An Art-lover’s itinerary to Fargo
Fargo is full of art, from murals on brick walls and wrapped benches and electrical boxes to North Dakota’s largest art museum, there’s no shortage of culture in this community.
Full two-day itinerary
Want to customize this to suit your travel style? Check out other things to do in Fargo and add whatever you’d like!
Day 1
Afternoon
Aptitude in West Acres
Start out your time in Fargo with the artists at Aptitude, a 6,000 square foot arts incubator within the West Acres Mall. This “new way to shop for art” is located right off of the Mall’s common area and serves as a platform for the arts in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Note: Aptitude does not have consistent hours of operation, check their website for an updated schedule of days they will be open.
3902 13th Ave S, Fargo | (701) 237-6133
West Acres Mall
After you enjoy Aptitude, step back into the largest Mall in North Dakota – West Acres and get some shopping done. Many big box stores along with the name-brand shops you love lie just beyond Aptitudes doors.
3902 13th Ave S, Fargo | (701) 282-2222
Evening
Dinner at CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar
Also within West Acres, CRAVE brings a unique dining experience to Fargo with a menu chock-full of American and modern sushi choices.
3902 13th Ave S, Fargo | (701) 809-9020
Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre
The community theatre produces shows throughout the year, check their website for current shows and upcoming performances.
Drekker Brewing Company
Top your night off with some brews at Drekker Brewing Company. Housed in one of the oldest buildings in Fargo and packed with long pub tables and old-school pinball machines, grab a beer and enjoy your time in this historic building as well as gawk at the artistic cans and awesome murals throughout done by local artist, Punchgut.
1666 1st Ave N, Fargo | (701) 532-0506
Day 2
Morning
Young Blood Coffee
The gourmet toast menu at Young Blood Coffee Co. will fill you up with something warm and (excuse the pun) toasty. Couple that with a hot cup of Joe and you’re ready to start your second day.
623 2nd Ave N, Fargo | (218) 770-4728
Plains Art Museum
Following your morning pick-me-up, head to Plains Art Museum in Downtown Fargo to check out nationally recognized art pieces with Native American works sprinkled in.
Plains Art has free admission but you can opt for a guided tour for $4 per person if you’d like a more curated experience.
704 1st Ave N, Fargo | (701) 551-6100
Art Scavenger Hunt
Take a guided tour of the local art pieces in Downtown Fargo using the Adventure Lab App. Similar to Geocaching, use your phone to follow instructions on how to get to multiple locations. Once you get to the location, the app will ask you to answer a question about the piece and then you can move on to the next spot.
There are two art adventures in Downtown Fargo that you can hop on while you’re nearby:
Downtown Fargo Art (North)
Downtown Fargo Art (South)
Shopping Downtown
From there, head out to some of the local galleries throughout Downtown Fargo to purchase your own piece of local art.
Check out spots like Gallery 4, The Spirit Room, or Dakota Fine Art for some local art flair, or head to Unglued or Zandbroz for a variety of local wares made by makers from the community.
Afternoon
Lunch at BernBaum’s
This New York-style deli is known for the best bagels in town which are served with cream cheese, lox, and other toppings in a Mid-Mod style store-front.
402 Broadway N, Fargo | (701) 306-4131
Rourke Art Museum
Next, cross over the river into Moorhead to dive into their art scene. Right in Downtown Moorhead, you’ll find the Rourke Art Museum which is another free art museum and gallery in the area.
521 Main Ave, Moorhead | (218) 236-8861
Hjemkomst Center
This Scandinavian culture center showcases a replica Norwegian stave church, a Viking ship that actually sailed from Minnesota to Norway, and one of the region’s largest art collections. You can also take a guided tour of the inside of the stave church, they’re scheduled each hour (the views are incredible!).
202 1st Ave N, Moorhead | (218) 299-5515
Evening
Dinner at Sol Ave.
For dinner, head to Sol Ave., located right next door to Junkyard Brewery, this bright restaurant has globally-inspired dishes like fresh watermelon salads, kimchi Reubens, and Bipbimbop rice bowls that were recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.
1408 1st Ave N, Suite 2, Moorhead | (218) 284-7653
Theatre B
This ensemble of 11 artists puts on unique and mind-evoking shows meant to start conversations around important subjects. They tend to have shows running throughout the year, so check their schedule to see if one is happening while you’re here!
Currently, Theatre B is running their shows virtually, so set up shop in your hotel or Airbnb to tune into the current shows.
(701) 729-8880
Junkyard Brewing Company
What better way to finish these art-filled days than to head over to Junkyard Brewing within their graffiti-filled space. With some of the best beer in town and a hopping patio, Junkyard is sure to leave a lasting impression.
1416 1st Ave N, Moorhead | (701) 936-5545