a weekend in Fargo, you betcha

Channeling Molly Yeh for a weekend in North Dakota

One may not think to visit North Dakota, one of northernmost states in the United States, in the winter, but that's exactly what I did with a few of my airline friends a few years ago.  We landed Friday night and had dinner and drinks in the adorable downtown area.  Saturday we loaded up at the famous Kroll Dinner before doing all the touristy things that Fargo has to offer.  A spur of the moment trip to North Forks to see a University of North Dakota hockey game, later that night, was an experience I'll never forget.  We really enjoyed this tiny northern city with the infamous accent.

Start your day with a hearty breakfast at Krolls Diner.  There tag line is German Food, American Diner and breakfast is served all day.  Krolls has a variety of interesting omelets and skillets, but they also offer more fun options like Pigs in a Blanket (link sausage wrapped in pancakes) and Breakfast Fleischkuechle (breakfast sausage, American cheese, and scrambled eggs, deep friend in a pastry dough).  The food is good and the atmosphere is just the right amount of 1950's diner kitsch.   

 

 

I'm not fan of horror movies, but the woodchipper scene from the cult movie, Fargo, is one of the most infamous murder scenes in cinema history.  The movie wasn't actually filmed in it's namesake, but the movie props are available to view at the Fargo Visitor's Center.  We had fun posing for photos and reading part of the manuscript.  

 

Next up on our exploration of Fargo, we visited the twin brother of Bass Pro Shop, Scheels, to ride the 45-foot indoor Ferris Wheel.  The Ferris Wheel is originally from Disneyland in California and now sits in the middle of this hunting supply store.  We skipped right past the premier gun room (gross) and headed right for the Disney cast off (fun).    

Keeping with the Molly Yeh theme, we next headed to the Historical & Cultural Society of Clay Country/Hjemkomst to learn about Eggboy's Viking ancestry.  While technically across the river in Moorehead, Minnesota, this Scandinavian Cultural Center displays a model of an old Viking ship that that has actually sailed from the Midwest to Norway.  The name Hjemkomst means homecoming in Norwegian and the builder named it as such because of his sail back to his ancestor's home.  

The Fargo downtown district is a charming place to wander around and peek into shop windows.  You can snap a photo of the historic Fargo Theater sign,  lounge at Broadway Square, or hunt for murals in Fargo Art Alley.  We wandered into the Northern Pacific Railway Depot, home of the first railroad to travel through Fargo, and now on the National Historic Register.  Don't miss the Greetings Tour "Welcome to Fargo" mural on 2nd Ave N.  or the Mario Brother's mural off 3rd Ave N.  Murals are sprawled all over the city so keep a look out and your camera handy.    

For more indoor fun, Fargo is home to the Plains Art Museum, The Fargo Air Museum, and across into Moorehead is The Rourke Art Museum. If you're looking for a more lively activity for your Saturday evening, drive an hour and a half north to Grand Forks (so close to Molly's hometown!) to visit the University of  North Dakota.  We had the opportunity to attend a Fighting Hawks hockey game.  This sport is popular but the arena was massive so thankfully we were able to find last minute tickets way up in the nosebleed section.  

Looking for a fun dinner experience, the cultural center of North Dakota has a lot to offer.  On the best restaurant lists for Fargo, there is no shortage of steakhouses and pubs, but hearty food is just want you need on these cold winter nights.  Some of the best include Dolittles Woodfire Grill for their rotisserie style cooking, Cork n' Cleaver for meat & seafood with the signature salad bar, and JL Beers where their motto is "Red meat is good for you and potatoes are vegetables".  Lucky's 13 Pub is upscale pub food, HoDo Lounge is known as much for it's artwork as it is for it's wine list, and Mezzaluna is a focused on using locally sourced ingredients.  The Toasted Frog is an upscale bistro and Rustica Eatery & Tavern has rustic-chic interiors and a wood burning pizza oven.  More casual bites can be found at Vinyl Taco, Nichole's Fine Pastry & Cafe, 25th Street Market, and Spicy Pie Pizza.  

America's Midwest is filled with friendly locals, good hearty food, and more entertainment than most tourists would expect.  See more surprisingly good times in Des Moines Iowa, South Bend, Indiana, and St. Louis, Missouri.