This post contains affiliate links.
Minnesota and North Dakota 2021
A friend of mine had not been to North Dakota, so she agreed to go with me on this trip. We flew into Minneapolis, one of the twin cities (the other being the state capital, St. Paul), in the most northern state on the contiguous 48 – Thus the name The North Star State. Since we flew in rather late, we stayed at a hotel next to the Mall of America.
The next morning we drove to Fargo, North Dakota. I had looked in advance at the must dos in Fargo and the #1 activity was to go to the Welcome Center. I thought it would be a pretty boring visit if that was all there was to do.
If this doesn’t make sense to you, rent the move Fargo. Then you might see the humor. Fargo was much more fun than I expected. Our visit coincided with Fargo’s annual July street fair. In addition, there are a number of murals that are perfect photo opportunities, making it fun to walk around town.
The slides I wore around town were perfect to walk in. If you are looking for cute but comfy shoes, these are perfect. I own a couple of pairs!
We stayed at the Jasper Hotel, another welcome surprise. The restaurant was fantastic. I recently discovered that North Dakota is The Peace Garden State, named for the International Peace Garden located on the border of North Dakota and Canada that represents a pledge that the two countries never go to war against the other.
After our short visit to North Dakota,, we returned to Minneapolis for a little sightseeing. We found downtown pretty deserted because of Covid and the fallout from the murder of George Floyd, where we paid our respects.
But we also found ways to entertain ourselves. And it just so happens we had packed the same dress, AND we ran into someone wearing the same pattern.
We had been visiting some cute falls a short taxi ride from downtown Minneapolis.
Another great thing to do in Minneapolis is to visit Paisley Park, Prince’s home. Touring it taught me how much he loved his community and wanted to share, often hosting free concerts. You can see much of his property if you take a tour. If you are a Prince fan, get your tickets!
Minneapolis has a huge airport and flights are relatively inexpensive. It was a very easy long weekend trip I can highly recommend.