Where to stay

1948 four-burner stove below the “Shalom” sign.

The owners of Wild Terra Cider and Brewing acknowledge the complete lack of commercial apple orchards in North Dakota. But that didn’t stop them from opening Fargo’s first cidery in December. Most of Wild Terra’s dozen offerings, which change daily, are from the Pacific Northwest or Michigan. But it does craft some of its own ciders with apples from small local growers.

When I first stayed at the Hotel Donaldson in 2015, I was blown away by the 17 artist-inspired rooms, daily wine-and-cheese happy hour, rooftop bar, turndown truffle and complimentary morning pastries delivered to my room. The boutique hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of the river, shops and restaurants. Rooms start at $184 per night. up to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, and most of those miles form the border between North Dakota and Minnesota. From downtown, walk across Veterans Memorial Bridge, where you’ll find signage with more trivia: “The Red River Valley is one of the flattest landscapes on Earth.” Stroll north along the river to nearby Hjemkomst Center, home to a replica Viking ship. You can rent kayaks there or farther south at Lindenwood Park on the Fargo side — which also rents bikes and has a pedestrian bridge to Gooseberry Mound Park in Moorhead. To retire by the Red at day’s end, head to Lindenwood Campground, where tent sites cost $30 a day.