Friday, October 30, 2020

USA TRAVEL GUIDE, “MIDWEST” NORTH DAKOTA



NORTH DAKOTA: THE PEACE GARDEN STATE


BY CLAY LARROY

We lead such busy lives working, going to school, taking children to different activities that often we do not stop and talk to our children. We usually do not have time to sit around the dinner table and ask our children what they did today. Family vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress free relaxed environment. Families that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Family vacations and travel can be a most rewarding experience.  When you are ready to plan a vacation contact me!


BISMARCK, THE CAPITOL

Bismarck's 19-story Art Deco capitol dominates the cityscape as the tallest building in the entire state. Its grounds include historical and cultural institutions including the State Supreme Court, the State Library and the Liberty Memorial. Stretching along the Missouri River, the Great Plains city is home to extensive parks, hiking trails and golf courses, as well as the Dakota Zoo and the Super Slide Amusement Park.

Bismarck Arts & Galleries Association
422 East Front Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 223-5986
Website: http://www.bismarck-art.org
Description: The Bismarck Art & Galleries Association works consistently to stimulate the study and presentation of the visual arts, to encourage and expand participation and appreciation by all persons, and to preserve our regional cultural heritage. Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm, Saturday: 1-3pm, closed Sunday & Monday


Bismarck Urban Harvest
Downtown Bismarck
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 400-5294
Website: http://www.bismarckurbanharvest.org
Description: Urban Harvest is an open-air arts and entertainment market aimed at supporting our local economy and providing a city center in our community in downtown Bismarck. The market is a free family event that runs all day every Thursday during the summer months and features live, local entertainment, food vendors and unique arts and crafts. We also have produce grown by area farmers. FMI on exact dates & times, please visit the website.


Buckstop Junction, Historic Town
Bismarck Expressway & East Main
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 250-8575, 255-4205 or 223-4838
Website: http://www.BuckstopJunction.org
Description: Buckstop Junction, an historic town established and designed by the Missouri Valley Historical Society, stands on a 20 acre site on the Missouri Valley Fairgrounds east of Bismarck Expressway. The reconstructed village contains actual buildings reminiscent of the late 1800s through the early 1930s moved to the site since 1992. The town offers visitors a feel for the atmosphere of the area during the turn of the century. Hours vary, please call or consult our website.

Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science Complex
1810 Schafer Street
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 222-6455
Website:
http://www.bisparks.org
Description: The home of Gateway to Science, Theo Art School, Central Dakota Children's Choir and Shade Tree Players. Currently, the facility's hours of operation are the same as Gateway to Science. All other programs at High Prairie require advance registration. Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science Complex features the Imagination Theatre, Allegro Hall, a hands-on science gallery, a bright art studio and spacious community room with kitchen. The facility welcomes company and rents space when available.

Gateway to Science Center
1810 Schafer Street
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 258-1975
Toll Free:
Website:
http://www.gatewaytoscience.org
Description: Discover new and exciting exhibits throughout the year in the interactive exhibit gallery of Gateway to Science, where science is fun for all ages. Gateway to Science is a regional resource for hands-on science education.

Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
400 East Front Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 222-6455
Website: http://www.bisparks.org
Description: The Bismarck Parks & Recreation District is a gateway to healthy activities in the city of Bismarck. Whether you want to swing at some golf balls, swim with the kids, rent a shelter for a family reunion, ice skate, skateboard, or just hit the trails, they have all the information you are seeking. Visit their website for a full listing of their parks, programs, facilities, leisure services and events.



McDowell Dam and Nature Park
1951 93rd Street NE
Bimarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 223-7016
Toll Free:
Website: http://bisparks.org/facilities/mcdowell-dam-and-nature-park/
Description: McDowell Dam and Nature Park is a 271 acre park located five miles east of Bismarck on Old Highway 10 and one mile north. The park is owned by the Burleigh County Water Management Board and managed by the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District. Available activities include swimming, boating, fishing and paddle boating. Visit the website for information on renting paddle boats, canoes, kayaks and shelters.


Missouri River Kayak Rentals, LLC
8019 Northwood Place
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 426-1953
Website: http://www.missouririverkayakrentals.com
Description: Kayak the Missouri River and other ND waters.


Nishu Bowmen Indoor Archery Range
1409 Riverwood Drive
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
Phone: (701) 221-3529


Scheels Sports
802 Kirkwood Mall
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
Phone: (701) 255-7255
Website: http://scheelssports.com
Description: Hunters, cyclists, golfers, runners and nearly all other sports and outdoor enthusiasts can find the gear they need at Scheels All Sports Inc. Unlike a typical sporting goods store or department store, the Kirkwood Mall Scheels is a collection of entertainment venues, as well as women's, men's, youth, specialty, and sport and game shops. Brand-name concept shops by Nike, adidas, Columbia, Under Armour and The North Face feature the best sport apparel products. Each shop is staffed with experts who are focused on their passions.

Camp Hancock Historic Site
101 E. Main
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 328-9528 or (701) 328-2666
Website:
http://www.history.nd.gov
Description: The site of a military camp dating back to 1872 was used to protect Northern Pacific railroad workers. Camp Hancock is tucked away at 101 E. Main & First Street in Bismarck. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the camp icludes the Bread of Life Episcopal Church and a Northern Pacific steam locomotive. A log building, which served as the camp's headquarters, now features an interpretive museum. Admission is free.

Carmike Movie Theaters
2700 State Street - Gateway Mall
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 223-6092


Chief Looking's Village Historic Site
On Burnt Boat Drive above Pioneer Park
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 222-6455
Toll Free:
Website:
Description: The western view from this site looks over great expanses of Missouri and Heart River bottomland and the opposing river bluffs. From this point 225 years ago, a person could see four or five Mandan earthlodge villages, homes to 6,000 or 7,000 people. The site has a self-guided tour, where visitors can see the depressions of a number of earth loges and a fortification ditch.


Dakota Zoo
602 River Road in Sertoma Park
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
Phone: (701) 223-7543
Website: http://www.dakotazoo.org/
Description: Located on the east bank of the Missouri River in Sertoma Park, North Dakota’s largest zoo is home to over 600 reptiles, birds and mammals.
Hours: May - September 30, daily 10 am - 7 pm
Winter hours: October - April, Friday - Sunday 1 - 5 pm (weather permitting)
Admission is $7 for ages 13 and up, $6 for seniors 60 & over, and $4 for children 2-12 years. Babies under 2 years are free. Train rides are $2.50 per person.


Dakotah Speedway
2500 Longspur Trail
Mandan, North Dakota 58554
Phone: (701) 663-6843 or (701) 333-0324
Website: http://www.dacotahspeedway.net/
Description: Open May - September. Regular race Friday at 7 pm, plus special races.


Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site
North on River Road, north on Highway 1804
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 328-2666
Website: http://www.history.nd.gov
Description: Double Ditch Indian Village, covering about 24 acres, is one of the most spectacular archaeological sited in the Northern Plains. It lies on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, with a commanding view downriver toward the mouth of the Heart River and the other Mandan villages, and upriver to Square Buttes, a feature that marked the traditional boundary between the Mandan and Hidatsa territory. At its peak, perhaps 2,000 people live there. Double Ditch Village lay in ruins when Lewis & Clark passed this point in 1804 & 1806. On-site interpretation open year ‘round.
Category: Attractions


Former Governors' Mansion State Historic Site
Corner of Avenue B & 4th Street
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Phone: (701) 328-9528
Website: http://www.history.nd.gov
Description: From 1893 to 1960, the home at the corner of Avenue B and 4th Street in Bismarck served as the North Dakota Governor’s Residence. For additional information or to make group arrangements, please call. Admission is free.


Keelbooat Park
River Road
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 222-6455
Website: http://www.bisparks.org
Description: Located under the Grant Marsh Bridge, on River road in Bismarck, it's part of the Missouri Valley Legacy Center. It provides information, activities and experiences relative to the cultures and history prior to, during, and after the Lewis & Clark Expedition. It includes an impressive "Thunderbird" sculpture.


Lewis & Clark Riverboat
Port of Bismarck, 1700 River Road
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 663-4758
Website: http://www.lewisandclarkriverboat.com
Description: Cruise the fabulous Missouri River aboard the Lewis and Clark, a 150-passenger riverboat. This all-weather paddlewheeler has excursion cruises, dinner cruises, moonlight cruises, pizza cruises, taco bar cruise, bbq picnic cruise and family cruises are all available for your enjoyment mid-June through Labor Day. Charters and special group cruise rates are available April through October, weather permitting. North River Road, Exit 157 off I-94.


North Dakota Heritage Center
ND Capitol Grounds - East Boulevard
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Phone: (701) 328-2666
Website: http://www.nd.gov/hist/
Description: The North Dakota Heritage Center is the largest museum in the state. It features temporary and permanent exhibits that explore the story of life on the northern plains from prehistory to the present. In the main gallery, the "Corridor of Time" exhibit covers more than 100 million years of history in North Dakota and features fossils of dinosaurs , like Triceratops and dromaeosaurs, a close relative of the well-known Velociraptor of Jurassic Park fame, as well as many other ancient creatures. Other exhibits highlight native cultures from the time of the glaciers 10,000 years ago to the first contacts with Euro-Americans. Exhibits on the fur trade era, including the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition, tell of economic competition and military conflict over a vast prairie empire. More stories document the struggles and successes of the homesteaders and pioneers, the economic "boom" of the early twentieth century, and the disillusioning "bust" of the 1930s. Visitors can experience history through hundreds of objects, view images of the past through photographs and actual films made from 1916 to 1921, and participate in interactive exhibits such as cranking a model-T or even smelling a buffalo wallow. Admission is free.


North Dakota State Capitol
Capitol Grounds - 600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Phone: (701) 328-2480
Description: Visitors to the North Dakota State Capitol grounds find a unique blend of the state’s past, present, and future. The State Capitol building, also known as the “Skyscraper on the Prairie,” stands proudly over the heart of Bismarck. The Capitol grounds arboretum trail winds behind the Governor’s residence and along the Capitol building, highway building, Liberty Memorial building, the Heritage Center, and the Veteran’s Memorial. Approximately 75 species of trees, shrubs, and blooming flowers are identified. Also on the grounds are statues of Sakakawea, the Pioneer family, Former Governor Burke, a buffalo, and an Arabian horse. Admission is free.


Papa's Pumpkin Patch
5001 Fernwood Drive
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 222-1521
Website: http://www.papaspumpkinpatch.com
Description: Celebrate the season at Papa's Pumpkin Patch. Since 1983, thousands of people have made it tradition to come to Papa's and celebrate fall. There are dozens of photo opportunities, the famous Bale Mazes, Papas'ville, pony rides, Slide Mountain, Sebastian's train ride, horse-drawn hay rides, pumpkin cannons, obstacle courses and more. We look forward to greeting you at Papa's!



Steamboat Park
River Road
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 222-6455
Website: http://www.bisparks.org
Description: The Yellowstone Steamboat at Steamboat park is 60 feet long. Replicating the boats of that time, the vessel will give you a feeling of what it was like to travel along the river before the railroads arrived. Located on River Road along the Missouri River in Bismarck, Steamboat Park is part of the Missouri Valley Legacy Center and is now the home for the eagle sculpture, "Reflections." It provides information, activities and experiences relative to the cultures and history before, during and after the Lewis & Clark Expedition.


Superslide Amusement Park River Road in Sertoma Park
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
Phone: (701) 255-1107
Website: www.bismarcksuperslide.com
Description: The Superslide Amusement Park provides quality family entertainment with a 140 ft. super slide, roller coaster, ferris wheel, go carts, bumper cars, mini golf, batting cage, and more. Open noon - 10 pm, seven days a week from May 1 through mid-September, weather permitting.


REFERENCE SITES
http://www.ndtourism.com/
http://www.discoverbismarckmandan.com/
http://www.bismarck.org/
 


When my parents first arrived there, North Dakota had just been admitted to the Union, and the country was still wild and harsh. 

Lawrence Welk

Enjoy and travel to create great family memories!


 

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