North Dakota's Best College City Is A Riverside Beauty Packed With Trendy Dining And Artsy Culture

Perhaps best known as the home of the University of North Dakota, the oldest and largest college in the state, Grand Forks greets visitors with both college-town buzz and riverfront calm. Set where the Red River meets the Red Lake River, Grand Forks' vibrant downtown is just a stone's throw away from the 2,200-acre Greater Grand Forks Greenway, a popular destination for strolls, picnics, and rivershore fishing on either side of the North Dakota-Minnesota border. Downtown, the historic Empire Arts Center serves as another cultural anchor, hosting everything from musicals and plays to cabaret shows and film screenings. This part of the city is also where a number of Grand Forks' finest restaurants are to be found, such as The Toasted Frog and Ely's Ivy Restaurant and Bar.

Those traveling from Minneapolis can fly directly into Grand Forks International Airport with Delta's frequent jet service between the two cities. Although farther away, Fargo's Hector International Airport – about a 70 minute drive south of Grand Forks – receives flights from numerous hubs across the nation, including Dallas, Orlando, and Las Vegas. Jefferson Lines offers a bus service to Grand Forks from the thrilling Minnesota Lake retreat destination, Brainerd, as well as buses directly from the aforementioned Fargo, where visitors can also connect from further afield, including the artsy South Dakota city of Sioux Falls. Grand Forks is also just over two and a half hours by car from Winnipeg, Canada.

On campus, the city's artistic scene thrives with Grand Fork's crown jewel, the free-to-visit North Dakota Museum of Art. The red brick gallery building keeps a steady rotation of exhibitions featuring world-class international contemporary art as well as pieces highlighting the work of Northern Plains artists, and even some contemporary Native American art. The Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre, one of the nation's oldest theater collectives, performs around town at spaces like the aforementioned Empire Arts Center, as well as at its own 100-seat Fire Hall Theatre. If you time your trip to Grand Forks right, you might be able to catch a performance by one of the city's community-led institutions, such as the Grand Forks City Band or the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra.

In 2025, the city sadly had to say goodbye to the Browning Arts gallery, founded in 1981. However, grass-roots creativity is still going strong elsewhere within Grand Fork's independent gallery scene. Muddy Waters Clay Center is a volunteer-run nonprofit where beginners and established artists use kilns to produce an impressive array of handmade ceramics. The handcrafted pottery on display at the gallery is also for sale to visitors, making each unique piece a perfect souvenir from a trip to Grand Forks. Badman Design is a metalworks studio that specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces. Led by David Badman, his team's 5000 ft² design lab and showroom features a range of their artwork, including sculptures and limited edition holiday ornaments. 

North Dakota is home to some great foodie destinations, including the eclectic dining gem of Bismarck in the central part of the affectionately nicknamed Peace Garden State. Grand Forks' dining scene is certainly one that should be held in equally high esteem with Sakura's entertaining hibachi-style cooking, Charras & Tequila's bold Mexican plates, and Smiling Moose's iconic "Mo!" sandwiches. Skies 322, a downtown favorite inside The Olive Ann Hotel, offers both brunch and dinner on weekends, with its delightful daily dinner menu featuring dishes like voodoo pasta, grilled jumbo shrimp, and an 8-ounce filet mignon. 

At the husband and wife-run Ely's Ivy, the rotating menu has featured dishes ranging from warm artichoke dip to camel burgers and frog legs. For the less adventurous diner, Ely's Ivy has still got you covered with their more local farm-to-table style of cooking of North Dakota and Minnesota produce. Wednesday nights bring live music in a relaxed setting. For another upscale dining experience in Grand Forks, try The Toasted Frog. Its signature cheesy pickles headline a wide-ranging menu that includes elk burgers and delicious pear pie for those with a sweet tooth that needs satisfying.