8 Best Places To Call Home In The Prairies

There are certain experiences that come with living in the Prairie region of the United States that simply can’t be found anywhere else. Towns like Mitchell in South Dakota promise gold-hued sunsets that seem to stretch forever beyond the world's only corn palace, while Abilene, Kansas, boasts presidential history, and Glendive is home to dozens of full-size dinosaur skeletons. Add to these attributes small-town community pride that shows up in annual festivals, county fairs, and rodeos, as well as vibrant college towns and unique entertainment options, and these states truly begin to shine. Not sure where to put down roots? Beginning with Minot, North Dakota, here are eight of the best places to call home in the Prairies.

Minot, North Dakota

Minot sits close to the Canadian border. It is a lively college town with a US Air Force base and Scandinavian roots, which are on full display at Scandinavian Heritage Park, home to full-scale replicas and other popular attractions. Minot also hosts the state’s largest carnival, the North Dakota State Fair. This fair lights up the town every year in July and features exciting rodeos, toe-tapping country music, great food, and top-notch family fun. Thanks to Minot University's campus in town, you can enjoy a diverse socio-cultural landscape and a lively entertainment scene, like the array of live theatre performances hosted every summer by the MSU Summer Theatre. Further to that, you can occasionally mill around the Dakota Territory Air Museum, which houses aviation-related memorabilia along with historic military aircraft.

Mitchell, South Dakota

Mitchell is a lovely town with just about everything you could ever need, and Sioux Falls is only about an hour away with even more amenities and recreational opportunities. Home to both Dakota Wesleyan University, a 4-year, private liberal arts college founded in 1885, and Mitchell Technical College, one of the nation's best-performing community colleges, the town attracts new residents of all ages and life stages.

For culture and entertainment, the Area Community Theatre presents a wide variety of live shows throughout the year, and you can always head to the Odyssey Luxury 5 Theater, a nice venue with comfortable seating for the latest Hollywood blockbusters. The Corn Palace is one of Mitchell's most unique attractions. Built in 1892 and the only one like it in the world, the unique event space draws half a million visitors annually and hosts the community’s signature annual event, The Corn Palace Festival.

Abilene, Kansas

Like Mitchell, Abilene boasts plenty of boutiques and local amenities, yet it is close to bigger cities like Manhattan, just 40 minutes down the road. It was also Dwight Eisenhower's hometown, and this connection is celebrated and honored with sites like the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home. Here, exhibits preserve details of his life and legacy, from growing up in small-town Kansas to becoming the 34th President of the United States.

Residents find entertainment at places like Great Plains Theatre, a welcoming and supportive venue for young actors to hone their craft and a great spot to catch a live show. Brown Memorial Park, just south of town, boasts lots of great trails to explore, a winding river, and a beautiful waterfall, and it also has a frisbee golf course and rustic cabins to rent.

McPherson, Kansas

McPherson, named for Civil War Union General James Birdseye McPherson, is another friendly college town, with McPherson College and Central Christian College both offering a wide range of options and services. The McPherson Theater shows feature films in a classic, intimate cinema, while the McPherson Opera House, a beautiful historic theatre built in 1888 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, presents live plays, musicals, concerts, films, and community events. There's also a nice 18-hole championship course at the Turkey Creek Golf Club, where you can play a round with friends under the big prairie skies.

Sterling, Colorado

Sterling is a farm and ranch community in the wind-swept prairies that defines the northeastern part of Colorado. Not surprisingly, Northeastern Junior College, the largest residential two-year college campus in Colorado, offers several programs related to farming, capitalizing on the town's location in a region that is agriculturally rich. Meanwhile, several events bring the community together, including the Logan County Fair, which celebrates the community’s roots through several activities, including a rodeo, live music, and food vendors. Overland Trail Museum presents snapshots of 19th and 20th-century Americana with exhibits focused on early life on the plains, while North Sterling State Park boasts a 3,000-acre reservoir for fishing and boating, miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding, and peaceful camping sites.

Vermillion, South Dakota

Situated along the banks of the Missouri River, Vermillion offers epic outdoor experiences, as well as a restful rhythm suitable for families and individuals escaping the mad rush typical of bigger cities. The University of South Dakota nearly doubles Vermillion's population during the school year, infusing and energizing the cultural scene of this otherwise small town. The National Music Museum is another draw, boasting a collection of historical pieces that showcase the craftsmanship of some of the oldest string instruments on the continent.

There's also the Vermillion Area Farmer's Market, where you'll find a unique variety of seasonal produce and specially crafted goods made by local artisans. The market runs every Thursday from May to October, with limited dates in the winter. Lastly, Spirit Mound Historic Prairie, one of countless outdoor venues in the area, is a hilltop destination offering panoramic views of the surrounding prairies. The grounds hold significance for the region's Native American peoples and were also explored by members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804.

Glendive, Montana

One of Glendive’s most attractive features is its affordability. While the median listing price in Montana is a whopping $563,333, houses in Glendive are less than half the price, at around $243,000. Residents here enjoy wonderful views at Makoshika State Park, Montana's largest state park, with fishing opportunities in the Yellowstone River, nature trails, and an outdoor amphitheater.

There's also the Frontier Gateway Museum, which takes one through a time warp from the age of the dinosaurs to more recent pioneer history, and residents often look forward to annual community festivals like the Dawson County Fair & PRCA Rodeo, which celebrates the region's cowboy heritage with all the classic events and attractions, such as 4-H and livestock exhibits, carnival games and tournaments, and plenty of free, live entertainment.

Beatrice, Nebraska

In the southeast pocket of Nebraska, Beatrice is home to several small businesses that support the local economy and a decent number of entertainment spots, including Community Players, a local theatre company, and the Cinema Centre & Holly Theatre, a family-run movie house showing first-run films at discount prices. The Big Blue River flows through the town and offers both aesthetic and recreational benefits, particularly in the Beatrice State Recreation Area, where fishing and boating opportunities abound. Meanwhile, the Beatrice Country Club boasts a lovely semi-private 18-hole course and the Black Rock Grille, where you can cook your own meal at the table on heated volcanic stone. And if you need or want access to more urban amenities, Lincoln, Nebraska, is just 40 minutes north of town.

So, if you are planning to make a move, look to the Prairie region of the United States. Its rolling landscapes and lofty, wide-open skies are idyllic settings for photo-worthy sunsets and countless outdoor adventure opportunities. With enough elbow room to wander and tight-knit communities where neighbors become family, life in the prairies is peaceful, meaningful, and incredibly fulfilling.