Top North Dakota Holiday Party Outdoor Spaces

• Spaces for 16-80 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Historic Space
• 3 Total Spaces

Fort Ransom State Park occupies the Sheyenne River Valley in southeastern North Dakota, a landscape of wooded hills, river bottomland, and open prairie. The park encompasses a historic farmstead that serves as the setting for Sodbuster Days, an annual living-history celebration honoring the settlement era of the northern Great Plains, and includes a segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail. The park offers three rentable event spaces. The Sodbuster Building accommodates up to 64 guests with indoor seating, tables, and a kitchen, and is available from mid-May through October 1st — suited for receptions, dinners, and larger gatherings. The Visitor Center Meeting Room seats up to 16 guests year-round and includes a 65-inch monitor, audiovisual setup, and WiFi. A large picnic shelter accommodates up to 48 guests for outdoor events. All spaces are reservable through the North Dakota Parks and Recreation reservation system.

• Spaces for 96-400 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 2 Barns
• 3 Total Spaces

Lake Elsie Wedding Barn sits on five private acres between Grass Lake and Lake Elsie near Hankinson, North Dakota, about 60 minutes from Fargo. The centerpiece of the property is one of only four surviving Gothic Arch barns in North Dakota — a structure built in the 1950s that operated as a dairy barn until 1989. Owners Sandy and Marshall Meyer purchased the property in 2010 and completed a full restoration by 2015, when the barn hosted its first wedding. A 60×60 outdoor pavilion with a fireplace and waterfall was added in 2021. The barn spans 5,000 square feet across two climate-controlled levels. The ground floor accommodates up to 96 guests for cocktail hours or intimate dinners, while the upper hayloft — framed by a soaring 30-foot arch with café lighting and chandeliers — seats up to 240 for receptions and dancing. The outdoor pavilion hosts 300 or more guests with lakefront views. Lakeside settings are available for outdoor ceremonies as well. Lake Elsie Wedding Barn hosts one wedding per weekend, giving couples and their guests exclusive access to the full grounds for three days. A Safe Ride Bus service is included in the wedding package, and the Lady on the Lake B&B — a historic 1884 property on the shores of Lake Elsie accommodating up to eight adults — provides on-site lodging for the wedding party.

• Spaces for 50-250 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 2 Event Spaces
• 3 Meeting Spaces

The Gorecki Alumni Center serves as the front door to the University of North Dakota, welcoming visitors, alumni, and guests to a modern facility built for both community and celebration. Opened in 2012 and named for longtime supporters Ben and Dorothy Gorecki, the building was funded entirely through private philanthropy and earned LEED Platinum certification — making it the first alumni center in the United States to reach that standard. Six distinct event spaces accommodate gatherings of all kinds, from intimate 50-person boardroom meetings to 220-guest receptions in the Gransberg Community Room. The Hopper-Danley Memorial Chapel seats 150 for ceremonies, recitals, and memorial services, while the Great River Energy Terrace provides an outdoor option for up to 60 guests. Throughout the building, works by world-renowned artists and historic Native American art give each space a character well beyond the typical conference venue.

• Spaces for 64-105 Guests
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Boat
• 1 Waterfront

The Lewis & Clark Riverboat is a classic paddleboat offering scenic cruises on the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota. Operating seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the vessel serves as a distinctive setting for private charters, weddings, reunions, proms, and corporate events. The boat accommodates up to 105 guests across both decks, with the lower deck configured for seated dining at up to 64 passengers. A cash bar is available for both private charters and public cruises. The main deck is handicap accessible, and the vessel is smoke-free throughout. Every cruise is overseen by a U.S. Coast Guard-trained master of vessel.

• Spaces for 40-300 Guests
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 3 Parks

Lake Sakakawea State Park sits on the south shore of the third-largest man-made reservoir in the nation, within 368,000 acres of North Dakota lakeshore in Pick City. The park also marks the western terminus of the North Country National Scenic Trail, giving it a distinctive place in the regional landscape. Three reservable shelters are available for group gatherings and private events. The Special Events Shelter accommodates up to 300 guests with electricity and lighting — the park's primary venue for large celebrations, reunions, and group functions. Two smaller picnic shelters, the North and South Shelter, each hold up to 40 guests for more intimate outdoor gatherings. Beyond the shelters, the park's full-service marina — with 74 slips, two boat ramps, and seasonal rentals including pontoon boats and kayaks — along with a swim beach, sand volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits give groups a range of recreational backdrops. Shelter reservations can be made online or by phone through the North Dakota Parks reservation system.

• Spaces for 96-128 Guests
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 3 Event Spaces
• 3 Parks

Lewis and Clark State Park sits on an upper bay of Lake Sakakawea in Epping, North Dakota, offering miles of shoreline framed by towering buttes and rolling hills. The park takes its name from Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, whose Corps of Discovery camped nearby on April 17, 1805. Today, the grounds encompass a large native mixed-grass prairie with unique geological formations and a network of trails — including a self-guided nature trail through prairie and wooded ravines — that give the setting a character well beyond a typical park. For private gatherings, the park offers three reservable picnic shelters: the Madison Shelter and Elk Point Shelter, each accommodating up to 96 guests, and the Friends Shelter, which holds up to 128. A marina, swim beach, and equipment rentals for kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, and bikes provide a natural backdrop that extends well past the shelter walls.

• Spaces for 48-200 Guests
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 1 Event Space
• 4 Parks

Lake Metigoshe State Park occupies the Turtle Mountains along the U.S.-Canadian border near Bottineau, North Dakota. Constructed by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, the park spans forests, wetlands, and lakes and is recognized as one of North Dakota's most popular year-round destinations. For groups and private events, the park offers a kitchen and dining hall that seats up to 140 guests, supported by a fully equipped kitchen. Three reservable outdoor picnic shelters accommodate gatherings from 48 to 100 guests, set among the park's wooded grounds. More than 13 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, a swim beach, boat ramps, and equipment rentals for canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and pontoon boats extend the experience well beyond the event itself.