North Dakota is a great state to explore due to its breathtaking landscape and active history and culture. The most populated cities in the Peace Garden State are Fargo, Bismarck or Grand Forks. While this is a mostly rural state, you will find unique parks and attractions throughout. Consider renting an RV so that you can easily get from one area to the next when exploring the Peace Garden State.
In Fargo, you can find an array of drivable RVs. Most of them are Class As and sleep between 4 and 10 people depending on the model. You will discover five-star options starting at about $250 per night. You can also find towable RVs. The cheapest option is pop-up campers, and they start at about $60 per night. You can also find many sizes of travel trailers ranging from $80 to $125. Toy haulers are also available, and they range from $109 to $250 per night with most options being about $200. There are also fifth-wheel campers available with most options being about $125 per night.
RVs are also available to rent in Bismarck. A drivable Class A motorhome is available for $350 per night. You can also find other nearby choices, and the owners will deliver the RV to your chosen campground. There are many bumper-pull and fifth-wheel campers available with options ranging from $80 to $140.
You can find Class B RVs in Grand Forks for about $97 per night and Class As for about $250 per night. Pop-up campers and travel trailers are available with prices ranging from $100 to $150. You can find fifth-wheel and bumper-pull options.
There are fantastic cities to explore in North Dakota. Consider starting with a North Dakota RV rental by Bismarck and making a large rectangle if you want to see the entire state. In Bismarck, you will want to visit the North Dakota Heritage Center to learn more about the state’s history and head to Dakota Zoo to see the Bengal tigers, American alligators, Arctic foxes, African tortoises and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. At least drive by the state capitol building as it is a gorgeous example of Art Deco architecture.
Consider starting your trip with a North Dakota RV rental by Fargo and exploring the Plains Art Museum, where you can see artwork by Andy Warhol, David Bradley, Edward S. Curtis and George Morrison. You will also want to see the antique and vintage aircraft at the Fargo Air Museum.
Head north to reach Grand Forks, where you will find numerous venues to watch live performances, including at the Burtness Theatre. There are also fantastic places nearby to go boating, fishing and sightseeing in your North Dakota RV rental by Grand Forks, like the Greenway, which features over 2,200 acres of groomed trails.
End your trip in your North Dakota RV rental by Minot, which offers a railroad museum, Scandinavian Heritage Center and an air museum. This city can be a great place to go shopping, especially at Dakota Square Mall.
There are three distinct units at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and you can find unique opportunities in each one. Visit the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, where you can learn more about President Roosevelt and see the cabin where he stayed on this property, which was his ranch. Be aware that you will need to drive on gravel roads that may require a high-clearance vehicle.
Take the 14-mile scenic drive to experience the badlands from a low and high elevation at the North Unit. This is an out-and-back road, so you will be driving a total of 28 miles. You can find many scenic short trails, but many come here to hike along the Achenbach Trail, which runs through this park’s wilderness. On weekend evenings, rangers often give programs about the park and its animals at the Juniper Campground Amphitheater.
You will also want to explore the South Unit. The 36-mile scenic drive through this park is often a great place to see coyotes, pronghorn, bald and golden eagles, white-tailed deer, turkeys, and elk. Rangers often give evening programs about this park’s history at the Juniper Campground Amphitheater during the summer.
There are fantastic state parks to explore in many North Dakota locations. Some of the most popular state parks in North Dakota include:
Cross Ranch State Park – This park near Center protects some of the last remaining undeveloped stretches of the Missouri River.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park – Gain a deeper understanding of the Mandan Native Americans and their interaction with the first white settlers by exploring this park near Mandan, the oldest state park in the state.
Fort Ransom State Park – This park near Fort Ransom is a terrific place to go on a woodland hike or play on the river.
Icelandic State Park – You can go boat, swimming, and fishing in Lake Renwick by visiting this location near Cavalier. You will also want to explore the historic buildings, which were once part of a small community located at this site.
Lewis and Clark State Park – This park on the upper bay of Lake Sakakawea near Epping is a terrific place to go fishing, boating, and kayaking, and it has a marina and two public boat docks. You can also find fantastic bird-watching and hiking opportunities.
Little Missouri State Park – This park near Center features over 45 miles of badlands hiking trails.
Turtle River State Park – This park near Arvilla is the perfect spot for a hiking adventure, or head here in the winter to go sledding.
As you travel across the state, you will find terrific camping opportunities. In Minot, consider staying at Roughriders RV Resort. Campers get access to the river, so they can go fishing, boating, and splashing. Each site has free WiFi and full hookups.
There are three campgrounds at Roosevelt National Park. The Cottonwood Campground near Medora usually fills to capacity daily during the summer months, so get there early. The Juniper Campground at the park’s north unit is five miles from North Dakota Highway 85. There is also a horse camp in a more remote area of the park. Note that none of the campgrounds at this location have hookups.
If you are traveling near Bismarck, consider staying at Bismarck KOA Journey. This campground that can handle RVs up to 90-feet long has a seasonal swimming pool and a dog park. This campground offers bikes to rent. Note that water is not available during the winter months at each site, but you are welcome to fill your RV’s tanks.
You can find many RV dump stations in North Dakota. Consider heading to the following state parks that have RV dump stations in North Dakota.
Fort Ransom State Park near Fort Ransom
Turtle River State Park near Arvilla
Icelandic State Park near Cavalier
Grahams Island State Park near Devils Lake
Beavers Lake State Park near Wishek
Lake Metigoshe State Park near Bottineau
Fort Stevenson State Park near Garrison
Lake Sakakawea State Park near Pick City
Cross Ranch State Park near Center
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park near Mandan
Sully Creek State Park near Medora
Little Missouri State Park near Killdeer
You can find many terrific festivals and events to attend in North Dakota, including:
North of Normal Festival – This Fargo festival features many winter activities, including snow golf, cardboard sled races, ice-skating and ice-fishing. It is held in January when the average high is about 19 degrees.
Fargo Film Festival – This March Fargo festival features independent cinema short films from around the world.
North Dakota Winter Show - This March festival in Valley City showcases agriculture and has a rodeo.
SkyFest – This May festival near Garrison features kite builders from around the globe.
Art on the Red – This June festival in Grand Forks brings in artists from around the state, and there is live music.
Red River Valley Fair - This July festival in West Fargo features livestock, carnival rides, and unusual contests.
Norsk Høstfest - This festival in September in Minot is the largest Scandinavian festival in the U.S., and it celebrates autumn.
As you travel across North Dakota, there are also fantastic monuments and landmarks that you will want to see. The Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site was the home of the most important trading post on the Upper Mississippi River from 1828 to 1867. This site near Williston is an awesome place to explore local history and see Native American artwork.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is a great place to learn more about the Northern Native American tribes. You can learn about their history before 1750, when this was an agricultural community, and after 1750, when they started trading with early explorers. First, stop at the visitor center to watch the Maxidiwiac Bird Woman and explore the museum. Tour the earth lodge and garden sites before hiking down the village trail.
The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck is the largest museum in the state. It is divided into four galleries, so you can explore the state’s history starting from dinosaurs in chronological order.
On average expect to pay $153 per night in North Dakota.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in North Dakota?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in North Dakota from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in North Dakota?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
Do you need a special license to drive an RV in North Dakota?No. You don’t need a special license or CDL to drive an RV in North Dakota.