Living in the NWT has its own special perks and pleasures.
The best part: everything is very close by! Your commute from work is usually short so you’ll have lots of time after work to enjoy a variety of activities.
Whatever your interest, there is likely a group, organization, or kindred spirit ready to try new adventures with you. And joining an organization is a great way to meet and get involved with a community
of people.
There are lots of opportunities to have fun inside AND outside, even in winter! There are also great facilities and unique events as well as many of the same activities found in larger centres across Canada.
Indoor Recreation
Yellowknife has a library, pool, curling/ice skating hockey rinks, gymnastics facilities, movie theatre, fitness gyms, indoor soccer fields, tennis court, walking track, music classes, dance school and much more.
Larger communities such as Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Fort Smith have similar facilities while programs and amenities in other communities vary. Most small communities have centres where gatherings and organized events are held, bringing people together regularly to celebrate and participate in traditional activities.
Outdoor Recreation
Summer
Our summers may be our best-kept secret, with long warm days filled with up to 24 hours of daylight.
Whether you enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, boating, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, soccer, baseball, tennis or swimming, the NWT offers it all.
Winter
Enjoy spectacular days of sparkling snow and dazzling auroras in our night skies. It may be cold outside, but we embrace our season of snow with many activities like ice fishing, skating, hockey, sledding, kite skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling,cross- country skiing and snowshoeing.
Dining Out
People of the NWT treasure their own local flavors and tastes. In small communities and at large festivals, bannock and soups or stews made with local ingredients are standard fare.
In the larger communities, especially in Yellowknife, there is a growing selection of international fare at restaurants that include Thai, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine to round out the usual options.
Festivals and Events
Our communal spirit is obvious from early January (when fireworks greet the first sunrise of the year in Inuvik) through spring carnivals, summer music or art events under the sky, theatre or film festivals and community dances late into the year.
Folk on the Rocks is the largest outdoor summer music festival in the NWT and draws over 4,000 people annually in Yellowknife. The Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik is an annual event where NWT artists show their work to international buyers, meet other artists, view different styles of work and learn new techniques.
Most other communities have summer and winter festivals and events that bring community members together. They are also great opportunities to volunteer.
