Saskatoon takes its name from the local Saskatoon berry but has been nicknamed Paris of the Prairies and Bridge City due to its nine river crossings and series of bridges traversing the South Saskatchewan River to connect the east and west sides of the city. Once a humble prairie town, it is now becoming much more popular as a tourist destination and a hub for arts, so we were excited to explore the city on our road trip.
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Where is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan?
Saskatoon is the largest city in the province of Saskatchewan and is located in the south-central section of the province, on the South Saskatchewan River.
Getting to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The closest city is Regina which is 2 hours 40-minute drive south east. There is an airport in Saskatoon if you are flying in and out.
On our Alberta Badlands and Canadian Prairies road trip, we decided to take a slight detour from Regina, via Little Manitou Lake, which extended our driving time to Saskatoon to 3 hours 15 minutes.
Little Manitou Lake (Canada’s Dead Sea)
Little Manitou Lake is situated in the middle of the prairies in a valley carved by the ice-age glaciers. It is special because of its high saline (salt) content, which is 5 times higher than the ocean, but only half that of the Dead Sea in the Middle East. The lake is fed by underground springs with high sodium, magnesium and potassium content which help you to float, hence its nickname of Canada’s Dead Sea.
We were a little underwhelmed on arrival as it looks like ‘a stoney beach with a burger outlet’ however it was fun floating in the lake (featured photo) and trying to stay buoyant long enough to read a newspaper. It was a hot day and so a dip in the lake was welcome, alongside families who were clearly camped out for the day. There were toilet facilities for getting changed, and further along the lake we discovered a gem of an old-fashioned Dance Hall.
On our travels from Little Manitou Lake to Saskatoon we noticed a lot of potash mines which looked to be closed, with long trains parked alongside them, currently mothballed due to low global prices making it uneconomical to mine it. Apparently, Saskatoon is known as ‘POW’ – potash, oil and wheat!
What to see and do in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is just on the edge of the city, a 15-minute drive from Downtown Saskatoon. Wanuskewin means ‘seeking peace of mind’ in Cree and the Heritage Centre, set over a buffalo jump in the Opimihaw Valley, certainly felt a million miles away from the city.
We were visiting Wanuskewin to learn more about the First Nations people of Saskatchewan at this impressive Heritage Centre comprising: art exhibitions, museum, outdoor trails, and guided tours of the sacred buffalo jump.
Wanuskewin is the site of Canada’s longest-running archaeological dig after ancient tools and petroglyphs, predating the pyramids of Egypt, were found here. These 1,000 year old unearthed items help inform us about the life of the Northern Plains First Nations people.
In terms of eco-tourism, Wanuskewin Heritage Park appears in the Wanderlust Magazine, 2023 Travel Green List, Issue 226.
What to expect at Wanuskewin Heritage Centre
We arrived at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park for opening time at 9.30am and for the first hour or so we had the exhibition rooms and museum to ourselves. Having explored the exhibits indoors we then walked around some of the park trails on our own, passing the tipi village and Opimihaw Valley lookout.
By the time we returned to the main building for a dance display at 11.00am it was much busier. We sat in a circle to watch a dancer perform a Fancy Dance, which is a fast step dance performed at pow wows and celebrations. The Dancer patiently explained to one of the visitors that her outfit was regalia and NOT a costume!
After the dance display we were able to pick up a guided tour of the buffalo jump, once the place where First Nations people drove the bison between a series of cairns and over a cliff to their deaths to gather meat and furs – a grizzly end for the buffalos, but sustenance for those in need.
The Guide explained the significance of the statues outside the Heritage Centre, from the Medicine Man who oversaw the buffalo jump, to the Calf Runners (shown in featured photo) who covered themselves in sage and buffalo fat to disguise their own smell during the corralling process, and the ladies who waved sticks and greenery to attract the bison.
The guided tour included sightings of the bison herd who have been reintroduced here after an absence of 150 years. They keep about 50 bison in the fields and obviously do not use the buffalo jump practise anymore!
There is a restaurant at the Wanuskewin Heritage Centre where you can get lunch (‘traditional Indigenous cuisine with a contemporary twist’) but be prepared for Bison burgers which we didn’t fancy having just had bonding time with the bison outside…
The Remai Modern Art Gallery
The Remai Modern Art Gallery is an attractive contemporary building filled with lots of light and space, and of course some art. It has fantastic views across the South Saskatchewan River from the gallery windows.
We enjoyed an hour in the gallery wandering between the different rooms and trying to decide which piece we would take home (just a game!). The gallery houses over 400 Picasso linocuts and at the time of our visiting was running an exhibition of printmaking by William Kentridge.
The South Saskatchewan River and Meewasin Valley Trail
River Landing and the Meewasin Valley Trail
The area immediately in front of the Remai Modern is known as River Landing and is a riverfront area from which you can pick up the Meewasin Valley Trail for a wonderful walk. The Meewasin Valley Trail runs for 60km along both sides of the South Saskatchewan River so you can choose to walk part of it on your stay.
We walked from River Landing north along the river to the Prairie Lily boat dock which took about half an hour.
Ride on The Prairie Lily
We took a one-hour river boat trip up the South Saskatchewan River on The Prairie Lily which looks like a paddle steamer but isn’t actually powered by a paddle. We sat at the back of the top deck in the open air to enjoy the sunshine and clear views of the river, until the halfway point when Captain asked the top deck passengers to swap with the bottom deck passengers – Canadian fairness in motion.
The boat trip provided great views of downtown buildings on one side of the river, including the Remai Modern and chateau inspired Delta Bessborough Hotel, and on the other side of the river enormous houses with gardens sweeping down to the riverside. Watching people being active on the river in canoes, power boats, jet skis made me want to switch to a kayak…
UPDATE 2026 – The Prairie Lily has new owners after not operating during 2025. Check the Prairie Lily website for current bookings.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan
There is a summer programme of Shakespeare in a theatre on the riverbank. We booked a performance of Hamlet themed in the style of the Great Gatsby, because it sounded different.
When we arrived at the theatre, everyone was milling around outside with a drink in the golden hour which was lovely; then the cast arrived and ‘encouraged’ theatregoers to dance the Charleston with them.
Further along the river, at a different park, people were queuing with picnics and chairs to get into an outdoor Country music event, so we concluded that this is a happening place with a busy summer programme of events.
TIP – we were able to buy a joint ticket for the Prairie Lily and Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan which was slightly cheaper than buying them separately.
Shopping time
We tried another independent shopping trip, this time in the Riverdale Area, however, we were too early as nothing seemed to be open.
So, we decamped to Midtown Mall for some more standard shopping at Roots and Sephora. We haven’t had much luck with our independent shops on this trip, first no shops were open on a Sunday in Regina, and then we were too early for shops opening in Saskatoon. Hey ho – thank goodness for the Mall!
Where to stay in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
We were staying in Saskatoon for 3 nights and so chose to book an AirBnB in an area called Caswell Hill. Our house was on a quiet treelined street, in a residential area which seemed pretty smart. However, it was surrounded by less desirable streets where we witnessed hard drug taking in the open air.
It would probably have been fine to walk into town from the house, but we decided to be cautious and used the car to get around instead. This was a shame I love exploring on foot when I’m away.
For a luxury stay, the iconic hotel in Saskatoon is the Delta Bessborough Hotel (or ‘Bez’), on the riverbank between the Broadway and University Bridge. It is centrally located and looks just like a chateau which was completed in 1932 as one in a series of similar hotels built by the Canadian National Railway.
Where to eat in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
There are a lot of good eateries in Saskatoon. Here are the places that we tried:
- Heath at the Remai Modern – great for healthy lunch options on their terrace in the sun.
- Little Grouse on the Prairie – our best meal of the holiday. Delicious food made from local ingredients. It’s a fairly small dining room but decorated nicely, with good service and a UK Chef using Canadian ingredients.
- Bon Temps Café, a Louisiana style restaurant – great for dinner with a themed New Orleans decor. We enjoyed blackened chicken burgers and shrimp tacos.
- Thirteen Pies – we ordered take-out pizzas for our movie night at the AirBnB to watch Jurassic Park in preparation for our trip to dinosaur town, Drumheller.
Note – we were turned away from a couple of brewery eateries because one of our party was under legal drinking age, so that is a much stricter policy in the UK where usually a minor can eat in a restaurant/brewery with adults.
Reflections on our visit to Saskatoon
There were lots of elements which I really liked about Saskatoon – Wanuskewin, the river, the parks, the art gallery, and restaurants. It had the right ingredients for something special, however, we all agreed that we had failed to find the heart of the city, but we were not sure why. Perhaps it needed a trip to the Visitor Centre or we need a second visit in the future?
In terms of it being known as the Paris of the Prairies, the nickname might be a bit of a stretch, however there were a lot of pretty bridges on the river and there was certainly plenty of art. We enjoyed the best food of the holiday in Saskatoon, so there are the shoots of a Paris of the Prairies in the making.
Personally, I think Saskatoon should promote its own selling points and indigenous connections, rather than associating itself to a much larger, European city.
‘ Saskatoon, the centre of art and culture in the Prairies’.
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