Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw is a city of about 34,000 people in Southwestern Saskatchewan. A popular tourist destination, it is about 45 minutes west of the provincial capital of Regina. During Prohibition (of alcohol) in the 1920s, its proximity to the US border and easy rail access made it a popular destination for alcohol-starved Americans.
Understand
Moose Jaw is an industrial centre and important railway junction for the area's agricultural produce. CFB Moose Jaw is a NATO flight training school, and is home to the Snowbirds, Canada's military aerobatic air show flight demonstration team. Moose Jaw also has a casino and geothermal spa.
Moose Jaw's winters are long, cold and dry, while its summers are short, but very warm and relatively wet. The coldest month is January, with a mean temperature of -12.3 °C, while the warmest is July, with a mean temperature of 19.3 °C. The driest month is February, in which an average of 11.1 mm of precipitation falls, while the wettest month is July, which brings an average of 63 mm. Annual average precipitation is 365 mm.
A resident of Moose Jaw is a "Moose Javian".
Get in
By plane
- Regina International Airport. The nearest commercial airport. It has four gates which handle flights to major centres in Canada via Air Canada and WestJet, as well as regular flights during the autumn, winter and spring to Las Vegas, Phoenix and Orlando. Wrapture Limousine offers charter service from the airport to Moose Jaw.
- 🌍 McEwen Airport (CFB Moose Jaw YMJ IATA) (7 km south of Moose Jaw). Operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), it is home to RCAF Pilot training and 431 Squadron, the Snowbirds, (the RCAF's air demonstration squadron). Prior authorization is required.
- 🌍 Moose Jaw Municipal Airport (13 km northeast of Moose Jaw). Civilian airport; no commercial service.
By car
- Moose Jaw is on Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) and is 45 minutes west of Regina.
- The city can also be accessed via Highway 2, which from the north links to Saskatoon and Prince Albert and to the south links with the US.
Get around
- City of Moose Jaw Transit Division. M-F. $2.25 all ages.
- Route 1 - Mall, Superstore, Wal-Mart, Trailer Courts, Union Hospital, A.E. Peacock Collegiate
- Route 2 – Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Sportsplex, Mall, Vanier Collegiat
- Route 3 – Pioneer Lodge, Central Collegiate
- Route 4 – South Hill Clinic, South Hill Mall, Extendicare, Riverview Collegiate
See
- 🌍 CFB Moose Jaw (15 Wing Moose Jaw) (7 km south of Moose Jaw). The Canadian Forces Base south of the city is home to the Snowbirds, a team of plane pilots who perform aerobatic flight demonstration. The base is home to an annual air show every July, headlined by the Snowbirds.
- 🌍 Mac the Moose (near the Trans-Canada Highway & Thatcher Drive). Mac is a 10-metre-tall cement moose right next to the visitor information centre.
- 🌍 Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (SBOIC), 250 Thatcher Drive E, ☏ +1 306-692-8710, sboic@sasktel.net. Late May to early Sep: Th-M 10AM-5PM. An educational facility dedicated to the conservation of Burrowing Owls and their prairie home.
- 🌍 Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum (13 km (8 miles) south of Moose Jaw on Highway #2), ☏ +1 306-693-7315, office@sukanenshipmuseum.ca. May-Sep: M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-6PM. Artifacts reflecting the rich and varied history of Saskatchewan. Tom Sukanen was a Finnish-born sailor, farmer and Canadian. He built a sea vessel to enable his permanent return to his homeland. Adults (16+) $8, seniors (60+) $7, students (with valid card) $7, ages 6-15 years (accompanied by an adult) $5, ages 5 and under free.
- 🌍 Western Development Museum, 50 Diefenbaker Drive, ☏ +1 306-693-5989. The keeper of Saskatchewan’s collective heritage. The Museum shares the province’s unique sense of place with all people for their understanding and enjoyment.
Do
- 🌍 Tunnels of Moose Jaw, 18 Main Street N, ☏ +1 306-693-5261. Two-hour tours through the underground tunnels. The Chicago Connection tour covers the Al Capone era and bootlegging in the 1920s. The Passage to Fortune tour explains the Chinese immigrants and the head tax. Far from being simply a set of exhibits, the two tours are in fact interactive theatre productions where visitors interact with actors. Be sure to book in advance. One tour: adult $23, senior/youth $19, child (6-12) $14; discounts on additional tours.
- 🌍 Casino Moose Jaw, 21 Fairford Street E, ☏ +1 306-694-3726, contact@casinomoosejaw.com. Casino Moose Jaw has over 200 slot machines, and table games. It is surrounded by 20 murals and décor inspired by the Roaring Twenties.
- Moose Jaw Trolley Company, 450 Diefenbaker Drive (located at the Moose Jaw visitor centre), ☏ +1 306-693-8097. May-Sep: daily. Guests can take 1-hour-long daytime, guided, city tours. The tours covers various aspects of the city: must-see attractions, heritage buildings, murals, and notable people who have helped shape Moose Jaw. Daytime tours leave from either the Visitor Centre or the downtown location. Friday and Saturday nights feature Ghost Tours and Tales of Murder aboard the Trolley.
- Festivals: enjoy a host of arts and cultural festivals, such as the Festival of Words, Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival, Music Festival, Motif, and the Moose Jaw Dance Festival.
Buy
- 🌍 Town ‘n’ Country Mall, 1235 Main St N. M Tu 9:30AM-6PM, W-F 9:30AM-9PM, Su noon-5PM. Includes Galaxy Cinemas.
Eat
- 🌍 Déjà Vu Café, 23 High St E, ☏ +1 306-692-6066, dejavucafe@shaw.ca. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-9PM. More than 70 flavours of chicken wings. 50 flavours of milkshakes.
- 🌍 Hopkins Dining Parlour, 65 Athabasca St W, ☏ +1 306-692-5995, toll-free: +1-800-264-3488, fax: +1 306-692-8606.
Drink
- 🌍 Cask 82, 82 Manitoba Street W, ☏ +1 306-313-8282. W Th 4PM-midnight, F Sa 4PM-1AM. Craft beer & cocktail lounge with a full menu and live music every weekend.
- 🌍 The Crushed Can Sports Bar & Nightclub, 82 Manitoba Street W, ☏ +1 306-694-4900. M Tu 11AM-10PM, W-Sa 10AM-2AM, Su noon-9PM. 243-seat warehouse-style venue, specializing in sports entertainment and DJ Hollywood dancing. Licensed lounge & outdoor patio.
- 🌍 Rock Creek Tap & Grill, 857 Thatcher Drive, ☏ +1 306-693-3300, mjrockcreek@sasktel.net. M-W 11AM-11PM, Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 11AM-10PM. Casual neighbourhood restaurant and bar.
Sleep
Budget
- 🌍 Prairie Oasis Motel, 955 Thatcher Drive, ☏ +1 306-693-8888, toll-free: +1-800-854-8855. 40-unit motel with 30 family-friendly 2- and 3-bedroom suites with kitchens, washers and dryers. Kitchen equipped banquet/meeting room and large Quonset available for large gatherings.
- 🌍 Thriftlodge (Highway #1 East on Petrolia Service Road), ☏ +1 306-693-3601, toll-free: +1-800-578-7878. Located off the Trans-Canada Highway, this hotel is just minutes from downtown Moose Jaw. A microwave and refrigerator are featured in each room. Breakfast and free Wi-Fi are included.
- 🌍 Travelodge (Travelodge by Wyndham Moose Jaw), 45 Athabasca Street E, ☏ +1 306-692-1884, toll-free: +1-800-578-7878. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM.
Mid-range
- 🌍 Best Western Plus, 350 Diefenbaker Drive, ☏ +1 306-972-3334, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. One of Moose Jaw's newest hotels located along Highway 1 is complete with a water slide, hot tub, kitchenette suites, whirlpool suites, semi truck and trailer parking spaces.
- 🌍 Comfort Inn & Suites, 155 Thatcher Drive W, ☏ +1 306-692-2100, toll-free: +1-800-228-5150. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Big screen TV. Jacuzzi tubs. Free continental breakfast. Fitness room and conference room on premises. On-site bus and truck parking. Pets welcome.
- 🌍 Days Inn (Days Inn by Wyndham Moose Jaw), 1720 Main Street N, ☏ +1 306-691-5777, toll-free: +1-800-329-7466. Pool/waterslide and fitness room. Deluxe continental breakfast. Jacuzzi, conference and family suites. All suites have fridge, microwave, iron and ironing board. Free high-speed.
- 🌍 Heritage Inn Hotel & Convention Centre, 1590 Main Street N, ☏ +1 306-693-7550, toll-free: +1-888-888-4374, info.moosejaw@heritageinn.net. Offers 104 renovated rooms, on-site restaurant, lounge and pub, as well as banquet facilities for up to 800 people.
- 🌍 Quality Inn & Suites, 323 Diefenbaker Drive, ☏ +1 306-972-7829, toll-free: +1-877-424-6423.
- 🌍 Ramada (Ramada by Wyndham Moose Jaw), 379 Diefenbaker Drive, ☏ +1 306-693-3050, toll-free: +1-800-854-9517. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. This hotel boasts a fitness centre, hot tub and sauna, a free continental breakfast and kitchenette suites. All the guest rooms feature a microwave, mini refrigerator, flat screen TV and free movies.
- 🌍 Super 8 (Super 8 by Wyndham Moose Jaw), 1706 Main Street N, ☏ +1 306-692-8888, toll-free: +1-800-800-8000. Complimentary breakfast and 24-hour coffee. Fax and copy services and laundry facilities. Vehicle parking with plug-ins. VIP, Senior and corporate discounts.
Splurge
- 🌍 Grant Hall Hotel, 401 Main Street N, ☏ +1 306-691-2113, toll-free: +1-844-885-4255, accommodations@granthall.ca. A renovated 1928 historical landmark, in downtown Moose Jaw. Fine dining & lounge with corporate/banquet facilities available.
- 🌍 Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa, 24 Fairford Street E, ☏ +1 306-694-5055, toll-free: +1-800-718-7727, info@templegardens.sk.ca. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. World-renowned geothermal mineral pools. The resort features 181 rooms, a spa, banquet facilities, a rooftop indoor/outdoor mineral pool, and is connected to Casino Moose Jaw.
Bed & Breakfast
- 🌍 Wakamow Heights Bed & Breakfast, 690 Aldersgate Street, ☏ +1 306-693-9963, toll-free: +1-866-693-9963. This historic home was built in 1902 by one of Moose Jaw’s leading businessmen. Enjoy the private baths, jetted tubs, fireplaces, Wi-Fi and incredible breakfasts.
Camping
- 🌍 Peanut Hills Campground, 1100 Lakeview Service Road, ☏ +1 306-630-7909. 110 full serviced sites. It offers easy access off Highway #1. It is close to many amenities.
- 🌍 Prairie Oasis Campground (Prairie Oasis Tourist Complex), 955 Thatcher Drive, ☏ +1 306-693-8888, toll-free: +1-800-854-8855. 75 pull-through, full hook-up spaces, and 25 spaces with water and electrical.
- 🌍 River Park Campground (Wakamow Valley), 300 River Drive, ☏ +1 306-692-2285. Located in the Wakamow Valley along the Moose Jaw River. Over 60 sites, most with water and electric hook-up. Within walking distance of downtown Moose Jaw.
Connect
- 🌍 Tourism Moose Jaw, 450 Diefenbaker Drive (near the Trans-Canada Hwy & Thatcher Drive, next to Mac the Moose), ☏ +1 306-693-8097. M-Sa 10AM-4PM.
Nearby
Caronport
Caronport is a town of 994 largely based around the Briercest Bible College and Seminary, located 21 km (13 mi) west of Moose Jaw on the Trans-Canada Highway
See
- 🌍 Briercrest College and Seminary, 510 College Drive, ☏ +1 306-756-3200, info@briercrest.ca. Briercrest College and Seminary is a private evangelical post-secondary educational institution, comprised of a college and a seminary, and operates the Caronport High School. The centrepiece of the campus is the 2,400-seat Hildebrand Chapel; the largest church auditorium in the province. Facilities also include a library, nine student dormitories, a hotel, double-court gymnasium, ice rink, sports fields.
- Hildebrand Chapel, 510 College Drive,, ☏ +1 306-756-3272. The village's centrepiece, it is named in honour of Henry Hildebrand, founder of the college and long-serving president.
Sleep
- Pilgrim Inn, 310 College Drive (located just off the Trans-Canada Highway), ☏ +1 306-756-5002, toll-free: +1-877-355-5002, fax: +1 306-756-5005. 42 rooms and suites From $99.
Mortlach
Mortlach village about 40 km (25 mi) west of Moose Jaw on the Trans-Canada Highway.
- Besant Trans-Canada Campground, Highway 1 (33 km (21 mi) west of Moose Jaw or 7 km (4 mi) east of Mortlach on Hwy 1), ☏ +1 306-756-2700, sbcampbell@sasktel.net. Stocked, spring-fed pond and sandhills. Large, well-treed campsites. Natural swimming area. Home of Sandy Creek Gospel Jamboree, Run to Besant Car Show and Connect Festival. Open May 1 to Sep 15.
- Sandy Creek Gospel Jamboree (Besant Trans-Canada Campground). Three days in mid-July. Day ticket $30-45, weekend $80-90 (family $180), children under 14 free (2017 prices).
Tuxford
- 🌍 Buffalo Pound Provincial Park (30 km (19 mi) north of Moose Jaw). The park centres on Buffalo Pound Lake. Seasonal recreation activities include swimming (two public beaches and a pool), camping, fishing, mini-golf, biking, hiking, and access to the Trans-Canada Trail. The park also features a captive herd of bison, along with the Nicolle Flats Marsh where a variety of wildlife can be observed. There is also a trout pond, known as Buffalo Pond, which is stocked with rainbow, brown and tiger trout.
Go next
| Routes through Moose Jaw |
| Medicine Hat ← Swift Current ← | W E | → Regina → Brandon |
| Prince Albert ← Chamberlain ← | N S | → Assiniboia → Glasgow |
| END ← | NW SE | → Wilcox → Weyburn |
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