Just A Few Minutes From Downtown Minot, The Scandinavian Heritage Park Is The Perfect North Dakota Day Trip Destination
By Tori Jane|Updated on April 22, 2024(Originally published April 20, 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.
Nestled in the lovely Upper Brooklyn neighborhood of Minot, North Dakota, is a park well worth a day trip, be it alone or with friends and family. Established in 1988, the Scandinavian Heritage Park is a beautiful and carefully-kept homage to not one, not two, but all five Scandinavian countries. It’s believed to be the only park in the world that celebrates all of them, and it’s right here in our backyards! Just minutes from beautiful downtown Minot, this is one of the best small towns in North Dakota, and we think visiting the Scandinavian Heritage Park makes for one of the best day trips in North Dakota! Come see what makes the park – and Scandinavian culture – so beautiful and interesting:
Standing tall and proud at the park are seven flags; one for each Scandinavian country represented at the park, and one for both the U.S. and Canada as well.
The five countries represented at the park include Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. It's a wonderful representation of each nation, and you're sure to learn something new at every turn.
Wander across the emerald green grounds and admire all sorts of intriguing replica buildings.
Explore a perfect copy of the famed Gol Stave Church, which was originally built in Gol, Hallingdal, Norway as far back as the 1100s. Marvel at its stunning, intricate details and learn about the fascinating story of the church.
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There is homage paid to numerous historic and cultural figures from the five represented countries, including famed fairy-tale founding father Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish writer famous for tales like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.
Or, attend one of many festivals held by the park each year, like the Midsummer Night celebration and plenty more.
We have a sneaking suspicion that once you've visited once, you'll want to return time and time again for the delightful events that always seem to be going on around here.
As if the long list of interesting attractions and histories contained within the Scandinavian Heritage Museum wasn't enough, the festivals only add to the overall experience, and it's a unique one - especially for somewhere like North Dakota, which doesn't exactly have an enormous population.
Come honor the five Scandinavian countries in style at the Scandinavian Heritage Museum in North Dakota.
Whenever you set out for one of the many awesome day trips in North Dakota, make sure you pack all the essentials you’ll need along the way. What are your favorite day trip destinations in ND? Tell us about them in the comments!
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