Manitoba's Sights & Attractions
This Canadian province might not attract the same attention as laid-back British Columbia, the famous Canadian Rockies or Quebec with its unique French-Canadian culture, but Manitoba has much to offer its visitors. From outdoor adventures and relaxing beaches to bustling city events and museums brimming with Canadian history, the province’s sights and attractions should not be underestimated.
OUTDOOR & NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
Not many would think that this province, best known for its prairies, provides the opportunity to kayak alongside Beluga whales or watch polar bears and seals, but visitors can do just that in the northern town of Churchill. Located 1,005 km (625 mi) north of Winnipeg, Churchill is Canada’s only port with direct access to the Arctic Ocean and can only be reached by air, train or northern cruise ship. In addition to the adventure of getting there, activities such as dog sledding, hiking and snorkeling with those Beluga whales are adventures one isn’t likely to forget.
Activities galore also await outdoor-lovers in Manitoba’s provincial parks, which allow visitors to explore the Canadian wilderness in a variety of ways. The Riding Mountain National Park of Canada covers more than 3,000 sq km (1158 sq mi) of rolling hills and valleys and offer such highlights as stargazing, elk tracking, horseback riding and, of course, hiking.
Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada takes visitors back in time at the oldest stone fur trading post still intact in North America. Wapusk National Park of Canada—Wapusk meaning “white bear” in Cree—protects one of the world's largest known polar bear maternity denning areas and offers a look into the biodiversity and geology of the area, which lies between boreal forest and Arctic tundra. The only way to visit this park is through authorized tour operators, with tours running from November through February.For a day of relaxation, Manitoba's beaches are hard to beat. The province boasts some beautiful beaches, such as Grand Beach, which offers up a 3-km (1.8-mi) stretch of white sand only an hour away from Winnipeg. Sally's Beach, located in Flin Flon, also provides the perfect backdrop to a peaceful day with onsite facilities like barbecue pits and a playground.
MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC CENTRES
Visitors to this vast province can delve into some of Canada's most interesting history with Manitoba's museums and interpretive centres.
The eclectic Sam Waller Museum, located in The Pas, has a plethora of oddities certain to incite curiosity in every visitor. Calling his museum a "clutter-torium", founder Sam Waller invites guests to peruse his wacky collections that include a famous two-headed calf and five pairs of dressed fleas. When the weirdness gets to be too much, the exhibits in the Main Gallery and the Discovery Centre provide a more traditional museum environment.
Mini-paleontologists will be thrilled to explore the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. The learning centre, which houses the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada, has activities, exhibits and tours designed to educate and entertain kids of all ages. The Fossil Dig Program allows kids and families to participate in an archeological dig for ancient marine reptiles, and excursions are available in one, two or five-day trips.
Manitoba visitors can also pay tribute and learn more about the Canadian military with a trip to the Central Museum of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, known as the RCA Museum. The museum focuses primarily on the Canadian Gunners and with over 65,000 artifacts—including the largest and most complete collection of Canadian-made military vehicles in the world—is a must-see for both Canadians and international tourists alike.
The Mennonite Heritage Village looks into the Mennonite way of life from the 16th century to present day. Located in Steinbach, a quick 35-minute drive from Winnipeg, this cultural centre illustrates the Mennonite settlements in southern Manitoba and also provides education on the Mennonite faith.
The Manitoba Museum, located in Winnipeg, is an all-encompassing learning centre that features a Science Gallery as well as a Planetarium. The award-winning museum reflects Manitoba's environmental landscape (both past and present) while exploring the people and culture of Manitoba, as well as those from around the world.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Though far from Canada's cosmopolitan centres, this province of the plains also offers visitors and locals alike some city living, particularly in the cities Winnipeg and Brandon.
The Pantages Playhouse Theatre has been showcasing theatre performances since 1914 and is a renowned Canadian theatre; even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip attended a Royal Winnipeg Ballet performance at this theatre in 1951. Other Winnipeg theatre companies, like the Gas Station Theatre and the Manitoba Theatre Company, provide a variety of performances that range from dance and theatre to festivals such as the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
In Brandon, the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium also hosts ballet performances, concerts, festivals, theatre, banquets and receptions. The Concert Hall can seat as many as 867 guests.
For a bit of Francophone culture, the Festival du Voyageur is a 10-day province-wide celebration that occurs every February in St Boniface, Winnipeg's French Quarter. Known as the "World's Largest Kitchen Party", the festival of the traveler celebrates the joie de vivre of the fur traders, who established the Red River Colony and the ever-growing French-Canadian community in Western Canada. Activities are heavily tied into winter and visitors can expect historical and cultural exhibitions, concerts, kids programming and a sea of red toques, the Canadian equivalent of a wool hat.
The International Peace Garden, which sits along the world's longest unfortified border between North Dakota and Manitoba, celebrates the long-standing peace between Canada and the United States, and the garden grounds boast more than 150,000 flowers, reflecting pools and floral displays. Dedicated to worldwide peace, the area houses the Peace Tower and the Peace Chapel, as well as steel girders from New York World Trade Center, which lie at rest at the 911 Memorial. Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Turtle Mountain Forests, Lake Udall and Lake Stormon in this tranquil location.
Constantly underestimated, Manitoba has more to offer tourists than one initially realizes. From amazing outdoor opportunities to unique cultural experiences, Manitoba's sight and attractions are wonderfully unexpected.
OUTDOOR & NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
Not many would think that this province, best known for its prairies, provides the opportunity to kayak alongside Beluga whales or watch polar bears and seals, but visitors can do just that in the northern town of Churchill. Located 1,005 km (625 mi) north of Winnipeg, Churchill is Canada’s only port with direct access to the Arctic Ocean and can only be reached by air, train or northern cruise ship. In addition to the adventure of getting there, activities such as dog sledding, hiking and snorkeling with those Beluga whales are adventures one isn’t likely to forget.
Activities galore also await outdoor-lovers in Manitoba’s provincial parks, which allow visitors to explore the Canadian wilderness in a variety of ways. The Riding Mountain National Park of Canada covers more than 3,000 sq km (1158 sq mi) of rolling hills and valleys and offer such highlights as stargazing, elk tracking, horseback riding and, of course, hiking.
Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada takes visitors back in time at the oldest stone fur trading post still intact in North America. Wapusk National Park of Canada—Wapusk meaning “white bear” in Cree—protects one of the world's largest known polar bear maternity denning areas and offers a look into the biodiversity and geology of the area, which lies between boreal forest and Arctic tundra. The only way to visit this park is through authorized tour operators, with tours running from November through February.For a day of relaxation, Manitoba's beaches are hard to beat. The province boasts some beautiful beaches, such as Grand Beach, which offers up a 3-km (1.8-mi) stretch of white sand only an hour away from Winnipeg. Sally's Beach, located in Flin Flon, also provides the perfect backdrop to a peaceful day with onsite facilities like barbecue pits and a playground.
MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC CENTRES
Visitors to this vast province can delve into some of Canada's most interesting history with Manitoba's museums and interpretive centres.
The eclectic Sam Waller Museum, located in The Pas, has a plethora of oddities certain to incite curiosity in every visitor. Calling his museum a "clutter-torium", founder Sam Waller invites guests to peruse his wacky collections that include a famous two-headed calf and five pairs of dressed fleas. When the weirdness gets to be too much, the exhibits in the Main Gallery and the Discovery Centre provide a more traditional museum environment.
Mini-paleontologists will be thrilled to explore the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. The learning centre, which houses the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada, has activities, exhibits and tours designed to educate and entertain kids of all ages. The Fossil Dig Program allows kids and families to participate in an archeological dig for ancient marine reptiles, and excursions are available in one, two or five-day trips.
Manitoba visitors can also pay tribute and learn more about the Canadian military with a trip to the Central Museum of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, known as the RCA Museum. The museum focuses primarily on the Canadian Gunners and with over 65,000 artifacts—including the largest and most complete collection of Canadian-made military vehicles in the world—is a must-see for both Canadians and international tourists alike.
The Mennonite Heritage Village looks into the Mennonite way of life from the 16th century to present day. Located in Steinbach, a quick 35-minute drive from Winnipeg, this cultural centre illustrates the Mennonite settlements in southern Manitoba and also provides education on the Mennonite faith.
The Manitoba Museum, located in Winnipeg, is an all-encompassing learning centre that features a Science Gallery as well as a Planetarium. The award-winning museum reflects Manitoba's environmental landscape (both past and present) while exploring the people and culture of Manitoba, as well as those from around the world.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Though far from Canada's cosmopolitan centres, this province of the plains also offers visitors and locals alike some city living, particularly in the cities Winnipeg and Brandon.
The Pantages Playhouse Theatre has been showcasing theatre performances since 1914 and is a renowned Canadian theatre; even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip attended a Royal Winnipeg Ballet performance at this theatre in 1951. Other Winnipeg theatre companies, like the Gas Station Theatre and the Manitoba Theatre Company, provide a variety of performances that range from dance and theatre to festivals such as the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
In Brandon, the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium also hosts ballet performances, concerts, festivals, theatre, banquets and receptions. The Concert Hall can seat as many as 867 guests.
For a bit of Francophone culture, the Festival du Voyageur is a 10-day province-wide celebration that occurs every February in St Boniface, Winnipeg's French Quarter. Known as the "World's Largest Kitchen Party", the festival of the traveler celebrates the joie de vivre of the fur traders, who established the Red River Colony and the ever-growing French-Canadian community in Western Canada. Activities are heavily tied into winter and visitors can expect historical and cultural exhibitions, concerts, kids programming and a sea of red toques, the Canadian equivalent of a wool hat.
The International Peace Garden, which sits along the world's longest unfortified border between North Dakota and Manitoba, celebrates the long-standing peace between Canada and the United States, and the garden grounds boast more than 150,000 flowers, reflecting pools and floral displays. Dedicated to worldwide peace, the area houses the Peace Tower and the Peace Chapel, as well as steel girders from New York World Trade Center, which lie at rest at the 911 Memorial. Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Turtle Mountain Forests, Lake Udall and Lake Stormon in this tranquil location.
Constantly underestimated, Manitoba has more to offer tourists than one initially realizes. From amazing outdoor opportunities to unique cultural experiences, Manitoba's sight and attractions are wonderfully unexpected.
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