Winnipeg is the capital city of the Canadian province of Manitoba.
The evidence of early nomadic hunters indicates that mankind had inhabited the Canadian province known now as Manitoba since as far back as 10,000 years ago. In modern Manitoba, you can answer the call both of the wild and the refined. Manitoba stretches northward toward Hudson Bay, where the town of Churchill gives adventurous visitors an intimate look at Beluga whales and polar bears. To the south, the town of Morden has an attraction that reaches far back in time to unearth fossils of creatures long gone from the Earth. Enjoy a festival or explore a park as you discover the ten top vacation destinations of this diverse mix of past, present and future.
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Art Gallery became the first civic art gallery in Canada after it was established in 1912. Built out of Manitoba Tyndall stone, this easily recognizable triangular building is home to the largest collection of Inuit art in the world. During warmer months, the sculpture garden can be enjoyed as part of Storm restaurant, available in the gallery's penthouse level.
The Forks, Winnipeg
Thousands of years ago Aboriginal bison hunters thrived where the Assiniboine River flows into the Red River, otherwise known as The Forks. This area of modern Winnipeg bore witness to unfolding history, where bison hunting gave way to fur trading, then finally to the railway and the Industrial Age. People from all over the world still congregate in this special spot. With an interpretive park and market, it draws over four million visitors annually, making it one of Winnipeg's top attractions.
Royal Canadian Mint, Winnipeg
The Royal Canadian Mint pressed its first domestically produced coin on January 2, 1908 in Ottawa, and in more than 100 years the mint has gone on to produce currency for countries all over the world. You can take a guided tour through the high-tech facility in Winnipeg, which produces billions of Canadian coin each year.
Destination Churchill
In northern Manitoba, the small town of Churchill enjoys the distinction of being the only Canadian port with access to the Arctic Ocean. It is also known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Located more than 1,000 kilometers from Winnipeg, it is only accessible by air or train. During the months of January through March, it is the prime season to witness the stunning Aurora Borealis. Other Arctic adventures include polar bear tours, dog sledding and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kayak or snorkel with Beluga whales.
Spirit Way, Thompson
Thompson, a town in Canada's northern wilderness, honors its heritage as the Wolf Capital of Canada. Its Wolves to Whales wolf statues along Spirit Way connect the Manitoba cities of Winnipeg, Thompson and Churchill. Noted as a Manitoba Star Attraction, Spirit Way is a 2.5-kilometer walking and biking path located between Heritage North Museum and the Miles Hart Bridge. This award-winning path features 16 points of interest, and can take between two to three hours to fully explore.
Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre, Morden
In 2009, Macleans Magazine cited Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CDFC) in Morden as a top travel destination in Manitoba. The CDFC's Fossil Dig Adventure Tours boasts a 100 percent success rate in finding new fossils, and the CDFC itself houses the largest collection of prehistoric marine fossils in North America. This year-round facility is located at the lower level of Morden's Community Centre.
Peace Gardens, Canadian/US border
Between two countries sits a garden, which honors the idea that world peace can and has existed along the world's longest, unfortified border. This friendship that exists between the United States and Canada springs to life in a dazzling 2,339 acre botanical garden, which separates the Canadian territory of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. Explore these gardens that feature more than a hundred thousand flowers, reflecting pools and 120-foot concrete Peace Tower. Japan gifted the Peace Gardens with seven Peace Poles that have one simple message, "May Peace Prevail," written in twenty-eight different languages.
The Icelandic Festival, Gimli
The Gimli Viking Village near Lake Winnipeg is home to over 5,000 people, and is the largest Icelandic settlement outside of the country of Iceland. Its annual Icelandic Festival each August celebrates the Icelandic culture and heritage with food, entertainment and music. Learn about Viking fighting techniques and check out the craft vendors who sell their wares at the festival.
Winnipeg Folk Festival, Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Folk Festival began in 1974 to celebrate Winnipeg's 100th anniversary, and has since earned a reputation as one of the premier outdoor music festivals in North America by attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. It has attracted such diverse acts as the Barenaked Ladies, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Elvis Costello. It takes place the second weekend of each July in Birds Hill Provincial Park.
Provincial Parks
The Provincial Parks of Manitoba offer several different natural and man-made wonders to give you several choices to tailor around your vacation. At the Spruce Woods Provincial Park, enjoy the blowing sand dunes that stand 30 meters above the surrounding prairie terrain. Grand Beach offers nearly two miles of beachfront around Lake Winnipeg. Canoe along Atikaki Provincial Park to witness prehistoric rock paintings, or take in a round or two of golf at Hecla Provincial Park.
Tags: Provincial Park, more than, Beluga whales, Canadian Fossil, Canadian Fossil Discovery