North Dakota Brims with Possibilities for Family Groups

Reunion planners can be assured that all generations will find plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to fill their days in the Bismarck-Mandan metro area.

Centrally located in North Dakota, right on Interstate 94, the Bismarck-Mandan area has plenty going for it with families planning a reunion trip in the Upper Midwest. Separated by the Missouri River, the two cities are loaded with family-friendly attractions and recreational opportunities, not to mention hotel and restaurant options.

Ready to book the perfect destination for your family trip? Explore our vacation rentals to find the ideal spot for your next family reunion or vacation. Don’t forget your FREE latest edition of Destination Reunions digital magazine for more inspiration!

For first-time visitors, a good starting point would be the cavernous galleries of the free-admission North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, Bismarck’s premier attraction. A hit with adults and kids alike, it brims with hands-on exhibits. Located on the State Capitol grounds, North Dakota’s largest museum spotlights everything from pioneer history and Native American tribes to dinosaur fossil finds, agricultural innovations and the booming oil industry. Nearby is the North Dakota State Capitol, a 19-story tower whose observation deck offers views of the city and countryside.

More mind-expanding fare awaits family groups at North Dakota’s Gateway to Science, which recently moved into a dynamic new building overlooking the Missouri River in Bismarck. Every corner of this interactive science center invites explorers to delve into the wonders of energy, water and more.

Also on the banks of the Missouri is the Dakota Zoo, home to more than 600 reptiles, birds and mammals. The newest exhibit stars endangered African penguins. Next door, Super Slide Amusement Park offers the six-lane Super Slide, a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, train, go-karts and miniature golf.

Both the zoo and Super Slide are in Sertoma Park, which has 11 outdoor shelters and an indoor community center that groups can reserve. The park also has tennis and pickleball courts, a horseshoe complex, sand volleyball courts and eight playgrounds.

Liquid Recreation in Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota

For outdoor water fun, groups in the Bismarck-Mandan area can make a splash at:

• Raging Rivers Waterpark, Mandan. Features include a lazy river, speed and tube slides, and various water play features. Private rental areas are available. The AquaPlay has water cannons, geysers and a 300-gallon tip bucket.
• Harmon Lake Recreation Area, north of Mandan. A good place for camping, fishing and picnics, it offers various watercraft rentals.
• McDowell Dam Recreation Area, east of Bismarck. Activities include swimming, boating, kayaking and paddle boarding. There are picnic shelters, horseshoe pits, a concession area and trails.
• Missouri River. Public access points are numerous. Take out a kayak or join a guided tour with Missouri River Kayak Rentals of Bismarck.

Fun and Games in Bismarck, North Dakota

For arcade action and pleasing food options, consider these family favorites:

• Tilt Studio Kirkwood, a huge family fun center at downtown Bismarck’s Kirkwood Mall indoor shopping center, offers some 150 arcade and video games, plus bumper cars, go-karts, mini-bowling and black light mini-golf and laser tag. The Tilted Taco dishes up tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican favorites.
• At the Old West-themed Pizza Ranch FunZone Arcade, your crew can fill up on all-you-can-eat pizza, chicken and more.
• Space Aliens Grill & Bar also has pizza and arcade games.

Spectator Sports in Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota

• Bismarck Larks. Made up of elite college baseball players, this Northwoods League team competes at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Field from late May to early August. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include bounce houses, Wiffle ball, cornhole and axe throwing. Fans enjoy contests and races between innings. Luxury suites and party areas can accommodate groups of various sizes.
• Bismarck Bobcats. The team is a member of the North American Hockey League, the oldest Junior A hockey league in the U.S. The 60-game schedule at the V.F.W. Center runs from September to early April.
• Dacotah Speedway. Enjoy stock car racing, monster trucks, tractor pulls and other events on Friday nights at this clay track at Dacotah Centennial Park in Mandan. The season runs from May to early October.

Special Events Spice Up the Calendar in Mandan, North Dakota

Groups that come to the area around the Fourth of July can catch Mandan Rodeo Days, an event that celebrates its 146th year in 2025. More than 500 cowboys and cowgirls from across the country will come to compete at Dale Pahlke Rodeo Arena from July 2-4.

Classic cars and blues music draw crowds to Main Street in downtown Mandan during the two-day Buggies-N-Blues, set for June 7-8, 2025. Main Street also hosts Holiday Lights on Main, a nightly lights display that creates a winter wonderland from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

A great way to end the day in Bismarck is a sunset cruise on the Missouri River aboard the 105-passenger Lewis & Clark Riverboat, a replica of an old-time river steamer. Operating from May through September, it also offers brunch, pizza and BBQ cruises.

Historic Ranch Welcomes Overnight Guests

Black Leg Ranch, located 25 miles southeast of Bismarck, can accommodate up to 30 guests for overnight stays in its three rustic lodges. Operated by the fifth and sixth generations of the Doan family, the ranch, dating from 1882, has a microbrewery and produces grass-finished beef and bison from its own herds. Its focal point is the Copper Jewel Barn, a grand event space and wedding venue accented with wagon wheel-and-barbed wire chandeliers and brimming with Western charm. Visions for the future include a boutique lodge, fine dining restaurant and retail store.

Historical Sites Recall North Dakota’s Frontier History

Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, situated at the confluence of the Heart and Missouri rivers in Mandan, features a reconstruction of the U.S. Army infantry and cavalry post from which Lieutenant General George Armstrong Custer led his troops in 1876 on the ill-fated trip to Montana to confront the Sioux at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The park’s walking trails and three reconstructed blockhouses provide panoramic views of the Missouri River Valley.

Also in the park are six rebuilt earthlodges in On-A-Slant Indian Village and a visitor center with Mandan Indian artifacts and items relating to General Custer and explorers Lewis & Clark. Adjacent to the rivers is a 97-unit campground with picnic sites and a playground. The park’s rental spaces are ideal for family reunion events.

History-minded travelers should consider an excursion to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn, an hour north of Bismarck. Bold exhibits chronicle the journey westward of trailblazers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and the hospitality shown them by the Mandan and Hidatsa peoples. Two miles up the Missouri River is Fort Mandan, a replica of the explorers’ 1804-05 winter home. Stroll the river path and take a selfie with a large sculpture of Seaman, Lewis’ dog. The Lewis & Clark expedition, consisting of about 50 men, spent more time in North Dakota than any other (future) state.

North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Two hours west of Bismarck via I-94 lies the tiny Western-themed town of Medora and South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

From overlooks at pullouts along the park’s 36-mile scenic loop drive, motorists enjoy spectacular views of vast horizons stretching over the northern Great Plains. Close to the roadsides they likely will see some of the 500 bison and 200 feral horses that inhabit the rolling prairies. In the grasslands’ prairie dog towns, everyone likes watching the little critters scurry from hole to hole.

The loop offers a dozen hiking trails, one of which leads to a cliff that affords dramatic vistas of Wind River Canyon and the Little Missouri River. Happily, this unspoiled North Dakota kingdom is much less crowded than Yellowstone and other popular national parks that get overrun every summer and fall.

The Medora Musical, a summertime staple staged in an amphitheater affording views of the majestic landscape, is built around the life of Teddy Roosevelt, who ranched in area as a young man, long before rising to national fame as a Rough Rider in the Spanish-American War and becoming vice president and president of the United States. A rousing, patriotic variety show featuring a cast of young cowboys and cowgirls and an actor playing TR himself, the Medora Musical concludes with fireworks and a flag-carrying horseback rider dramatically positioned on a bluff beyond the stage.

Before each performance of the Medora Musical, at a venue steps from the theater, a Western-style cookout called Pitchfork Steak Fondue features 12-ounce steaks that are loaded onto giant pitchforks and deep-fried in oil. They’re served with all the fixin’s, including baked potatoes, baked beans, garlic toast, coleslaw and mixed fruit, with brownies and mini-donuts for dessert.

The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, another Medora crowd-pleaser, is a treasure house of art and artifacts celebrating ranch life, rodeo champions and Native American lore. For riders of all skill levels, Medora Riding Stables offers guided trail rides through the hills east of town.

Ready to book the perfect destination for your family trip? Explore our vacation rentals to find the ideal spot for your next family reunion or vacation. Don’t forget your FREE latest edition of Destination Reunions digital magazine for more inspiration!

By Randy Mink

Lead photo  – Lewis & Clark Riverboat plies the Missouri River in Bismarck. (Photo credit: Bismarck-Mandan CVB)