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Major city · United States

Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo

Skip as a base: Buffalo is a 2-hour stop off I-94 exit 314. Sleep in Fargo or Valley City and drive in for the Old Stone Church.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Buffalo is a farm town of about 190 people on the North Dakota prairie, 2 miles north of I-94 exit 314. There is no hotel strip, no main-street row of shops and no reason to plan a night here. What it has is one National Register building, the Old Stone Church Heritage Center, open a few hours a week, and a marker for an 1863 military crossing at Buffalo Creek. Treat it as a 1.5–2 hour leg-breaker on the Fargo–Valley City drive, or skip it and keep moving.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Nov–Mar (snow, ice, closed sites)
Airports
FAR · BIS
Nights
0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Buffalo, North Dakota911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • North Dakota road conditions (NDDOT)511

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Buffalo, North Dakota, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee to go$2–4
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–16
  • BeerDraught beer in a small-town bar$4–7
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Budget bedValley City hotel double, a night, per roomUS$65
  • Mid-range bedFargo motel double (base 45 min east), a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedFargo motel double (base 45 min east), a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Old Stone Church Heritage Center (1885)Buffalo Creek State Historic SitePrairie farm country off I-94One of the smallest incorporated towns on the route
Airports
FAR Hector International Airport, Fargo (About 45 min east by car on I-94; the nearest airport with scheduled service.) · BIS Bismarck Municipal Airport (About 2 h 45 min west; use only if your route runs west.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    −8°C (18°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    −5°C (23°F)

  3. Mar

    Avoid

    3°C (37°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    20°C (68°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    3°C (37°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    −5°C (23°F)

Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (28°C (82°F)), coolest Jan (−18°C (0°F) low), wettest Jun (11 rain days), driest Feb (6). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Buffalo, North Dakota: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−8°C (18°F)

−18°C (0°F)

7 rd

Feb

−5°C (23°F)

−15°C (5°F)

6 rd

Mar

3°C (37°F)

−8°C (18°F)

7 rd

Apr

13°C (55°F)

0°C (32°F)

8 rd

May

20°C (68°F)

7°C (45°F)

10 rd

Jun

25°C (77°F)

12°C (54°F)

11 rd

Jul

28°C (82°F)

15°C (59°F)

9 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

14°C (57°F)

8 rd

Sep

22°C (72°F)

9°C (48°F)

8 rd

Oct

14°C (57°F)

2°C (36°F)

7 rd

Nov

3°C (37°F)

−7°C (19°F)

7 rd

Dec

−5°C (23°F)

−15°C (5°F)

7 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. Buffalo sits 2 miles north of I-94 exit 314 on ND Highway 38; there is no bus, no train and no taxi stand. Distances inside town are walkable in 10 minutes, but the historic site is 2.5 miles northwest on gravel or county road.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Fargogo

Door to door: About 45–55 min

I-94 east, about 45 min

The real base for this stretch: food, hotels, airport.

Valley City

go

Door to door: About 35–45 min

I-94 west, about 35 min

Sheyenne River valley, small-city services, easy parking.

Hillsboro

caution

Door to door: About 30–40 min

I-94 east to exit 314 area then ND-200, about 30 min

Small town with a couple of stops; combine with Fargo.

Grand Forks

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

I-94 east to Fargo then I-29 north, about 2 h

Too far for a return leg from Buffalo; sleep there.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Fargo (base)

Full range of hotels, 45 min east on I-94. The practical base for this stretch.

Valley City (base)

Small-city hotels and the Sheyenne River valley, about 35 min west on I-94.

Buffalo House Bed & Breakfast

Historic house at 305 N 3rd St in town; a handful of rooms, so book ahead and confirm it is open.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–90 excl. bed
Mid
$100–150 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Fargo motel double (base 45 min east)1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110US$220
Fuel, 100 km of prairie driving1 × US$12 · checkUS$12
Coffee and a diner meal in Fargo or Valley City2 × US$20US$40
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$42
Trip total≈ US$232 per person per day, bed includedUS$464

2026 estimate in US dollars; most travellers sleep in Fargo or Valley City and spend only a few hours here. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee to go$2–4
Diner breakfast$10–16
Burger and fries$12–18
Draught beer in a small-town bar$4–7
Fuel, per US galloncheck$3.00–3.60
Motel double, Fargo or Valley City$70–220
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime; the real risks are weather and distance. Winter storms close I-94, summer brings hail and tornado watches, and help is 30–45 min away on the county roads.
  • No fuel, no grocery and no open kitchen after early evening in town: fill up and eat in Fargo or Valley City.
  • Cell coverage is thin on the county roads north and west of town.
  • Winter storms close I-94 and strand drivers; check the state road report before any Nov–Mar drive.
  • The Old Stone Church keeps short, volunteer-run hours: Tuesday 18:00–20:00, Friday 13:00–16:00, Saturday 13:00–15:00, and confirm before you drive out.
  • Buffalo Creek State Historic Site is a roadside marker, not a visitor centre: no staff, no toilets, no fee.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
North Dakota road conditions (NDDOT)
511

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Road conditions (NDDOT)511

Embassy

No consulates in North Dakota; national embassies are in Washington, DC. For a lost passport, contact your embassy there.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Fargo (FAR airport) → Buffalo by car: about 45 min, 60 km (37 mi) on I-94 and ND-38
  • Buffalo → Valley City by car: about 35 min, 45 km (28 mi) west on I-94
  • Fuel, small car, 100 km: about $10–14

Say or show

  • Where is the I-94 exit? — Where is the highway exit?
  • Is this the road to Buffalo Creek? — Is this the road to the historic site?
  • How far to Valley City? — How far to the next town?
  • Do you take card? — Do you take card?
  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest fuel?
  • Thank you — Thank you

Print this card before you drive: there is little signal on the county roads.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Buffalo, North Dakota. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Mar (snow, ice, closed sites) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Field-check the Old Stone Church hours and the Buffalo House B&B status before publishing a stop plan.
  2. Add a photo and parking note for the Buffalo Creek marker on the county road.
  3. Add winter road-closure fixtures for I-94 between Fargo and Valley City.
  4. Add a fuel-and-food gap note for the 45 min stretch either side of exit 314.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources