Despite its stunning skyscapes, broad rivers and sweeping fields of lentils and wheat, Saskatchewan is one of those Canadian provinces often overlooked as a travel destination. Yet its vibrant mix of rural and urban living offers something for everyone, from the avid hiker to the foodie and art connoisseur.

I started my week-long stay in the province at the historic Hotel Saskatchewan in downtown Regina, a beautifully preserved landmark from 1927. Part of the Mariott Autograph Collection, the hotel underwent a major modernization in 2016 but has retained all of its historic charm, right down to the brass mail chute where you can still slip in a letter or postcard. That evening, I sampled the first of many exceptional dishes on my Saskatchewan tour at the Burrow, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant. Along with the cozy, unpretentious atmosphere, I thoroughly enjoyed my perfectly seared beef tenderloin, served with bone marrow mashed potatoes and scrumptious coconut panna cotta.

In fact, throughout Regina and its surrounding neighbourhoods, I discovered so many culinary treats and even made my own. At Schoolhaus I joined some fellow travel writers in a cooking class (open to all levels of cooks) where the lunch menu included Saskatoon berry and goat cheese crostini along with creamy dill pickle soup (so much better than I expected!). Later I was dazzled by a dinner at Harvest Eatery in the tiny town of Shaunavon. In the open kitchen, I watched Chef Rusty and his team expertly prepare tasty barbeque and homemade sides, including a Maplewood smoked beef brisket I’m still salivating over.

Good eating aside, Saskatchewan also enticed me with its art scene—dynamic, diverse, and never far from wherever my travels took me. The beautifully designed Remai Modern in Saskatoon is a must-see with its comprehensive collection of linocuts by Pablo Picasso. But just as fascinating was the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Wascana Park, the province’s oldest public gallery with a focus on Indigenous and contemporary art. I also enjoyed exploring the extensive private collection of paintings, sculptures and artifacts in the Shurniak Art Gallery . Located in the town of Assiniboia in south central Saskatchewan, the collection reflects founder William Shurniak’s extensive travels and showcases works by invited guests several times a year. The 8,000-square-foot space features a lovely in- and outdoor seating area too, with healthy menu options for lunch or a coffee and snack.

I also recommend wandering the downtown streets of Shaunavon to view the gorgeous wall art created for the South West Mural Fest, featuring the works of Saskatchewan and international artists.

Those looking to explore more of rural Saskatchewan on foot will enjoy the Grasslands National Park, one of the province’s two national parks and a designated dark-sky preserves ideal for stargazing. As it lies on traditional territory it protects one of the country’s largest concentrations of undisturbed pre-contact Indigenous cultural resources and includes more than 20,000 tipi rings, remnants of campsites used for thousands of years.

While the Grasslands reveal Saskatchewan’s ancient history under wide-open skies, a very different chapter unfolds below ground in Moose Jaw, where a network of tunnels created in the early 1900s tells stories of immigration, prohibition and the Cold War. While the tunnels were originally constructed to help maintain steam heating systems under the buildings in downtown Moose Jaw during the frigid winters, they were later thought to be repurposed for use by Chinese immigrants and bootleggers during prohibition.

I took one of three guided theatrical tours with Tunnels of Moose Jaw which focused on the use of the tunnels as bunkers during World War II and the Cold War. Next time I plan to join the “Chicago Connection” to learn about the rum runners of the prohibition and Al Capone’s connection to Moose Jaw in the 1920s.

Of course, no trip to Saskatchewan is complete without a multi-day stop in Saskatoon, a city often dubbed the “Paris of the Prairies” for its charming bridges over the South Saskatchewan River. It is also the hometown of music icon Joni Mitchell who has a riverfront walkway named in her honour.

Along with a host of great eateries, shops and galleries, I think I most enjoyed meandering Saskatoon’s Meewasin Trail. As the world’s largest public waterfront trail, it unfolds for 105 kilometres along both banks of the river, with access points, maps and interpretive signs found throughout. It even has its own natural maintenance crew—a flock of sheep used for targeted grazing that you can witness during scheduled demonstrations.

I think these kinds of details—preserving nature while sharing it—are what make this province so memorable. With places to breathe, stories to uncover and flavours to savor, Saskatchewan is place that continues to stay with me, long after I’ve come home.