Saskatoon

The "Bridge City" on the South Saskatchewan River, with the Indigenous site of Wanuskewin, the Remai Modern gallery and the Meewasin Valley Trail — a cultural city on the prairies.

Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada, with about 300,000 people. It straddles the South Saskatchewan River, and with eight bridges spanning the valley it's known as the "Bridge City". Set on the northern Great Plains, the area has been home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, and the city takes its name from the Cree word for the saskatoon berry. Sightseeing centres on the river valley: the downtown riverfront on the west bank is home to the Remai Modern art gallery, and the riverside Delta Bessborough hotel is a city landmark; on the east bank are the University of Saskatchewan campus and artsy Broadway Avenue. The Meewasin Valley Trail links these along the river, and a loop by bike or on foot takes about half a day. About 15 minutes' drive north of the city, Wanuskewin Heritage Park is the top place to learn about Indigenous culture; there's also the Western Development Museum's 1910 Boomtown and the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo. Outside town, visit Beaver Creek Conservation Area or Pike Lake, or drive about an hour to Batoche National Historic Site. The best season is Jun–Sep, with long days and dry weather, plus the jazz festival, folk festival and Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan; the valley's yellow leaves in late September are also lovely. In January the average temperature is about -15°C and often falls to -30°C, limiting outdoor activities, but you can enjoy snowy scenery and the occasional northern lights. Getting there: Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport is about 15 minutes by car from downtown, with flights to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and elsewhere; city buses cover the main areas, but you'll need a car for sights outside town. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Wanuskewin Heritage Park – Six thousand years of settlement by Indigenous peoples of the Northern Plains, with archaeological sites, a bison herd and Indigenous cultu…
• Remai Modern – A modern art gallery on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, home to the world's most complete collection of Picasso linocuts.
• Meewasin Valley Trail – An 80-plus-kilometer trail along both banks of the South Saskatchewan River, linking bridges, parks and downtown sights.
• Delta Bessborough – A castle-style railway hotel opened in 1935, nicknamed the 'Castle on the River,' and a landmark of Saskatoon.
• River Landing – A new district along the riverfront south of downtown, home to an art museum, a theatre, a summer fountain plaza and a riverside trail.
• Western Development Museum Saskatoon – An indoor museum recreating a 1910s prairie town street, where visitors can walk into the old general store, bank and railway station.
• Saskatoon Farmers' Market – A market of local farms and artisan vendors selling Saskatoon berry pies, honey and prairie produce.
• University of Saskatchewan – A campus of grey-stone collegiate Gothic buildings around a central lawn, with a museum of antiquities and several free galleries.
• Diefenbaker Canada Centre – Canada's only prime minister's archive and museum, presenting the life of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and the history of the Cold War.
• Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo – A city park and zoo converted from a tree nursery, home to animals native to North America and well suited for families.
• Broadway Avenue – One of the city's oldest commercial districts, where independent shops, cafés, bars and old theatres gather.
• Ukrainian Museum of Canada – A museum telling how Ukrainian immigrants farmed and settled the Canadian prairies, displaying embroidery, painted Easter eggs and folk cos…
• Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan – Shakespeare plays performed each summer on a large tent stage by the river, with the South Saskatchewan River scenery right behind the stag…
• Beaver Creek Conservation Area – A river valley conservation area south of the city, with native prairie, creekside trails and viewpoints over the South Saskatchewan River.
• Pike Lake Provincial Park – A lakeside provincial park about 30 kilometres southwest of the city, offering summer swimming, boating and camping, and much loved by loca…
• Blackstrap Provincial Park – A long, narrow lake park about 40 kilometres south of the city, where a man-made ski hill offers views over the prairie and a range of summ…
• Batoche National Historic Site – The battlefield and village site of the final battle of the 1885 Métis resistance, offering insight into Métis history.
• Saskatchewan Railway Museum – An open-air railway museum southwest of the city with vintage locomotives, carriages and stations, where you can ride a small train in summ…

Where to eat

• Primal Italian Restaurant – A rustic Italian restaurant in the Riversdale neighbourhood, known for its handmade pasta and whole-animal butchery, an…
• Hearth Restaurant – A seasonal restaurant on the ground floor of the Remai Modern art gallery, cooking with local and foraged ingredients…
• Odd Couple Asian Restaurant – A family-run modern Asian restaurant in Riversdale that applies Cantonese techniques to local ingredients and has been…
• Baba's Homestyle Perogies – A family-run Ukrainian perogy shop that has operated for over thirty years, serving handmade perogies and cabbage rolls…