Things to Do in Watford City, North Dakota: A Family-Friendly Guide

(Hosted stay disclosure: Portions of our visit to Watford City were hosted, and there are affiliate links in this post that help support this site at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own.)

When planning our recent North Dakota road trip, we knew we wanted to explore several destinations across the state. Over six days, our family visited Bismarck, Watford City, Medora, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Dickinson, discovering just how much there is to see and do in western North Dakota. My husband grew up in Bismarck and I had visited there, but it was my teens first time in North Dakota so we wanted it to be interesting, adventurous and fun.

One of the biggest surprises of our trip was Watford City.

Originally, we planned to use Watford City as our home base while visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit. Instead, we found ourselves enjoying great restaurants, kayaking on Lake Sakakawea, exploring local museums, and discovering a welcoming community with plenty to offer families.

In this post, I’m sharing everything we did during our two-night stay in and around Watford City. Be sure to check back for more posts highlighting the rest of our North Dakota adventure, including Bismarck, Medora, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Dickinson.

Our First Stop – The Merc at Long X!

The Merc at Long X is the city’s visitor center, community hub and gift shop. We stopped here for information as it’s right in the middle of the area. (Note: You can get ice cream here too!)

Lunch at Stonehome Brewing Company

After arriving in Watford City around lunchtime, we headed to Stonehome Brewing Company to kick off our visit.

The menu had something for everyone in our family. My daughter ordered the fettuccine alfredo, my son chose the chicken parmesan, I enjoyed a fresh salad, and my husband ordered the Shrimp & Sausage Chipotle Alfredo. Everything was delicious and made for a great first meal of the trip.

This was actually my second visit to Stonehome—I had eaten at their Bismarck location several years ago—so I was excited to return.

Staying at Little Missouri Inn & Suites

For our two-night stay, we checked into Little Missouri Inn & Suites.

One feature that worked especially well for our family was the adjoining rooms. With two teenagers, having extra space made a big difference compared to squeezing everyone into a single hotel room.

The hotel also offers:

• Indoor pool
• Hot tub
• Fitness center
• Complimentary hot breakfast with different options each morning

It was a comfortable and convenient place to stay while exploring the Watford City area. Check them out here!

Kayaking on Lake Sakakawea

One of our favorite experiences of the entire trip was kayaking on Lake Sakakawea from Tobacco Gardens Marina, which was about a 35 minute drive from our hotel.

My teens and I spent time paddling across the calm water while my husband captured drone photos and video from shore. The scenery was beautiful, and being out on the lake offered a completely different perspective of western North Dakota.

It’s unique landscape too as the area is rich in oil and this marina is located right in the middle of the Bakken oil formation. There are oil wells everywhere! (We learned about it at the North Dakota Oil Museum – see below!)

If you’re traveling with older kids or teens, I highly recommend adding kayaking to your itinerary. It ended up being one of my teens’ favorite activities during our entire North Dakota adventure.

Dinner at Tobacco Gardens Café

After kayaking, we stayed for dinner at Tobacco Gardens Café.

My husband couldn’t resist trying their well-known chicken fried steak, while I ordered shrimp. Our son enjoyed a hamburger, our daughter had grilled cheese, and we shared a slice of their famous caramel apple pie for dessert.

Between the lake views and the relaxed atmosphere, it was the perfect way to end an afternoon outdoors.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park – North Unit

The following morning we headed to Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit, just south of Watford City.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is divided into two sections – the North Unit and the South Unit. The South Unit entrance is in Medora and is close to I-94. The North Unit is 1.5 hours north and just as scenic as the south unit. We did both on our trip and I will say you need to visit both! Our experiences were different enough and the scenery was unique in both places. You only need one national park pass for both, too.

The scenic drive alone was absolutely worth it.

We stopped at several overlooks to admire the colorful badlands, and wildlife seemed to be around every corner.

The highlight?

A herd of bison completely surrounded our vehicle while driving through the park. Watching these incredible animals up close in their natural habitat was an unforgettable experience and one of our favorite memories from the entire trip.

We also saw incredible views and lookouts, and there were rest areas with restrooms along the way. If you enjoy photography, wildlife watching, or simply incredible scenery, don’t skip the North Unit.

Lunch at Outlaws Bar & Grill

After exploring the park, we stopped at Outlaws Bar & Grill for lunch.

Everyone found something they enjoyed on the menu, and my husband made sure to order the mussels appetizer, something he loves but doesn’t have often. It was a nice treat after all our walking in the national park, and a relaxing place to recharge before continuing our afternoon of exploring.

McKenzie County Heritage Park and Museum

To learn more about the area’s history, we visited the FREE McKenzie County Heritage Park and North Dakota Oil Museum.

Most of the museum is indoors and shares the history of the region’s pioneers and oil industry. Outside, Heritage Park features several historic buildings connected by walking paths, allowing visitors to explore what life was like during the area’s early days.

Since we had been driving past oil wells throughout western North Dakota, I appreciated learning more about the Bakken oil industry and how the wells operate. It gave us a much better understanding of an industry that’s such an important part of the region.

It’s a worthwhile stop if you’d like to better understand the history behind western North Dakota. 

Fox Hills Golf Course

Later that afternoon we visited Fox Hills Golf Course.

Because temperatures climbed well over 100 degrees, we decided to spend our time at the driving range instead of playing a full round. Even so, it was a fun way to enjoy another outdoor activity before heading back into town.

Coffee at Door 204

Before leaving town the next morning, we stopped at Door 204 Coffee. I got one of their July iced coffee specials, my husband got a hot drink and my teens picked up some snacks for our travels today. 

Besides serving excellent coffee, the café has a unique small-town touch—community mailboxes are located inside and are still actively used by local residents.

I was also impressed by their huge selection of flavored coffee syrups, one of the largest varieties I’ve ever seen!

Seasonal Events to Watch For

Homefest (Annual)

If your visit happens to coincide with Homefest, you’re in for a treat. This annual community celebration brings downtown Watford City to life with food trucks, live music, family activities, and plenty of opportunities to experience the local community. We enjoyed spending the evening downtown listening to live music and sampling food from one of the food trucks.

Art in the Park (Annual)

We also happened to visit during Art in the Park, an annual festival held at Tourist Park featuring local artists, makers, vendors, and community organizations. Even if you aren’t visiting during the festival, Tourist Park is worth a stop, especially because it connects to Watford City Children’s Park by a walking path. Families can easily explore both parks during the same visit, making it a great place to stretch your legs or let kids burn off some energy.

Is Watford City Worth Visiting?

Absolutely.

Before this trip, I thought of Watford City mainly as a place to stay while visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit. Instead, we discovered a destination with beautiful outdoor recreation, excellent restaurants, family-friendly attractions, community events, and easy access to one of the country’s most scenic national parks.

If you’re planning a North Dakota road trip from Minnesota (or anywhere), I’d recommend spending at least two nights in Watford City. Between kayaking on Lake Sakakawea, exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit, enjoying great local food, and experiencing the community, our family found far more to do than we expected—and it’s a destination we’d happily visit again.