North Dakota

Wide-open roads, small towns, and skies that stretch farther than you expect. North Dakota is a place best experienced slowly—through backroads and quiet moments, dramatic weather and endless horizons. These guides explore the landscapes, towns, and stories that make the state what it is, proving that you don’t have to go far to find something that stays with you long after you’ve left.

Itineraries

Map

Best Places

Best time to visit

Visa

Cost

I moved to North Dakota in 2007, just as I was starting eighth grade, and I’ll be honest—I hated it for years.

It felt too quiet, too flat, and too far from everywhere else I thought mattered. For a long time, North Dakota was simply where I lived, not somewhere I felt connected to.

That changed slowly. Somewhere around 2020, I began to see this place differently. I noticed the skies, the way the land opens up, the stillness you don’t find everywhere. I stopped rushing through it and started paying attention. What I once wanted to leave became the place that grounded me, inspired me, and taught me how to travel with intention. Falling in love with North Dakota didn’t happen all at once—but when it did, it stayed.

Once that shift happened, I made it my mission to truly see this state. I started taking the backroads instead of the highways, stopping in small towns I used to pass without a second thought, and planning trips with no agenda beyond paying attention. I chased sunsets, storms, and quiet moments, learning that North Dakota reveals itself slowly—if you let it.

What began as curiosity turned into intention. Exploring this state taught me that meaningful travel doesn’t always require going far, only choosing to look closer. Sharing North Dakota through Chasing Departures is my way of honoring the place that surprised me the most, and inviting others to experience it with the same openness that changed everything for me.