A Weekend in Saskatoon: River Valley, Remai Modern and 6,000 Years of History

Prairie cities usually apologise for themselves. Saskatoon does not need to. It has a river valley cutting through its centre with 60 kilometres of trail along it, seven bridges, a modern art museum that punches far above the city's weight, and a heritage site 20 minutes north where people have gathered for around 6,000 years.

Two days is enough, and the city is small enough that you can walk most of it.

The river is the plan

The Meewasin Valley Trail runs along both banks of the South Saskatchewan River through the length of the city. It is paved, flat and continuous, and it connects nearly everything worth seeing.

Start at the Bessborough, the 1930s railway hotel that anchors the skyline, and walk south along the east bank through Kiwanis Park. Cross at the Broadway Bridge, come back up the west bank past the weir, where pelicans gather in summer in numbers that surprise everyone who has not seen it. That loop takes about an hour and gives you the geography of the city in one go.

In summer the Prairie Lily riverboat runs cruises from the riverbank downtown. In winter the same trails are cleared and used, which is more than most cities manage at minus 25.

Remai Modern, and why it is not a small-city gallery

Remai Modern opened in 2017 on the riverbank in a stacked copper-mesh building, and it holds what is understood to be the most complete collection of Picasso linocuts in the world, alongside a strong contemporary programme.

It is a serious institution in a city of roughly 280,000 people, and it is the single best indoor hour of a Saskatoon weekend. The restaurant looks out over the river.

Wanuskewin: the reason to extend the trip

Fifteen minutes north of the city, Wanuskewin Heritage Park protects a coulee where Northern Plains peoples camped, hunted and gathered for approximately 6,000 years, longer than the Egyptian pyramids have stood. There are buffalo jumps, tipi rings, a medicine wheel and an active archaeological programme.

Plains bison were returned to the site in 2019 after an absence of well over a century, and the herd has since produced calves on land where their ancestors were hunted. The park has been working toward UNESCO World Heritage designation.

Indigenous staff interpret the site, which has trails through the coulee, a gallery and a restaurant serving bison and bannock. Allow three hours minimum; Wanuskewin is Saskatoon's main reason to come for Indigenous history.

The rest of the downtown hour

Two more things are worth building into the walk. The Ukrainian Museum of Canada, on the riverbank near the Bessborough, covers a wave of settlement that shaped this part of the prairies more than any other, and it is small enough to see properly in 45 minutes. Nutana, on the east side above Broadway, has the oldest surviving buildings in the city and a street grid that predates the bridges.

If you are here on a Saturday morning, the farmers' market in Riversdale is the social centre of the weekend and the best place to understand what the surrounding farmland actually grows. The stalls carry lentils, chickpeas, canola, prairie berries, cold-climate cheese and enough baking to replace breakfast.

Where to eat and drink

Two streets carry the food scene. Broadway Avenue, on the east side across the bridge, has the older strip of independent restaurants, a repertory cinema and coffee shops. 20th Street West in Riversdale is the newer one, where the good restaurants, a brewery cluster and the Saskatoon Farmers' Market sit within a few blocks.

Saskatchewan does two things unusually well: prairie ingredients, meaning bison, lentils, pulses and saskatoon berries, and a young restaurant scene that is not competing with anyone. Prices are noticeably lower than Toronto or Vancouver for equivalent cooking.

One strange thing an hour away

Little Manitou Lake, about an hour southeast at Manitou Beach, is a saline lake with a mineral concentration high enough that swimmers float without effort. It has been used as a spa destination since the early 20th century, there is a mineral pool resort on the shore, and a dance hall with a horsehair-sprung floor still operating next to it.

It is an odd, faintly time-warped afternoon and it is unlike anything else on the prairies. Our Saskatchewan bucket list covers what else the province hides, most of which people drive past on the Trans-Canada without noticing.

Practical notes

• The airport is 15 minutes from downtown, which is the shortest airport run of any Canadian city this size, and taxis from it are cheap by national standards.
• Downtown, Broadway and Riversdale are all walkable from each other. Wanuskewin needs a car or a taxi.
• Summer is warm and dry, and winter is genuinely cold, with the river valley trails cleared and used regardless.
• Provincial park permits apply the moment you continue on to Saskatchewan's parks, including Prince Albert and Cypress Hills.

For permits and access rules across the province, use the Pass and Parking Checker, and to compare Saskatoon with other prairie stops by trip length, the Experience Finder filters by region and duration. The 22 unforgettable views in Canada includes several within a day's drive.

Common questions

Is Saskatoon worth visiting for a weekend?

Yes, particularly for Wanuskewin, Remai Modern and the river valley. Two days covers the city comfortably.

What is Wanuskewin Heritage Park?

A Northern Plains Indigenous heritage site north of Saskatoon with around 6,000 years of continuous human use, buffalo jumps, a returned bison herd and Indigenous-led interpretation.

Can you swim in Little Manitou Lake?

Yes. The mineral concentration makes floating effortless, and there is a mineral spa resort at Manitou Beach on the shore.

What is the best time of year to visit Saskatoon?

June through September for warm weather and full seasonal operations, though the river trails are used year-round.

Sources

• Wanuskewin Heritage Park
• Remai Modern
• Meewasin Valley Authority
• Tourism Saskatchewan