Frozen Prairie Playground: Surprising Things to do in Regina in December

Frost-Bitten Fun: Essential Things to do in Regina in December

The prairie winter in Regina doesn’t just happen—it performs, complete with dramatic temperature drops, pristine snow blankets, and the kind of silence that only exists when sound waves themselves give up and go home. Against this theatrical backdrop, the city offers a surprisingly robust array of activities that make December not just survivable but genuinely enjoyable.

Festive Markets and Snow-Dusted Shopping

The Christkindl Market in Victoria Park transforms Regina’s downtown into a Germanic winter fantasy during the first two weekends of December. For a modest admission fee ($5-8 USD), visitors can wander through wooden stalls selling handcrafted goods while nursing mulled wine that performs the dual function of warming hands and dulling the awareness of just how cold those hands actually are. The market’s live music and twinkling lights create an atmosphere that’s approximately 78% more festive than any shopping mall back home.

Speaking of malls, the Cornwall Centre extends its hours during December and becomes a bizarrely tropical 75°F bubble in the middle of winter’s assault. American visitors should note that while most major credit cards are accepted throughout Regina, notifying your bank before traveling will prevent the embarrassment of having your card frozen (metaphorically) while you’re already literally freezing.

For authentic Saskatchewan souvenirs that won’t end up in next year’s white elephant exchange, the Wild Prairie Soap Company offers locally-made bath products ($5-30 USD) that capture prairie scents like saskatoon berry and northern pine. Nothing says “I survived Regina in December” quite like soap shaped like a snowflake that smells like the summer you desperately missed while there.

Indoor Cultural Escapes

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum offers intellectual shelter from the cold for the bargain price of $8 USD. Its crown jewel is Scotty, a 40-foot T-Rex skeleton that holds the title of world’s largest Tyrannosaurus rex. Standing beneath this prehistoric giant provides therapeutic perspective—your frozen toes suddenly seem insignificant compared to the existential crisis of being a top predator with ridiculous arms. The museum’s Earth Sciences gallery explains how Saskatchewan went from tropical swamp to frozen prairie, a transformation that seems particularly cruel when you’re stamping snow off your boots.

The RCMP Heritage Centre ($15 USD admission) delivers a uniquely Canadian experience not found anywhere in the States—unless there’s a secret museum dedicated to mounted police maintaining order while looking fabulous in red serge uniforms that hasn’t made the travel guides. December visitors enjoy smaller crowds and special winter programming that might include historic sleigh rides on particularly clear days when the temperature climbs to a balmy 14°F.

MacKenzie Art Gallery’s December exhibitions provide aesthetically pleasing reasons to stay indoors when the prairie winds reach speeds that make your parka flap audibly. The gallery’s central heating system deserves its own artistic appreciation when outdoor temperatures plummet to -13°F. Special holiday-themed exhibitions rotate annually, but the quiet contemplation of art while occasionally glancing out windows at people scrambling through parking lots remains a December constant.

Outdoor Winter Wonderlands

Wascana Centre transforms into a legitimate winter playground when its lake freezes solid. Ice skating here costs nothing if you bring your own skates, or $8-12 USD for rentals. Unlike Central Park’s rink, you won’t find yourself photobombed by tourists from seventeen different countries—just friendly locals who can skate backwards while casually drinking coffee, a skill apparently distributed at birth to all Canadians.

For a meteorological mind-bend, the Regina Floral Conservatory offers a $5 USD tropical escape where the temperature holds steady at 75°F while just outside, cars struggle to start in the sub-zero air. The cognitive dissonance of photographing orchids while wearing snow boots creates the kind of surreal travel experience worth enduring December in Saskatchewan for.

Regina’s Legislative Building and surrounding grounds dress up in thousands of lights during December, creating a display that manages to be both politically neutral and aesthetically spectacular. The free light show is best viewed between 6-9 PM, with nearby parking that doesn’t require a prairie hike. For maximum enjoyment, bring a thermos of something warming and legal.

Seasonal Performances and Events

The Globe Theatre stages holiday productions in December with tickets ranging from $30-65 USD. Productions here land somewhere between Broadway ambition and community theater charm, with the added Canadian element of extremely polite audience reactions. Even mediocre performances receive standing ovations, possibly because standing increases blood circulation in a population perpetually fighting frostbite.

Regina Symphony Orchestra’s holiday concerts at Conexus Arts Centre (tickets $25-85 USD) offer high culture with a side of practical warming—nothing elevates body temperature quite like Tchaikovsky performed live. The concert hall’s exceptional acoustics ensure every note of “The Nutcracker” reaches the audience with crystal clarity, temporarily replacing the sound of chattering teeth that serves as Saskatchewan’s winter soundtrack.

Watching the Regina Pats hockey team ($15-45 USD) isn’t just entertainment—it’s cultural anthropology. Hockey in Saskatchewan is less a sport and more a religion, complete with rituals, tribal allegiances, and occasional speaking in tongues when referees make controversial calls. Attending a game is the Canadian equivalent of seeing the Grand Canyon when in Arizona, only with more body checking and significantly better snack options.

Where to Stay in Regina

Budget accommodations in Regina start around $60-80 USD nightly, with the Sunrise Motel and Westhill Inn offering clean rooms, reliable heating (a literal lifesaver), and proximity to major attractions. These properties typically include free parking with electrical outlets for car block heaters—a mysterious Canadian device American visitors should become acquainted with if temperatures drop below 5°F.

Mid-range options ($80-150 USD) include the DoubleTree by Hilton and Home Inn and Suites, both offering indoor pools where guests can practice their summer swimming strokes while watching snowflakes accumulate outside floor-to-ceiling windows. These properties strategically position themselves within walking distance of downtown attractions—though “walking distance” in December Regina requires a different calculation than the same term used in, say, San Diego.

The historic Hotel Saskatchewan ($150-250 USD) stands as Regina’s grand dame of accommodations, offering old-world charm, afternoon tea, and walls thick enough to completely silence howling prairie winds. Their winter packages often include breakfast and parking, plus the kind of attentive service that makes frigid temperatures seem like a small price to pay for such luxury. The hotel’s heritage designation means some rooms have quirky layouts, but all feature heating systems that could warm a small planet.

Dining Through December

Regina’s winter comfort food scene reaches its zenith in December, when restaurants seem to compete for who can serve the most calories in a single dish. The Mercury Café and Grill offers hearty breakfasts featuring eggs, potatoes, and enough protein to fuel several hours of cold-weather exploration. Their signature hash browns alone contain approximately 800 calories of warming potential.

For holiday-themed dining experiences, The Cottage at Wascana Park offers festive prix fixe menus ($45-65 USD) featuring locally-sourced ingredients transformed into dishes that would make Santa consider relocating from the North Pole. Reservations become necessary 1-2 weeks in advance for December weekends, as locals embrace indoor dining with the enthusiasm of people who’ve seen the alternative.

13th Avenue Food and Coffee serves the kind of hot chocolate that renders memory of cold temporary, if not permanent. Their signature blend costs $5.50 USD and contains enough chocolate to qualify as a meal replacement. Paired with their homemade cinnamon rolls, it creates a carbohydrate experience capable of insulating internal organs against even the most determined Canadian cold front.

Practical Winter Travel Tips

Dressing for Regina’s December requires strategy more than fashion. Layers remain the key tactical approach, with thermal underlayers, mid-weight insulation, and windproof outer shells creating a personal climate control system. Exposed skin is the enemy—cover extremities with hats, gloves, scarves, and consider a balaclava for particularly frigid days, accepting that looking slightly like a bank robber is preferable to facial frostbite.

Transportation options include rental cars (insist on winter tires), public buses ($7 USD day passes), and rideshare services that respond with surprising speed given the weather conditions. Cabs typically arrive within 10-15 minutes, with drivers who navigate icy streets with the casual confidence of people born understanding the physics of low-traction surfaces.

Among the many things to do in Regina in December, finding optimal currency exchange ranks low on excitement but high on importance. Skip airport kiosks with their punitive rates and head to dedicated currency exchange offices downtown or major banks. Credit cards with no foreign transaction fees remain the most convenient option, though carrying some Canadian cash helps with small purchases and tipping—an expected practice in Regina despite the confusion it causes visitors from non-tipping cultures.