Family trip to Canada on the horizon

[merithyn]

Max, the kids, and I will be driving to Canada in June. We leave Champaign on June 14, drive to Grand Forks, SD, for the night, then on to Manitoba for a day or so. From there, we're going up toward Saskatoon for another day or so, then on to Edmonton for a day before going back toward Saskatoon for the family's Christmas in June extravaganza! Then, we head home, stopping in Bismarck on the way back.

We are planning to be in Edmonton on Thursday, June 19 around noon, staying overnight, and leaving around 9am or 10am Friday. It would be nice to meet up with BB and Neil.

Because we'll be driving 3800 miles in 10 days, I'm trying to find ways to make the drive itself fun and part of the vacation. So, I'm looking for suggestions of places to stop and see along that route that are worth an hour or so of our time. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Barrister]

Max, the kids, and I will be driving to Canada in June. We leave Champaign on June 14, drive to Grand Forks, SD, for the night, then on to Manitoba for a day or so. From there, we're going up toward Saskatoon for another day or so, then on to Edmonton for a day before going back toward Saskatoon for the family's Christmas in June extravaganza! Then, we head home, stopping in Bismarck on the way back.

We are planning to be in Edmonton on Thursday, June 19 around noon, staying overnight, and leaving around 9am or 10am Friday. It would be nice to meet up with BB and Neil.

Because we'll be driving 3800 miles in 10 days, I'm trying to find ways to make the drive itself fun and part of the vacation. So, I'm looking for suggestions of places to stop and see along that route that are worth an hour or so of our time. Anyone have any suggestions?

Well I'll be around in June. You're only in town for less than 24 hours though, so I'm assuming you're also meeting up with Max's family.  It'd be great to meet up, but I understand if you have other commitments.

Ah Highway 16, how I loathe thee.   Driven it many, many, many times.

I'm struggling to come up with things to do along the drive.  It's pretty much just boring, flat, prairie.  What are you interested in trying to do or see?

The only two things I can think of along the way:

1. Giant Roadside Attractions!  You'll drive through Vegreville, come see the world largest Ukrainian Easter Egg!  There's a whole website of different giant "stuff" you can see.  http://www.roadsideattractions.ca/index.htm  Not sure I'd fully recommend this.

2. I know you have an interest in history - how interested are you in Canadian prairie history?  There are some interesting historic sites along the way.  Winnipeg has Lower Fort Gary, which was the old fur trading outpost.  It's nicely restored, lots of historical re-enactors walking around.  I went there 2 years ago (for the first time in a long time) and found it was still very well done.

From Saskatoon, you can drive under an hour north and visit Batoche, SK, the site of the Battle of Batoche from the 1885 Northwest Rebellion.  I haven't been since I visited as a kid in 1985, but I remember it being pretty well preserved.

Finally in Edmonton we have Ft. Edmonton Park.  It's a crazy mish-mash - you have the old historic fur trading post (not as big as Ft Gary, but still interesting), but then you have separate re-creations of streets from 1895, 1905 and 1920.  Lots of old historic buildings have been re-located here for one big history there-park.



Honestly though that's a crap-load of driving for very little payoff.  Why drive all the way from Champagne to Edmonton, when you're just going to turn around and start drive back the next day?

[Jacob]

I have no useful insight to offer on the Prairies, though; but have a good trip 

[Grey Fox]

It's ok.  I wouldn't have made the meet anyway.

[merithyn]

Believe me, GF, I'd rather go to Montreal than Saskatoon.

BB, we're actually visiting several members of Max's family along the route. I just didn't spell it out. Basically, it's two days driving, one day visiting, half-day driving, one day visiting, half-day driving, one day visiting, half-day driving, two days visiting, two days driving home. Max has a lot of family to visit.

[Maximus]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

[HVC]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

"there's this place that you'd really love... but you can't go"

[Barrister]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

I've never been, but yeah, that would certainly fit a "historical" theme of trips and visits.  You'll see it from Highway 16 though, so I'm hard pressed to see how you wouldn't have time to see it.

Western Canadian history though certainly lacks a lot of flash and glamour though (exception being Louis Riel and the two rebellions), so I wasn't as sure if that'd be Meri's thing.

Anyways, let me know what I can do to help set anything up Meri.  Having lived in Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton I do know that highway all too well.

And Saskatoon is a lovely little city.

[Maladict]

The museum of Man & Nature in Winnipeg was quite nice, iirc.

[Barrister]

The museum of Man & Nature in Winnipeg was quite nice, iirc.

The Nonsuch.

Having visited briefly I'd probably give the Royal Alberta Museum a pass, at least until the new building is finished in a couple of years.

Meri could also visit the Diefenbaker Centre in Saskatoon.  What could be more Canadian than that? 

[Ed Anger]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

Half of it has been occupied by Russians.

[merithyn]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

Half of it has been occupied by Russians.

He meant that that wasn't even half of his family. 

[Ed Anger]

Hell, that's not even half of it.

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Elk Island would be right up Meri's alley. Not sure if we'll have time for it though.

Half of it has been occupied by Russians.

He meant that that wasn't even half of his family. 

[Maladict]

The Nonsuch.

If only it were real. 

[Barrister]

The Nonsuch.

If only it were real. 

It is real.

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