As the semester comes to an end, summer break will officially begin. Students at the University of North Dakota may be packing up to head home, preparing for internships or summer jobs, or making post-graduate plans. Those who are staying in Grand Forks over the summer may need to find ways to fill their time. This is true of individuals who decide to stay in town to take summer classes, stay for summer jobs or internships, or for those who just choose to stay here because they want to.
There are plenty of ways to stay active in the community throughout the summer for those who wish to do so. One such thing is to take advantage of the nice weather by doing some outdoor activities. Taking a walk, run, or bike ride along the Greenway that follows the Red River can be a lovely way to stay active. Along with this, there are various parks around town to explore or to find a place to sit and enjoy the outdoor weather, or maybe even do some summer reading. Such parks include Lincoln Drive Park, Sertoma Park, and Riverside Park.
If you want to explore the outdoors a bit further and travel a short way out of town, Turtle River State Park is just a short 25-minute drive from campus. This beautiful state park is filled with short and long hiking trails and plenty of areas to rest and explore. It is a perfect place to go camping with friends or even to just take a quick day trip.
Continuing with the outdoor theme, the Grand Forks community pools will open in June. Along with this, many of the parks around town often have various sports areas as well as frisbee golf courses that are open to the public. These can be great group or solo activities.
Also opening in June is the Grand Forks Farmer’s Market on Jun. 14. The market runs every Saturday until September and is a great reason to look forward to the weekends. There are often countless fresh fruits and vegetables, handmade crafts, baked goods, live music, and so much more available from small or local businesses. This can be a great way to get involved in the community through showing support while also getting some exciting products.
The Grand Forks Annual Art Fest will occur the weekend before the Farmers Market begins on Jun. 7 to 8. Much like the farmers market, this event allows local artists, vendors, and businesses to sell and showcase their products to the community. There is always something new, great music, and delicious food at this event and if you are in town, you will not want to miss it.
It’s no secret that Grand Forks weather is often unpredictable. Because of this, it makes sense that outdoor activities may not always be the best option. Luckily, Grand Forks still has plenty of indoor activities year-round that will continue to thrive during the summer months. For example, if it is a rainy day, but you still want to go swimming, places like the YMCA, Splashers of the South Seas, and Choice Health & Fitness often allow times for open swimming. These places also often allow for other indoor activities.
Exploring various local businesses such as Ojata Records, Plain & Fancy Antique Mall, Widman’s, and many more can be an exciting way to fill time and discover something new. Along with this, thrifting or going to garage sales to see what treasures can be found can also be exciting.
Another way to fill time in the summer in Grand Forks is to go out and get a fun sweet treat or drink. There are plenty of coffee shops and various drink spots, such as Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Urban Stampede to try out. Along with this, consider getting a refreshing Acai bowl from Nautical Bowls or an overfilled ice cream from Grand Forks’ favorite, Northside Dairy Queen.
Whether you are staying in Grand Forks for school, work, or fun, it is important to make time to do something enjoyable. Summertime allows for countless opportunities to do this so make sure that you take the time to appreciate the opportunities surrounding the place you are spending your summer in.
Nora Lee is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].
