Discover Saskatchewan
Have you ever wanted to become an explorer in your own province? Even your own town or city? Join along and discover special spots in Saskatchewan that satisfy your tourist urges. Written and Photography by Jenn Smith Nelson
Moose Jaw - more than expected. Surprisingly. It can be said that Moose Jaw is already a well known tourist destination in Southern Saskatchewan. This article could have easily focused on the lovely and historic downtown, the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa, the Moose Jaw Casino or even the well known attraction, the Moose Jaw Tunnels. But it won’t. Not because they are not worthy, but more so because there are some other gems that don’t get to be in the spotlight as much as the others, more widely known city attractions. My personal passion for nature, the outdoors and art was fulfilled during my brief visit to Moose Jaw. With six stops in one day I left feeling like I must go back; a testament to the very positive experience I had. Art (and History) My first stop was the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. I have been to the Yvette Moore Art Gallery many times and have enjoyed it every time. But, much to my embarrassment, I didn’t even know there was another stellar gallery waiting for me to find. With my kids in tow, we entered the lovely and historic library building situated just outside of Crescent Park. Nestled in this building is the gallery, the museum and a discovery centre for kids. I will let you guess which one we spent the most time in ‘discovering’. At the time of my visit I lucked out. The gallery was filled with wonderful nature-based artwork by regional artists, along with a neat quilting exhibition. I started to feel like this may be my lucky day to discover, or rather uncover, the gems in this city that is nearly in my own backyard. The museum is also really interesting in its own right. It houses over 7,000 artifacts that tell the story of Moose Jaw and surrounding area. Kid-friendly and highly interesting content – I will not miss this stop again when I return. (461 Landon Crescent, www.mjmag.ca) Art (and Wanderlust) I often like to wander aimlessly when I travel to a town, in an attempt to find things I wasn’t looking for, but this time I didn’t stick to my usual method. I did my homework and knew I wanted to find as many of the numerous murals that adorn buildings in the downtown area. Stop by Tourism Moose Jaw, pick up a guide and conduct your own self-guided tour (easy to find if you know where Mac the Moose lives). The murals tell the stories and depict the history of the South Saskatchewan region. If you like art and the outdoors, it’s win-win. When in Thailand ... or Moose Jaw Next was a necessary pit stop at Nit’s Thai Food, one of my 30 |
FOR SASKATCHEWAN WOMEN | VOL. 2 ISSUE 1, JANUARY 2013