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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Thief River Falls
Skip unless you have family in the area or need a quiet overnight on US-59 between Winnipeg and Fergus Falls: half a day is enough.
Thief River Falls is a small agricultural and casino town in northwestern Minnesota, best known as a pit stop on US-59. The main draw is the Seven Clans Casino with its water park; otherwise the town offers a quiet, no-frills stay for travellers crossing the Red River Valley.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (extreme cold), Mar–Apr (mud season)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–120 excl. bed · Mid $120–180 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–3 |
| Burger and fries | $10–15 |
| Beer (domestic, bar) | $4–6 |
| Gas (per US gallon) | $3.50–4.50 |
| Casino buffet dinner | $15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TVF · Thief River Falls Regional Airport
- Denver Air Connection from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP); check schedule
Typical fares
- TVF airport to downtown
- taxi about $20–30 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The town is small enough to walk downtown, but hotels and the casino are spread along US-59.
See and do
Known for
- Seven Clans Casino and water park
- Thief River Falls Regional Airport (TVF)
- Gateway to the Red River Valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fergus Falls | US-59 south, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Grand Forks, ND | US-2 west, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
| Itasca State Park | US-2 east then MN-200, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- US-59 corridor (south of town)
- Most hotels and the casino are along this strip; car needed.
- Downtown
- Limited options; closer to a few diners and bars.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the casino? | Where is the casino? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Casino allows smoking; the smell carries into non-gaming areas.
- Winter storms can close US-59 and TVF airport: check road conditions.
- No Uber or Lyft; taxis are limited.
Very safe. The main risks are winter driving and the casino's smoking section.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Thief River Falls yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Seven Clans Casino and water park
- Thief River Falls Regional Airport (TVF)
- Gateway to the Red River Valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Thief River Falls: www.visittrf.com/
- Wikivoyage: Thief River Falls, revision 5243996 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243996
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Thief River Falls
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/thief-river-falls). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.