Being able to say you’ve visited all 50 states is quite an accomplishment. Some states, like the one you live in, any states near you, and the ones where you’ve gone on vacations, are kind of easy. You can also rack up a bunch of states if you do a road trip (I remember when we drove to/from New Orleans in 2021, and I was able to knock Alabama AND Mississippi off my list). But then you get to the harder ones.
Hawaii is difficult for people not on the West Coast because it’s so far. The same goes for Maine for people who live far out west. You can do Alaska (or any state that has a cruise port) via a cruise but again, it can be a challenge because of distance. And then there are the states that just don’t have a whole lot that you’re hankering to see.
That’s the boat I’m in now; I only have about 9 states to go and about half of them don’t have anything that I can use as a strong excuse to go there. But I’ll tell you one thing; if I’m down towards the end of my list, I’m definitely going to save North Dakota – the 19th largest state but the 4th smallest in population, for last.
Why North Dakota for last?
Some folks in Fargo, North Dakota has developed an official club for people who are visiting all 50 states and, as they say, “…managed to save the best state (North Dakota) for last.”
PC: fargomoorhead.org
What’s the club all about?
Travel Ambassadors at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center noticed a trend in travelers looking to travel to all 50 states. North Dakota was often the last to be checked off their list! So, from what one might say is an embarrassing fact, the Best for Last Club was born.
Since 2013, the Best for Last Club has become a hit with travelers looking for the best way to visit all 50 states. Shoot, people have started to purposely “save” their visit to North Dakota for last or changed their travel plans to visit the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center and be welcomed into the Best for Last Club.
Free Club Merch
If you join the club, you even get some free swag:
- * Commemorative Best for Last t-shirt
- * An official certificate
- * Occasional round of applause from staffers.
All you have to do is stop by the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center (here’s their website) and talk to one of the Travel Ambassadors.
They also have a Facebook group that has about 1,300 members. Here’s a recent entry:
Some of the club’s FAQs
Can I join the club if this is my last state in the lower 48 (or my second-to-last state)?
Unfortunately, you can only become an official club member if North Dakota is your 50th and final state. That being said, we’d love to welcome you to Fargo and give you tips on what to see while you’re here!
Can I buy the t-shirt if I’m not a club member?
Sorry, t-shirts are only for club members.
What if North Dakota was my 50th State, but I didn’t make it to Fargo or the Visitors Center on my trip? Can I still join the club?
Fill out this form, and we’ll add you to the list, plus send you the official Best for Last Club t-shirt.
I don’t know how they can tell if North Dakota is actually your 50th state or not – I guess they go by the honor system. But still, it’s a cute way to commemorate some peoples’ 50th state visit.
What else to do in North Dakota
I doubt someone will go to ND just to get a T-shirt (or maybe they would, what do I know?). But NDtourism.com has a list of what they call 30 must-see places in the state. They include museums, nature trails, Fargo Air Museum, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and a bunch more other things, so you can conceivably spend a few days.
How many states have you been to? Have you been to North Dakota?
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2 comments
Been to all 50 states and my last one was Idaho (I live in NC). I was down to around 6 states left and did a roadtrip through South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Had planned to also go into Idaho but a snow storm blocked my Yellowstone plans on that trip. A year later I flew to Jackson Hole (Jackson WY is an amazing town BTW), spent 3 days in Yellowstone, stayed in West Yellowstone Montana and finally went over to visit Idaho. Glad to say I’ve been able to visit all our amazing states and enjoyed every one of them (even the boring drive through most of Kansas between Kansas City and Denver)
I was about 10 when I scratched North Dakota off my list. We were on the Empire Builder (before Amtrak) and a couple of other little boys and I played poker from Noplace, Montana to Somewhere, Minnesota. I’ve been through a couple of other times on trains, never found a reason to stop off.