About Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is known as the Land of Living Skies, and it will surprise you, we promise! Saskatoon is a thriving city graced with the vibrant beauty of nature. Divided by the winding South Saskatchewan River, Saskatoon’s east and west face are joined by a series of bridges and lined with several kilometers of trails to jog, walk, and explore. Saskatoon is a city infused by a lively ambiance, friendly hospitality, and rich and diverse cultural experiences.

Saskatoon is a great place to experience local eateries, bustling nightlife, river trails, and other outdoor spaces, as well as cultural institutions and museums.

Saskatoon has a really great local food scene! Some great restaurants in town include:

• Riversdale: The Hollows, Primal (The Hollows and Primal have strong sustainability commitments), Odd Couple, Leyda’s (excellent for folks with food sensitivities), Hometown Diner, Drift Sidewalk Cafe & Vista Lounge 
• Downtown: Rook and Raven, Bon Temps Cafe, Ayden (owned by Top Chef Canada season 1 winner, Dale McKay), Scarlet, Aroma Resto Bar
• Broadway area: Yard & Flagon, Amigos Cantina,Una Pizza & Wine, Calories
• Cafes: Louis’ Loft (on campus!), Collective Coffee, Underground Cafe, Little Bird Patisserie and Cafe, Venn Coffee, D’Lish by Tish, Night Oven Bakery

Meewasin Trail on Saskatoon’s River Valley

The Meewasin Trail spans over 60 kilometers through and outside the city of Saskatoon on both sides of the South Saskatchewan river, with 20 kilometers of the trail designated as part of the Trans Canada Trail. Along the trail, you can explore the natural habitat along the river by walking, jogging, cycling, or just taking in the scenery. There are numerous attractions along the trail, including museums (e.g., the Remai Modern and the Western Development Museum), parks (e.g., Cosmopolitan Park, Rotary Park, and Meewasin Heritage Park), interpretive sites and tours, and natural areas (e.g., Saskatoon Natural Grasslands) Check out the trail guide to learn more.

Saskatoon Farmers Market

Also located on the Meewasin River Valley, the year-round Saskatoon Farmers Market is a member-owned non-profit cooperative located in south downtown Saskatoon beside the South Saskatchewan river. Visitors can experience a variety of local food, goods, crafts, and agricultural products. Hours: Saturdays: 8 am to 2 pm and Wednesdays & Sundays: 10 am to 3 pm.

Conservation Areas & Canoe Launches

Several conservation areas are located just outside of Saskatoon and offer a variety of nature trails and views of the prairie landscape, including Beaver Creek Conservation Area and Cranberry Flats Conservation Area.

Looking for a place to launch your canoe? Check out Fred Heal Canoe launch or Poplar Bluffs Canoe Launch.

Visit the Tourism Saskatoon website to learn more about what our city has to offer.

Events

Saskatchewan Regional Centre of Expertise on ESD: Sustainable Development Recognition Event

EECOM participants are invited to join the Saskatchewan Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (Sask. RCE) at its 11th Annual Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Event which honours local individuals, groups, and organizations that have made innovative achievements in education for sustainable development in Saskatchewan.

With the theme of Sustainable Partnerships: Nurturing the Next Generation of Land Stewards, this year’s event will take place on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Hannin Creel Education and Applied Research Centre on the shores of beautiful Candle Lake in northern Saskatchewan.

For more information on the event, please go to the event website, https://www.rceskrecognitionevent.com.

NatureCity Festival

Wild about Saskatoon’s Nature City Festival invites community members to experience “the wild side of Saskatoon” by exploring the relationship between nature and prairie life through a variety of experiential activities, workshops, engaging speakers, art, music, citizen science projects, and so much more! Situated on Treaty 6 territory and traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people, the Nature City Festival is a decentralized festival with over 50 nature-inspired events occurring across the City of Saskatoon. This year’s festival takes place May 22-27 and is made possible through collaboration with numerous individuals and community organizations.

Worth the Drive

Prince Albert National Park

One of Canada’s most popular national parks, The Prince Albert National Park is located in the community of Waskesiu and situated in the heart of Saskatchewan where prairie lands meet boreal forest. This 3,875 sq. km protected park plays host to free-roaming bison, as well as a diverse array of wildlife, including 195 species of birds and timber wolves. Outdoor lovers can sample the numerous lakes and hike the variety of backcountry trails. Guided horseback tours and wagon rides are also available, such as the Sturgeon River Ranch, which allow you to see more of the park and increase your chances of seeing wildlife. Visitors to the park can also choose from a variety of activities, such as ziplining, stargazing, bird watching, boating, cycling, and so much more!

The park also offers many different places to lay your head after your daily adventures, including vehicle accessible campgrounds as well as ‘backcountry’ camping. If you’re looking for something different, you can also glamp (a hybrid between a tent and rustic cabin) or rent a yurt near Nesslin Lake. Wanting to enjoy more of the creature comforts the park has to offer? If so, you can also check out family owned and operated Mackenzie Inn, Elk Ridge Resort, or Hawood Inn.

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

Cypress Hills is the first interprovincial park in Canada spanning across south east Alberta and south west Saskatchewan. In the park, you can find over 220 species of birds and 47 mammal species. The Cypress Hills are an erosional plateau, formed by millions of years of sedimentary deposits and erosion instead of glaciation. But don’t think that these are just gentle slopes, as they are the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains in Canada.

The Saskatchewan side of the park is divided into two areas. On the centre side, visitors have access to full service camping, zipline canopy tours, segway tours, a resort, hiking trails, and more! There is also an observatory where visitors can star-gaze up at one of Canada’s largest dark sky preserves (39,600 hectares protected). The western block of the Saskatchewan park area has access to rustic camping areas, an equestrian campground, and the Trans Canada Trail. Visitors can choose from a variety of of accommodation options.