As Sweet as a Bismarck

Let’s face it – if you’re in Bismarck, North Dakota, you’re either someone from Minot, ND very desperate for a holiday, or you’re passing through on a cross-country trip.

There is admittedly not much to do here, and what is here is of questionable interest, at least to me. If you’ve actually come here on a holiday as a destination, then here are some tips to make your stay more bearable.

Located in the center of the northern prairie state of North Dakota, this is the second largest city in the state, sitting firmly on the banks of the Missouri River, around two hours south of Canada.

What the city does not have in major attractions is makes up for its abundance of natural beauty. With river coulees endlessly tracing the river, some good parks for walking and biking, and some neat forts and historical sights nearby, it’s not entirely boring. I personally couldn’t spend more than a night here, but it’s definitely a place you could spend a few days and find enough to do to keep you busy.

If you’re into history, check out the North Dakota Heritage Center, for some good exhibits. There is another small museum at the State Capitol, worth checking out if you’d like more info about the state as a whole.

Also check out the significantly depressing State Capitol. If nothing else, it will give you an appreciation for every other State Capitol in the nation.

Quick Tips:

Aside from the obvious – leave town and go to nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park for the week – here are some tips about Bismarck. First, there are tons of cheap motels located right off of Interstate 94, just north of the State Capitol on exit 159. Here you’ll be able to find a room in the per night range for a double, and within a good evening’s walking distance to the Capitol complex, which is nice for its park and greenspace.

Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, just across the Missouri River, south of Mandan, is a good little campground where you can experience the nature of the upper Missouri River while still being very close to civilization.

If you want to shop, there is ample shopping here, most notably the Kirkwood Plaza shopping center in downtown Bismarck. But, remember, tax-free shopping is just west of Bismarck in the state of Montana – so if you’re headed that way, refrain from doing your shopping until then.

Best Way To Get Around:

Bismarck has a decent city bus service, called The CAT (Capital Area Transit). Other than that, you may find walking to be enjoyable here, especially down State Street around the capital, and in downtown Bismarck. It’s pretty compact, and the buses are always available on the main roads in case your aching feet beg for a rest.

The small Bismarck Municipal Airport is located south of town, with frequent direct flights to Minneapolis, Denver, and Las Vegas (the only destinations from here). There is NO Amtrak service to Bismarck, with the nearest station being around two hours north in Minot.

The bus is connected to the Greyhound North America network via its codeshare partner, Rimrock Stages, which connects with Greyhound in Fargo, ND for its eastern run to Minneapolis and beyond. Rimrock runs west to Billings and Butte, MT, and as far as Salt Lake City, UT. There is no direct bus between Bismarck and South Dakota – passengers must travel to Fargo or Billings and transfer. The same goes for Canada.

There is a daily bus to Minot, run by a private company, not part of the Greyhound codeshare partner family, so expect to pay a bit more than usual.

This budget motel is located right off of I-94 in Bismarck, near the State Capitol complex. It is easily accessible via exit 159 on I-94. Simply drive south on US 83 and the motel will be almost immediately on your left. The motel is convenient to restaurants, shopping centers, and areas of interest.

We hadn't originally planned on staying here, but as we were arriving into Bismarck past dark, we decided to give it a try, as nothing else in the area was either in our comfort level or in our budget. I walked into the lobby and was greeted by the very kind owner-operator, who even showed us to our room. Such service is rare at a middle-range budget hotel, but they were happy to oblige.

Our room featured the standard Super 8 comforts, including two queen beds with night tables, a medium-sized television and desk, and a rather clean, medium-sized bathroom. The showers were hot and powerful, perfect after a long day of driving. There were some minor stains on the carpets, and a hint of smoke in the air, but everything was okay otherwise. The room was brightly lit with a few light fixtures set up in each corner of the room. We were not complaining - it definitely wasn't luxury, but it was pleasant enough, and just what we needed for the 9 hours or so we'd be using the room.

A free continental breakfast was included in the rate, which featured mainly starch-laden bread products and coffee. I may be biased, as Super 8 breakfasts have always been a bit of a disappointment to me when compared to other breakfasts in the Triprewards chain. Mini donuts, bagels, English muffins, toast, and cereal were on the offer. Orange juice was included as well, but it was a bit warm. Still, at least they offered breakfast.

The motel offers complimentary papers to read with your meal in their small breakfast room, which also has a television tuned into the Weather Channel. Don’t expect much charm or luxury here, but the hotel is sufficient for those who want the basic comforts at a low price. It is great for a one or two night stay while passing through the area. The friendly staff does try to make you feel welcome, and they are available to provide advice on what to see and do in the area, and in nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

This motel is big enough for families on the go. For the price, you could not get much better. Rates start at $30 in low season, reaching as high as $60 in the busy season.

The hotel offers a free high speed Internet service, perfect for business travelers. There is no public computer, though. You’ll have to bring your laptop.

Whether you're in Bismarck for business or pleasure, it's hard to go wrong at the Super 8 at this price. Give it a chance, you just might like it.

When in the Western United States, it's hard to go very far without bumping into one of these ubiquitous Mexican fast food chain restaurants. This is a true love-it-or-hate-it place, and the comparisons with other chains carry a lot of the weight of your impression. For Taco Bell lovers, this place won't really impress. It's much more similar to Taco Time, with heavy, strong Tex-Mex flavors, with herbs like cumin and oregano being used that you just don't see in restaurants like Taco Bell.

For me, I was quite unimpressed on the whole. I stumbled in to the somewhat ugly, typical fast food environment and headed to the counter, where several unhappy workers grueled over the pots and pans, hashing out burritos and tacos as the frying pans sizzled over their fueled back-and-forth banter. There was a lack of professionalism here, even moreso than you'd usually have come to expect with a fast food restaurant. The food was fast, but also rushed; the quality was severely lacking.

I had ordered the Beef & Bean burrito, which was underspiced, heavy, and quite overcooked. It was far from culinary bliss. The sauce was heavy in sundried tomato, but carried a bitterish flavor when combined with the herbs and spices that simply do not mix. Other menu items were similarly bland, including the standard, boring tater tots. It seemed to me that nothing could save this restaurant to be even remotely exciting.

Aside from the underwhelming food, the prices were outrageous. Meals here cost half of those comparable ones at Taco Bell and other fast food chains, and it was easy to drop $10 per person here on garbage. Simply put, you get burned twice here, both by the prices and by the quality. You'd be better off eating nothing, as far as I am concerned.

The restaurant is open standard fast food hours, closing at around 10:00 PM in this small city. But seriously, don't even bother - if you want a good Mexican fast food meal, head to Taco Bell - this place is disappointing.

The North Dakota State Capitol is the centerpiece of this northern plains town, and often the only reason people visit this admittedly boring area of the country. The boredom doesn’t stop at just the town itself, but also in the architecture of its homely center of government. While the majority of the other 49 states have ornate, thrilling, vastly elegant buildings to house their governments, the state of North Dakota provides itself a concrete, unappealing office tower which will disappoint even the most optimistic traveler.

Since I am a fan of visiting State Capitols, I thought it sinful to see this state, which holds some very neat treasures, reduced to a laughing stock because of their Capitol, which resembles an apartment building in suburban Chicago. No glitz, no ornate columns, no marble staircases, and definitely no gold domes – just concrete, glass windows, and a parking lot.

The greenspace surrounding the Capitol complex is peaceful, though, and it is enjoyable to walk around. Take your photos of the Capitol and then head inside to be greeted by a tour guide, who will be glad to show you some of the more interesting features of the building. Not to judge a book by its cover, everyone should go on these tours to learn more about the state of North Dakota, and of the building itself (which doesn’t have a lot of history, it seemed).

I tried to remain optimistic, but nothing was catching my interest here. Usually, I love Capitols, but this one is a real snoozer, both inside and out. You won’t want to spend more than an hour here, and even that is pushing it. With so much natural beauty outside, I felt imprisoned spending more than was absolutely necessary at this building.

Visit the ND State Capitol online at: www.nd.gov/fac/historyinfo/history.html