Best Things To Do in Yellowknife, Canada

Are you looking for what to do in Yellowknife?

WHAT TO SEE

  • Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre: With Frame Lake peeping from behind, this well laid out archive and museum makes for an educative and entertaining visit. Beautifully curated displays showcase natural history, European exploration, northern aviation, mining and, especially, Dene and Inuit ways.
  • The Legislative Assembly Building: One of the celebrated tourist attractions in Yellowknife, the Legislative Assembly is the seat of elected government in the Northwest Territories. The building is built beautifully and has become the symbol of solidarity and uniqueness in Yellowknife. Bordering the Frame Lake, the building does not only enjoy a strategically picturesque location but also stands out for its tasteful architecture and design.
  • Old Town: The Old Town area in Yellowknife makes for a wonderful walking area. Surrounded by cafes and restaurants, this neighbourhood is lively and full of cheer. With spectacular views of the lake, the Old Town is a picturesque place to be at any time of the day. In middle of the Old Town is the Pilot’s monument where you can climb up and enjoy watching seaplanes and houseboats from the viewpoint.

WHAT TO DO

Hiking: Hiking is perhaps one of the most fun things to do in Yellowknife. Some interesting hiking trails are.

  • Cameron River Falls: Nestled in the Hidden Lakes Territorial Park, the Cameron River Falls trail is a year round hiking trail that leads up to a charming bridge and gorgeous waterfalls. The 1.2 kilometers hiking trail is of a moderate difficulty with some elevation hiking over rocks before arriving at a lookout that is privy to views of a 17 meter waterfall, river and canyon.
  • Frame Lake Trail: The Frame Lake Trail is a five kilometer trail of well-maintained paved and graveled walkways and bike routes that circles the scenic lake, connecting downtown Yellowknife with the residential and commercial areas to the west. These nature trails are a daily route to work and an exercise path for Yellowknifers in all seasons.
  • Ingraham Trail: Perhaps the most scenic drive and a highlight of tourism in Yellowknife, highway no 4 or Ingraham Trail as it is known in Yellowknife is a 70 kilometer long trail that was built as a part of the ‘road to resources’ route that was originally planned till the interior of Arctic. A beautiful drive, the Ingraham Trail offers scenic vistas of lakes, dense forests and ancient Precambrian rock.
  • Canoeing: Visitors can obtain permits to canoe from Cameron River Ramparts to Yellowknife. A must do in your tour of Yellowknife!
  • Fishing: The Great Slave Lake is popular for its ice fishing and leisure fishing in summers.
  • Cross-country Skiing: Yellowknife is known for its endless trails and if you’re visiting during fall or winters, you can enjoy the incredible experience of cross country skiing over its frozen lakes.
  • Dog Sledding: Explore how your ancestors used to travel with this extremely fun activity. Let trained dogs take you on a joy ride around town.

Below we have a list of things to do in Yellowknife and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Yellowknife getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Yellowknife with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Yellowknife

Here is the list of things to do in Yellowknife and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Aurora Village

    4.1 (887 Votes)
    Aurora Village

    Village

    The northern lights are one of the most fascinating phenomena on earth. Colorful strands of radiant light dance on the hemisphere to bring out the magnanimous and kaleidoscopic show that nature puts up for awestruck eyes. Yellowknife is known as one of the best places to view the northern lights. Aurora village is a camping village and lodge where group tours are organized to view the aurora bo...Read more
  2. Northern Frontier Visitors Center
    Make this your first stop on your visit to Yellowknife. Warm handshakes and smiling faces welcome you to the city and its tourist center. Almost everything you need to know about Yellowknife is presented to you at the visitor’s center. The staff at the center is extremely knowledgeable and kind. They can even help you customize your trip and provide information about all the possibilities...Read more
  3. Prince Of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

    Art And Culture, Museum, Entertainment, Lake

    With Frame Lake peeping from behind, this well laid out archive and museum makes for an educative and entertaining visit. Beautifully curated displays showcase natural history, European exploration, northern aviation, mining and, especially, Dene and Inuit ways. This is where you will be able learn about almost everything about the Great North; history, culture, traditions, customs and art.
  4. Old Town

    4.6 (685 Votes)
    Old Town

    Walking Area, Monument, Cafe, Restaurant

    The Old Town area in Yellowknife makes for a wonderful walking area. Surrounded by cafes and restaurants, this neighbourhood is lively and full of cheer. With spectacular views of the lake, the Old Town is a picturesque place to be at any time of the day. In middle of the Old Town is the Pilot’s monument where you can climb up and enjoy watching seaplanes and houseboats from the viewpoint...Read more
  5. Cameron River Falls

    Outdoors, Trail, Park, Hiking Trail

    Nestled in the Hidden Lakes Territorial Park, the Cameron River Falls trail is a year round hiking trail that leads up to a charming bridge and gorgeous waterfalls. The 1.2 kilometers hiking trail is of a moderate difficulty with some elevation hiking over rocks before arriving at a lookout that is privy to views of a 17 meter waterfall, river and canyon. At the lookout are viewing benches, a s...Read more
  6. The Legislative Assembly Building

    Architecture , Heritage Building

    The Legislative Assembly is the seat of elected government in the Northwest Territories. The building is built beautifully and has become the symbol of solidarity and uniqueness in Yellowknife. Bordering the Frame Lake, the building does not only enjoy a strategically picturesque location but also stands out for its tasteful architecture and design. A host of displays address the history of the...Read more
  7. Frame Lake Trail

    Trail, Park, Monument, Cemetery

    The Frame Lake Trail is a five kilometer trail of well maintained paved and graveled walkways and bike routes that circles the scenic lake, connecting downtown Yellowknife with the residential and commercial areas to the west. The network of trails also connects to the Bristol monument, Lakeview cemetery and Fred Henne Territorial Park. These nature trails are a daily route to work and an exerc...Read more
  8. Down To Earth Gallery

    4.5 (680 Votes)
    Down To Earth Gallery

    Art And Culture, Art Gallery

    An art gallery that supports local artistes and showcases the talents of Yellowknifers, the Down to Earth Gallery is a great place to but souvenirs and check out some incredibly beautiful pieces of art. The collection changes often, so there is something fresh to check out almost every month.
  9. Northern Arts And Cultural Centre

    Art And Culture, Entertainment, Performance

    This 300 seat performing center is the only one of its kind in Northwestern territory.  It was made in 1984 with a mandate to boost and encourage performing arts in the region. There are a number of indigenous paintings and sculptures in the building. A number of artifacts depict vividly the history of the northern region. There are also a host of shows and performances that take place at ...Read more
  10. The Wildcat Cafe

    4.2 (273 Votes)
    The Wildcat Cafe

    Cafe, Restaurant, Heritage Building

    The Wildcat Cafe is a vintage log cabin in that represents the mining camp style of early Yellowknife. The building houses a summer restaurant that is extremely popular with locals and tourists alike. It has been declared a heritage building in Yellowknife. Renovated as recent as 2011, the Wildcat cafe has become a popular local haunt that serves delicious burgers and steaks along with a slice ...Read more
  11. Prelude Lake Territorial Park

    Beach, Trail, Park, Lake

    The biggest developed park on the Ingraham Trail, Prelude Territorial Park offers a variety of recreational facilities. There is a sandy beach for swimming, a dock and boat launch and boat rentals. There are two walking trails, one is a short stroll to a panoramic view and one is a longer more challenging hike. The panoramic trail offers an easy, well-marked half-kilometer walk, much of it on b...Read more
  12. Cameron River Ramparts

    Outdoors, River

    Ideal for hiking, Yellowknife has something to offer for every level of difficulty. The Cameron River Ramparts is an easy hike to a tiny but beautiful white, gushing waterfall. The spot is a great place to enjoy the gentle breezes and the meditative sound of the water. A gorgeous point for photos, this place is truly spectacular because of the fresh green of the landscape and the fluffy white o...Read more
  13. Great Slave Lake

    4.6 (181 Votes)
    Great Slave Lake

    Leisure, Lake

    At 2000 odd feet 480 kilometers wide, the Great Slave Lake is a grand lake that is also the biggest in the Northwestern territories. The Deh Cho Bridge on the lake is the longest jointless bridge in the continent. Extremely popular of ice fishing in winters and leisure fishing in summers, the lake sees a steady flow of awestruck visitors every year. Great Slave Lake has one ice road known as th...Read more
  14. Ingraham Trail

    Trail, Scenic Drive, Lake

    Perhaps the most scenic drive in the world, highway no 4 or Ingraham Trail as it is known in Yellowknife is a 70 kilometer long trail that was built as a part of the ‘road to resources’ route that was originally planned till the interior of Arctic. Currently stopping short at Tibbitt, the trail is full of recreational activities and glorious scenery that is peculiar to this side of ...Read more
  15. Giant Mine

    3.6 (255 Votes)
    Giant Mine

    Trail, Mine

    The Giant Mine is a gold mine in Yellowknife. Mining in and around this city and especially on the Ingraham Trail has led to the production of about seven million ounces of gold, resulting in one of the longest continuous gold mining operations in Canadian mining history. Currently under scrutiny for the toxic Arsenic waste that is a by-product of the excessive mining, the Giant Mine is in for ...Read more