Minot travel guide

Minot is a city in the Lakes and Gardens region of North Dakota with an estimated 48,000 inhabitants in 2020. Known as the Magic City, it's a significant rail hub (for freight, anyway). However, its location deep within North America and off the Interstate System generally means you don't see Minot if you don't plan on it.

Understand

City view (Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0)

The Souris River goes through the middle of town, carving a valley in the middle of flat prairie. The town arose in 1880s as a stop along the Great Northern railway. During Prohibition the city became a nexus for alcohol smuggling. After World War II the city settled down into quiet suburbanation. Today Minot is best known for the US Air Force base north of town. You can drive to Canada in just over an hour.

Minot is a rather unusual city, though possessing levels of services similar to much larger cities, it struggles between small-town and cosmopolitan attitudes. Civic growth is not greatly helped by the climate. T-shirts available at the airport have this motto: "Why not Minot? Freezin's the reason!"

Tourist information

• Minot Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1020 South Broadway (in the Scandinavian Heritage Visitors Center).

Climate

While North Dakota is typically associated with a cold climate, the weather actually has its extremes, and Minot reaches temperatures of 90s F (32 °C) (sometimes even 100s (38 °C)) in the summer months.

Get in

By plane

Minot International Airport, as of May 2024 not serving international destinations - even though a short hop to the north would take you across the Canadian border (Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Minot International Airport (MOT IATA), 305 N Airport Rd (2 miles (3 km) north of downtown Minot on Broadway (US 83), at northside of town). The airport is served by Allegiant (Las Vegas, Orlando Sanford Airport, Phoenix-Mesa Airport), Delta/Delta Connection (Minneapolis-St Paul) and United/United Express (Denver and Houston).
  There are taxis, rideshare (Lyft & Uber), and hotel shuttles to bring you into town locally. There are also car rentals available from the airport which is the preferred method for greater flexibility in getting around to the surrounding areas. See this Link for a list of ground transport options.

By car

Minot's location towards the center of the continent places it well off the beaten path for travelers. Most commonly, visitors are passing by. Often they are taking the scenic route west through Montana (or coming from that direction). Also, many Canadian tour buses bound for points east (Minneapolis, Chicago, etc.) will cross into the US through Portal, and stop in Minot for fuel and a quick bite.

The major routes through the city are US 2 (east-west), US 83 (north-south), and US 52 (northwest-southeast). US 2 intersects with Interstate 29 in Grand Forks, US 83 intersects with Interstate 94 in Bismarck, and US 52 intersects with Interstate 94 in Jamestown. Successors to 83 and 52 also intersect with the Trans-Canada Highway.

By train

Minot railway station, 400 1st Ave SW (Just east of the city centre).
Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. Route stopping at Minot:
Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago. Westbound trains pass through about 9AM while eastbound trains pass through about 9PM, but delays are quite common on this route.

By bus

• Jefferson Lines, 201 1st St. SW. Infrequent bus connection to Bis-Man Transit Center in Bismarck where passengers transfer to the main Fargo-Billings route on I-94 or to continue south towards Vivian SD.
• Souris Basin Transportation, 805 31st Street SE, ☏ +1 701 581-1049. Scheduled once daily service to Bismarck on US 83 as their intercity route. They also provide on demand door to door local transportation for individuals with disabilities. Office at 805 31st St SE.

Get around

Unless you've brought a bicycle and happen to be in good shape, you aren't getting anywhere in Minot without a car. Some public transit is available at certain times, but for visitors it's more trouble than it's worth.

Car rental

Avis (+1 701 838-7665), Hertz (+1 701 852-0104), and National (+1 701 852-5115) are at the airport. There is a Rent-a-Wreck (838-0098) at a Sinclair gas station three (hilly) blocks south of the Amtrak station. There is an Enterprise location (+1 701 838-3800) on the south end of town. Enterprise and Rent-a-Wreck will pick you up; Avis, Hertz, and National are oriented primarily towards airline travelers.

By public transit

Minot City Transit provides service. There is no bus stop at the Amtrak station. Also, there is no common transfer stop between routes. Buses run every hour between 9AM and 5PM, Monday through Friday. Two trips run between 6:55AM to 8:30AM on school days and again between 2:55PM and 4:30PM

Fare is $1.25. Children under 6 pay no fare. Monthly passes for adults are $34.00. Monthly passes for senior citizens and disabled are $26.00.

See

Stave Church, the centerpiece of the Scandinavian Heritage Center (Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0)

The Taube Museum of Art (Photo: publichall, CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Minot Railroad Museum, 19 1st St NE, ☏ +1 701 852-7091. Sat 11AM-3 PM, closed Sun, by appointment other days. The museum has provided its guests with a glimpse at the fascinating history of the westward railroad expansion since its opening in 1986.
• Riverwalk of Minot. A 2.5-mile (4 km) walking and biking trail along the Souris River, which is accessible from a number of Minot attractions including the Railroad Museum and Roosevelt Park.
• Roosevelt Park and Zoo, 1219 Burdick Expressway East, ☏ +1 701 857-4166. May: 10AM-6PM; June–August: 10AM-8PM; September: 10AM-6PM; October: Weekdays 10AM-5PM (Weather Permitting). Roosevelt Park is the city's largest park. Features include a zoo, a swimming pool, and a 2/5ths scale railroad you can take a ride on around the park, in addition to gardens, walking paths, picnic shelters, tennis courts, and a band shell. Be sure to check out the sundial near the train station and the statue of Theodore Roosevelt in the southwest part of the park.
• Scandinavian Heritage Park, 1020 S. Broadway, ☏ +1 701 852-9161. A 14-acre (6 hectares) park highlighting the Scandinavian roots of the region. Feature of the park include a 230-year-old house from Norway and a stave church.
• Dakota Territory Air Museum, 100 34th Ave NE (at the northern end of the airport). More than 60 airplanes on display, both military and civilian ones from both world wars to the modern day. The collections include a large number of airworthy WWII airplanes. adults $10, children (6-17 y.o.) $5, family $25 (two parents and their kids), 25% discount with a valid military ID.
• Lillian and Coleman Taube Museum of Art, 2 N. Main St (corner of Main St. & Central Ave. downtown), ☏ +1 701 838-4445. Tue-Fri 10:30AM - 5:30PM, Sat 11AM - 4PM. This venue has over 1600 square feet (150 m2) of gallery space, for emerging and established talent locally, regionally, and internationally. Showcase guest artists and member’s work, as well as maintaining a permanent collection. The gallery's Museum Gift Shop sells ND artists' work. Tours are welcome anytime. Admission is by suggested contribution.
• St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 218 1st St SE. Red brick church with two towers, sticking out among the otherwise mostly box-shaped buildings of the town.

Do

• The North Dakota State Fair, 2005 Burdick Expressway East (State Fairgrounds). Next event July 19-27, 2024. The North Dakota State Fair is one of the biggest entertainment events of the year, bringing big name concerts, carnival rides, and fairway fare. The fair runs 9 days, from the second-to-last Friday in July to the last Saturday in July.
• Norsk Høstfest, 2005 Burdick Expressy East (State Fairgrounds). The Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian autumn festival) is North America's largest Scandinavian heritage festival, running more than 25 years. The Høstfest, like the State Fair, brings in big-name entertainers to Minot, along with a lot of other folks! The Norsk Høstfest runs 4 days, in late September or early October. See Nordic migration to North America for context.

Buy

Shopping opportunities are ample in Minot. Downtown Minot, northeast of the intersection of Burdick Expressway and Broadway, has small shops and restaurants, particularly along Main Street and Central Avenue. Souvenirs are available at the airport.

• Dakota Square Mall (former Arrowhead Mall), 16th Street SW (off the US 2/52 bypass). Target, Sears, Herbergers, J C Penney, and Scheels Sports. Numerous specialty shops. The mall is in the middle of a shopping district that grew around it, including Hobby Lobby, Super Wal-Mart, and Best Buy.
• Town and Country Center, 831 Broadway. A strip mall. Much of it is office space but there is a drugstore, a variety store, and a travel agency.
• Budget Music and Video, 11 Main St S, ☏ +1 701 852-5321. A locally owned record shop with a large collection of new and used CDs, body jewelry, incense, lighters, posters, and paintings amongst other odds and ends.

Eat

St. Leo the Great Catholic Church (Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Food is pretty cheap in Minot. You're looking at $10 tops per person in most cases, maybe $20 at some of the nicer sit-down restaurants. If you really want to pull out on the stops, it is theoretically possible to spend $50 a plate at a handful of places in town... if you care to.

You will not need a reservation for any restaurant in town. Some restaurants do have private rooms that can be reserved, which are generally for business or political meetings.

Budget

National and global fast food chains are present in Minot.

• Charlie's Main Street Cafe, 113 South Main St (Downtown), ☏ +1 701 839-6500. American fare. Open for breakfast and lunch.

Mid-range

• Homesteader's Restaurant, 2501 2/52 Bypass West, ☏ +1 701 838-2274. Downhome cooking.
• China Star, 1631 S Broadway, ☏ +1 701 838-3833. Chinese buffet and Mongolian barbecue. Open lunch and dinner. Local delivery.
• Planet Pizza, 220 South Broadway, ☏ +1 701 852-1700. Pizza and video games! The place to take your children. Party room available. Local delivery.
• Sammy's Pizza, 400 North Broadway, ☏ +1 701 852-4486. Italian cuisine. Local delivery.

Splurge

• Primo, 1505 North Broadway (at the Grand International), ☏ +1 701 852-3161. Italian and American cuisine. Biggest list of wines, scotches, and cognacs in town. If there is a place to wine and dine in Minot, this is it. Open 24 hours. Private rooms available. This restaurant does not take reservations.

Drink

• The Blue Rider, 118 1st Ave SE, ☏ +1 701 852-9050. Dive bar, in business since 1994. 16 beers on tap, a selection of cocktails and snacks. Sometimes live music, Trivia night on Wednesdays, free nachos on Thursdays.
• Sports on Tap, 220 S Broadway. Sports bar.

Sleep

A giant Dalecarlian Horse in the Scandinavian Heritage Park. (Photo: MatthewUND, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Accommodations are easy to find in Minot -- except during the State Fair and Høstfest. Be sure to reserve your rooms well in advance if you're planning to stay during late July and early October.

Budget

• Super 8 Motel, 1315 N Broadway, ☏ +1 701 852-1817, toll-free: +1-800-800-8000. Motel with well equipped rooms, free Wi-Fi and a light breakfast included in the room rate. rates from $55.
• The Suite Inn, 225 22nd Ave NW, ☏ +1 701 852-3411. Check-in: 3PM-11PM, check-out: 11AM. Budget hotel. Free Wi-Fi. Rooms have AC, private bathrooms and cable TV. Food and drink available from vending machines. May accept Canadian dollars at par. $30-60.
• Dakota Inn, 2401 2/52 Bypass West (west of Dakota Square Mall), ☏ +1-800-862-5003, dakotainnhotel@gmail.com. Wi-Fi, TV, mini-refrigerator and private bathrooms in the rooms. Rates include breakfast. Bar, arcade game room and business center. from $65.
• Motel 6, 1515 22nd Ave SW (near Dakota Square Mall), ☏ +1 701 852-2201, toll-free: +1-800-424-6423. Indoor pool and hot tub. $65 (Mar 2025).

Mid-range

• Days Inn, 2100 4th Street SW (near the Broadway and 2/52 Bypass interchange), ☏ +1-701-852-3646, toll-free: +1-888-327-6466. TV and private bathroom in the rooms. Indoor pool, free parking, light breakfast and Wi-Fi included in the room rate. $80.
• Grand Hotel (Grand International), 1505 North Broadway (on North Hill near the Airport), ☏ +1 701 852-3161, toll-free: +1-800-735-4493. The Grand International rivals the Holiday Inn as the best in town. Wi-Fi, business center, restaurant, fitness center. $89-119.

Splurge

• Revel Minot, SureStay Collection by Best Western (former Kelly Inn), 1510 26th Ave SW (near Dakota Square Mall), ☏ +1 701 380-2535, toll-free: +1-800-735-5868. Restaurant, bar, pool. rates from $280.

Stay safe

There is little crime in Minot. Most residents do lock their doors, but in wintertime many people leave their cars running in parking lots as they run their errands.

Probably the most significant danger comes from city traffic. Pedestrians should yield to oncoming traffic -- most people will not stop to let you by, even at crosswalks. Also, drunk and exhibition driving is a risk late on weekends. Stay alert on the roads at those times.

Connect

The telephone area code for Minot is 701.

Minot has excellent telecommunications infrastructure; the telephone system is modern, internet access is ubiquitous, and cellular coverage within the city is excellent. Analog and digital PCS, CDMA and GSM networks are available. Coverage in the city and along the roads is excellent. Coverage gaps deep in rural territory are quickly being filled. Local telephone provider SRT is a partner with Sprint and Verizon Wireless, among others. Alltel Wireless also maintains infrastructure in the area; while its native service is based on CDMA technology, it offers a parallel GSM network that some carriers such as T-Mobile US use for roaming. AT&T Wireless now offers limited coverage in the city but not in the surrounding rural areas.

Minot has a web cafe,

• Broadway Bean & Bagel, on South Broadway. Public Internet access is also available at the Public Library (next to the Amtrak station) and Minot State University (North Broadway). Free WiFi access is available in pockets downtown and around MSU.

Go next

Rugby (70 miles (110 km) E) is the geographical center of North America. From Minot, take US 2 east and drive for about one hour.

• The International Peace Garden (120 miles (190 km) NE) is on the Canadian border near Dunseith. From Minot, take US 2 to Rugby and turn north on ND 3, park is on left at border crossing.
• Lake Sakakawea (40 miles (64 km) S) provides ample water recreational opportunities. From Minot, take US 83 south and drive about half an hour, US 83 crosses the lake. The cities of Garrison and New Town have boater services.
• 4 Bears Casino near New Town (60 miles (97 km) SW) has a wide variety of entertainment. From Minot, take US 83 south about 15 minutes, then turn west at ND 23 and drive about 40 minutes.

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