View topic - If I had a day or 2 in Yellowknife I would.....?

do what?

We have 2 days in July before heading up to Norman Wells and the Keele. What would you do?

When we come out, before heading back to Ontario, we will have 4-5 days. Am wondering if we should visit anywhere else (Whitehouse?), or head back to the tourism of Edmonton, Jasper, ice fields etc. Ideas?

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"I've never met a river I didn't like. The experience is what we remember and the challenges make for great memories". Me

There's supposed to be good fishing near town in GSL... never been there myself.

Also high prices... $70 for fish and chips, along with rough service, holey moley.

http://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2010 ... knife.html

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Hi Cheryl.

There is not a ton to do in Yellowknife. But there is a museum that is well worth the visit for a couple of hours. Also, there are several art galleries/workshops with some wonderful stuff. Frozentripper's comment about fishing is a good suggestion. I go crazy there with anymore time than just an overnight.

Bullock's is very expensive fish and chips, but it's good. Get there early if you don't want to wait for ages.

By the way, how do you end up with two days there? Usually the drill is just one overnight in Yellowknife before heading up to Norman Wells. Same trick coming back.

I would suggest a visit and tour of the Legislative Assembly Building. Beautiful and interesting.
While we had a short stay in Yellowknife, Sue and I continued our hobby of searching for the sites of the Group of Seven paintings. We knew that A. Y. jackson had visited there several times and we had copies of a few of his very rough sketches with us. (We hadn't found many of his finished works online before we left home.) We located a few sites but were not very successful.
A few hours before our plane flight out, our friend suggested that we tour the Legislative Building. It was well worth it. We were surprised to see that the walls of the council chamber are lined with Jackson's paintings!

I agree that the Legislature is well worth a visit - and it's pretty much next door to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, also worth a visit.

Lots of outdoor options, fish/hike/paddle/bike. You might find some ideas here:

http://www.yellowknife.ca/Assets/Commun ... _Guide.pdf

If you have a choice, I would go for B&B over hotel, the proprietors can often give you some good tips on local events and opportunities.

-jmc

yes to all of jmc's comments

I love visiting Yellowknife.
Bookceller, a fine northern book store.
For food, Bullock's and the Wildcat Cafe. Pricey but good and historical.
Walk around old town, including up to the Pilots’ Monument at the top of The Rock. Check out the various float planes including the old wardair base (I once saw Max there), glass works, Weaver & Devore store, etc.
http://www.yellowknife.ca/Assets/Planni ... wknife.pdf

Look at the classic Buffalo airways planes.

Check out what is happening in town. Music/folk fest, fly-in, cultural events, etc. are all things that have been happening while I've visited.

Lots of northern art and culture as well, stores and galleries.

Of course visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.

Also see the city's website at
http://visityellowknife.com/things-to-do

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Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

Cheryl
Are you flying or Driving?
I have drive twice to Yellowknife and returned by 2 routes.
if you are driving I will write what I did.
PP has it right. My experience with Bullocks is skip it.
Stay safe
OAF

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You are never to old to set another goal or dream a new dream. C.S.Lewis
“ We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe and for that, I am extremely grateful.” Stephen Hawking. 1942 - 2018

Wow! good ideas! No, we are flying, but not yet sure whether it is from T.O., Calgary or Edmonton. We hope to hit the legislature in each province, so that is a great idea (hadn't thought of it). Will have our 14 yr old with us, will have to appease him too.
I think the issue with 2 nights is that right now on Air North to N.W., there is not Tues flight, and we need to be in N.W. for Wed. Am still working on it.

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"I've never met a river I didn't like. The experience is what we remember and the challenges make for great memories". Me

Stay here: Floating B&B. You get to paddle to and from your accom.
It's close to Old town and a 15 minute walk up to downtown.
http://www.ykbayfloatingbnb.com

Your 14 yr old may enjoy Weaver and Devore an eclectic hardware/clothing store right across from Bulloch's I can get lost in this place. Old school and new Tech stuff, jammed into a second floor of an old warehouse. http://weaverdevore.ca
Beside W&D is Just Furs, a small cabin affair, that sells sheared beaver hats, mitts etc.

As others have said the Museum is a must. Plan to eat lunch there (the locals do).
Eateries are hit and miss in YK. Try out the lunch trucks on Franklin. Look for the crowds or ask a local.
If you forgot gear for your trip Overlander Sports is great place to pickup any outdoor gear.
You can get free bikes at the Visitor Info to tool round town.
Hugh

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
M.T.

Lots of things to do for several days. I drive up in a 4-5 day road trip, so I need some down time in town before I fly out into the Barrens. I typically spend 3 days in town before flying out, and a day or two when I fly back in from the bush.

All good advice listed in the above posts for the places to visit.

Weaver & Devore is a major must-do. Winter clothing upstairs is on the floor all year round.

The Yellowknife Book Cellar bookstore is fantastic. I spent alot of time in there.

For a high quality selection of unique northern designs on T-shirts, aprons, and bags, drop into INKIT, at the corner of 48th and 52nd. They also have cool free notepaper pads with caribou along the top.
http://www.inkit.ca/tee-room/

I go grocery shopping (for my B&B food plus road food), at the CO-OP which is a huge very nice grocery store. You can also buy your NWT fishing license there.

Walking or cycling in Old Town and checking out all the float plane bases is fun. Climb up the stairs to the Pilot's Monument.

Years ago I bought a collection of the pilot topo maps for the entire mainland arctic and sub-arctic, which have very detailed map information. These are a nice scale to do large scale route research on. I forget which shop I bought them in, but ask around and you may find it. The maps are a good investment.

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My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Wintertrekker

This is wonderful information! Thank you! I think this will get us started...

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"I've never met a river I didn't like. The experience is what we remember and the challenges make for great memories". Me

Thanks all for the help. When we flew in, we couldn't even see the airport for the smoke. Fortunately it rained overnight and we had a perfect if damp day. The bikes a the vistor's centre were perfect and free, and the centre itself was worth an hour. We were able to get groceries right in town at a good price (actually better than the co-op). The tour of the Legislature was the best out of the 7 we have seen in Canada, and the at the Prince of Whales we had a private tour as we were the only ones who showed up, so he tailored it to us. The Hornby display was very well done. I would do lunch there again in a heartbeat, and the chef came out to join us and had good tails. Such great food, and the price was good. The NWT Diamond Cente was a good free stop, and the video was interesting and he had us handing diamonds and examining cuts under a micoscope. The Pilot's memorial gave a good view. Stopped at Bullocks, but they declined to tell us the fish of the day ("you'll dam well eat whatever comes in), and the Wildcafe cafe was doing to big of an ice cream business to serve us, so we went to Zehabesha Traditional Ethiopian Food which was amazing an cheap ($68 including a beer, 2 milks, tip, goat curry, chicken curry and sample platter). If we had two nights we would eat the other night (Tues. or Friday) at the Farmers market by City Hall - lot of yummy cheap meals of all types (including vegetarian and organic) for under $10 p.p. Stopped at Weavers and Devor's but they did not have any paddling gloves.

Everyone knows everyone in Yellowknife, and the lady I at beside on the plane knew people we knew from home, and the people from Yellowknife that we paddle with knew her. On the way home the man across the aisle aslo know the people we paddle with, plus the friend we made a the museum!

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"I've never met a river I didn't like. The experience is what we remember and the challenges make for great memories". Me

While at Weaver & Devore's be alert for activity nearby. Ahmic Air (http://www.ahmicair.com 867 920-4400) has two piston beavers available for charter. Approved for external loads. Competitive rates. I flew with them. They offer secure car storage for $2 per day. They specialize in servicing paddlers. Manager Stephen Jeffery full of advice about where to put in if you want to run a certain river. I dropped in to collect my car after returning from a trip and met a bunch of paddlers returning on one of Steve's planes. Two of them recognized me immediately.

Douglas

Hi Cheryl
So how was the Keele?
Stay safe
OAF

_________________
You are never to old to set another goal or dream a new dream. C.S.Lewis
“ We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe and for that, I am extremely grateful.” Stephen Hawking. 1942 - 2018