If you’re from North Dakota—or heck, just know a North Dakotan—you’ve likely experienced the anticipation for summer to arrive after a long, cold winter. Locally, we are privileged to be surrounded by an abundance of lakes and small-town festivities to celebrate the warm weather and all the joy sunshine brings. While some activities can be done in an afternoon or a weekend, sometimes you just need a little summer pick-me-up spontaneously squeezed into a fun-filled summer night. I must confess, for me, summer pick-me-ups tend to include my favorite treats of all time: ice cream and iced coffee. Here are some Grand Forks regional stops to put on your summer hit list.

1. Dairy Queen (Grand Forks on 5^th St. N. and Crookston, MN—both open seasonally)

If you’re a townie, you’ve likely taken many-a-trips to the north end of Grand Forks for a treat at the Grand Forks locally-owned Dairy Queen (DQ). If not, no worries, you have all summer to stop by. Though Dairy Queen is not a Grand Forks-exclusive ice cream business, this specific location is one-of-a-kind. Located along 5^th St. N., this ice cream eatery inhabits an old-school building, packed with locals on any given day. But don’t worry, plenty of outdoor seating offers you all the time in the world to enjoy a frosty treat alongside other DQ visitors. The DQ on 5^th is most known for its made-fresh, hand-dipped treats (as opposed to prepackaged) so prepare to embrace the full flavor of chocolate, cherry, butterscotch, and more!

Should you find yourself across the river in Crookston, MN (about 25 minutes from Grand Forks) you’ll find another extremely unique DQ! Similar to the Grand Forks location, this DQ hand dips some of their sweets treats. Adding to its small-town charm, Crookston’s quaint DQ is strictly walk-up and drive-thru service. Whichever DQ you choose to try, I promise it’ll be worth the stop!

 

2. You Betcha Ice Cream (pop-up business in Grand Forks)

Recently I was introduced to You Betcha – a local ice cream business in Grand Forks with no storefront, rather the products are sold at “pop-ups”. If you’re unaware of the nature of a pop-up, it is basically when one business hosts another local business – community and true Midwestern fashion! Most recently, You Betcha hosted a Mother’s Day sale at See Dick Run in downtown Forks. I would have loved to try all of their distinctive flavors, however, one must maintain some restraint (right?!). So, I took my mom along for a summer excursion and we snagged You Betcha’s strawberry, chocolate, and chamomile ice creams. And yes, to answer the question running through your head right now, all three flavors were SOOO GOOD!! I know that my family will be stocking up on some more ice cream deliciousness during the business’s next pop-up and you can too, just follow their Facebook page to be notified of their next surprise location.

 

3. Wonderful Life Foods (Crookston, MN)

Switching gears, let me spill the tea. In a recent solo trip through Crookston, I meandered through a couple of my all-time favorite Crookston businesses, Wonderful Life Foods being one. Wonderful Life is what I would refer to as a health foods store. For those long-time Grand Forksians, very similar to the old Amazing Grains. Wonderful Life keeps a variety of health food alternatives in every food department, perfect for any self-proclaimed health nut, those with any type of food allergies, and people who love trying new things in general. Entirely unique to Wonderful Life is their kombucha (fermented, probiotic tea), available on tap. Let’s be real, kombucha isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (all puns intended). Luckily, Wonderful Life also offers delicious creamy smoothies, coffees, and a bunch of baked goods. And, if you’re anything like me and find yourself wildly impatient to try your new finds, grab a seat in the indoor or outdoor dining areas.  Overall, Wonderful Life Foods is a must experience and one of my favorites.

 

4. Heroes Rise Coffee (Crookston, MN and Bemidji, MN)

Heroes dotted the map of my road trip as another stop while out-and-about in the town of Crookston. Heroes is another recent find for me, but it’s been quickly added to my “must stop when nearby” list! As the name suggests and their website story tells customers, Heroes Rise is owned by a family of first responders and pays it forward by donating coffee to first responders around the United States. Knowing the story behind a business is so important to me and is key to making our towns and cities more of an interconnected community. Here, you’ll find a variety of different coffee options as well as some yummy pastry items. My go-to order is a large iced chai tea latte with a little vanilla syrup, and their banana bread cake with cream cheese frosting—DROOL! This has easily become a favorite local stop for me – and don’t forget to check out their Bemidji location if you’re in the area.

 

5. Westside Drive-In (Grafton, ND—open seasonally)

Grafton, ND is approximately 45 minutes NW from Grand Forks and home to the Westside Drive-In. This old-timey eatery serves up an experience for any group. For the older generation it may remind them of their youth, for the current twenty-somethings it hearkens to a scene straight from the movies, and for the youngsters it’s an entirely different experience than a fast food drive-thru! Whichever group you fall into, the Westside will not disappoint. The drive-in serves many of the classics you may anticipate, such as: burgers, sandwiches, fries, onion rings, cheese curds. But the real can’t-miss menu option: ICE CREAM! We’re talking milkshakes and malts, banana splits, and so much more! All in all, Westside makes for an absolutely worthwhile drive to share with friends or family.

 

6. A&W (Fosston, MN)

Very similar in nature to the Westside Drive-In, the A&W located in Fosston, MN has an old-fashion drive-in style. Fosston is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Grand Forks, which is quite a drive just for some food, but definitely a must go to when in the area. For Grand Forks area locals, most often a drive through Fosston is on the way to the lake or perhaps Itasca State Park. Whatever brings you that direction, make sure to make a pit stop. The restaurant is half drive-in style and the other half is more modern indoor seating, however both choices result in any of your A&W favorites! A&W never disappoints when I order my all-time favorite meal: a chili cheese dog, cheese curds, and an A&W float! What screams summer more than an A&W float?!

 

Writing this article has successfully activated my appetite and I need to find some cheese curds ASAP! I hope that as you read through some of my favorite summer pick-me-up spots that your summer cravings have also kicked into gear and you can find time to fit a couple of these local spots into your summer days!