Popular travel blogger and influencer Ashlyn George recently gave Estevan a visit to explore the best the Energy City has to offer in March.
The Mercury talked to the former Saskatchewanderer and the author behind The Lost Girl's Guide to Finding the World blog about her experience. She was invited to explore the Estevan area by Tourism Estevan.
After the visit, in her Instagram account, George wrote "Estevan is a mecca for those who love the outdoors!"
Even though there are many outdoor options in the area, being a content creator, George chose the option that most people would call out of the ordinary. An active runner, while in Estevan she couldn't resist doing some running, but she added a bit of a twist to it.
"On the first day that I arrived, I met a group of local runners at the Boundary Dam Reservoir in the Woodlawn Regional Park, and we all went for a five-kilometre run. And since Boundary Dam has open water throughout the winter season, we did a polar dip after we finished the run," George said with a laugh.
Even though the water wasn't frozen, it still felt freezingly cold, turning a routine workout into a real adventure.
"We all ran together and right into the water. It was very, very cold, but it was really refreshing and just a lot of fun."
The group could keep their distance and had a great time together, while still keeping it safe.
George tried polar bear dips a few times before, including once in Antarctica. So the Estevan experience wasn't completely new for her, but it was as great.
"I think it's extra cool to do it in Saskatchewan because in the wintertime you don't have open water available to do that. So the Boundary Dam is such a unique location to be able to go and do something like this," George said.
An experienced adventure seeker, George also offered a few tips to people willing to try out polar bear swims.
"Don't think too much about it, just go and do it. It's easier to do it with friends or family than doing it by yourself. And afterwards, make sure that you have a really warm towel to dry off with. I also recommend bringing a pair of sandals down with you, because you may not want to put your wet feet back into your shoes."
George's second day in Estevan was no less exciting, as she went out ice kayaking with Brady Johnson, who runs Encompass Fitness in Estevan and also is a long-time friend.
The friends paddled through open water towards the areas still covered with ice, checking out shorelines and the ice.
"I've never winter ice kayaked before, so it was a lot of fun to do that," George shared.
"One thing I do want to mention, too, with winter kayaking, is you do need to be prepared for it in terms of safety and wearing proper closing."
George added that if anything was to happen and they would end up in the water, the appropriate gear and equipment they had on them would give them time to either get back into the kayaks or get to shore safely.
"Safety with winter kayaking is a big thing," George said.
The third day in the area saw George exploring the outskirts. Not new to Estevan, she still had something to discover. The Back Roads of Estevan audio tour took her to some locations that she's never seen before, including the Woodend viewpoint and the former Riverbend Nursery bridge.
"It was a really cool experience to see all these places and locations. I didn't know them, so I got to explore them and shared them on social media with everybody who follows along there.
"The Back Roads Tour is really fantastic. It's structured easy and in a social distancing-friendly way, allowing to get outside and do some exploring."
George also found it beneficial that the app allowed her to choose between listening and reading the information.
Later the same day, George and Johnson picked up lunch from Fired up Grill and went to some spill piles for a picnic.
"It was really cool wandering in there. I'm an avid hiker as well, so it was great wandering up and down the piles and seeing the viewpoints," George recalled.
They also checked out a suspension bridge east of Estevan. In her blog, George wrote, "The trick to finding these places is to ask the locals!"
George also had some time to indulge in food from different Estevan restaurants. She couldn’t pass by Michael's Coffeeshop and Bakery, and the famous cinnamon buns along with great coffee and outstanding atmosphere not only roped her in there a few times but also made her travel further and check out the Carlyle location.
"It was so good. I also thought that it was so wonderful that he is now roasting his own coffee at the Estevan location too," said George.
She also checked out the award-winning pizzas at the Tower Café.
"I tried their dill pickle pizza because I thought it was a really unique menu item. And then I've heard so much about the Tower special that I wanted to try that as well … It was wonderful … I see why people would fly out of Saskatchewan taking Tower pizza with them to their loved ones
George also tried out the Estevan roll and a Bento box at Jino's, which she also found delicious.
"It was fantastic. I can't wait to come back and eat there again."
All in all, George said, “It was a wonderful time to come and visit. I honestly can't wait to come back, because I still feel that there is so much to see and do in the area."
