Today I leave for Saskatoon, located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. I’ll be there all week as part of a project sponsored by the Canadian Tourism Commission and Travel + Leisure magazine: The Canadian Trailblazer Contest and the Explore Like A Local campaign. For the past few weeks people from around the world have been submitting their tips for the best things to do, see and eat in Saskatoon and I can’t wait to try them all out. As I prepared for the trip though I realized how little I really know about the city; the entire province to be honest. I’m also willing to wager that most of you know about as much as I do, so I put together a brief list to help all of us get to know Saskatoon and Saskatchewan a little better.
1. Where is it? Given the fact that most people I told about the trip had never even heard of Saskatoon before, I thought a geography lesson was in order. Saskatchewan is located in the heart of North America. To the east and west are the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Alberta. To the south it borders the American states of Montana and North Dakota. To the north are Canada’s Northwest Territories and Nunavut. About a million people live in the province, 250,000 of them in Saskatoon, which is located roughly in the middle of the province. Farming and ranching have been the traditional industries of the region and it is especially known for its wheat production.
2. Sunshine. Due to an odd combination of geographic and meteorological phenomena, Saskatchewan is known as the sunniest part of Canada. Many places in Saskatchewan have considerably more than 2,000 hours of bright sunshine each year and Estevan, in the southeast, is known as the “sunniest place in Canada,” with an average of 2,435 hours of bright sunshine each year.
3. No Daylight Savings. This probably isn’t a big deal to most people, but I thought it was interesting. As I was researching my trip I noticed that while Saskatoon is in the Central Time Zone, it is currently two hours behind the Eastern Time Zone. As it turns out, the entire province of Saskatchewan split with the rest (well mostly) of Canada and has decided not to change their clocks twice a year. The reason for this is agricultural, it benefits the farmers and ranchers but it can be confusing for visiting tourists.
4. Hoser. A hallmark of Canadian slang, at least according to SCTV, this term has infiltrated modern parlance to mean a loser and got its start in Saskatchewan. The slang word probably began during the Great Depression and referred to people who would siphon gasoline from farming vehicles with a hose. The expression has since been converted to the verb ‘to hose’ as in to trick, deceive, or steal: “You got hosed!”
5. I’ll be exploring it! Ok, this is a little self-serving but follow me this week as I explore both Saskatoon and the wilds of Saskatchewan. I have a lot of great things planned, but I’ll also be checking the tips submitted by the public to help me along the way. Rivers, backwoods, urban cafes and hot air balloons are all on the schedule, including some surprises (hint, it includes a very unique lodging option). So follow me on Twitter, look for the hashtag #ExploreCanada and definitely keep an eye out for the great photos the region will inspire on Instagram (LandLopers).
Have you been to Saskatchewan? What’s your favorite little known fact? If you haven’t been, is there anything you want me to find out while I’m there?
Here’s the one thing I do know about Saskatchewan…it’s quite near the small town of Floral, which is the birthplace of hockey great Gordie Howe! I was too young to see Gordie play in his heyday, but I did see him on the ice (and on a roller hockey rink!) a few times. I hear there is a statue of Gordie in Saskatoon, so I’d be interested in learning about that or other Gordie Howe-related landmarks.
Have a great trip. I’ve always wanted to get up that way in Canada.
Good to know and thanks! I had no idea
I meant to say Saskatoon :lol: Gordie was born near Saskatoon…although we’ve been fortunate for many years to call Gordie one of our own in the Detroit area.
Ask about crokinole! Greatest drinking game of all time.
From the man who should know! I’ve been reading through your travel lists for Saskatoon on the Explore Canada app
I just love the name of the place, Matt! Although I’m not quite sure how to pronounce it??
Please post photos with adorable huskies. I trust they have them there, right? RIGHT?!? Aaaanyway…looking forward to reading about what you get up to in Saskatchewan. Not a place you read too much about, even though there’s a lot out there about Canada!
Well they may have them, but 90 degree weather is not for them. Check out my post though from when I was in Banff last January and went dog sledding: https://landlopers.com/2012/01/25/banff-dog-sled-adventure/
Have to go to Watrous Sask and swim in the lake that is denser than the Red Sea.
Hi,
you should visit the village Cut Knife near Battleford, it has the largest tomahawk of the world. and it’s a nice place to be.
I worked there last summer on a grain farm, by the way i’m from germany.
So, enjoy your time in Saskatchewan and Saskatoon, where you should go to the university – just for looking of course.
Take care
I was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan! As you mentioned above, when I tell most people where I was born, they either look at me blankly and/or think I made that name up ;) Sadly, my family moved when I was only six months old, so I don’t know much about the area, but I do want to get up there and visit at some point! Will be actively following your blog for recommendations/updates :) Good luck w/ your trek!
I went to the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. I went to a Tim Horton’s and they didn’t know how to make iced coffee!?!
Ah, Saskatoon – the land where hockey players are born ;-) That’s the only reason I know of Saskatoon (and Saskatchewan)…though to be honest I never actually knew where it was on a map. One of the announcers for the San Jose Sharks is from there, so I hear tidbits about Saskatoon all through the hockey season.
cafe sola for a coffee
Jerry’s food eporium for Drive in kind of meal
Waneskuin heritage park
You’re also in town for the Taste of Saskatchewan festival! Foooooood!!!
Don’t forget the Western Development Museum and have lunch in their Boom Town Cafe.
River Landing is also very nice. Saturday stop at the Farmer’s Market. Soleio on 3rd Ave. So.
Bike the Meewasin Trail and see the beautiful river. Check out all the golf courses in the city and make a trip out to Dakota Dunes to golf or go to the Casino.
These are some of our favorites in our beautiful city. Enjoy your stay.
Nice, Matt- I knew nothing about Saskatchewan, so thanks for this.
Cool and thanks! Stay tuned, much more about the province to come.