Summer weekend in Yellowknife
How locals do summer in Yellowknife — patios, beaches, festivals and the long-evening rituals that only happen in July and August.
Top spots in Yellowknife
Aurora Village
Outdoors25 min east
Heated teepees and panoramic-chair aurora viewing.
Cameron Falls
OutdoorsHidden Lake — 50 km east
Easy hike to a powerful subarctic waterfall.
Dettah Ice Road
OutdoorsAcross Great Slave Lake
Drive across 6 km of frozen lake to the Dene community of Dettah.
Houseboat Bay
OutdoorsYellowknife Bay
Colourful floating homes — kayak past in summer.
Where to eat
Bullocks' Bistro
$$$Northern fish-fry · Old Town
Cash-only shack legend — fresh-caught Great Slave fish, write on the walls.
NWT Brewing Co. / Woodyard
$$Brewpub · Old Town
House-brewed beer with views of Houseboat Bay.
Sushi North
$$Sushi · Downtown
Famously the world's most-northern sushi joint.
Wildcat Café
$$Northern Canadian · Old Town
1937 log cabin — Yellowknife's oldest restaurant.
Live & on stage
Folk on the Rocks
Long Lake · Jul 17–19 · Folk / Indigenous
Long John Jamboree
Yellowknife Bay · Mar 21–23 · Winter Festival
Snowking's Winter Festival
Yellowknife Bay snow castle · Mar 1–29 · Winter Festival
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Cameron Falls, Dettah Ice Road, Aurora Village. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Yellowknife and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.