideas: Fort Mandan

Fort Mandan offers visitors a unique chance to step back to a bygone era during their visit to the reconstructed fort. From 1804 to 1805, Fort Mandan was the Lewis and Clark Expedition's winter home. The fully-furnished rooms bring history to life as guests explore what life was like for Corps of Discovery's brave men more than two hundred years ago during the North Dakota winter.

Reconstructed along the Missouri River in the riparian forest, Fort Mandan connects guests to the past through a virtual link. As visitors step through the fort's gates, they'll take in the smells, sounds, and sights of days long ago. The quarters of the fort, which are historically furnished with accurate reproductions, bring the living conditions to life that the members of the Expedition experienced. As they explore the fort, guests can view the field desk used by Meriwether Lewis, map-making tools used by William Clark, field equipment used by the during the Expedition, bunks used by the crew, clothes, and the forge of the blacksmith.

Interpreters on sight at Fort Mandan offer tours and programs from April to October of the winter home of the 1804 to 1805 Expedition of Lewis and Clark. The nearby environment of the Missouri River beckons guests to explore and discover the area's natural history. Interpretive trails for walking, which wind their way under a majestic cottonwood canopy, connect the fort to the Fahlgren Memorial Park nearby, as well as offer several opportunities for recreation .

Throughout the winter months, members of the Mandan-Hidatsa villages nearby were interviewed by Lewis and Clark to plot maps and work towards their expedition's next phase leading to the Pacific Ocean. They also luckily met the amazing young Native American woman by the name of Sacagawea. The Fort Mandan Visitor Center, which features a design based on a Mandan earth lodge, offers a classroom space, a museum store, and modern restroom facilities. Fahlgren Parks provides children with an area to play along with picnic shelters, offering a great place for visitors enjoy a picnic while surrounded by some of the oldest cottonwood trees in North Dakota.

Fort Mandan, as well as the nearby Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, provide student groups with learning experiences designed to appeal to a variety of learning styles. The museum's new exhibits, immersive replica of the fort, art displays, trained interpretive staff, and interactive interpretive programs all coordinate together to encourage wonder and curiosity about the heritage of North Dakota. Fort Mandan also welcomes bus and group tours. The Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation offers bus and group tours special rates as well if they schedule their visit to the fort in advance. Highly trained staff are able to adjust programming to meet the needs and interest of any group.

The foundation responsible for the management and maintenance of Fort Mandan aims to celebrate history, culture, and art. The non-profit Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation is supported by numerous individuals throughout the state and the world, as well as other foundations and corporations.

2576 8th Street SW, Washburn, North Dakota, Phone: 877-462-8535

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More Ideas: Bonanzaville USA

Bonanzaville is a historic attraction of the Cass County Historical Society in West Fargo, North Dakota. The 12-acre site is home to over 40 historical buildings and over 400,000 artifacts that interpret the history and heritage of the Red River Valley. Bonanzaville refers to the large ‘Bonanza’ farms that existed in the Red River Valley in the late 19th century.

The large farms harvested mostly wheat, conducting large-scale operations made possible by recent developments in farming machinery. The Historical Society has been collecting buildings and moving them to the grounds of the Red River Valley fair since the 1960’s. In addition, museums at the site include the Eagles Air Museum, the Eugene Dahl Car Museum, the Law Enforcement Museum and Telephone Museum. Additional exhibits in the Pioneer Village are housed in the Melroe Tractor Building, Moum Agricultural Building, Horse Drawn Vehicle Building and Medical Display Building. The Cass County Museum features an overview of the history of North Dakota, including exhibits on Native Americans, bonanza farming and homesteading, and the industrialization of North Dakota.

The Pioneer Village is open from May through October. The collection of buildings dates back to the 1800’s when North Dakota was first organized as a territory. Among the oldest buildings is the Transgrud House, built in 1860. The Habberstad Cabin was built in 1897 and originally located along the shores of the Sheyenne River in Kindred. The Arthur Town Hall was originally built in 1890 and includes stained glass windows from North Dakota State University’s Little Theater Company. The Brass Rail Saloon and Hotel from Page is furnished just as it was 100 years ago, absent of indoor plumbing. The Cass-Clay Creamery is a replica of a 1920’s small town creamery with furnishings from an actual creamery in Kenmare. A harness shop from Addison demonstrates horseshoe, saddle and harness repair. A blacksmith shop from Tower City is outfitted with its original hammer and forge, among other historical tools. The Dobrinz School was built in the late 1800’s and served as a school in Mapleton Township for close to 100 years before being moved to the property. A total of 43 buildings make up the collection at Pioneer Village.

History: The Cass County Historical Society was formed in 1954, and became an official non-profit organization less than one year later in 1955. The organization’s first museum was based on a core collection donated by North Dakota’s Pioneer Daughters. The collection remained at North Dakota State University until 1972 when the Historical Society was finally able to build a museum building on their own, thanks to land donated by the Red River Valley Fair. Bonanzaville is currently run by the Cass County Historical Society and is funded through a combination of donations, admissions fees, and rental fees for weddings and private events.

Ongoing Programs and Education: Facilities at the Pioneer Village are available to be rented for weddings, conferences and special events. Special events open to the public include December’s Christmas production, Christmas on the Prairie, and accompanying dinner. Paranormal Investigations and Ghost Tours take place each weekend throughout October. Pioneer Days is an annual event that takes place each August. Pioneer Days is the longest running, and largest, event in the Fargo area. Pioneer Days offer live demonstrations of blacksmithing, printing, and other crafts. Family-friendly activities include hay-stack coin hunts, face-painting, games and a tractor-pull. Several booths offer pioneer-era food such as biscuits and gravy. Other summer events include an old fashioned 4th of July celebration and the Fiber Arts Festival held each July. Talks on the history of North Dakota and the region take place throughout the year.

Educational programming includes school group tours, with formats specifically designed to suit the state of North Dakota’s curriculum guidelines. Fall History Day takes place each October and is a day-long event of interactive programming suited for children ages 6-18. Group tours are also available for adults and may be targeted towards a specific area of interest.

Past and Future Exhibits: The Cass County Museum is open year round and offers rotating exhibits. Past exhibits have included an exhibit on the Nazi book burnings in partnership with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. An exhibit on the history of Jewish settlement in North Dakota, was mounted in partnership with several local Jewish Centers. “North Dakota 125 Years: An Anniversary Exhibit” opened with a keynote speech by Lieutenant Governor Drew Wrigley.

1351 W. Main Ave, West Fargo, ND 58078, Phone: 701-282-2822

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