Discovering small towns in Saskatchewan is a prairie experience you can’t miss. The other weekend we went to visit a hidden gem. It’s not really hidden, but it is off the beaten path. I say that literally because the highway to get there is not the best. I grew up in the town next to Stranraer. We used to go to events in Stranraer and went skiing at the small ski hill located there. The ski hill, Twin Towers, is no longer operating, but I have many memories of downhill skiing as a kid. Now that I’m older, I am always amazed at the beautiful area. Stranraer, Saskatchewan is located on Highway 31 and is just under two hours from Saskatoon. Bring a picnic, and check out a new part of Saskatchewan. My mom, sister, son, dog, and I went to have our prairie experience. We’ve seen most of it before, but we always find something new. Stranraer is a hamlet with a population of around 20. It’s a small, but beautiful town (and socially distancing is pretty easy.)

All photos shared were taken by my sister and my mom. I would share my own photos, but I didn’t have my camera and forgot my phone. Some days packing up a car with a kid and dog is all I can handle.

A Prairie Experience

Stranraer is home to two historic buildings. The Stranraer school is an old brick-style school. You can’t go in it, but the building has murals done by local artists. It’s beautiful. You can walk around the school and see all the paintings on the sides.

The other historic building is the Stranraer United Church. We stopped there as well to take a photo and then took a walk up a hill close by to see the view. (We don’t have mountains, but you can find hills.)

We also stopped at one of my favourite places. There’s a rest stop called Mountain View Park across the highway from Stranraer. It overlooks what used to be the ski hill area. Once again, we know they aren’t mountains, but they’re still unique and beautiful. The area has wooden animals to discover, along with hills, picnic tables to rest at, and paths to walk. It’s got everything to make a dog, boy, and mom happy.

a-prairie-experience

The great thing about a day trip to Stranraer is you get to stop in all the towns on your way. Rosetown and Herschel or both nice stops. I’ve spent a lot of time in this area, but I’ve heard from others that they’ve taken drives in the area that they’ve enjoyed it as well. It took me years to appreciate it, but I do now, and I hope others can find the beauty in it as well. We had another friendly dog join us, and mine was happy to meet a friend. My son thought we should bring both dogs home with us. We didn’t have room in the car!

It’s not a huge trip, but we always have a lot of fun exploring the area. It’s a good idea to pack a lunch, but there are some restaurants in some of the surrounding towns. We were lucky it was such a warm day and were able to spend the day enjoying the Spring weather and being able to spend time together.

A Prairie Experience

I love spending time in Saskatoon and exploring new places in the city. I could spend my weekends doing Hikes In and Around Saskatoon or finding new areas and discovering Saskatoon’s Free Little Libraries. At least once a month though, we like to get out of the city and see what else Saskatchewan has to offer. It has a lot, and it’s all amazing. The prairie experience changes every time you discover a new place. Stranraer is a unique little town, and I’m glad I get to share it with my son. I have a lot of memories there, and now I know he will as well.