Travel Budget for Saskatoon Visit Saskatoon on a Budget or Travel in Style

Saskatoon On a Budget

Saskatoon is a city straddling the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatchewan, Canada. Saskatoon is full of hidden treasures. Head into the downtown core and inner neighborhoods to get the best feel of this vibrant city. The majestic South Saskatchewan River winds through downtown, offering beautiful, natural diversions. Beautiful parks and riverside walks help you make the most out of long, sunny summer days. There are plenty of great spots to stop for a refreshing drink and a chat with locals. Saskatoon also has a proud heritage of local rock and country music and a vibrant live-music scene. If you only have time for one Saskatchewan stop, Saskatoon might just be the place for you.

Sights

Visit the Saskatchewan Railway Museum. The railroad opened up Saskatchewan to settlers and was a vital lifeline for getting grain to the market. This museum shows how things were when rails, not roads, were the most important links in the province.

See the sights at the Western Development Museum. The flagship Saskatoon branch of the province’s Western Development Museum is a faithful re-creation of Saskatoon the boom town, c 1910. Inside Canada’s longest indoor street, you can roam through the town’s many buildings, from a dentist’s office straight out of a horror film to the pharmacy, the walls of which are lined with hundreds of vintage concoctions. There are trains, tractors, buggies, sleighs and a jail. It’s about 4km south of downtown.

See the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. This museum tells the story of Ukrainian immigration to Canada. With an emphasis on traditional clothing and contemporary artwork, it provides a good insight into the world of Ukrainian Canadians. Check out the gift shop for pysanka (decorated Easter eggs).

Neighborhoods

Nutana

Nutana is a neighborhood that brings a modern vibe to Saskatoon and is highly engaged in the culture of the area. Home to the popular Broadway Avenue, the neighborhood has lots of local and independent shops and restaurants that create a sense of closeness to the community.

River Heights

A busy Saskatoon neighborhood that is highly involved in recreational opportunities. Because the neighborhood is right along the river, it is the perfect location for biking, walking, running, and rollerblading. River Heights also boasts retail stores and restaurants.

City Park

Immersed in art and architecture, City Park is filled with art galleries, historical buildings, and an amusement park, it is a neighborhood that will entertain.

Mayfair

One of the oldest neighborhoods in the city with plenty of shops and restaurants, including the famous Christie's Mayfair Bakery (known as the city's finest bakery).

Sutherland

Filled with a number of greenspaces and numerous retail options, Sutherland is one of the more popular Saskatoon neighborhoods.

Silverspring

Of the Saskatoon neighborhoods, Silverspring is the one with the most access to nature, backing on to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo. The neighborhood also has access to lawns, gardens, and the Silverspring park.

Central Business District

One of the best Saskatoon neighborhoods to be if you need close proximity to downtown. This neighborhood buzzes with businesses, restaurants, bars, and shopping.

Activities

Visit the Saskatoon Zoo Society. About 9km from downtown, this pleasant little zoo, nestled among shaded picnic grounds in Forestry Farm Park, is great for kids. Animals are predominantly rescues or are no longer able to survive in the wild, and residents include grizzly bears, alpacas, wolves, cougars and prairie dogs. The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo has settings resembling natural habitats for more than 90 species of birds and animals, from Capuchin monkeys to grey wolves. A tropical fish display and nature walkways can also be found at the zoo.

The Wanuskewin Heritage Park is devoted to the history of the province’s first inhabitants. At Wanuskewin you can wander interpretive trails through the grassy hills and valley meadows, discovering some of the 19 pre-contact sites. Invisible from the surrounding prairie, the untouched Opamihaw Valley is a spiritual and sacred place. Cultural dance performances take place on summer afternoons. Wanuskewin Heritage Park aims to encourage a better understanding of the indigenous peoples who inhabited the region in earlier times. The park is the site of some exciting archaeological discoveries – some dating back at least 6,000 to 7,000 years ago.

Saskatoon hosts many festivals and events during the summer. The Saskatoon Exhibition is an Annual fair with the usual assortment of midway rides and live entertainment. Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan performs Shakespearian plays in a pair of large tents in July and August. Art in the Heart – is a great little event in the Caswell area. There is artist vendors from Saskatoon, as well as crafts, face-painting and henna. Live local music is playing all day, and there is a kid’s area in the Church Basement where they can do crafts and learn a play. The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is a major jazz festival and combines free public performances, beer gardens at the Bessborough Hotel with major artists, and various paid performances in venues around the city it runs from mid-June through the beginning of July.

Food and Dining

Saskatoon’s restaurant scene has been coming into its own over the past few years. Saskatoon’s many independent restaurants incorporate the province’s rich bounty into fresh, creative new dishes. The area's restaurants boast a variety of cuisine types like, authentic Mexican food, Indian and, Jamaican food. Enjoy amazing vegetarian and gluten-free bakeries, cozy cafes, dessert shops and fine dining options. Saskatoon has something for everyone when it comes to food. A few local dishes include: Poutine (crispy fries, squeaky cheese curds and rich gravy), Bannock (a simple bread that was once a key staple in the diets of Canada's Aboriginal people), Butter tarts (flaky pastry shells filled with a butter, sugar and egg filling),  Saskatoon berry pie (with the Saskatoon berry having a sweet and almondy flavor), Peameal Bacon (made from lean boneless pork loin, rolled in cornmeal), and Beavertails (a slab of delicious, deep-fried dough, covered in a variety of toppings).

Transportation

The closest airport is Saskatoon's John G. Diefenbaker Airport.To get to the city center from the airport: you can take Saskatoon Transit: Route 11, Rent a vehicle from one of the car rental companies, or by taxi. You can get to Saskoon by rail on the Canadian, a train operated by VIA Rail, departs three times/week to/from Vancouver to/from Toronto. Saskatoon is easily accessible by car on the Yellowhead Highway branch of the Trans-Canada Highway. Greyhound Bus Lines connects Saskatoon to most other cities throughout Canada by way of Edmonton and Winnipeg. For getting around in Saskatoon, Sasktoon Transit serves most of the city. Both regular and express service is provided. Saskatoon is a very bicycling friendly city and boasts the second highest per capita commuter cycling rate in Canada. Walking is also a great way to get around Saskatoon. If your accommodation is in or close to the Downtown, you will be within walking distance to Saskatoon’s best shopping, educational and cultural attractions. Saskatoon is a relatively compact city and outside of rush hour it’s easily possible to drive across the city in 15 minutes or less, so if you have a car, you'll be able to get wherever you want to go relatively easily.