Tourism By Region

Welcome to North Dakota! Pick up the trail of America's greatest legends in North Dakota, and you'll find yourself in a legendary adventure of your own. Lewis and Clark, Sakakawea, George Custer, Sitting Bull and Theodore Roosevelt lived out larger-than-life adventures here. Whether you follow in their footsteps and rediscover the past or blaze your own trail and discover what makes North Dakota legendary today, you'll find wide-open spaces and wide-open fun! This is the official Web site of the North Dakota Tourism Division. We hope you'll find this site helpful as you create a legendary adventure in our state The larger immigrant cultures in North Dakota include Scandinavian, Germans from Russia, Ukrainian and Icelandic, plus North Dakota’s first people comprised several tribes, now represented on seven Indian Reservations. Scandinavian Norsk Hostfest Celebration of Scandinavian heritage held annually in Minot. World-class entertainment, exhibits and other activities make Norsk Hostfest a can't-miss event. Scandinavian Heritage Park Historic park founded in honor of our nation’s bicentennial pays tribute to Scandinavian and American heritage. A 230-year-old house from Sigdal, Norway, was dismantled and shipped to Minot and reassembled in the park. Also on site is a Norwegian stabbur, a Danish Windmill, the Nordic-style visitor center. A waterfall and the largest Dala Horse (Nations symbol of Sweden) in North America. There also are statues of famous Scandinavian Americans and the “eternal flame.” For more information, call 701-852-9161. Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center The Heritage Hjemkomst Center, located in Moorhead, Minn., is a regional family attraction featuring exhibits and programs that interpret the life, culture and heritage of the Red River Valley. Permanent exhibits include the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, the hand-carved Stave Church and the Red River Valley exhibit where a giant floor map allows visitors to “walk” the region’s early history. Traveling displays offer special exhibits in the humanities, arts and sciences. Summer features a Scandinavian Festival and Folk Arts exhibit. For more information, call 218-299-5511. Germans from Russia Germans from Russia Heritage Society The Germans From Russia Heritage Society collects, lists, and catalogues published materials and personal documents that tell of the European migrations and exodus to the United States and Canada and also of the pioneer life on the plains. These materials can be read and researched in our library at 1125 W. Turnpike Ave., Bismarck, ND, 58501. Ukrainian Ukrainian Festival Annual celebration of the Ukrainian culture. For more information, call 1-701-483-1486. Ukrainian Cultural Institute Featuring Ukrainian cultural exhibits, folk arts, religious display, a research library. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 701-483-1486. Icelandic Pioneer Heritage Museum and Icelandic State Park The Heritage Center located within the park tells a unique story about the life and achievements of this area’s first settlers. Icelandic State Park offers the visitor a wide array of recreational and interpretive opportunities. Also e found at the park is the Gunlogson Homestead and Nature Preserve. For more information, call 701-265-4561. American Indian Northern Plains Indian Culture Fest The event, held at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site features cultural demonstrations of the lives of the Native American tribes that lived on the plains. Knife River was established as a National Park Service site in 1974. This is the only NPS stite that preserves and protects the Northern Plains Indian Heritage. The Native Americans have occupied this area for over 11,000 years. There are the remains of three Hidatsa village sites within the park boundaries. The Big Hidatsa site has 110 depressions, the Sakakawea (Awatixa) site has 60 depressions and the Lower Hidatsa site has 40 depressions. This was once a thriving civilization situated along the Knife River. Sakakawea lived at the Awatixa site when she met Lewis and Clark at Fort Mandan. A state-of-the-art museum dedicated to preserving the culture of the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara tribes is located at the visitor center. A 15-minute video about the village life can be viewed in the visitor center theater. A full-scale reconstruction of a Hidatsa earthlodge features authentic furnishings. Programs in the earthlodge are conducted during the summer months. Please inquire about times. Powwows Powwows were originally held in the spring to celebrate the new beginning of life. It was a time for native people to get together and sing and dance, renew old acquaintances and make new ones. The powwow also had religious significance. In the Sioux tradition, the celebration was a prayer to Wakan-Tanka, the Great Spirit or Grandfather. Today, powwows are still an important part of American Indian culture. One of the largest powwows in the United States is the United Tribes International Pow Wow in Bismarck, held the weekend after Labor Day. It has been named one of the Top 100 Events in North America several times. We invite you join us for top-name acts at a casino, or at one of the larger venues, like the FargoDome, Bismarck Civic Center Minot all Seasons Arena or Grand Forks’ Alerus Center, Ralph Englestad Arena and Chester Fritz Auditorium. For sports fans, there are auto races, rodeos, and collegiate and semi-pro sports (see local CVB sites for details). Art, created by or simply appreciated by North Dakotans, can be experienced in many ways. Check out the North Dakota Council on the Arts for a good overview. You’ll also want to visit the North Dakota Museum of Art, Plains Art Museum, and the many art and craft fairs you’ll find on the local CVB Web sites. Casinos Sky Dancer Hotel/Casino First-class Vegas-style casino offers a wide range of amenities, including slot machines, blackjack tables, 5 live poker tables, simulcast racing, Jacuzzi and dining. Sky Dancer Casino/Resort is located 4 1/2 miles west of Belcourt. Prairie Knights Casino and Resort Over 600 reel and video slots, high stakes gaming, craps, roulette, blackjack, Spanish 21 and three-card poker, 2,400-seat event center, buffet and fine dining and 96 room lodge with banquet and conference facilities. The marina on Lake Oahe provides ramps, slips, mountain bike and nature trails, picnic area and 32 RV sites. Open daily, 24 hours. Prairie Knights Casino and Resort is located 46 miles south of Mandan on ND Highway 1806. Spirit Lake Casino & Resort Spirit Lake Casino has blackjack tables, slot machines, craps, poker room, bingo, buffet and hotel with 124 rooms, 16 Jacuzzi suites, atrium-style pool area with 2-story slide, separate children’s pool, arcade area, sauna and exercise area, fine dining at The View, full service marina, RV camping available. Spirit Lake Casino & Resort is located 7 miles south of Devils Lake on ND Highway 57. Dakota Magic Casino, Hotel and Convention Center Dakota MagicCasino offers more than 750 slots, 12 blackjack tables, poker, craps and roulette. Lounge, buffet and 7 Fires restaurant. For more information, call 701-634-3000 or 800-325-6825. 4 Bears Casino and Lodge First-class casino features reel slot machines, bingo parlor, blackjack, craps, poker, a big 6 paddlewheel, video poker and keno, dining room and entertainment. Lodge, AC, CATV, restaurant, lounge, RV park. 4 Bears Casino and Lodge is located 4 miles west of New Town on ND Highway 23. Horse Racing North Dakota Horse Park From wire to wire, the North Dakota Horse Park promises plenty of events to enhance this summer's racing meet. Friday, August 6th is Opening Day as thoroughbred and quarter horse action returns to the little track on the prairie. North Dakota Horse Park located at 5180 19th Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102. Venues Arenas The following Web sites link to North Dakota major venues: Fargodome Home of North Dakota State University football. Seats 20,000-plus for large concerts. Bismarck Civic Center Home of the Dakota Wizards of the Continental Basketball Association. Hosts various concerts and broadway-style shows. ND State Fair Center The beautiful and functional North Dakota State Fair Center has over 250,000 square feet of display space and support areas, which offers comfortable setting for events. Alerus Center The Grand Forks home of the University of North Dakota football team. Seats over 18,000 for major concerts. Ralph Engelstad Arena The state-of-the-art home of the University of North Dakota hockey team. Excellent concert venue. Chester Fritz Auditorium Live entertainment from professional music groups, dance companies and theater groups to local folk artists and singing groups perform here on the University of North Dakota campus. Newman Outdoor Stadium The home of the Northern League's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks baseball team.

Ocean County, New Jersey is about one and one-half hours from the metro areas of Philadelphia and New York and an hour north of Atlantic City. You'll need to drive or rent a car, as public transit is very limited. Ocean County is home to Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park, Wild Safari Drive-thru Animal Park and Hurricane Harbor Water Park, the A-Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, dubbed the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Tuckerton Seaport, a 40-acre maritime village and the resort town of Seaside Heights. There are two deep sea ports: Pt. Pleasant Beach, off exit 98 of the Garden State Parkway, is a resort community with a boardwalk, amusements, aquarium, games of chance, miniature golf, aquarium and beach bars and nightlife. It's downtown features antique dealers, more than 100 independents under one roof, and boutique shops. It is the home of the New Jersey Offshore Grand Prix Powerboat races. A fisherman's cooperative functions in the area and a deep sea fishing fleet takes anglers out for the day and half-day. There are motels at the beach and adjacent is the seashore village of Bay Head with its art galleries, gourmet restaurants and B&B's. A free shuttle transports visitors from motels to the boardwalk to the downtown shopping area. There is free family entertainment every night ranging from fireworks to light classical beach concerts to kiddie shows. Barnegat Light, off Exit 63 of the Garden State Parkway, is one of six communities on Long Beach Island. It is home to not only Barnegat Lighthouse, but also Viking Village, an unlikely combination of a commercial fishing port and boutique shops which have taken over the fishing shacks. There are dozen B&B's on the island as well as motels, but most folks rent, and there are magnificent sand "castles" available. The island offers high powered shopping, art galleries, a waterpark, Fantasy Island amusement park, museums and the Surflight Theatre. There is a myriad of night life with live entertainment and folks enjoy bicycling and in-line skating on the side streets. The Crystal Queen provides daily excursions to Atlantic City by boat via the inland waterway. Because of the barrier beaches, Ocean County also hosts 40 miles of Barnegat Bay and is the start of the inland waterway which terminates in Florida. There are plenty of watersports, from sailing, windsurfing, and parasailing, not to mention crabbing and fishing. Charter boat rentals with a captain for up to six people are widely available.

Cape May County...The Perfect Vacation Destination. Whether it¹s sunbathing while reading a favorite book, playing in the surf, building a sandcastle, paddling a kayak, fishing, riding a wave runner, watching dolphins, or sightseeing, Cape May County is the perfect place for it. Enjoy a romantic dinner, see a show, or relive history. Before you know it, you’ve got sand in your shoes and you’re ready to experience all that Cape May County, New Jersey promises and more! From sun up to long after the sun goes down, resort towns throughout Cape May County cater to visitors who want to be active and on the go, as well as those who prefer to stretch out and relax. Cape May County, a gem of natural, historic and entertainment activity, is situated at the southern most tip of New Jersey and offers year-round vacations and weekend getaways for families, couples and retirees. Conveniently located among the three major metropolitan cities of Philadelphia, New York and Washington D.C., Cape May County is the perfect place for a family vacation. The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice of business in our community and we’ve teamed up with the U.S. Chamber to provide you with a front row seat on what’s going on in the capital. Log on to www.voteforbusiness.com or www.uschamber.com/sb to sign up for up to the minute details on pending legislation and expert analysis

It's hot and exciting…and it's the cool place to be. It's Atlantic City, New Jersey, and it's better than ever. Casino gaming. Spas. World-class entertainment. Nightlife. Fine dining. Ocean. Boardwalk. Golf. Fun attractions. Fishing. Water Sports. Shopping. Any way you look at it, Atlantic City guarantees fast-paced excitement and non-stop activities. Year round, day or night, whatever turns you on about a destination, Atlantic City's got it. Explore your options and start planning your Atlantic City vacation here, where we offer complete Atlantic City tourism and travel information. General Information More & more filmmakers and producers have discovered that Atlantic City is an ideal location for film and television productions. From the world famous beach & Boardwalk, historical architecture and sites, a wide array of rich landscapes and film friendly neighborhoods, Atlantic City is your best "Shot" on the Jersey Shore. Enjoy professional sports in Atlantic City year-round. With boxing and basketball events coming to Boardwalk Hall, minor league baseball with the Atlantic City Surf, and a variety of other events in the region, sports fans have plenty to cheer about. Annual Sporting Events: Atlantic 10 Tournament - 2007 & 2008 Men's Basketball Championships Shoprite LGPA Classic Race Across American (RAAM) Around the Island Marathon Swim World Championship Boxing throughout the year - various locations New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Wrestling Championships Atlantic City Marathon Email for info:ACMarathon@aol.com World Spirit Federation (WSF) East Coast Challenge Cheerleading Competition Skate America 2005 For a list of current Sporting Events visit our Calendar of Events and search for "Sports".

Along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, beaches, nature and history all wait to be explored, and a new definition of vacation escape is yours to discover. From the sands of Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle to the history and quaint accommodations of Beaufort, Morehead City and the Down East area, this unspoiled stretch of the Southern Outer Banks coast is rich with beauty, heritage and activities in, on and around the water. World-class fishing, some of the top scuba diving in the country, and the Cape Lookout National Seashore offer the perfect way to enjoy the ocean, while the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores brings wonders of the sea to shore. With so much to experience and explore, the Crystal Coast is the place to leave life as you know it behind and let your imagination run free. History, nature and North Carolina heritage are the major attractions on the Crystal Coast. Visitors can enjoy the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, home to artifacts recovered from the shipwreck believed to be Blackbeard the Pirate's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge as well hundreds of items relating to the state’s strong link to the sea. The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is also a major attraction showcasing the area’s maritime & marine history, along with historic Fort Macon, a five-sided fort that has seen service in many conflicts, including the Civil War and World War II. Civil War buffs are sure to love the Crystal Coast where history lingers in almost every town. The Beaufort Historic Site takes visitors back in time for a visit to a seaside town that has been home to seafarers, patriots and pirates. Local heritage is also showcased at such attractions as The History Place and The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, where timeless & treasured stories, people, places and skills are featured in interesting exhibits. Our naturally beautiful area is also home to one of North Carolina's seven famous lighthouses, Cape Lookout Lighthouse which keeps a watchful eye over the Cape Lookout National Seashore - a great place for shelling, exploring a local landmark, viewing the Shackleford Banks Horses and terrific spot for camping.

About The Area Historic Wilmington & NC's Cape Fear Coast encompasses the city of Wilmington and the island communities of Carolina Beach , Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach . Its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and nearby estuarine reserves provide a true haven for sunseekers, beachcombers and nature lovers, and a sportsman's paradise for anglers, mariners and watersports enthusiasts. Wilmington’s picturesque riverfront emerges from the Cape Fear River . Gracing its banks is one of the state’s largest historic districts, numbering approximately 230 blocks. See the historic district's mansions and landmark buildings via horse-drawn trolley or carriage tour, riverboat cruise, restored trolley car, or take a walking tour given by some of the port city's most intriguing residents. Across the river on Eagles Island rests the majestic Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, a restored World War II memorial. There are also other museums for children, fine art lovers, railroad and history buffs, including North Carolina 's oldest history museum. Home to Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, Pleasure Island embodies coastal Americana. Its gazebo, Boardwalk, piers, marinas and amusement park add to its nostalgic appeal. When it’s time for revelry, there are party cruises, deep sea fishing excursions, shopping and attractions galore, including a state park where you can wind your way through nature trails in search of the rare indigenous Venus Flytrap. Step back in time at a Civil War battlefield and museum, or while away hours at the Aquarium’s state-of-the-art ocean and Cape Fear River habitats. North of Pleasure Island is Wrightsville Beach, where island life is distinguished by its village charm and cosmopolitan lifestyle. Enjoy a leisurely bike ride or take a harbor cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway. Visit the island's history museum or spend the day shopping or playing tennis at the park or volleyball on the beach. From sea turtle-watches to exciting watersports, there's something for those seeking a quiet respite or a more active pace. Welcome to Carolina Beach Established in 1857, Carolina Beach is a friendly resort community located on Pleasure Island, the larger of two barrier islands on the Cape Fear Coast. Carolina Beach residents and repeat visitors take pride in the island's nostalgic charm and wholesome family atmosphere. It represents a slice of coastal Americana with its marinas, Boardwalk, pier, gazebo, arcade, and shops. It features an active charter boat basin, offering nightly party cruises and offshore fishing excursions. Carolina Beach has a growing central business district with a wide variety of retailers and services to meet visitors’ needs. More Find out more about Carolina Beach: Search for Carolina Beach accommodations Find the best attractions Discover your dining options Explore outdoor recreation in Carolina Beach Planning a meeting or group tour? Welcome To Historic Wilmington The city of Wilmington has long been known as the “Port City of Progress and Pleasure.” Wilmington prospered during its early years as a major port and ship-building center. Today it thrives as a premier tourist and filmmaking destination. Downtown Wilmington has much to offer from eclectic shopping, vibrant nightlife, to theatrical productions, coffeehouses and outstanding restaurants. Inland, you’ll find excellent golf courses, department stores, parks, entertainment complexes, amusements, plantations, a state university and restaurants galore. Visitors can enjoy more than 45 attractions, including day or evening riverboat cruises, museums showcasing North Carolina artists and history, and a variety of tours of the historic district, nature preserves, or movie studios. Find out more about Wilmington: Search for Wilmington accommodations Find the best attractions Discover your dining options Explore outdoor recreation in Wilmington Planning a meeting or group tour? Our State Magazine article Welcome To Kure Beach Situated at the southern tip of Pleasure Island is the small, family-oriented community of Kure Beach. A true “getaway destination,” it offers scenic views of the Cape Fear River, the Atlantic Ocean, and Zeke’s Island estuarine complex. Uncrowded beaches, casual restaurants and comfortable accommodations combine to make Kure Beach a favorite for many vacationers. Kure Beach offers a quiet and relaxed atmosphere with a variety of coastal activities. The 711-foot long Kure Beach Fishing Pier is a great place to cast your line and test your fishing technique. History buffs will enjoy touring the remains of Fort Fisher, the last major stronghold of the Confederacy and the largest earthen fortress of its kind in the South. More Find out more about Kure Beach: Kure Beach accommodations Find the best attractions Discover your dining options Explore outdoor recreation in Kure Beach Planning a meeting or group tour? Welcome To Wrightsville Beach Wrightsville Beach, one of the two barrier islands on the Cape Fear Coast, is a place unlike most other coastal areas. Established in 1899, the island was once accessible only by water. Today Wrightsville Beach is a popular destination for weekend getaways and annual vacations for generations of families who return year after year. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevails in this beach community that radiates a village-style charm. A clean and uncluttered five-mile stretch of white sand and sparkling water invites a day of beachcombing, swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and pier or surf fishing for a truly pleasurable experience. More