Regina
Regina is the capital city of the province of Saskatchewan. With about 215,000 people (2016), it is in the southeastern part of the province on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1).
Understand
Regina is pronounced with a long "I" in the middle. It's home of the RCMP Training Academy and the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders. Before Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces, Regina was the capital of the Northwest Territories. Louis Riel, founder of Manitoba and the leader of the Métis peoples, was executed in the city.
Wascana Centre, created around the focal point of Wascana Lake, remains one of Regina's attractions and contains the Provincial Legislative Building, both campuses of the University of Regina, First Nations University of Canada, the provincial museum of natural history, the Regina Conservatory (in the original Regina College buildings), the Saskatchewan Science Centre, the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts.
Residential neighbourhoods include precincts beyond the historic city centre are historically or socially noteworthy neighbourhoods – namely Lakeview and The Crescents, both of which lie directly south of downtown. Immediately to the north of the central business district is the old warehouse district, increasingly the focus of shopping, nightclubs and residential development; as in other western cities of North America, the periphery contains shopping malls and big box stores.
As demand has risen for Saskatchewan's agricultural and mineral resources, Regina has enjoyed a period of strong economic growth.
History
The site had been called Wascana ("Buffalo Bones" in Cree), but was renamed "Regina" (Latin for "Queen") in 1882 in honour of Queen Victoria. This decision was made by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise, who was the wife of the Governor General of Canada, the Marquess of Lorne.
Unlike other planned cities in the Canadian West, on its treeless flat plain Regina has few topographical features other than the small spring run-off, Wascana Creek. Early planners took advantage of such opportunity by damming the creek to create a decorative lake to the south of the central business district with a dam a block and a half west of the later elaborate 260-metre (850-ft) long Albert Street Bridge across the new lake. Regina's importance was further secured when the new province of Saskatchewan designated the city its capital in 1906.
In 1912, the Regina Cyclone destroyed much of the town; in the 1930s, the Regina Riot brought further attention and, in the midst of the 1930s drought and Great Depression, which hit the Canadian Prairies particularly hard with their economic focus on dry land grain farming. The predecessor of the New Democratic Party (the main left-wing political party in Canada), formulated its foundation Regina Manifesto of 1933 in Regina.
Climate
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Get in
By plane
Airport
- 1 Regina International Airport (YQR IATA), 5201 Regina Ave (close to downtown Regina), ☏ +1 306-761-7555. Has 8 gates that handle flights to major centres in Canada via Air Canada and WestJet, weekly flights via WestJet from Las Vegas and Phoenix, and charter flights from sun destinations during winter. Regional airlines provide service from Saskatoon, Prince Albert and points in northern Saskatchewan.
Airlines
Canadian airlines operating to Regina:
- Air Canada, ☏ +1-514-393-3333, toll-free: +1-888-247-2262. Canada's largest airline with hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. It operates across Canada and services international destinations.
- Flair Airlines, toll-free: +1-833-711-2333. A new low-cost airline with flights across much of Canada.
- Sunwing Airlines, toll-free: +1-877-786-9464. Low-cost Canadian airline that operates some flights within Canada throughout the year and specializes in seasonal flights to warmer, southern international vacation destinations in the winter.
- Swoop, ☏ +1-587-441-1001. WestJet's low-cost airline with flights to less-busy airports. Swoop charges a fee for new reservations or changes to reservations made over the phone.
- WestJet, toll-free: +1-877-952-0100. Canada's second largest airline services with hubs in Calgary and Toronto. It operates across Canada and services international destinations.
By car
Major highways
- Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) − Regina sits along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1 in Saskatchewan) and is a 40-minute drive east of Moose Jaw. Calgary is 7 hours to the west on Highway 1, and Winnipeg is a 5-hour drive to the east on Highway 1.
- Highway 6 (CanAm Highway) - Highway 6 runs north-south through the city along Albert Street, the main street, and runs south to the U.S. border (Raymond and Plentywood, Montana), which is about 90 minutes away; this port is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Going north it eventually leads to the parklands in central Saskatchewan and is one of four routes to Prince Albert (the others being Highway 11, Highway 2 via 11 and Highway 20 via 11).
- Highway 11 (Louis Riel Trail) − Saskatoon is 2½ hours to the north on Highway 11, and it continues to Prince Albert. Edmonton is 8 hours to the northwest via Highways 11 and 16.
- Highway 39 - Highway 39 runs diagonally from northwest to southeast from Moose Jaw to the U.S. border (North Portal and Portal, North Dakota), about 2½ hours away; this port is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Highway 39 passes through the cities of Weyburn and Estevan and accessed via Highway 6 at Corinne, about 45 km (28 mi) south of Regina. The CanAm Highway transitions from Highway 6 to Highway 39.
Minor highways
- Highway 33 runs to southeast Saskatchewan and is an alternate route to Weyburn and Estevan.
- Highway 46 is a short commuter highway to Pilot Butte and Balgonie.
By bus
- Rider Express, ☏ +1 306-209-3636, toll-free: +1-833-583-3636, contact@riderexpress.ca. Operates intercity bus routes in western Canada. Routes stopping in Regina:
- from Saskatoon. M-F 8:30AM and 5:30PM, Sa 10:30AM and 5:30PM, Su 5:30PM. 3 hr. Adults $60, seniors/students/children $50 taxes included.
- from Prince Albert. M F 3PM, W 8AM. Arrives at 8:30PM (includes a lay-over in Saskatoon). Adults $95, seniors/students $85 taxes included.
- from Edmonton (9.75 hours). Daily. Includes stops along the way in Vegreville, Vermilion, Lloydminster (6.25 hours), North Battleford (4.75 hours), Saskatoon (2.75 hours), and Davidson.
- from Calgary (10.25 hours). Twice per week. Includes stops along the way in Fort Macleod, Lethbridge (7 hours), Medicine Hat (5.25 hours), Maple Creek, Swift Current (2.75 hours), and Moose Jaw (1 hour).
- from Winnipeg. Operates one day per week, only as an overnight service. Route between Winnipeg and Regina route stops at Portage la Prairie, Brandon, Virden, Moosomin, and Whitewood. Travel time to Regina from Winnipeg is 7.5 hours, from Portage la Prairie is 6.25 hours, and from Brandon is 5 hours.
- Beam Shuttle. Shuttle service from Estevan and Weyburn.
- Cantur Express. Service from Moose Jaw.
By train
There is no Via Rail service to Regina.
Get around
Map of Regina
Regina is pretty navigable, especially its inner city area where roads are on a grid, like most other cities around the region. Regina also has a Ring Road, though it is only a half ring road and can take you around most of the city.
By public transit
By taxi
By ride hailing
- Uber.
See
Museums and art galleries
- 1 Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Dr, ☏ +1 306-791-7900. Over a hundred permanent, hands-on exhibits, live stage shows, amazing Gryo-Gym, and one of the tallest climbing walls in Canada.
- Kramer IMAX Theatre (Next to the Science Centre), ☏ +1 306-522-IMAX (4629). Saskatchewan's only IMAX Theatre, it is one of about 250 such theatres in the world. It is one of the most dynamic ways for people to experience the places, people, and principles of science and nature.
- 2 The Royal Saskatchewan Museum, 2445 Albert St (Albert St & College Ave), ☏ +1 306-787-2815, info@royalsaskmuseum.ca. Daily 9:30AM-5PM. An interesting museum with exhibits on the dinosaurs, Indigenous people's and natural history of the province. Also features a half-size robotic T-Rex called "Megamunch". by donation.
- 3 MacKenzie Art Gallery, 3475 Albert St, ☏ +1 306-584-4250. Tu W F 10AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-9PM, Sa Su 11AM-5:30PM. Major touring exhibits, Gallery Shop and 175-seat theatre. Tours available. Adults $10.
- 4 RCMP Heritage Centre, 5907 Dewdney Ave, ☏ +1 306-522-7333, toll-free: +1-866-567-7267, info@rcmphc.com. Through the use of permanent and temporary exhibits, multimedia technologies, and extensive programming, the Heritage Centre tells the RCMP story and educates Canadians and the world about the past, present and future of the RCMP within Canada and abroad. The RCMP Heritage Centre also has a Gift Shop and e-store. Tours of the RCMP Academy, Depot Division are offered daily from May-Aug.
- 5 Neutral Ground, 1835 Scarth St (Scarth Street Mall), ☏ +1 306-522-7166. A contemporary art forum.
Parks
Regina has more parks and greenspace per capita than any major city in Canada.
- 6 Wascana Centre. Huge 9.3-km² (2300-acre) park that is built around the shores of Wascana Lake, a man made lake in the heart of Regina. It is one of North America's largest urban parks, and includes several attractions, such as several walking and bicycle paths, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, an outdoor pool, a marina with boat rentals, the Saskatchewan Legislative building, and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts.
- 7 Douglas Park (McDonald St & 20th Ave). Houses the Canada Games Athletic Complex and Leibel Field.
- 8 Willow Island, https://wascana.ca/things-to-see-and-do/parks-and-play-areas/willow-island (near Wascana Dr & Broadway Ave). This island on Wascana Lake is open to the public and is available for group bookings. A pontoon boat which seats 12 passengers is used to transport people to and from the island.
- 9 Central Park (between 14th & 15th Avenues and Scarth & Hamilton Streets).
- 10 Victoria Park (north side of Victoria Avenue between Scarth and Lorne Streets). Located in Regina's Market Square. It is the venue for many summer and winter events and concerts. In the centre of the park is a war memorial. A few statues dot the park, there is a playground on the southeast corner. The park is well treed and has many benches. On summer afternoons expect downtown's businesspeople to populate the park equally with teenagers (who mostly stay on the grass).
- 11 A.E. Wilson Park (McCarthy Blvd & Brunskill Place). The northern entry point to the Devonian Pathway. There are many path intersections in this area, making it great for short walks. The park has the widest points in the creek on the North side of Wascana Lake. It is home to the Jack Hamilton Arena and Rick Hansen Optimist Playground.
- 12 Saskatchewan Legislative Building, 2405 Legislative Drive, ☏ +1 306-787-5416. Daily 8AM-5PM (except holidays). Tours are offered hourly and last 30 min. Pay particular attention to items belonging to Tommy Douglas, who was the Premier of Saskatchewan and introduced universal health care while in office. Free.
Shows
Regina is home to many performing arts venues.
- 13 Casino Regina and Show Lounge, 1880 Saskatchewan Dr (Broad St & Saskatchewan Dr), toll-free: +1-800-555-3189, contact@casinoregina.com. Casino Regina is in a beautiful historic train station. With almost 2 million visitors every year, it's Saskatchewan's top tourist draw.
- 14 Conexus Arts Centre (formerly Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts), 200 Lakeshore Dr, ☏ +1 306-525-9999, toll-free: +1-800-667-8497, reception@conexusartscentre.ca. Concert hall where many big-name artists play here; seats 2,033.
- 15 The Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society, 2431 8th Ave, ☏ +1 306-780-9495. In the warehouse district. Operates two venues: The Exchange, a 240-capacity club (complete with bar and Ms. Pac-Man machine) and The Club, a smaller venue. There are usually several acts per night, and range from independent bands to comedians to visual artists. Admission is usually under $10 or free.
- Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO), 2424 College Ave, ☏ +1 306 791-6395, info@reginasymphony.com. The RSO is a full-scale, professional orchestra focused on sharing live orchestral music with residents of Southern Saskatchewan. The concert season runs from August to May. The RSO provides a unique and fun concert experience.
- 16 The Globe Theatre, 1801 Scarth St (corner of Scarth St and 11th Ave), ☏ +1 306-525-6400, toll-free: +1-866-954-5623. The Globe is a 100-seat venue for plays and intimate concerts. It is in the Prince Edward Building upstairs from the Old City Hall Mall.
- The Artful Dodger.
- Creative City Centre.
- The Artesian.
Movies
First-run cinema
- Cineplex Odeon. Southland Mall.
- Cineplex Cinemas Normanview (Galaxy Cinemas), 420 McCarthy Blvd N. In the Normanview Shopping Centre.
Cheap theatres
These are theatres that show movies after their main theatrical run at a discount. Tickets are usually under $5.
- Rainbow Cinemas. In the Golden Mile Shopping Centre. Has "$2.50 Tuesdays". $2.50 to $9.00.
Independent theatre
- Regina Public Library Film Theatre, 2311 12th Ave. Usually screens a different film every 2 nights, Wednesday through Sunday.
Do
Events
- Canada's Farm Progress Show. June. $15, Children under 12 free, parking $7.
- Downtown Ice & Fire Winter Carnival (15-18 Feb). Winter Carnival activities include snow sculptures in Victoria Park, evening lantern procession and a masquerade ball.
- RCMP Sergeant Major's Parade (year round). A demonstration of the inspection of the troops, followed by a march through the Parade Square or the Drill Hall. The Sergeant Major's Parade occurs M-F at 12:50PM, statutory holidays excluded. RCMP Depot Division
- RCMP Sunset Retreat Ceremonies (Jul-Aug). Colourful 45-minute ceremony centred on the lowering of the Canadian flag. It features RCMP Cadet Band and Cadet Troops wearing the traditional scarlet tunic of the world-renowned Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Also in attendance uniformed members mounted on horses and carrying lances. RCMP Depot Division
- Regina Folk Festival (August). The Regina Folk Festival (RFF) is an annual folk music festival held in Victoria Park. Occurring the second weekend in August, the festival is a three-day annual event including evening headliner concerts and daytime workshops and performances. It is Western Canada's longest-running music festival.
- Canadian Western Agribition. Held in late November, it is Canada's premiere agriculture show and marketplace with over 4000 livestock on display including cattle, horses, bison, llama, sheep, and goats. Highlights: 14 breeds purebred beef cattle, Canadian Cowboys' Association Finals Rodeo, light and draft horse events, grain and forage events, agri-trade/technology and western craft trade show, stock dog trials, Agri-Ed showcase, food fair and daily entertainment.
- Regina Farmers Market, City Square Plaza, 12th Avenue & Scarth Street, reginafarmersmarket@hotmail.com. Mar-Apr: Sa 10AM-2PM. Members of the market make, bake or grow their wares. The market offers the freshest fruit and vegetables, bison, lamb, tastiest breads, cookies, and original crafts and treats around.
- Regina Spring Farmers Market, Cathedral Neighbourhood Center, 2900 13th Avenue, reginafarmersmarket@hotmail.com. May-early Oct: W Sa 9AM-1PM. Members of the market make, bake or grow their wares. The market offers the freshest fruit and vegetables, bison, lamb, tastiest breads, cookies, and original crafts and treats around.
- The Queen City Ex (formerly known as Buffalo Days). The biggest summer fair in the province, featuring something for all ages - free stages, food, midway, exhibits. Buffalo Days parade, home decor, pancake breakfast, Equifest, downtown activities. Late July-early August.
- Regina International Fringe Theatre Festival. Theatre lovers and performers will come from across the province and around the world for the festival running concurrent with Buffalo Days. Fringe is cutting edge entertainment bringing together performers and audiences in a fun, safe and exploratory environment. Early July.
- Connect. Yearly electronic music festival that can be found just outside of the Regina area.
- Cathedral Village Arts Festival. Annual celebration of the arts, located in Cathedral Village.
- Mosaic. Local multicultural festival. Adult $14, youth/senior $9, children under 6 free.
Sport
- 1 Saskatchewan Roughriders, 1734 Elphinstone St (Mosaic Stadium). Regina is home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders football team of the Canadian Football League. The team's loyal fans are known for prominent displays of the team's colours, green and white, especially through their tradition of carving fake football helmets out of watermelons. The Riders' home is the new Mosaic Stadium, located near the corner of Elphinstone Street and Saskatchewan Drive, which opened in 2017 to replace the previous Mosaic Stadium (historically known as Taylor Field).
- 2 Regina Pats, 1700 Elphinstone St (Brandt Centre). The Regina Pats are the world's oldest major junior hockey franchise in existence, beginning play in 1917. The Pats are four time Memorial Cup champions and have produced NHL veterans such as Doug Wickenhiser, Clark Gillies, Brad Stuart, Barrett Jackman, Derek Morris and Josh Harding. The Pats play at the Brandt Centre also known as the Agridome.
- 3 Regina Red Sox, 750 Winnipeg St N (Currie Field), ☏ +1 306-721-0666, reginaredsox@sasktel.net. Regina's top baseball team plays in Canada's Premier Collegiate League, the Western Major Baseball League, versus ten other teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Adults $10, children (6-14) $5, under 6 free.
Golf
There are many public golf courses throughout the Regina area. The Royal Regina is a semi-private course. Joanne Goulet, Tor Hill & the Murray are municipal courses. The city also runs a par 3 course at Lakeview. The surrounding area boasts championship courses at Deer Valley Estates and Emerald Park.
Buy
Eclectic, locally-owned shops and boutiques can be found clustered in the pedestrian-friendly Cathedral Village or https://www.warehousedistrict.ca/ Old Warehouse District].
Visitors to Regina will also find all the indoor shopping malls and big box power centres endemic to most North American cities:
- 1 Southland Shopping Centre, 2965 Gordon Rd, ☏ +1 306-584-7644. M-Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. It's in the south end of the city at the corner of Albert and Gordon. Has a Cineplex Odeon movie theatre.
- 2 Cornwall Centre, 2102 11th Ave. M Tu Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Th F 9:30AM-9PM, Su noon-5PM. Anchored by Hudson's Bay. It is downtown in the middle of most of the city's office space. For this reason parking is difficult and expensive. Covered raised walkways connect this mall to Casino Regina, and the Delta Hotel. Immediately south are Scarth Street Mall and Old City Hall two pedestrian-only shopping centres.
- 3 Golden Mile Shopping Centre, 3806 Albert St (Albert St and 25th Ave), ☏ +1 306-586-0818, fax: +1 306-586-4842. The anchor stores are Extra Foods, Rexall Drugs, and Liquidation World.
- Normanview Mall. Has a Galaxy Cinemas movie theater.
- North West commercial area anchored by Walmart, Superstore, Home Depot and Sobeys. Do not attempt if you are not driving.
- Vic East commercial area anchored by Walmart, Superstore, Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot and Victoria Square Shopping Centre on Victoria Avenue East. Do not attempt without a car.
Eat
Saskatchewan is known for having one of the largest per-capita ratio of restaurants to citizens, so there is a wide variety of places to choose from. Regina's downtown alone has approximately seventy eating establishments. Aside from the regular chains, here is a list of local favourites:
- The Copper Kettle Restaurant, 1953 Scarth St, ☏ +1 306 525-3545. Daily 11AM-10PM. This downtown restaurant was once featured on The Food Channel. Many types of food are available, but they are especially known for their Greek food. (For a different taste, try the spinach & feta pizza.) A wine bar is also available. Mains: lunch $13-18, dinner $16-24.
- La Bodega Tapas Bar and Grill, 2228 Albert St, ☏ +1 306 546-3660. M-Th 5-10PM, F Sa 5-11PM. Offers a good array of tapas and flatbreads that rise far above the usual fare. It also offers a large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as a diverse and reasonably priced martini list. It can get get fairly crowded on Fridays and Saturdays, so make reservations or arrive early. Tapas $6-24/plate.
- Crave Kitchen and Wine Bar, 1925 Victoria Ave, ☏ +1 306 525-8777. Tu-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F 11:30AM-midnight. Located downtown, Crave is an upscale tapas, wine and dessert location with a good atmosphere for socializing. It is a popular place to go for lunch as well.
- Bar Willow, 3000 Wascana St, ☏ +1 306 585-3663. Su 10:30AM-2PM, 2:30-9PM; Tu-F 11:30AM-11PM; Sa 10:30AM-2PM, 2:30PM-11PM. A casual restaurant overlooking Wascana Creek. Tapas, charcuterie, burgers, cocktails.
- Luiggi's Pasta House, 470 Albert St N, ☏ +1 306 949-7427. M-Th 11AM-2PM, 4-8PM; F Sa 11AM-2PM, 4-9PM; Su 10AM-2PM, 4-8PM. An Italian-themed pasta house with excellent food and prices and awesome service. Family and group friendly. Take-out and delivery city wide, including to all the hotels around Regina. Very much a local favourite.
- The Rooftop Bar and Grill, 1845 Victoria Ave, ☏ +1 306-359-7663. M-F 11AM-late, Sa 3PM-late. Casual dining restaurant with a decent wine and beer selection. Pastas, burgers, steak, souvlaki. Offers indoor dining and a rooftop patio.
- Greko's Restaurant and Steak House, 4424 Albert St, ☏ +1 306-584-3646. Tu-Sa 11AM-close, Su 4PM-close. A Greek-style steak house in the south end of the city. Good prices and service. Especially good garlic bread.
- Peg's Kitchen, 1653 Park St, ☏ +1 306-781-2830. M-F 10AM-4PM, Sa 10AM-3PM, closed Su holidays. A small, but impressive locally-owned restaurant and store with a very "homey" atmosphere. Specializes in Ukrainian food, like cabbage rolls and perogies. Not usually open during supper hours, though.
- Rock Creek Tap and Grill, 3255 Quance St, ☏ +1 306-586-7625. In the east end of the city, not too far from many of the local hotel chains. Features a lounge and a restaurant. Very friendly and reasonably priced.
- The Icehouse Tavern, 14 Park Bay, Emerald Park (a 15-min drive east of Regina). Su M noon-5PM, Tu-Sa 11:30AM-10PM. Home of the legendary Iceberg hamburgers.
- Teppanyaki Japanese Steak House, 736 Victoria Ave, ☏ +1 306 359-0099.
- Viet Thai Restaurant, 2080 Albert St at 13th Avenue, ☏ +1 306 569-3833. M–Sa 11AM–9PM, Su holidays 4–9PM. Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese food.
- Da India Curry House, 806 Victoria Ave, ☏ +1 306 585-8882. Su 4:30-10PM; M Tu Th 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-9PM; F Sa 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-10PM.
- Afghan Cuisine Family Restaurant, 832 Albert St, ☏ +1 306 949-0800. M—Sa 11AM—9PM. Specialtues include lamb shank, beef ribs and chappli kebab.
- Flavors of India Restaurant and Sweets, 305 Victoria Ave E, ☏ +1 306 757-5353. M-Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su 1-9PM.
- Angkor Southeast Asian Delight, 2567 East Quance St, ☏ +1 306 522-2388. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-9:30PM. Traditional Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese & Cambodian cuisine with no MSG added.
- Saigon By Night Restaurant, 1840 Broad St, ☏ +1 306 522-2444. M-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 3-8PM. Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese. Their wonton soup, spring rolls, and seafood dishes are popular.
- Selam Ethiopian Restaurant, 2115 Broad St, ☏ +1 306 775-3131. Th-Sa 11AM-2PM, 5-10PM. Regina's only gluten-free restaurant serving Ethiopian cuisine.
Drink
The legal drinking age in Saskatchewan is 19 years.
For those looking to check out a bar or night club in the evening, Regina's Old Warehouse district is the place to be. There are 6 bars and clubs on Dewdney Ave between Albert and Broad Sts:
- Gabbo's Nightclub, 2338 Dewdney Ave, ☏ +1 306 347-9907.
- Bushwakker Brew Pub, 2206 Dewdney Ave, ☏ +1 306 359-7276. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-1PM, Su closed. An excellent brew pub which brews their own beer, Bushwakker's was once named by The Globe and Mail newspaper as one of Canada's top 5 brew pubs. Good food, very spacious and comfortable. Also features live music - Monday is jazz night and Wednesday is folk night.
Casual pubs
- O'Hanlons Irish Pub, 1947 Scarth St, ☏ +1 306 566-4094. 11AM-2AM daily. O'Hanlons is one of Regina's most popular nightlife venues and stands out from the Dewdney bars. Friday night usually features a few bands, and Saturday night is the infamous Dance Party. A great selection of drinks is available, and the atmosphere is great. No cover charge, pub meals $14-24.
Other drinking joints
- The Exchange, 2431 8th Ave, ☏ +1 306 780-9495. A club which is owned and run by the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society (SCES), The Exchange contains some of the best live music in the city. It attracts fairly big names, as well as a lot of local talent. Improv is also a fixture. There is no age limit to get in, though it is also a licensed establishment and serves good, cheap drinks if you present ID.
- The Crown and Hand Pub, 6330 Dewdney Ave, ☏ +1 306 543-3535. F Sa noon–2:30AM, Su-W noon-10PM, Th noon-11PM. Located on Dewdney Avenue, though it is several blocks west of the main strip of nightclubs (so you might want to drive there in winter). A very friendly pub with excellent daily drink specials. Western Pizza provides the menu. Karaoke on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
- The Broken Rack Billiards, 3806 Albert St, ☏ +1 306 585-2760. M-Th 4PM-2AM, F-Su 11:30AM-AM. The Broken Rack is in the south end of the city, in the Golden Mile Shopping Centre building. Has a very friendly atmosphere, and features a pool hall, restaurant and several arcade games.
- Q Nightclub and Lounge (The Rainbow), 2070 Broad St, ☏ +1 306 569-1995. M-Sa 5PM-late. A community-owned LGBT bar in the downtown area. Has a heated patio, which is very cool in the winter. Also home of the Homo Depot and Pink Triangle Community Services. One-time membership fee of $5.
Sleep
Hostels
- HI-Regina Turgeon International Hostel, 2310 McIntyre St, ☏ +1 306 791-8165, fax: +1 306 721-2667. Regina's only backpackers' hostel is in an historic home near Wascana Centre. Beds start at $20.50.
Bed and Breakfasts
Staying at bed and breakfasts is a great way to meet local people. Prices in Regina start at $70 for single and $85 for double occupancy.
- The Dragon's Nest, 2200 Angus Street, ☏ +1 306 525-2109. In the Cathedral Village neighbourhood is in a beautifully restored century home. Its proprietors are feng shui experts who also run retreats on their property. Single $70-125, double $85-140.
- Country Fare Bed and Breakfast, 243 Markwell Drive, toll-free: +1-866-448-7378.
- RiseNShine Bed and Breakfast, 6403 Sherwood Dr, ☏ +1 306-543-3165.
- Creekside Terrace, 2724 Angus Blvd, ☏ +1 306-569-2682.
Budget
- Super 8 Motel, 2730 Victoria Ave E, ☏ +1 306-789-8833.
- Days Inn Regina, 3875 Eastgate Dr. E, ☏ +1 306-522-3297. Close to downtown, this hotel features guestrooms and suites, a pool, high-speed internet, and a fitness facility.
Mid-range
- Regina Inn Hotel and Conference Centre, 1975 Broad St, ☏ +1 306-525-6767. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. The Regina Inn Hotel is in downtown. Featuring 235 spacious guest rooms and over 20,000 sq ft. of meeting space, incl. a theatre-style room which can hold 600 people. $110.
- Sandman Hotel Suites and Spa, 1800 Victoria Avenue East, ☏ +1 306-757-2444.
- Delta Regina Hotel, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive, ☏ +1 306-525-5255.
- Ramada Hotel and Convention Centre, 1818 Victoria Avenue, ☏ +1 306-569-1666.
- Best Western Seven Oaks, 777 Albert St (Regina Saskatchewan), ☏ +1 306 575-0121. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11:30AM. Located 10 minutes from Regina’s International Airport and 5 minutes from downtown Regina. 157 guest rooms, including 5 suites that feature extra room. Indoor heated swimming pool and 240-foot water slide. Ricky’s Restaurant and Lounge on site. $125.
Splurge
- Hotel Saskatchewan, 2125 Victoria Avenue, ☏ +1 306-522-7691. A Marriott hotel. From $169.
Stay safe
Much like Saskatoon, Regina has a higher-than-average crime rate per capita (at one point being known as Canada's most dangerous city), but unless you go out looking for trouble, nothing is likely to happen to you. The downtown area is quite safe, though you may run into the occasional panhandler or drunken person at night.
The two main neighbourhoods to avoid in Regina are the North Central and Heritage/Chinatown districts, (which are located northwest and northeast of the downtown core), and where most of the crime and prostitution is concentrated.
Go next
- Moose Jaw - Chief attractions are the excellent Western Development Museum (one of four in the province) near the intersection of Main St. and the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway #1). This museum's focus is on transportation, which fills it with excellent, bright displays of antique trains, automobiles, and aircraft, with even one prairie boat thrown in! Another notable tourist attraction is the pair of "tunnels of Moose Jaw" tours, which take visitors through a set of winding tours above and below the downtown core of "the Friendly City." The tours have two themes: the Chinese immigrant experience, and the bad old days of the 1920s, when Chicago mobster Al Capone allegedly took a ride to the northwest terminus of the Soo Line Railway in Moose Jaw to hide out whenever the "heat" was turned up in Chicago.
- Regina Beach - 60 km (35 miles) northwest of Regina, north of Hwy 11. This beach community and several others sit on Last Mountain Lake.
- White Butte - 10 km east of Regina on Highway 1 or 46.
- Fort Qu'Appelle for decades, has been another summer getaway, with several shallow lakes in the vicinity lined by rows of cottages and boat houses.
- Rouleau, a small town about 45 minutes south of Regina, is a popular destination because it was used as the filming location for the popular TV sitcom Corner Gas from 2004-2009. (The studio where the rest of the series was filmed is near Broad Street and College Avenue in downtown Regina.)
| Routes through Regina |
| Medicine Hat ← Moose Jaw ← | W  E |
→ White Butte → Brandon |
| Melfort ← Quill Lakes ← | N   S |
→ Corinne → Sidney / Weyburn via .svg){kind=small} |
| Saskatoon ← Lumsden ← | N  S |
→ END |