Vacation In Winnipeg
Winnipeg is underrated and often under-appreciated. This city offers quite a lot of attractions for every taste – from cheap thrills to high culture. In this article I will describe the top ten places to visit in Winnipeg/MB based on my personal experience and the experience of my family and friends. Here is the list:
You have never heard of Winnipeg — except for that time the Pope was in town, maybe. We are springing forward! Let’s get this out of the way right now. It’s cold here in Canada: -24 Celsius to be exact. I just spent four hours digging my car out in a snowstorm. But don’t let temperatures sway your decision to come to Winnipeg, we’re really excited to host you. There is more to do here than other Canadian cities; we want you to make a vacation out of it!
Wondering what to do in Winnipeg, Manitoba? This guide is for you! Whether you are taking a family vacation or planning for a romantic weekend, this guide will give you some ideas about the best places to go.
Winnipeg is the capital of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It has a population of 668,451 according to the 2011 Census. Winnipeg is a dynamic and welcoming city that offers world-class services, amenities and entertainment found in international cities around the globe but with a unique sense of Western hospitality. From its diverse economy and top-rated educational facilities to the wide variety of festivals and recreational activities, Winnipeg is an exciting place to live, work or visit.
Vacation In Winnipeg
There are some places in the world where I can’t help but be in a good mood. The sun is shining, people are friendly, the food is delicious, and there’s so much to do outside. Having both visited in the peak of summer and winter, Winnipeg has consistently been one of those places for me.
An underrated gem in Canada, there’s so much to do in Winnipeg, and it’s impressed me every time with their offerings, no matter the season. The best part is I rarely feel that I have to share it with many people. If you’re visiting Winnipeg, these are some of the best things to do in and around the city:
16. The Forks
The perfect meeting place in the heart of the city, The Forks is an open dining hall with shops and food vendors selling all kinds of different options from coffee, to Asian fusion, to inventive burgers. But it’s not just the dining hall that’s amazing, it’s the ambience around The Forks. In the wintertime, it’s illuminated with lights and 150 ice-skating trails. There’s also an international warming hut competition, which is really more about artists and architects making statements and modern art.
15. Hockey Games
For many, Canada is synonymous with hockey, and I for one had to experience the sport in a place with truly passionate fans. What better way than to attend a Jets game? I was not disappointed when the fan cams were hilarious, the vibes were great, and the Jets won!
14. Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature
As an avid fan of saunas and steaming hot baths of water, I was delighted to visit Thermëa in the summer and winter, adoring it both times. The spa offers three different pools of various temperatures, including a polar plunge, plus contains two steam baths, two saunas, and a relaxation room, in addition to massages. It’s just big enough to have a variety and just small enough not to be overwhelming. Though it’s most popular in the winter, you can find me at things like this at any time of year. Entrance starts at $59. Click here for a complete guide!
13. Canadian Museum for Human Rights
A wonder of architecture, the Canadian Museum of Human Rights doesn’t just cover Canadian human rights, but those of the entire world. While telling the stories of human rights triumphs and abuses throughout the world, exhibits are also careful to recognize that human rights is an evolving term and is often subjective. The museum features people telling their stories and encourages you to involve yourself too, sharing and thinking about what human rights means and how we can all take an active role in it. On Friday nights it’s open late for Friday Night Rights. Tickets start at $18.
12. St. Boniface Climbing Tower
It’s a rock wall in the summer, and an ice climbing tower in the winter. No longer must one head to the Rockies to get a chance to ice climb – it’s possible right in Winnipeg at the Club d’escalade de Saint-Boniface! Though this is a membership club, non-members can take lessons on the weekend to learn how to climb. For access to the ice wall for climbing, it’s only $40 per person for non-members and a bargain $10 for members. Read more here.
11. Fields of Gold
Take a drive in any direction out of Winnipeg in the summer and you’ll see sweeping fields of bright, neon yellow flowers. I loved the colors as I drove up to Lake Winnipeg and east to Nopiming Provincial Park, just in case anyone forgot we were in the prairies.
Just a note on enjoying the flowers – traipsing through the field is a no-no, but I stood just on the edge to take this photo.
10. Summer Canoeing
My favorite summer memory of Winnipeg, and the overall province of Manitoba, is hard to pick, but I’d have to give the edge to driving out to Nopiming Provincial Park, a couple hours east towards Ontario, and canoeing for 4 days, including pulling up to rocky islands and camping on them. While millions of people flocked to other parts of Canada in the summer, we only shared the experience with a few beavers. It was a true Canadian adventure. Read more here.
