Ballin’ on a Budget: 5 Things To Do in Grand Forks Under $5

Greetings, my fellow readers. How has your summer been? Grand Forks summers are always great in my opinion. With plenty of things to do, there is never a shortage of options to occupy your time. I know I got into my fair share of excursions and activities around town! But maybe you are all golfed out, have tried every restaurant in town, and feel as though you’ve exhausted all activities for the remaining warm months in Forks…and maybe you are a returning college student, frugal young professional, or you just don’t want to spend money on a leisure weekend activity. What is there left to do? Well friends, I have (some) answers.

I’ve compiled a list of fun things to do in Grand Forks when you are trying to be budget-conscious. These activities are fun and under $5, so you can reduce your spending and have a great time doing it.

Also known as frisbee golf for those that haven’t been exposed to this revolution. Grand Forks has a great frolf scene! Pick from Lincoln Drive Park, Ray Richards Golf Course, or Riverside Park for courses in Grand Forks, or venture to Bob Zavoral Memorial Park in East Grand Forks for a great beginner course.

Frolf is a great way to spend an afternoon. You will get a good mix of walking and upper body movement from throwing the disc. Testing your throwing abilities, aiming for the metal and chain baskets at the end of the “hole”, and hopefully getting a par are all things you will have to look forward to when getting out on the frolf courses in the area.

The best part about frolfing is that it is basically free. You may need to spend a little cash to buy your own discs, but you can always find good deals on used discs for a low price. Some places that can help you out with that in Grand Forks include Play It Again Sports and Rock 30 Games, where discs can start as low as a few bucks. Borrowing discs from a friend would be a great option as well! So grab a friend and challenge them to a friendly 18 holes of frolf.

So maybe you aren’t a big outdoorsy person and frolf isn’t for you. That’s alright because there are other great options–one of them being to utilize the Grand Forks Public Library. Located on Library Circle (across Washington St from Red Ray Lanes), some people don’t even know where the library is! Forget the physical workouts and activity, your brain is a muscle that needs to be flexed, and finding a good book to read is a great way to do that. Check out a book and head to one of Grand Forks’ many parks or just hang out in the library if it’s one of those scorching hot days! The library has a number of other services available too, such as custom 3D printing, computer access for all, and technology you can check out a week at a time for use. For those looking to beat boredom, the Grand Forks Public Library also hosts a bunch of different free events each month.  The library isn’t only a place with books, but also a great resource for creativity and growth.

Want to get some fresh air and maybe even go fast? Hop on your bike and head to some of the many miles of great biking routes in Grand Forks. Most people know of the Greenway and that it is a great path along the river in both Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. I like to take my bike on a long loop and cover some ground on both sides of the river. It’s not too often you can say you traveled to a different state when biking, but you can here!

If you’re located in a more central part of town, the English Coulee has a great trail that runs parallel all the way from Gateway Drive down to Columbia Mall. There are some great paths in south Forks that stretch all the way from Belmont Drive to King’s Walk golf course. I’d recommend checking these out as well! Eastern North Dakota is notoriously flat, so this makes peddling your bike a breeze because you won’t have to dig deep to climb any massive hills.

If you don’t own a bike, Grand Forks recently added Grand Rides– a bikesharing program with 14 pickup locations. Rental options begin as low as $1 for 15 minutes, or a membership for as low as $5 per month fpr unlimited 30 minute rides. $5 for a month of fun? Now that’s a steal!

Check out this bike map to find all the places you can put the pedal to the metal in Grand Forks!

Let’s say you like to get up on a Saturday and you also have a love for local made crafts, goodies, and homegrown vegetables? I have just the thing for you! Grand Forks is home to a bustling farmers market on Saturday mornings in the summer. Located downtown in Town Square, this is a great way to spend an hour or three supporting local growers and makers.

Vendors’ products can vary from handmade trinkets, soaps, clothing, artwork, baked goods, salsas, jams, seasonings, and loads of fresh fruits and vegetables. And if that isn’t enough, see what food trucks are there for some great grub to satisfy your hunger while you do your shopping. If you have five dollars burning a hole in your pocket, here are just a few favorite options you can snag with it: A baguette from Bernie’s, a large snowcone from Kool Kreations Shaved Ice, a bag of homemade dog treats from Barktastic Bakery, a handmade bar of soap from Soap by Terry–and that’s only scratching the surface. The farmer’s market runs from 9am-1pm, so you will have lots of time to check everything out. There quite literally is something for everyone. Even if you choose not to buy anything, the farmers market is totally free and is usually a blast just to browse and take in the live entertainment. You might even catch a festival or two!

For those that are really adventurous: try pairing a bike ride on the Greenway with a midway stop at the farmers market to amp up your activity on a Saturday. You just may have fun and get some quality exercise to get those endorphins going.

Maybe I’m biased, but I love the Larimore Dam. This place has everything: swimming, walking trails, modern camping, a frolf course, fishing areas, and even an arboretum. You’re probably unfamiliar with that last one, but I’ll touch on that shortly.

Located about 25 miles west of Grand Forks on Highway 2, the Larimore Dam is a great spot to get away for a day and enjoy the outdoors. With a day pass per vehicle only being $5, the possibilities of affordable fun are nearly endless. The swimming hole has a nice sand beach with roped off swimming boundaries, the frolf course is equally fun and challenging (some of the gnarliest holes through the trees and most wicked water hazards you will find in the area), and the walking trails through the woods make you feel like you’re in a Thoreau novel.

Larimore Dam is also home to the Myra Arboretum. An expansive area of hundreds of different species and varieties of trees, shrubs, and bushes. Follow along the paved walking path to make multiple loops to cover all the area in this portion of the park. On the northern edge, you won’t want to miss the path that goes to the willow trees. This will take you through a gate and down a heavily forested trail to a variety of willow trees in an opening alongside the river. A very peaceful and private spot to enjoy a nice summer or fall afternoon. 10/10 would recommend.

These are just five possibilities for balling on a budget in Grand Forks. In this economy, $5 doesn’t get you much, but there are still ways to get a great experience with little to no money spending required! Grand Forks has great opportunities and activities in all price ranges, most of them just require a little effort to get out there and discover them. So, what are you waiting for?