Things to do on a cold winter weekend on the Canadian prairies
Public art, food, fitness and fun in Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Visiting Saskatoon Saskatchewan in the Winter - Saskatoon is known for its beautiful river valley trails, park system and festival scene. The city has a vibrant and growing arts, culture, entertainment, and food scene making it a great destination for year-round fun on the Canadian prairies. However, we had a VERY chilly winter visit to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan this past February. The temperature dipped below -40 Degrees Celsius. That didn't even include wind chill! Despite this we still managed to have fun and to stay warm. This is how we spent a cold winter weekend in Saskatoon when feeling like a fair-weathered adventure seeker.
Visiting Saskatoon Saskatchewan in the Winter
Family Day Weekend in Saskatoon is always the third Monday of the February. This year the long weekend fell from February 15-17, 2025. Last time we visited Saskatoon over the Family Day long weekend we took part in the Wintershines and the Nutrien Kona Winter Festival events in downtown Saskatoon and at Wanuskewin, a First Nations Heritage Park. However, this year it was so cold, when we visited Saskatoon in the winter we decided to skip this amazing festival in favour of some warmer, indoor activities.
Saskatoon's Vibrant Public Art Scene
Visiting Saskatoon Saskatchewan in the Winter has a vibrant public art scene. There are murals and sculptures everywhere in the city. Although, we didn't spend much time outdoors during this visit, we did manage to spot a few new-to-us murals. One mural is back-alley street art, whereas the other was part of a Saskatoon placemaking project.
The large mural on the Drinkle No. 3 Building is called 'Habitual Synthesis' was created by local Saskatoon artist, Josh Jacobsen in 2016. It depicts the South Saskatchewan River, the trees along the riverbank all intertwined with the urban city landscape. Canadian Geese soar above the landscape.
When visiting Saskatoon in the winter, exploring the city's murals and public art is a fun activity if the weather is slightly warmer than -40.
Thirteen Pies Pizza & Bar in Saskatoon
We enjoyed a killer dinner at Thirteen Pies, a classic horror movie themed Brooklyn style pizza place in the heart of downtown Saskatoon's event and entertainment district. My pizza of choice, was 'The Lost Boys'. This pizza was a delecious combination of pepperoni, roasted mushroom, provolone, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. Additionally, Thirteen Pies is also known for their craft cocktails. Naturally, we needed to give one of those a try.
Watch Hockey & Curling at Wintson's English Pub & Grill
After dinner we wandered across the street to Winston's English Pub & Grill. Here we watched Canada's official winter sport, ice hockey. We were fortunate to see the intense Four Nations hockey game between Canada and the USA. The one with 3 fights in the first 9 seconds of play. We also got to watch one of Canada's other favourite winter sports, the Scotties Women's Canadian Curling Championships. Watching the game on TV at a crowded pub is always fun.
Stay Fit on the Road in Saskatoon
When visiting Saskatoon in the winter and it is too cold to play outside you might as well stay adventure ready and head to the gym for a workout. We decided to check out Saskatoon's flagship GoodLife Fitness facility in Preston Crossing. This is a remarkable gym. It is bright and cheery and has two floors of equipment to choose from, plus group fitness spaces. It even has saunas, massage chairs and tanning beds so you can reward yourself with a little spa-like self care after a hard workout at GoodLife Fitness.
Congress Beer House for Lunch in Saskatoon
All that exercise can workup quite an appetite. To replenish our worn-out muscles we decided to grab some lunch at Congress Beer House back in Saskatoon's downtown event and entertainment district. Congress has over 32 beers on tap and 50 bottles to choose from. It is also home to an award-winning hamburger as voted on by Saskatoon locals.
Escape Room Fun in Saskatoon
Next on the list, was a little skill testing and hopefully some cooperative fun at Escape Manor Saskatoon. There are four escape rooms to choose from along with additional activities such as, axe throwing, darts, and board games. Escape Manor is a great indoor activity when visiting Saskatoon in the winter.We have been here before, and I must admit that we had a tough time working together as a family. Maybe this was because we chose the hardest escape room. Or, maybe it was because we were a family. Either way it was a miracle we all made it out, although not on time. If you've ever tried an escape room with your family, there's a good chance you know what I mean. Naturally, I was a little apprehensive about our family's survival trying an escape room again.
This time we chose Escape Manor Saskatoon's Apocalypse room where we needed to save the world from zombies!!! We learnt a few things. First bring a friend to cool the family dynamics. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the world shouldn't count on us to save them from a zombie apocalypse, sorry.
Top Rated Mexican Restaurant in Saskatoon
When you can't escape a cold Canadian winter weekend, you do the next best thing. Naturally, you pretend to take a mini vacation even if it is just for a couple of hours. In our case, we chose dinner at Las Palapas Resort Grill. This is Saskatoon's number one authentic Mexican restaurant. With lively culture, music, and art it is as sure to warm the soul as do their fantastic tacos and tropical flavours.
Park Town Hotel Enjoying Saskatoons Natural Beauty from Indoors
On this visit to Saskatoon in the winter, we chose Park Town Hotel. It has been owned and operated by a local family for several generations now. The best part though, are the views. Located on the South Saskatchewan River, connecting to the Meewasin trail system and Kinsmen Park, Park Town Hotel enables guests to enjoy the beautiful winter views, without needing to go outside into to the cold to do so.
Other Things to do in Saskatoon During the Winter
• Visit the rRemai mModern, contemporary art gallery• Travel back in time at Wanuskewin, Indigenous Heritage Park to learn about several millennia of life on the prairies
• Release your inner child at the Nutrien Wonderhub Children's Museum
• Visit the Western Development Museum housing the largest human history museum in Saskatchewan
• Take part in fun outdoor adventures like skating, tobogganing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, or kick sledding.
• Catch a show at Persephone Theatre
• Get some laughs in at Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club
Visiting Saskatoon in the Winter
If the temperatures fall during your planned winter weekend getaway to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, don't fret. This vibrant city has plenty of indoor activities to keep even the fairest weathered adventure seeker happy. We enjoyed discoverying Saskatoon's food, culture, entertainment and fitness scenes during our weekend getaway in the priaries.
Photo credit: Janet Guthrie