It’s Only a Day Away: 5 There-and-Back Grand Forks Trips

May, a glorious month for so many reasons! Typically, it is the beginning of a beautiful North Dakotan summer – sunshine, flowers, and some rain showers. For young adults like myself, May begins the countdown to SUMMER VACATION! With warmer weather and vacation days ahead for students and the working masses alike, you will likely find yourself brainstorming what to do with North Dakota’s gorgeous summer sunshine. Well, you’re in luck because I’ve got a few gems to share that won’t bust your budget or require all of your hard-earned vacation days. All of these trips can be accomplished in a single day, or extended for a long weekend. There are even a few ideas for you to store away for winter.

They don’t call Minnesota the Land of 10,000 Lakes for nothin’! On a warm summer day, you are likely to see groups of people pack into their vehicles headed to the Detroit Lakes (or DL as the locals call it) area to soak up the sun and swim in the water. The beach isn’t all the area offers – summer weather makes for a great flea market, too. Just moments away from the main lakes, a flea market with fresh-squeezed lemonade and treasures waiting to be found delights visitors each summer weekend.

If Detroit Lakes sandy surfs seem a little crowded for you, drive about 15 minutes in any direction and you’re bound to come across a lake that suits you. Betcha get the “Lakes Country” name now! Each lake and nearby town is uniquely different, home to little shops, ice cream, coffee, and if you’re lucky: Zorbaz (a must-try eatery)!

Though the Detroit Lakes area shines in the summer months, it serves up frosty experiences come the chilly winter days, too. The lake, and surrounding lakes, glisten with ice and snow and attract ice fishers near and far. This winter I visited a highly regarded winter attraction in Detroit Lakes: Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. A small group of friends bundled in our winter finest for a quick trip. Half of us skied and snowboarded on the mountain’s slopes, and the other half tubed down the hills! It was a fun little getaway that broke up the monotony of North Dakota winter. Stop by while visiting in the summer months, too, as Detroit Mountain hosts summer concerts!

The cities of Fargo and Moorhead often get lumped together as they are separated by a mere river, similar to Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. This bustling metro area plays home to a variety of different shops, restaurants, activities, and things to see. My mom and I carry on a longstanding tradition of attending any street fair and crafts show we come across. Fortunately, the Fargo area delivers two of our all-time favorites.

The Fargo Street Fair typically takes place on a weekend in late June or sometime in July – prime summer weather! Held in Downtown Fargo the Street Fair livens up the weekend with local vendors, crafters, artists, and shops who set up booths along Broadway, each anxiously waiting to tell you about their unique products. I love visiting the booths as much as the next North Dakotan, but everybody’s favorite aspect of any street fair is fair food. The hand-battered footlong corndogs, freshly squeezed lemonade, gyros, snow cones, funnel cakes, and more. Drool!

Maybe an afternoon spent walking outside on a hot summer day isn’t for you. No worries! Come back on a weekend in October or November to catch Fargo’s Pride of Dakota show. This showcase is the fall/winter version of the Fargo Street Fair. You are bound to encounter some of the same local vendors from the Street Fair as Pride of Dakota is strictly limited to vendors, crafters, artists, and creators form North Dakota! The Alerus Center also hosts this touring show, so if you’re not looking for a road trip you can stay in town and enjoy, too!

Unquestionably one of my favorite areas to visit, Itasca isn’t too far away and makes for another perfect day trip! Because this state park is so large, there are endless possibilities to spend your time. Last summer, I took a weekend trip to Itasca to camp with a group of my closest friends and it was an ideal way to spend some quality time, but the park encompasses so many activities and outdoor adventures we could also split up based on interests.

If you’re interested in staying longer than the day, there are cabins, drive-in sites (for campers, RVs, travel trailers, and the like), and walk-in/cart-in sites which require you to carry your gear some distance without aid of motor vehicles. My group stayed at one of the latter sites in a relatively secluded area, yet close enough to others to avoid the fear of being entirely alone. Camping situations aside, the opportunity for a day to be filled with the park’s rentals from Itasca Sports is unmatched! There is an option for everyone: bikes (tandem and singles), canoes, kayaks, paddleboards (standup and regular), boats, and more! In the midst of all the fun water activities, there are also a plethora of trails to hike. And don’t forgot to stop by the Headwaters of the Mississippi River for a quick picture!

Red Lake Falls is a perfect way to spend a lazy summer day in the Greater Grand Forks area thanks to a common summer attraction: tubing down the Red Lake River at Voyageur’s View. Now, you may be thinking, what? tubing? down a river?, but it is a great time! Your crew can rent large innertubes (which can be tied together to avoid someone being stuck in a river eddy), take a bus to the start of the trek, and float! The time it takes to float from the entry point until the stopping point is based entirely upon the levels of the river water, but likely takes at least an hour and a half. Daily “run times” (how long it takes to complete one float on the river) are posted on the business’s Facebook page so that you can plan your day accordingly. Like Itasca, the area also hosts some camping spots in case you decide to stay the night!

Switching things up a little bit from the aforementioned day trips, the International Peace Garden lets you and your buds take life at a bit of a slower pace. The Peace Garden blooms with a serene experience whether you visit during the spring, summer, or fall. Earlier in the year, you can expect to find beautiful flowers and green grass as you walk, or drive, through the Garden. In addition to the beautiful scenery, you can find nature walks, a 9/11 memorial, the famous flower clock, and other adventures. One of the most unique things about visiting the Peace Garden is that you can stand in both North America and Canada at the same time! You’ll find yourself wanting to take pictures to capture the beautiful outdoors which surround you. Overall, this is the ideal trip for any nature lover.

Whether it be a trip within the state of North Dakota or Minnesota (heck, even Canada!), our area has a variety of day trip possibilities. As spring passes by, and summer approaches, I hope you’ll plan your getaway and visit any of these places to experience some of my personal favorites!