Battleford is located 132 km (82.0 mi.) northwest of Saskatoon, on the Yellowhead Highway (No. 16), where the Battle and North Saskatchewan Rivers meet. When paired with North Battleford, the combined population is around 20,000 people. The local economy is based on agriculture, oil and gas, light manufacturing, fishing, and tourism.

The Town of Battleford honors history through its western themed Main Street store-fronts. A walking tour can include old Government House and several buildings and homes from around the turn of the 20th Century. Fort Battleford National Historic Park commemorates its days as a North West Mounted Police post and displays original buildings with period furniture, weapons, and artifacts. The Fred Light Museum is a 1914 school house displaying theme rooms and artifacts including a large firearms collection.

The 1920s farming years are commemorated at the Western Development Museum - Heritage Farm and Village in North Battleford, home to antique farm equipment and a replica farmstead and village, and an original Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator. Sports history is displayed at the North Battleford Sports Museum and Hall of Fame, and the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame. A life-sized sculpture of a bison made of machine parts stands in NorthBattleford. Over 350 taxidermy animals can be seen at the Battlefords Wildlife Federation Nature Centre. Living animals can be sighted along Finlayson Island's hiking and skiing trails. In summer, visitors can catch the Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival parade, street dance, and fair in Battleford.