Must Sees
Assiniboine Park
World-class attractions and gorgeous green spaces abound in Assiniboine Park. Its zoo features The Journey to Churchill, which astounds visitors with polar bears that swim overhead in the Sea Ice Passage. The Leaf is its newest blockbuster attraction, flaunting Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall cascading past towering palms in the verdant Tropical Biome, along with a Mediterranean Biome, butterfly garden, and celebrated restaurant Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar. Plus, countless gardens, the Park Café for brunch, the enchanting Children’s Playground and skating and skiing in winter.
Royal Canadian Mint
One of Winnipeg’s most beautiful buildings, its reflective glassy exterior is a sight to behold at sundown, glowing under an orange prairie sky. On the inside you’ll find guided tours that will have you holding a $600,000 gold bar (it’s really quite heavy), ogling over the Olympic gold medals that were made for Vancouver 2010, and witnessing coins being produced for over 70 different countries. A trip to the Mint is surely worth every penny.
Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq
When the Winnipeg Art Gallery unveiled Qaumajuq, its $65-million Inuit art centre, it was met with rave reviews from publications across the globe for its design, mandate and showcasing of the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art. Its striking façade is like a massive snowdrift attached to the WAG’s original angular building, while inside the galleries pay homage to the stark, expansive beauty of the north. The WAG houses an internationally acclaimed collection of over 27,000 works, spanning the Renaissance to today with an emphasis on contemporary Indigenous artists.
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The Manitoba Museum
The region’s history is showcased in so many stunning ways at the Manitoba Museum. See world-class fossils like Cretaceous era pliosaurs that once hunted the inland sea where you now stand. Journey through the cosmos during Planetarium shows, see numerous life-sized dioramas including the famed Métis bison hunt, and hop aboard the Nonsuch ketch where your imagination will set sail. Artifacts, immersive galleries, and countless stories are all contained in this one-of-a-kind museum that fascinates people of all ages.
Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
This stunning new facility at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport is home to more than 20 aircraft, with 17 exhibits that showcase Western Canada’s history of flight. See artifacts that shaped and connected our land along with whacky creations that never really took flight. Immerse yourself in inspiring stories of pioneering aviators and heroes, board several planes and experience state-of-the-art audio-visual displays. There’s an Observation Lounge for real planespotting of the runways, plus little ones are guaranteed to land in the far-out Galaxy Exploration Zone.
The Forks
A meeting place for more than 6,000 years, The Forks marks the intersection of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Across 54 beautiful acres you’ll find a bustling central market; exceptional dining and accommodations; vast treelined paths overlooking all the bends in the riverbank; a world-class skate park; a children’s play area and water park and all the best things a Winnipeg winter has to offer –– like skate rentals and access to one of the world’s longest frozen, groomed recreation trails. You can also embark on Indigenous-led walking tours, boat tours and self-guided bike tours (rentals onsite). In summer, it boasts one of Western Canada’s largest patios serviced by an impressive outdoor/indoor bar called The Common.
FortWhyte Alive
Six hundred-forty acres of pristine prairie beauty are waiting to welcome you at this oasis just south of the city. In summer, feel the wind in your hair canoeing or sailing on one of FortWhyte’s lakes. In fall, sip a locally brewed beer at Buffalo Stone Café while migrating birds fill the sky and descend on the lakes at sunset. In winter, go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on its many trails, or take the kids out for a ridiculously fun day of sliding on the Richardson Rrrun Toboggan slide. No matter what the season, there is always an adventure to be had at FortWhyte Alive, including getting up close to North America’s largest urban bison herd.
The Exchange District National Historic Site
One of Canada’s architectural marvels, this 20-block district boasts North America’s most extensive (and handsome!) turn-of-the-20th-century buildings. While walking its charming streets, you’ll find some of the city’s trendiest boutiques and a number of excellent eateries –– including a few of Canada’s best. There are also established galleries, vintage and antique shops and some of the best the city has to offer in coffee and café culture. You just may see a movie being filmed too, as The Exchange often stands in for New York and Chicago in Hollywood and Hallmark productions.
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Thermea Spa Village Winnipeg
This oh-so tranquil outdoor spa brings a bit of Scandinavia to the heart of Canada. Let the stress soak out of you in thermal pools situated amongst the pines, then sweat it out in a massive Finnish sauna before taking an icy plunge under a waterfall. Treat yourself to the best in body treatments and massage therapy indoors, then dine in your robe in its most excellent Restö. With steam rooms, relaxation areas with or without a fireplace, a misty beach and more, we’re certain you’ve never relaxed this hard.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Designed by the late great architect Antoine Predock, the city’s most eye-catching attraction draws one’s eye from every angle –– whether it’s the southwest glass cloud that represents the wings of a dove, or the northeast side with its mountain of limestone. Inside, an immersive experience awaits with 10 core powerful, interactive and awe-inspiring exhibits gradually climbing from darkness to light culminating in the Tower of Hope (which provides a stunning view of the city). An ambitious museum meant to foster dialogue and promote change for a better world, the CMHR provides a stirring account of the human experience in the face of oppression.