Fargo Summer Bucket List | 50+ Things to Do

It’s back for 2024 – our Ultimate Fargo Summer Bucket List! We’ve got over 50 of our favorite ideas of things to do in Fargo for every budget, interest, and age. (Please note to check each event/business website for the most up to date information.)

Join us as we explore all the fun in and around Fargo this summer, and enjoy the customizable FREE printable below to hang on the fridge!

Click HERE for Free Printable

50+ Fargo Summer Bucket List Activities

1. Check out a local zoo. The Red River Zoo is right here in Fargo, or you can take a day trip to the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton (45 minutes south) or the Trowbridge Creek Zoo in Vergas, MN (1 hour east).
2. Check out a local outdoor movie event! Fargo Parks offers movie nights, Broadway Square shows movies on Thursdays throughout the summer, and The Lights & POW/MIA Plaza in West Fargo have movie nights as well!
3. Schedule a tour with the MSUM Oceanarium! Find details here to see some aquatic life. 
4. Visit a local brewery and enjoy the sunshine! Most are kid-friendly – find out more in our Guide to Breweries in Fargo-Moorhead!
5. Get some walk-up ice cream from the iconic Moorhead Dairy Queen! If you are looking for more frozen treat options, check out our Guide to Ice Cream & Frozen Treats.
6. Go on a family hike. There are plenty of nearby hiking spots within 1-2 hours of Fargo, so you’ll be sure to find your favorite!
7. Visit the Northern Plains Botanical Society and Butterly Gardens in North Fargo. The kiddos will love exploring!
8. Go on a fishing adventure. There are plenty of fishing spots in the Fargo for the whole family to enjoy!
9. See the Taylor Swift Laser show at the MSUM Planetarium (June 13 and July 13, 2024). Find tickets here. 
10. Walk along the river on the Discovery Walk in Moorhead. Find details here. 
11. Make popsicles. There are plenty of recipes online if you do a quick search, and you can find multiple options for the molds on Amazon.
12. Head to Island Park for Midwest Kids Fest on June 14th.
13. Host a movie night at home and watch your favorite childhood movie with your kids.
14. Visit the Alpacas at Ten Seven Acres (June 9 and 29). More details here. 
15. Make homemade slime. 
16. Visit the new Rotary Natural Play Hill in Moorhead (Riverfront Park). 
17. Take a day trip to the Otter Cove Children’s Museum in Fergus Falls. 
18. Check out the races at Red River Valley Speedway.
19. Host a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a local non-profit.
20. Go on a mural scavenger hunt using this map. Don’t forget to snap some photos!
21. Paint rocks with uplifting messages and leave them at the park. 
22. Attend the Arthur Market and visit their petting zoo! (June 15th and August 10th in Arthur, ND).
23. Go on a scavenger hunt for all the painted Bison around town –  there are nearly 20 to find!
24. Find a local swimming beach within a few hours of Fargo. We’ve got a list in our Guide to Swimming Beaches!
25. Make a kid-friendly cheese board for dinner and enjoy it outside as a family picnic.
26. Get some take-out and head to the park.
27. Swim in one of the many outdoor pools or splash pads around the area. 
28. Visit Shady Hallow Flea Market in Detroit Lakes and find your next treasure!
29. Pick up a free lunch for the kiddos. There are many organizations around Fargo offering free lunches to kids this summer.
30. Go on a thrift store shopping trip together. Make it fun by looking for unique items, books, or other treasures!
31. Try a new coffee shop and a new summer drink. We’ve got a Guide to Local Coffee Shops to get you started.
32. Find a Little Free Library to donate some books to, and find some new ones!
33. Draw a chalk mural on your driveway using painters tape and chalk.
34. Visit the Red River Market in downtown Fargo. Or find another Farmer’s Market near you with our Guide here!
35. Pick a random act of kindness to do for a neighbor or friend.
36. Have a family dinner from of the fabulous outdoor patios around Fargo-Moorhead. 
37. Go berry picking! Berry season is end of June-July, and our Guide to Berry-Picking will help you find the right spot to visit (but call head, the season is short).
38. Visit the Little Red Reading Bus or participate in another summer reading program from our local libraries!
39. Attend an outdoor concert – you can find a list of venues and concerts here!
40. Visit the Red River Valley Fair in July.
41. Plan a camping trip using this helpful post.
42. Visit a local museum – we’ve got a great list to find one that peaks your interest!
43. Find a new local indoor play space on a rainy day. We love KidCo, We Rock the Spectrum, and Fargo Kids Play Museum!
44. Grab ice cream at Silver Linings Creamery and play in the splash pad at Broadway Square.
45. Attend a Redhawks Baseball Game.
46. Visit an art museum – the Plains Art Museum and Rourke Art Museum both have free admission!
47. Go hiking or biking at MB Johnson Park, or another fun local spot. 
48. Stay at a fun local hotel for the weekend and have a staycation!
49. Beat the heat or the rain with an indoor open swim in the area.
    
50. Grab a weekend brunch at a new spot.
51. Get your sweet tooth fix at Sweet Dreams Confections – your kids will be amazed!
52. Find a day trip to take – find a fun list of options here!
53. Attend the Folkways Night Bazaar on June 20th at Broadway Square. 
54. Try roller skating at Skate City.
55. Go on a treasure hunt by Geocaching (find out out here!). 
56. Take the whole family bowling (kids bowl free at these 2 spots in Fargo-Moorhead!).
57. Plan a park hop throughout the summer to our favorite local parks.
58. Attend a small-town county fair nearby.
59. Visit the annual Downtown Fargo Street Fair in July.

Make sure you never miss out on things to do in Fargo this summer and helpful local resources: subscribe to our weekly Fargo Mom newsletter! Be the first to know about local resources and things to do in town with kids.

Still need more summer ideas?

Click on the image below to see out Ultimate Guide to Summer, or visit any of the articles below!