Winnipeg is a shocking metropolis that usually will get a foul rap from Canadians. That’s as a result of most individuals who name Winnipeg “Winterpeg” have by no means been there. The capital of Manitoba has loads occurring, from a scorching meals scene to loads of outside actions and a historical past that can blow your thoughts. That’s just the start. Time named Winnipeg one of many world’s biggest locations in 2021, so you already know there may be extra to Winnipeg than simply being a fly-over vacation spot. So, let’s dive straight into all the very best issues to do in Winnipeg!
Better of Winnipeg Fast Information
- Should See: The Forks, Assiniboine Park, The Leaf, St. Boniface, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, The Manitoba Museum
- The place To Keep: Radisson Lodge Winnipeg Downtown, Fort Garry Lodge, The Inn on the Forks
- Enjoyable To Do: Folklorama Pageant, Assiniboine Park Zoo, Nestwaya River Path, Winnipeg River Stroll
- Should Attempt Meals: Smoked goldeye, Winnipeg rye bread, Imperial cookies, Schmoo torte
Finest Issues To Do In Winnipeg
The very best Winnipeg sights vary from botanical gardens to incredible artwork galleries. Town is especially recognized for wonderful seasonal festivals; you may even need to plan your complete journey round one. Come to Winnipeg, and also you’ll get to tour historic buildings, find out about indigenous tradition, and probably even skate on a frozen river.
1. Be Moved at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the one museum of its form within the nation and one of the crucial fashionable Winnipeg sights. The constructing is a modernist murals, whereas the exhibit inside is thought-provoking and academic.
The museum goals to boost consciousness of assorted human rights points plaguing Canada and the world. With a number of core and non permanent reveals, the museum goals to make clear the rights of people around the globe and the way essential it’s to guard them.
The therapy of indigenous individuals in all corners of the world is a dominant theme within the museum exhibit. It’s explored intimately in reveals “Canadian Journeys” and “Indigenous Views Gallery” and can also be addressed partially in most different collections. The museum’s non permanent reveals have been various, masking the whole lot from depicting human rights in Star Trek to Nelson Mandela’s struggle towards apartheid.
Different fascinating reveals embrace one devoted to Viola Desmond, the primary black girl on our Canadian $10 invoice. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights additionally showcases human rights abuses and victories worldwide.
Sensible Info
The Canadian Museum For Human Rights is open from 10 AM to five PM. Grownup tickets are $18, and Sunday admission is free.
2. Uncover Native Artwork at The Winnipeg Artwork Gallery
Add the Winnipeg Artwork Gallery to your itinerary if you wish to discover the artwork scene of this pretty metropolis. With an in depth assortment of over 28,000 items, it’s a high location for artwork lovers in Winnipeg.
The museum focuses primarily on modern and Inuit artwork, however its reveals additionally embrace European and Canadian artwork by the ages and different fascinating collections. Additionally, it’s not simply work hanging on the partitions; the WAG’s assortment showcases sculptures, textiles, ceramic objects, and lots of different items of ornamental artwork.
Sensible Info
The Winnipeg Artwork Gallery is open from 9 AM to five PM daily besides Monday. Admission is $18 for adults.
3. Go to Assiniboine Park and Zoo
For those who’re our common reader, you’ll know that we don’t advocate zoos and animal parks until we’re totally sure that the animals there are handled pretty. We’ve got been to the Assiniboine Park and Zoo a number of occasions, and we’ve seen that almost all animals listed here are rescued and rehabilitated.
Polar Bears are often orphaned cubs rescued within the wild and who would have by no means survived. As soon as a Polar Bear has been in captivity, it can not return to the wild because it wouldn’t survive. Nevertheless, taking a look at their habitat, they don’t appear to thoughts in any respect.
The enclosures are very spacious, carefully mimicking their pure habitats. This can be a blessing for the animals however a little bit of a curse for the guests as a result of it could actually generally be troublesome to identify them, particularly in the event that they’re sleeping. However hey, so long as they’re all handled proper, we’re completely not complaining.
A spotlight of the zoo is certainly the underwater show. We had the privilege of watching a polar bear swim above a glass walkway. It was really having the time of its life! Plus, a cute little harbor seal stopped by to say hi there to us. These seals are curious creatures and can come proper as much as the glass to take a look.
The Zoo is open year-round, however I’ll say that it’s rather more pleasurable within the winter. The crowds are smaller so you may get round extra simply, plus many of the animal rescues dwelling on the Assiniboine Zoo are arctic animals (polar bears, arctic foxes, snowy owls, and many others.) who’re the happiest within the chilly climate.
Sensible Info
The Assiniboine Zoo is open from 9 AM to five PM. The admission charge is $24.70 when you purchase the tickets on the gate however $22.45 when you purchase them on-line a few days prematurely.
Winnipeg is an fascinating vacation spot for its historical past, and the Forks Nationwide Historic Web site is certainly one of many high sights in Winnipeg for each customer. The Forks Nationwide Historic Web site has been a gathering place for six,000 years. Positioned the place the Pink and Assiniboine Rivers converge, it was a spot the place indigenous individuals met to commerce. This custom continued by the fur commerce, the place aboriginal peoples met with European fur merchants.
Simply wandering across the market constructing is a pleasant technique to spend a day. With loads of uncovered brick and an in depth skylight that allows loads of pure gentle, it’s certainly one of Winnipeg’s most charming buildings. To not point out the infinite procuring alternatives and all of the scrumptious meals choices.
Sensible Info
The Forks Market is open from 7 AM to 10 PM, though particular person outlets observe completely different working occasions.
5. Tour Winnipeg With A Native
Let an area drive you round Winnipeg for just a few hours, and also you’ll see the entire metropolis’s high vacationer places and find out about their historical past. This can be a nice possibility for vacationers who’re on the town for a really brief time and need to see all of the completely different areas of Winnipeg.
A driving tour is a good possibility as a result of you’ll be able to transfer across the metropolis rapidly and attain areas that may in any other case stay unexplored. Plus, you’ll go subsequent to Winnipeg’s most well-known sights, making it simpler to get across the metropolis on foot later whenever you need to examine them correctly.
Sensible Info
A non-public tour of Winnipeg by automobile takes round two hours and prices roughly $50 per individual.
6. Chill out At Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature
Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature is a spa and well being membership in Crescent Drive Park on the financial institution of the Pink River. For those who’re in Winnipeg within the winter, that is by far among the best locations to go to on the town to heat up. Unwind within the toasty thermal baths and get a calming therapeutic massage that can have you ever dozing off on the desk.
The well being membership can also be recognized for its scrumptious meals, which actually hits the spots after a day stuffed with pampering. I’d advocate testing the restaurant even when you’re not going to soak within the swimming pools, because it’s one of many metropolis’s greatest. It’s a straightforward taxi experience from downtown. You possibly can simply spend a complete afternoon right here.
Sensible Info
The Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature is open from 8:30 AM to 10 PM. It’s $86 for adults to chill out within the thermal swimming pools and massages are charged additional.
7. Ice Skating the Nestaweya River Path
The Nestaweya River Path is certainly one of Winnipeg’s hottest winter sights. Each winter, the native authorities create an ice-skating path on the Pink River, which anybody can entry without cost. It’s among the best issues to do within the metropolis in chilly climate, and numerous locals and vacationers placed on their skates and glide throughout the frozen river for enjoyable.
Nevertheless, I can’t assure that you just’ll have the ability to do it the following time you’re in Winnipeg. Within the winter of 2024, the Nestewaya River Path was open for less than 9 days whole in two brief stints. The gentle winter and excessive precipitation made it extraordinarily difficult to handle the path and assure everybody’s security.
Sensible Info
The Nestaweya River Path is accessible solely within the winter, freed from cost.
8. Strolling Tour of St. Boniface
St. Boniface is dwelling to the biggest French-speaking group in Western Canada. Town district options many fascinating landmarks and is the right location for an easy-going strolling tour in Winnipeg. Additionally, there are fairly just a few bakeries all through St. Boniface, and also you’ll by no means be removed from a scrumptious croissant.
First, cross the Esplanade Riel Footbridge from Downtown Winnipeg to St.Boniface. Then, you’re simply steps away from Saint Boniface Cathedral, the district’s most essential landmark. Additionally, see Whittier Park, Fort Gibraltar, and Université de Saint-Boniface, the realm’s greatest historic sights.
If in case you have sufficient time in Winnipeg, the Royal Canadian Mint and Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum are additionally value touring.
Sensible Info
St. Boniface is a francophone district in Winnipeg, accessible on foot from the central metropolis space.
9. Attend Pageant du Voyageur
Winnipeg is legendary for its festivals, so I needed to embrace Pageant du Voyageur, even when it’s a seasonal attraction. It often takes place in February and lasts for 10 days, attracting greater than 75,000 guests yearly. That is the biggest winter competition in Western Canada, and it has a historical past of greater than 50 years.
Pageant du Voyageur is thought for music performances, large snow sculptures, handmade crafts, and rather more. The occasion is each enjoyable and academic, aiming to advertise the assorted francophone and indigenous artists.
The primary location for the competition is Whittier Park, which is inside strolling distance of Downtown Winnipeg.
Sensible Info
Pageant du Voyageur often takes place in the course of February. The admission charge varies from $5-$40 per day, relying on whenever you arrive on the competition location.
10. Winnipeg Over The Years at The Manitoba Museum
The Manitoba Museum is a pure historical past museum with a group of two.9 million artifacts. It has three distinct areas, and guests can select to go to as many as they like. Particular person tickets can be found for every a part of the museum.
They’re the Science Gallery, the Planetarium, and the Museum Galleries. If you’re brief on time, prioritize the Museum Galleries as it’s the most elaborate space of the museum with an in depth exhibit on Winnipeg by the ages.
Sensible Info
The Manitoba Museum is open from 10 AM to five PM each day, besides on Mondays. The mixed ticket for all museum sights is $24.15.
11. Historical past Excursions at Dalnavert Museum
The Dalnavert Museum is ready inside a Victorian-Edwardian mansion. With interval furnishings and costumed tour guides, visiting this museum is like touring again in time.
Go to the museum for stunning structure, but in addition to see a surprisingly correct depiction of life within the nineteenth century. And take note of all the main points, whether or not it’s the mesmerizing stained glass home windows or the flowery kitchen range.
Sensible Info
The Dalnavert Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Excursions are simply $10 per individual, and it’s advisable to ebook your spot prematurely.
12. Admire The Variety at The Folklorama Pageant
I included a winter competition in Winnipeg, so it’s solely honest that I additionally embrace another in the summertime for all of the vacationers preferring to go to the town when it’s heat. The Folklorama Pageant is the most important occasion of its form in Winnipeg, attracting lots of of hundreds of tourists.
It takes place in August and lasts for 2 weeks. The competition goals to have a good time all of the completely different cultures that decision Winnipeg their dwelling. Each distinct tradition will get its personal pavilion on the competition, and there are often round 40 completely different pavilions on the grounds.
Every pavilion celebrates its tradition with conventional music, dances, and, in fact, meals. Some will provide additional companies, similar to henna tattoos or numerous workshops.
Sensible Info
The Folklorama Pageant is held each August. Tickets are $7.5 per pavilion, and reductions are provided whenever you purchase combo tickets for a number of pavilions.
13. Winnipeg River Stroll
The Winnipeg River Stroll is a waterfront strolling path extending from the Manitoba Legislative Constructing to the Pink and Assiniboine Rivers junction on the Forks Historic Web site. It’s the right place for an off-the-cuff stroll in Winnipeg, largely as a result of good views.
Doing the River Stroll in a single path shouldn’t take greater than 25-Half-hour. On both finish, you get to see distinguished buildings with sculptures and landscaped grounds. There’s hardly a greater technique to finish a day stuffed with exploration and sightseeing in Winnipeg!
Because of Kendrick’s Out of doors Adventures in The Forks, you’ll be able to discover the town year-round. They provide fats bikes for winter biking, e-bikes, e-scooter leases, and snowshoes (within the winter!)
Sensible Info
The Winnipeg River Stroll extends for roughly 2.5 kilometers in a single path.
14. The Manitoba Legislative Constructing
The Manitoba Legislative Constructing was among the best issues we did in Winnipeg. It’s also one of the crucial fascinating excursions we’ve taken in our lives! We met Frank Albo (Canada’s reply to Dan Brown) on the steps of the Winnipeg Legislative Constructing and he took us on a walkthrough of Winnipeg’s very personal Da Vinci Code.
We have been then taken on a wild tour of secret societies and scandals as we walked by the halls of the historic constructing. It’s so intriguing that Albo met with Prince Charles within the royal room when he visited.
That is undoubtedly one of the crucial fascinating issues to do in Winnipeg. E-book your Signature Expertise Tour right here.
15. Trade District
Take a stroll by time on the Winnipeg Trade District’s heritage buildings courting from 1880 to 1920. What was as soon as a derelict a part of the town has now change into a vibrant neighbourhood crammed with espresso outlets, boutiques, artwork galleries, and eating places. It’s value spending a day or night exploring the trendy space.
The Trade District is positioned within the coronary heart of downtown Winnipeg and is taken into account the humanities and cultural district of Winnipeg. Historic strolling excursions are provided within the Trade District as nicely. E-book one which fits your wishes right here.
16. Johnson Terminal
Johnson Terminal is positioned subsequent door to the Forks and is one other historic spot crammed with outlets and eating. It was a former warehouse for CN Railway, however it has since been restored to assist create the fashionable but historic really feel of The Forks space. Stays of the railway are on show all through.
Certainly one of our favourite locations to eat within the Terminal is the Outdated Spaghetti Manufacturing unit. Positive, it’s tacky and a little bit of a Canadian chain, however it’s crammed with nostalgia.
17. Qaumajuq
When searching for locations to go to in Winnipeg to find out about Indigenous tradition, the Quamujuq Gallery is a good place to start out. Quamujuq homes the world’s largest assortment of Inuit artwork devoted to Inuit artists and craftsmanship.
Qaumajuq means “it’s brilliant, it’s lit” in Inuktitut. The design was impressed by the panorama of Northern Canada, and its inside options 14,000 items of Inuit artwork. It’s becoming because the gallery sits on the unique land of the Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininiwak, Dakota, and Dene peoples. It was additionally the homeland of the Métis Nation. A complete wing is devoted to Inuit Artwork, which WAG has 10,730 works. You’ll additionally see modern artwork, ornamental artwork, and different Canadian artists on show.
18. Stroll Round The Leo Mol Sculpture Backyard
Leo Mol Sculpture Backyard is a small backyard located inside Assiniboine Park. That includes stunning landscaping and artistic endeavors, the backyard is a beautiful place that provides many a fairly sight.
All of the bronze sculptures right here have been created by Dr. Leo Mol, a Ukrainian-born artist who spent most of his life in Winnipeg. Paved strolling paths lead by the backyard, permitting guests to find all of the completely different statues.
The landscaping is just about good. Come right here in spring or summer season to expertise the place in full glory and see all of the fantastic flowers in full bloom.
Sensible Info
The Sculpture Backyard is open from 9 AM to 9:30 PM. Entrance to the realm is freed from cost.
19. Mountaineering At The Assiniboine Forest
Assiniboine Forest is the southern space of the large namesake park. Spanning an space of greater than 285 hectares, the place is a Mecca for all hikers in Winnipeg. You will be at this Aspen forest in simply quarter-hour from downtown exploring the mountaineering trails and snapping pictures of free-roaming deer.
Roughly 18 kilometers of signposted trails can be found within the forest. Within the hotter months, they’re ultimate for hikers and cyclists, whereas within the winter, they’re good for cross-country snowboarding. Come right here to find a correct city jungle separating two of Winnipeg’s communities and marvel on the untouched natural world.
One factor I’ll say is that the forest trails will be underwhelming for very skilled hikers, as they’re all typically simple, and there’s little or no elevation change.
Sensible Info
Assiniboine Forest is open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM on workdays with free admission. The forest is closed on the weekends.
FAQ For Finest Issues To Do In Winnipeg
What Is Winnipeg Finest Identified For?
Winnipeg is greatest recognized for its many festivals. Town can also be a transportation hub and is usually known as the Gateway to The West.
Is Winnipeg Good For Vacationers?
Sure, Winnipeg is an efficient metropolis for vacationers. With wonderful museums, historic landmarks, and incredible festivals, it’s tremendous simple to have enjoyable on this metropolis.
How Do You Spend a Day In Winnipeg?
A day in Winnipeg ought to embrace a go to to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, a visit to The Forks, and a radical exploration of Assiniboine Park. With a number of botanical gardens, reveals, and an enormous zoo, Assiniboine Park takes up probably the most time.
Why Is Winnipeg Common?
Winnipeg is fashionable for its thriving cultural scene. Town is thought for its many artwork museums and galleries, in addition to music and dance festivals.
Ideas And Info For Visiting Winnipeg
Finest Time To Go to
Summer time is the very best time to go to Winnipeg, particularly when you’re not used to Canadian chilly climate. Come right here between June and August, and also you’ll get pleasure from heat climate, flowers in bloom, and lengthy sunny days. Town can also be fashionable throughout spring break, and April to Might are additionally good occasions to go to, however will probably be a bit colder.
There are numerous causes to come back to Canada within the winter, and we extremely advocate it when you can deal with the chilly and snow. There will likely be fewer crowds round, you may get higher resort offers, and also you’ll get to get pleasure from some really native experiences.
Getting There
Winnipeg Richardson Worldwide Airport companies the Manitoba area, and it’s only a 15-minute drive from the town centre. But it surely’s a small airport with only a few worldwide connections, so chances are high you’ll have to catch a flight there from one of many larger airports in Canada.
The airports in Toronto and Vancouver are the busiest nation, and each provide connections to the Winnipeg airport. Neither of the 2 larger airports is inside driving distance of Winnipeg, so flying to the town is by far the easiest way of getting there.
Getting Round
Buses and Uber are your greatest wager for getting round Winnipeg. A lot of the downtown space is walkable, and lots of sights are shut to at least one one other, so you’ll be able to discover fairly a little bit of the town on foot. However you’ll have to depend on public transport to get to the extra distant areas, particularly Assiniboine Park.
You possibly can ebook a non-public driver from the airport to select you up upon arrival with a reputation card and take you on to your resort. E-book right here.
That being mentioned, if you wish to journey round Manitoba, you actually need a automobile. Examine these automobile rental costs to seek out the one best for you.
How A lot Time Do You Want
Two days are simply sufficient time to discover the entire greatest sights in Winnipeg. It’s not an enormous metropolis and there aren’t too many vacationer sights, so a weekend ought to provide you with loads of time to discover all the very best sights.
The place To Keep In Winnipeg
It’s greatest to base your self within the metropolis heart, particularly when you’re on the town for simply a few days. That method you’ll be able to stroll to many of the metropolis’s greatest sights and also you’ll solely have to take an Uber or a bus to get to Assiniboine Park. Listed below are among the greatest lodges in Winnipeg for all budgets:
- Radisson Lodge Winnipeg Downtown is without doubt one of the extra inexpensive lodges with a central location in Winnipeg.
- The Fort Garry Lodge is ready in a spectacular constructing simply 10 minutes from The Forks. The Fort Garry Lodge With inexpensive nightly charges and a very good location, it is without doubt one of the greatest choices in Winnipeg for a brief keep.
- Inn on the Forks – We stayed on the Inn on the Forks, and I believe it’s the greatest location within the metropolis. Positioned inside strolling distance from the Museum for Human Rights, the Forks, and Johnson Terminal, you might be solely steps away from nice eats, nightlife, and tradition. There’s a spa and eating and the rooms are trendy and stylish. The Inn on the Forks
- Delta Winnipeg Hotel—We’ve got additionally stayed on the Delta Winnipeg Lodge up to now, and it’s one other nice alternative. It has two swimming pools, a skywalk, a pub, and eating. It’s usually used for conferences and is simple to stroll indoors to the adjoining conference facilities. It’s positioned downtown close to eating places and low outlets.
- Fairmont Winnipeg – We stayed on the Fairmont when on a media tour just a few years in the past, and you may by no means go flawed with a Fairmont Lodge. The Fairmont is centrally positioned near the river. There’s a swimming pool, well being membership, and two eating places.
- The Grand Winnipeg Lodge is positioned immediately throughout the road from departures/arrivals on the Winnipeg Airport, and the 4 Factors by Sheraton is only a bit farther away. There’s a walkway by the Grand to the Sheraton. What we love is that you would be able to take your trolleys from the airport proper into your rooms. There are eating places and bars proper on the premises of each.
The place to Eat in Winnipeg
Passero & Corto – We ate at Passero and Corto contained in the Forks Market. It’s the one eat in restaurant on the Forks and the Italian delicacies was to die for. Ask your server to assist with meals and wine pairings and you should definitely share some plates to style all of the menu really has to supply.
Clementine Cafe – Often known as the very best brunch within the metropolis! Positioned in Winnipeg’s Trade District
ERA Bistro – Nice possibility for lunch positioned contained in the Museum for Human Rights. Staying true to the essence of the museum, the restaurant makes use of domestically sourced, sustainable components, which are natural and free-trade.
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