Visit The Friendliest Town In North Dakota The Next Time You Need A Pick-Me-Up
By Tori Jane|Published February 08, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
When life gets a little stressful and most days feel exhausting and burdensome, it becomes tempting to get away from it all in some way. Sometimes, that involves things like awesome road trips across North Dakota, but others, it might be as simple as just wandering off to a friendly little town where nobody knows your name (but they’ll be thrilled to meet you). One particular little town was once called the most beautiful town in North Dakota by the travel gurus at Expedia; that town is none other than Valley City, and we are not at all surprised that it earned the title. Next time you’re feeling down, come visit the kind folks in the friendliest town in North Dakota; you’ll be glad you did.
Valley City is nestled in the scenic Sheyenne River Valley and is known as the City of Bridges by many.
Why? Well, this little town just so happens to be the bridge capital of the state and is home to one of North Dakota's most famous bridges, the picturesque Railroad Hi-Line Bridge.
The bridges are a fabulous draw, but it's the heart and soul of this little town you'll really want to come for.
There's always something going on; this is one town that absolutely loves coming together to celebrate something or another, or simply to have a good time. You'll find that there are community events year-round in Valley City, and we wouldn't be surprised if you felt compelled to attend one (or five).
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Like something of a cherry on top is the unreal natural beauty surrounding the town.
The Sheyenne River Valley is an absolutely incredible region, and the folks here couldn't be happier to call it home. Lovers of nature won't want to miss a hike on the impressive North Country Trail, which cuts right through town during its 4,600-mile span across the country.
Many of these places are extra-special in the sense that you'll literally never find them anywhere else; Valley City is one of the only places you'll find the best artisan goods, antiques, galleries, and more in North Dakota. Why bother with mainstream, corporate-owned restaurants when you can just eat local?
And when "local" is as friendly and community-oriented as this, we're more than happy to stick around.
While you're here, you'll want to visit the various bridges around town (especially the Hi-Line), check out Medicine Wheel Park, and visit the Barnes County Museum. There's plenty more to do, but we don't want to spoil it; you'll have to visit to see it all.
You might love this little place so much you end up deciding to move here...
...and again, we don't blame you one bit. Valley City is an amazing place to raise a family, retire, or simply begin anew.
What would you say is the friendliest town in North Dakota? Tell us your picks in the comments! We love hearing from you. For a calendar of events and all the info you’ll ever need to plan your trip to Valley City, check out the official City website.
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