Grand Forks, North Dakota

Downtown Grand Forks is the center of the business district of the city as well as its cultural and entertainment hub. If you want to live and possibly work within a short walk of much of what happens here then Downtown should be #1 on your list of neighborhoods to check out.

Some of what has driven this concentration is the presence of the University of North Dakota's main campus in the neighborhood. That means the Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is home to the UND Fighting Hawks hockey team and hosts concerts and other events is right here. The downtown is also home to the Grand Forks Public Library and the Empire Arts Center, which presents live performances like theater and music, movies, and other important cultural events.

Downtown is the heart of the restaurant, cafe, and bar/pub scene in North Forks so whatever your social preference you'll find it here. Finally, the city's largest farmer's market is open year from June through September near the City Hall and it acts as a real glue for those who live downtown and those who live in the suburbs and those who come from the rural areas surrounding North Forks.

The housing includes cool converted lofts in the historic buildings and newer apartment developments. Condo purchases and rentals are aplenty for students and young professionals. Costs are low relative to other college downtown neighborhoods.

The Near Southside Historic District is one of the premier neighborhoods in North Folks with Mid 19th Century Revival and Late Victorian architecture dominating the homes and commercial buildings. Families love the spacious homes, tree-lined streets but perhaps even more so they appreciate that the neighborhood has several parks, including Lincoln Drive Park and Rotary Park where kiddos have tons of room to run around, ride on bike trails, play disc-golf and fish to their heart's desire. It's also home to the Grand Forks Public Library and the Grand Forks Herald newspaper so education and local knowledge is never far away.

Not surprisingly, the historic Riverside Neighborhood has many of streets tucked into the Red River that flows through the city of Grand Forks. Just as important to the character of the neighborhood is Riverside Park, an historic centerpiece of the city with every kind of recreational opportunity you can think of available. Bike/walk trails, hoop courts, fishing, frisbee golf, hockey rinks, tennis, swimming pool and tons and tons of open space for the kids to run and enjoy all seasons in the great outdoors.

Combine that outdoor culture with homes from the 1880s to the 1940s, and styles including Queen Anne, Tudor, Classical and Dutch and you can understand why families LOVE this neighborhood.