Yellowknife holidays
The remote capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories and a hub of Indigenous culture, Yellowknife is a land of many riches. Gold, diamonds and lithium are found in the city’s mines, and the wealth extends to its outdoor attractions. The best holidays to Yellowknife embrace nature in all its forms, from the frozen tundra to lush forests to vast lakefronts where people gather to enjoy some of the world’s best views of the Aurora Borealis.
Yellowknife holiday highlights
Night lights
Many take holidays to Yellowknife for the Aurora Borealis, which paints the night sky in shades of green and purple. You’ll find the aurora is highly visible here from mid-August through September and mid-November to April — ‘Northern Lighthouses’ flash red when a good display is predicted. Aurora chasers can choose from a variety of viewing experiences, from a dark lakeshore to a swift dogsled.
Frontier spirit
Yellowknife buzzes with the energy of people who thrive in extreme weather and live close to nature. Visit the hilltop Bush Pilot’s Monument — dedicated to those who delivered supplies by plane to the fledgling Yellowknife — for the best view in town. Stroll the lakeshore to observe colourful houseboats and locals who commute by canoe. And in winter explore an enormous, volunteer-built snow castle.
Where to stay
Commerce in Yellowknife clusters around downtown, so stay in the heart of it for easy walks to restaurants, shopping and cultural sites. For funkier vibes, book lodging in the nearby Old Town neighbourhood. To commune with nature, stay at lodges outside of town that focus on outdoor activities, especially aurora chasing.
Things to do in Yellowknife
Places to eat
As remote as Yellowknife might seem, its food scene is incredibly accessible. You can eat your way around the world in the city’s restaurants, from injera bread at a family-run Ethiopian spot to German schnitzel to a number of traditional sushi joints. You’ll also find plenty of bistros where you can sample locally caught fish and wild elk.
Shopping
Some of the best souvenirs in Yellowknife come from the city’s thriving community of artists, many of whom sell their creations in galleries around Old Town. Original paintings, glasswork and Indigenous craftwork — from sculpture to intricate beadwork to moosehide moccasins — can be found here. Look for the NWT Arts logo to identify authentic works.
Take in the culture
Don’t pass over the historical museums in Yellowknife. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre boasts objects from the Northwest Territories as diverse as biplanes and a mooseskin boat to an Ice Age bison skull and mineral samples. The Yellowknife Historical Museum documents the city’s mining culture in over 1,300 artefacts — including a shuffleboard court once used by miners.
