The summer days are long and you’ve got some time to use, so why not take a day trip to a place you might not have been before? There are many small towns in North Dakota that would make perfect trips to give you the full experience all in one small area and to enjoy the small town charm you might not get at home. You can walk their main street and check out all the local businesses and then see what the surrounding scenery has to offer or what local attractions may be near by that you can visit.

One town that has the perfect amount of a bit of everything is Kenmare. This town, located northwest of Minot, has a population just over 1,000. It is also conveniently close to the Des Lacs Refuge, one of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the state. Over 250 species of birds can be observed there and a plethora of other creatures roaming wild.

The city itself is teeming with small businesses. Take a stroll on foot and explore some of the shops, or take a break for lunch at one of their restaurants like the One Stop Burger Shop or South of the Border. They’ll serve up delicious food for you any time of the day. Kenmare’s Historical Society has a restored “Pioneer Village” with buildings, a museum, and artifacts from the town’s earliest days that is awesomely fascinating. After that, if you stop by the town on a Friday or Saturday, you can stop by the historic Kenmare theater and catch a flick at night.

The town may be considered small to some, but don’t let that fool you; Kenmare is delightfully fun to visit if even just to get away from everything else for a little bit. There’s so much to see and do!

Kenmare Theater in downtown
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Schoolhouse, part of the Pioneer Village and Museum in Kenmare
a.cantu/Flickr
An adorable little windmill in Kenmare
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Some of the scenery surrounding the town
Daina Dajevskis/Flickr
The totally beautiful Des Lacs Lake
Kirsten Brennan/USFWS/Flickr
Beavers at the Des Lacs Refuge - just one example of many animals you can spot there
Kirsten Brennan/USFWS/Flickr
And, of course, the many birds you can spot at the lake. Here are some swans photographed there.
USFWS/Flickr
Bald eagle soaring over the Des Lacs Lake. WOW!
USFWS/Flickr

Have you ever visited Kenmare? There are tons of other small towns in North Dakota that have their own unique characteristics and beautiful scenery. We made a list a while back of which towns in the state have the prettiest surroundings, and Kenmare made the list! Check out what other towns were included here.

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