Regina

On the Trans-Canada Hwy, the provincial capital is by default the primary destination of visitors to Saskatchewan. There's heady rivalry with Saskatoon, the attractive city 230km to the north, ever since it was a hunting ground for the Cree, who called Regina Wascana (Pile of Bones).

Leafy parks make the capital a pleasant place to be: the Wascana Centre and Victoria Park are great spots to sit and ponder. Other highlights include the gentrified Cathedral Village and the up-and-coming Regina Warehouse District, although on game days, the town's sole focus is on the Roughriders football team.

Regina has good restaurants, bars and comfortable accommodations. These, combined with its location, make it a good base from which to explore southern Saskatchewan, and an appropriate place for a sojourn as you cross the Canadian interior.