Once upon a time, last fall to be exact, my sisters and I got in a cute little 2012 Mazda 6 and drove from Wisconsin to California. My youngest sister Megan was moving to L.A. She and I had always day-dreamed about taking a big road trip and with her decision to move half-way across the country, we found our moment.

Not wanting to be left out, our sister Sara joined us as well. And truth be told, the trip would not have been complete without her. It’s not often you get to take an epic adventure with two of the most important people in your life.

 

This is the first in a series of posts about our week-long western road trip. Each post will break down what we did, where we went and what we saw each day. Most excitingly (that’s totally a word, guys) I’m posting my favorite pictures from the trip. 

 

First, some background

• The total trip lasted 9 days, including the final day when Sara and I flew home
• We travelled through 9 states
• We visited 5 National Parks
• We consumed exactly one gallon-size ziplock bag of trail mix

For more info on how I planned my cross-country road trip, click here!

 

DAY ONE – Wisconsin to Fargo, ND

HIGHLIGHTS: Cafe Latte in St. Paul, MN and Wurst Bier Hall in Fargo, ND

DRIVE TIME: 8 hours driving – YAY!

 

We began super early on a Sunday morning. We all spent the night at my place, woke around 5am, loaded the car in the dark morning hours, and headed out before the sun was up.

We were nervous and excited at the same time. The trip we had planned for weeks and weeks, was finally happening!

Day one took us from our hometown in Wisconsin to Fargo, ND, with a quick stop in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Both of my sisters attended college in the Fargo/Moorhead area and so we were super familiar with this drive. This was the perfect first leg for our road trip because we were comfortable with the cities and highways we travelling.

We made it to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota) by early afternoon and had a quick lunch with Megan’s friend from college. Then, it was over to Cafe Latte in St. Paul for some provisions. And by provisions, I mean CAKE.

Do you like chocolate?

Do you like caramel?

If you ever find yourself in St. Paul, Minnesota, do yourself a favor and stop at Cafe Latte for a slice of their Turtle Chocolate Cake. No, I’m not getting paid to promote them, I just really love this cake and feel you need it in your life too.

Unfortunately, the cake was savagely devoured before any photos could be taken, however you can visit their website HERE and view more beautiful pictures of their baked goods than I could ever take. Also, in your not in Minnesota, they have a recipe for the Turtle Cake online 😉

Then it was onward down the lonely stretch of Highway 94 west of Minneapolis. If you’ve visited the area, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve never been, just watch the movie Fargo which pretty much sums up northwestern Minnesota. And I say that with love, and the thickest Minnesotan accent imaginable.

We arrived in Fargo, ND around dinner time

 

My sisters wanted to make our first stop in Fargo so they could run around town and re-live some college memories. I agreed because I wanted to visit the BEST RESTAURANT ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET: Wurst Bier Hall. While my sisters were in school here, I visited Fargo several times. Each visit always included a meal or at least a beer at Wurst Bier.

Wurst Bier is a a German-style restaurant featuring delicious German sausages and a multitude of beer. My personal favorite is the the Blue Cheese sausage with peppers and sauerkraut. YUMM..

Wurst Bier is also famous for Das Boot. A 72oz glass boot filled with beer. A true challenge for any beer drinker and the house rules make it extra fun:

The Official Würst Bier Hall Das Boot Rules

There are a few rules that are widely accepted by beer boot drinkers:

1. The boot can never touch the table until empty.
2. Before you drink, you must flick the glass with your finger. You must flick the glass again after you drink before passing the boot to the next person.
3. You must always drink from the boot with the toe facing up.
4. If you get splashed in the face with beer you must drink again.
5. The person that drank from the boot immediately preceding the person that empties the boot must buy the next boot.
6. If you break rules 2-4 you must drink again.

Never clink Das Boot with other glassware or slam it on the table – it will break!

 

Fargo really is a cute city and I’d recommend a visit if you’re ever in the area. The old downtown is thriving with businesses, restaurants, and of course The Fargo Theater. They are the home of North Dakota State University Bison football which has won all but one championship in the last 100 years (slight exaggeration, but they’re really good). And, Josh Duhamel is from North Dakota and can apparently can often be found at NDSU foot ball games. #funfact

We ended Day One by crashing in the living room of my sisters’ friend. Then it was an early morning to head into the unknown of Day Two: The Dakotas and The Badlands…

P.S. I guess this post turned into a love note to my favorite restaurants in Minneapolis and Fargo. Yes, I love food, so what?! You’re welcome for the recommendations if you’re ever in the area. 😉

I promise the rest of the road trip was not as food-focused (unfortunately).