Things To Do in Regina
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
Regina Attractions
While Casino Regina is described as a gaming destination, even non-gamblers will be interested in this impressive gambling establishment. Right downtown, it incorporates Regina's original Canadian National rail terminal from 1911 and features antique rail cars in its dining room and a Vegas-style show lounge; admission is free.
Wascana Centre
This 930-hectare (2,298-acre) park in the city center -- one of the largest urban parks in North America -- contains its own waterfowl park, frequented by 60 or more species of marsh and water birds. There's a naturalist on duty Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Another delightful spot is Willow Island, a manmade island reached by a small ferry from the overlook west of Broad Street on Wascana Drive. Other highlights include a fountain that once stood in London's Trafalgar Square, a totem pole, and a war memorial. In winter, ice skaters take to the park's central lake, and cross-country skiers navigate its snowy trails.
The center also contains the domed Saskatchewan Legislative Building, the University of Regina, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts.
Wascana Place, headquarters for the Wascana Centre Authority (tel. 306/522-3661; www.wascana.sk.ca), provides public information. You can get a fine view from its fourth-level observation deck. Victoria Day through Labour Day, it's open daily 9am to 6pm; winter hours are Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm.
- Landmark
Government House
This elegant structure was built in 1891 as home to the British lieutenant governor, the queen's representative who served as head of government for the entire Northwest Territories -- which at the time included all of western and northern Canada except British Columbia. Visitors are… - Landmark
Legislative Building
This splendid, stately edifice, built from 1908 to 1912, boasts 30 kinds of marble in the interior. Check out the mural Before the White Man Came, depicting Native people in the Qu'Appelle Valley preparing to attack a herd of buffalo on the opposite shore. See also the Legislative… - Tour
RCMP Training Academy & Heritage Centre
This is the primary training facility for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or the Mounties, who function as both Canada's national police and the country's version of the FBI. Tours of the training grounds and academy are offered Monday to Friday at 1:30pm. In addition to visiting… - Park/Garden
Wascana Centre
This 930-hectare (2,298-acre) park in the city center -- one of the largest urban parks in North America -- contains its own waterfowl park, frequented by 60 or more species of marsh and water birds. There's a naturalist on duty Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Another delightful spot is…
Regina Nightlife
The focus of the city's cultural life is the Conexus Arts Centre, on the southern shore of Wascana Lake, at 200 Lakeshore Dr. (tel. 800/667-8497, or 306/525-9999 for the box office; www.conexusartscentre.ca). With two theaters and a 2,000-seat concert hall, the center is home to the Regina Symphony Orchestra (www.reginasymphony.com) and features many other performance companies. The box office is open Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm.
Late September to early May, the Globe Theatre (Old City Hall, 1801 Scarth St.; tel. 866/954-5623 or 306/525-6400; www.globetheatrelive.com) performs as a theater-in-the-round within a restored building that was built as Regina's original city hall. The company presents six plays annually. Productions run the gamut from classics (Shakespeare, Molière, Shaw, and others) to modern dramas, musicals, and comedies. Tickets are C$35 to C$45. Box office hours are Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm.
Casino Regina (1880 Saskatchewan Dr., at Broad St.; tel. 800/555-3189 or 306/565-3000; www.casinoregina.com) is very impressive. Seven blocks long and incorporating the city's original rail station, Casino Regina has over 35 gaming tables to go with its more than 600 slots, as well as a restaurant and Vegas-style live shows, and is open daily 9am to 4am (closed Christmas). The top live-music venue in Regina is The Distrikt (1326 Hamilton St.; tel. 306/359-8223), offering national and local bands, three bars, a large dance floor, and three outdoor decks.
Across the tracks from downtown is the old railway warehouse district, now being revived as an arts and clubs area. Centering on Dewdney Avenue, between Albert and Broad streets, this district offers travelers a number of pubs and nightclubs. Envy Nightclub downstairs at 2300 Dewdney Ave. (tel. 306/757-3689) is as trendy as it gets in Regina. The room has a lively dance-club atmosphere, while on weekends, DJs give the club an electric vibe. Of the many pubs in the area, check out Bushwakker Pub and Brewing Company (2206 Dewdney Ave.; tel. 360/359-7276; www.bushwakker.com), with a wide selection of beers and ales brewed on-site to go with well-priced pub fare.
A couple of other pubs with an Irish flavor popular in Regina are O'Hanlon's (1947 Scarth St.; tel. 306/566-4094) and McNally's, at 2226 Dewdney Ave. (tel. 306/522-4774; www.mcnallystavern.ca), which also features live music.
