Yellowknife
YZF
Scouting for the mystical aurora borealis, or northern lights, is Yellowknife’s most famous bucket-list experience (prime time: November to March, mid-August, early September), but the rare attractions don’t end there. Try kite-skiing across frozen lakes in winter, golfing under the midnight sun in summer or paddling through epic wilderness for hours (or days or weeks).
Where to Stay
Eat & Drink
The Woodyard Brewhouse & Eatery
The city’s only microbrewery pub – and one of the northernmost breweries in Canada – is a popular hangout for locals and tourists alike. Kick back with a hoppy Bug Repellent IPA or the award-winning KickSled Cream Ale and order tempura vegetables with wasabi mayo if you are feeling peckish.
Birchwood Coffee Kǫ̀
The word “kǫ̀” means home in Tlicho, one of the languages of the Dene people. This family-owned and operated coffee shop serves coffee, espresso and fresh baked goods. Don’t miss the Bannock ’n’ Egger breakfast sandwich.
Wildcat Café
Housed in a heritage log cabin from 1938, the Wildcat Café prepares local fare like freshly baked bannock with jam, bison burgers and smoked Great Slave Lake fish. When the weather cooperates, grab a spot on the sunny patio. Open mid-May to September 7.
Bullock’s Bistro
This restaurant claims to serve the world’s best fish ’n’ chips, made with grilled Arctic char, pan-fried pickerel or deep-fried whitefish. Scrawl your own verdict right on your table, the walls or the ceiling (marker provided on request).
A Taste of Saigon
A staple of the community since 2003, A Taste of Saigon serves classic Vietnamese dishes and Canadian favourites, like lemongrass chicken and ginger beef, in record time. Lunchtime crowds pour in from nearby offices at noon, so plan accordingly if you want to get a table. End your meal with deep-fried ice cream.
Gold Range Bistro
Head to the fabled Gold Range Bistro for the city’s best greasy-spoon breakfast, and get the dish on life in the North from ice-road truckers, diamond miners and even the premier.
MORE +
What to Do
Folk on the Rocks Music Festival
Arguably the most anticipated weekend of the year for Yellowknifers, July’s Folk on the Rocks is a party-filled few days of music and art on the shore of Long Lake. Mingle with musicians, dance on the sandy beach and check out local crafts and activities for kids.
Bijou Boutique
This downtown fashion and home-decor boutique specializes in the cute and nifty. Expect natural bath and body products, scented soy-wax candles and decorative pillows and throws – everything you’d need for a cozy night in.
Great Slave Lake Tours
Yellowknife sits on the shore of Great Slave Lake, the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories and the deepest in North America. Book a tour on a certified fishing boat with Shawn Buckley’s Great Slave Lake Tours for a day of fishing for trout, whitefish and pickerel.
Old Town Glassworks
At this artisans’ co-op, all the glassware – made from recycled bottles – is cut, polished and sandblasted by hand. Bring home pieces etched with nature-inspired northern motifs (such as caribou, loons or the aurora borealis), or enroll in the popular two-hour workshop to design your own.
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and Legislative Assembly
The PWNHC features an ever-changing schedule of interactive exhibits and activities. Learn about the history of the Northwest Territories and the Indigenous peoples of the region. The Legislative Assembly, a.k.a. “The Ledge,” is one of the most interesting structures in the North, and it features original artwork from the Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson and many artists based in the Northwest Territories. The buildings are cheek by jowl and tours are free.
Gallery of the Midnight Sun
A one-stop gift shop appealing to traditionalists, this Old Town gallery stocks everything from clothing to arts and crafts, including fur-trimmed, handmade moccasins and Inuit and Dene sculptures. Those looking for precious gems – Yellowknife is the diamond capital of North America – can even shop Canadian sparklers.
Ahmic Air
This tour operator offers sightseeing tours of Yellowknife’s Dene First Nation communities of N’Dilo and Dettah from the comfort of a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. The bush plane comes equipped with floats to land on the water in summer, and skis to land on the frozen lakes in winter.
Buffalo Airways
See the operational World War II-era airplanes that serve communities north of Yellowknife at this active hangar’s aviation museum. DC-3 and C-46 planes that shuttled paratroopers and cargo between England, France and Germany in the 1940s cruise through Yellowknife’s skies on a daily basis. This is a popular tour for history buffs and fans of the Ice Pilots NWT television series. Hangar tours are free, but you need to book ahead with Buffalo Airwear, the hangar’s merchandise store.
MORE +
