Yellowknife (July 30/04) - Most of us have our weekend excursions planned weeks in advance, but visitors sometimes don't know what to do.

"When tourists come in we tell them what to do around Yellowknife," said Starr Levesque of the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre.

Popular tourist spots include the museum and Legislative Assembly building, said Levesque.

These seem like the natural spots for out-of-towners to tour, but many visitors never expected Yellowknife to offer so much.

"Most people are surprised at how big the city is," Levesque said.

Many of the tourists are Americans on their way to Alaska, but Levesque has had some travellers from as far away as Australia and South Africa.

Levesque said only two Japanese tourists have dropped into the centre all summer, somewhat of a shame for her considering she speaks Japanese.

Regardless of where the folks come from, they are always friendly and share one common sentiment.

"Everyone loves Yellowknife," Levesque said.

Yellowknife for Yellowknifers

Many people visiting the centre are actually from Yellowknife, said Levesque.

Often they are looking for gifts or information to send to family and friends who may visit Yellowknife in the future, but many of them just enjoy the displays.

"This centre is like a little museum of its own," Levesque said. "We always have visiting artists on display."