15 Unique & Fun Things to See from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Bismarck

Dinosaurs. Bison. Airplanes. And a big OTTER!

Those are just a few of the quirky, unique, and interesting things you can find close to I-94 between Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and Bismarck, North Dakota.

I visited Bismarck in May 2022 with a group of travel bloggers, and we had the time of our life. It was my first visit to Bismarck. I didn’t know anyone there and didn’t know much about it. But after my visit I was in love with the area and knew I had to return! Plus, my fiance is from Bismarck, so I’ll have family to visit there now too.

Bismarck is 6 hours west of the Twin Cities, and it’s the capital of North Dakota. I knew it was a half day’s drive, so I knew there had to be a lot of hidden gems along that 427-mile journey!

After some checking around, I found not only a few cool sights to see along the way but a whole list of roadside attractions that made the drive itself a trip! These are a lot of fun to explore with kids, your partner, or anyone you’re road-tripping with. Some are right along I-94, and some are a short drive away. But all are worth a stop!

Bismarck and Minneapolis both have a lot to see and do, and I’ve written about Bismarck family fun, as well as the many things to do here in Minnesota. I invite you to read those guides if you’re headed to either.

But if you’re headed from one to the other, here is my guide to cool places to visit in-between!

Minneapolis/St. Paul

To start our journey, I had to introduce our home base, the Twin Cities! There’s so much to see in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of course, and my blog has a ton of ideas for you, but here are a couple of highlights (I have a big guide at the end of this article too).

Foshay Tower

The Foshay Tower in Minneapolis has a museum and observation deck. It’s not the tallest building in Minneapolis, but it’s worth the visit for still great views like this one:

Mall of America

The Mall of America is the largest mall in the United States, and has an amusement park, an aquarium, a movie theater, several food courts and much more.

But since I’m frugal, I of course want to include free fun there too. Here’s my guide to FREE fun at the Mall of America with kids, with a free printable scavenger hunt!

These are just a couple of things to see in the Twin Cities. I have a ton of other guides with things to do in Minnesota including the Minneapolis/St. Paul area which you can view here. But for now, let’s keep heading west!

St. Cloud

St. Cloud is about 1 hour west of the Twin Cities.

St. Cloud murals

The city of St. Cloud has a lot of impressive art including many sculptures and murals like this one I couldn’t resist! This butterfly mural is located downtown in an alley. You can read about the artwork here.

Munsinger Clemens Gardens

Right along the Mississippi River in St. Cloud are the most beautiful gardens that you can walk or stroll through. The Munsinger and Clemens gardens are open every day from spring until fall and they’re handicapped accessible too. These gardens are perfect for photographers.

The Saint John’s Bible at St. John’s University

St. John’s University near St. Cloud is home of the The Saint John’s Bible, a hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible. It took 11 years and 23 artists to complete! It’s here on this beautiful campus, and you can explore the gallery for free.

St. Cloud is along the Mississippi River, and also has great restaurants including Val’s Hamburgers, Kinder Coffee Lab, and Mexican Village.

Freeport

Hemker Park and Zoo

Just 40 miles west of St. Cloud in Freeport is Hemker Park & Zoo, which is owned by women and operated by family. Here you’ll find more than 50 species from around the world, including giraffes, otters, flamingos, monkeys, red pandas and more. And you can feed some of them!

Alexandria

Big Ole Statue

If you needed another statue to look up at, stop by the Big Ole viking statue in Alexandria, Minnesota. And it sure is big at 28 feet tall! If you’re wondering, no, there’s nothing to see up his skirt/whatever he’s wearing (I tried). There’s even a Big Ole live webcam you can watch of the statue!

Runestone Museum

The Runestone Museum is another unique place to visit in Alexandria. Here you’ll find the World Famous and controversial Kensington Rune, along with additional artifacts found in Minnesota that relate to Middle-Age Nordic explorers.

Fergus Falls

Otto the Big Otter

A little drive off of I-94 in Fergus Falls is Adams Park, where you can find a gigantic statue of an otter. Why? Well, because this is Otter Tail County, of course!

This big otter was actually built by high school students in 1972 as part of the Fergus Falls centennial celebration. There’s a playground near it too. What a unique place to have a picnic, right?

Fargo/Moorhead

Fargo wood chipper

A trip through Fargo isn’t complete with a stop at the Visitors Center. Here you can get a photo with the famous wood chipper from the 1996 movie Fargo! Here you can also see a painted bison statue, get more info and shop for souvenirs.

Fargo Air Museum

The Fargo Air Museum is made up of two hangars that feature a rotating selection of aircraft displays. Some of these include a Wright Brothers’ flyer, a MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft and this North American P-51 D Mustang. It’s an impressive museum with camps and special events as well.

Fargo murals

The Fargo-Moorhead area is home to many interactive murals. These are a few glimpses – there’s even a Mario wall you can pose in front of!

World’s Largest Dilly Bar – Moorhead

Stop by the Dairy Queen in Moorhead, Minnesota for the world’s largest Dilly Bar! It’s not real, of course, but it’s here to celebrate dilly bars being invented here in 1955!

Jamestown

World’s Largest Buffalo

In Jamestown, North Dakota, you can see a giant buffalo near the highway as you’re driving by. It’s a 26-foot-tall, 60-ton concrete monument that has been here since 1959. And it has a name – Dakota Thunder!

It’s worth a stop for pictures, and to explore the other attractions nearby.

National Buffalo Museum and Frontier Village

The National Buffalo Museum is located right by the World’s Largest Buffalo, and has interactive and rotating exhibits all about the bison, and is open year-round.

The Frontier Village is made up of original frontier village buildings that are filled with artifacts. You can walk through and even take a stagecoach ride. And admission is free!

Bismarck

North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum

One Bismarck attraction gets a mention here because of the surprising things to see inside.

The North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum is North Dakota’s largest museum and it’s free! Here you can see fossils, history and even a real mummified dinosaur. It’s located on the state capitol grounds right in central Bismarck.