Stay North Dakota Rentals, Vacation Rentals in North Dakota

North Dakota is a West North Central state bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west. The state's landscape includes the Red River Valley in the eastern part of the state and Badlands in the state's western region. Badlands are areas of small, steep hills and deep gullies formed primarily by water erosion. The state also has level prairies and rolling plains. Farms and ranches cover almost all of North Dakota's land. North Dakota and South Dakota are known as "twin states" because they were admitted to the Union on the same day, November 2, 1889. No one knows which state was admitted first because President Benjamin Harrison purposely shuffled and then blindly signed the papers. Alphabetically, North Dakota is recognized as the 39th state and South Dakota the 40th. However, the states aren't identical twins. They have similar shapes, sizes, and climates, but differ in many other ways.

Aho Mitakuye Oyasin. The Lakota Sioux words, "We are all related," ring true in North Dakota. You'll often see us celebrating all the things from our heritage that make us different, as well as all the things that make us alike. At our American Indian powwows, we dance in a circle that honors this interweaving of cultures and the beautiful land connecting us. At Scandinavian festivals we say, "Ja, sure," to that and start dancing in circles too. Whatever your heritage, come join in our circle and celebrate with us.

North Dakota lies in the northwestern continental interior of the US. Characteristically, summers are hot, winters very cold, and rainfall sparse to moderate, with periods of drought. The average annual temperature is 4°C, ranging from -14°C in January to 21°C in July. The record low temperature, -51°C, was set at Parshall on 15 February 1936; the record high, 49°C, at Steele on 6 July 1936. The average yearly precipitation (1971–2000) was about 16.8 inches at Bismarck. The total annual snowfall averages 44 inches at Bismarck.

Fargo: Fargo, ND was founded in 1871 and was originally named "Centralia' until the citizens renamed it Fargo after William Fargo, director of the Northern Pacific Railway. Medora: Medora is a city in Billings County, North Dakota. The population was 100 at the 2000 census.

There are many reasons to visit North Dakota. See the annual United Tribes Powwow in Bismarck, the state's capital, in September. Visit the geographic center of North America. It's located just southwest of Rugby and is marked by a stone pile. Go to the International Peace Garden, a symbol of friendship between the United States and Canada. North Dakota is known as the "Peace Garden State."

Transportation in North Dakota is overseen by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The major Interstate highways are Interstate 29 and Interstate 94, with I-29 and I-94 meeting at Fargo, with I-29 oriented north to south along the eastern edge of the state, and I-94 bisecting the state from east to west between Minnesota and Montana. A unique feature of the North Dakota Interstate Highway system is that virtually all of it is paved in concrete, rather than blacktop, because of the extreme weather conditions it must endure. The largest rail systems in the state are operated by BNSF and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Many branch lines formerly used by BNSF and Canadian Pacific Railway are now operated by the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad and the Red River Valley and Western Railroad.

North Dakota's principal airports are the Hector International Airport in Fargo, Grand Forks International Airport, Bismarck Municipal Airport, and the Minot International Airport.

Amtrak's Empire Builder runs through North Dakota, making stops at Fargo (2:13 am westbound, 3:35 am eastbound), Grand Forks (4:52 am westbound, 12:57 am eastbound), Minot (around 9 am westbound and around 9:30 pm eastbound), and four other stations. It is the descendant of the famous line of the same name run by the Great Northern Railway, which was built by the tycoon James J. Hill and ran from St. Paul to Seattle. Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound and Jefferson Lines. Public transit in North Dakota is currently limited to bus systems in the larger cities.