An Intro to Our Amazing North Dakota Road Trip

Elle MacRae — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:10:51 +0000

If you had told me last year that we’d spend a week road‑tripping through North Dakota this summer, I would’ve laughed and called you crazy. North Dakota has been on my radar forever, but honestly, I didn’t think we’d make it there anytime soon.

Every New Year’s Day, our family pulls a random state out of a hat and plans a trip there. It’s our favorite tradition — a little chaotic, totally spontaneous, and the perfect way to work toward our goal of taking the kids to all 50 states. When we pulled North Dakota this year, I was so excited. It felt unexpected in the best way.

North Dakota surprised us in the best possible way. Wide‑open skies, friendly people, history everywhere you look, and some of the most unique family‑friendly stops we’ve experienced in all our travels. This summer, we packed up the kids, loaded the car, and headed north for a road trip that turned into one of our favorite adventures yet.

This post kicks off a full series where I’ll break down every stop we made, what we loved, what we learned, and how you can recreate the same trip with your own crew. Each location will get its own dedicated blog post so you can easily find details, photos, tips, and planning info without digging through one giant article.

What This Series Will Cover

Here’s what you can expect over the next several posts:

1. Individual Stop Guides

Each attraction, town, museum, or experience we visited will have its own post. That means you’ll get:

What the stop is all about
Why it’s great for families
What to expect when you visit
Tips for making the most of it
Photos + video
Practical info (hours, cost, parking, etc.)

2. Family Travel Tips for North Dakota

I’ll share what worked well for us as a family of five — from hotel choices to food stops to how we kept the kids entertained on long stretches of highway.

3. A Complete Road Trip Itinerary

The final post in the series will be a full, detailed itinerary you can follow step‑by‑step. It will include:

Driving routes
Timing suggestions
Where to stay
What to see each day
Optional add‑ons
Kid‑friendly pacing

This will be the “big picture” guide that ties everything together.

Why North Dakota?

If you’ve never considered North Dakota for a family road trip, let me be the one to convince you. It’s beautiful, uncrowded, affordable, and packed with history and outdoor experiences. Whether you’re into museums, hiking, wildlife, small‑town charm, or wide‑open spaces, North Dakota delivers.

Plus… the kids had a blast. And that’s always the real test.

Follow Along

As each post goes live, I’ll update this intro with links so you can explore every stop in order. You can also follow along on Instagram and Facebook, where I’ll be sharing reels, photos, and behind‑the‑scenes moments from the trip.