# Top 10 reasons why American travellers will love Winnipeg this winter \- Winnipeg

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**Last Updated:** 2026-11-06T20:32:51+00:00

Hello Americans!

Winnipeg is artsy. It’s friendly. It’s quirky and rich in culture. There’s so much to do and the people will welcome you with open arms.

 Plus, right now we’re offering all U.S. travellers an incredible deal, in that the whole city is over 40 per cent off! (Because the USD is currently worth approximately $1.44 Canadian. So really, it’s roughly 44 per cent off. Just imagine the savings!)

 Here are 10 reasons to take advantage of those savings this winter in the centre of Canada, where we make cold weather cool. (And yes, that’s how we spell centre).

## Western Canada’s largest winter festival

 Every year in mid-February, Winnipeg embraces the joie de vivre of [Festival du Voyageur (opens in new window)](https://heho.ca/en/) (the 56th edition runs February 14-23), a celebration of the region’s Métis, Francophone, Indigenous and fur-trading history. The week before it starts, you’ll see massive snow sculptures being erected along Broadway and parts of downtown, while the festival itself takes over Whittier Park in Saint-Boniface where you’ll be met with even more snow sculptures that are carved by artists from across the globe.

 During the 10-day festival you can experience two full weekends of live music from 150 artists (including headlining acts, children’s entertainers, many locals, and so many blazing fiddles!) in massive warm tents where the dance floors are made of wood chips. You can also indulge in French cuisine like tourtière and maple taffy on snow, see historic reenactments and meet costumed interpreters living life like it’s the early 1800s, sample local craft beer and find so much to do for your kids. Individual tickets and full festival passes are available for purchase and kids five and under are free.

## Canadian (and Winnipeg-centric) cuisine

 Ready to experience the thrill of honey dill? Feast on a Fat Boy? Do a schmoo? Winnipeg has an eclectic assortment of regional dishes that will catch your eye, ear and palate (learn all about them [here (opens in new window)](/winnipeg-s-must-do-guide-for-americans/)) that you simply must try. Plus, we’re home to some of [Canada’s best restaurants (opens in new window)](/a-guide-to-winnipeg-s-nationally-celebrated-and-award-winning-restaurants/) too.

## Assiniboine Park’s major attractions

 If you want to see a polar bear jump in a huge pool over your head then watch Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall make a splash within a tropical jungle, [Assiniboine Park (opens in new window)](https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/)is where it’s at. The city’s largest park (it’s 257 acres larger than NYC’s famed Central Park) is home to both Assiniboine Park Zoo and The Leaf –– two attractions you simply can’t miss. The zoo features the award-winning Journey to Churchill, the world’s most comprehensive Arctic species exhibit, where you can get up close to muskoxen, Arctic fox, snowy owls, wolves and a whole host of rescued polar bears (they arrived at the zoo as orphaned cubs) who love playing in the snow.

 In the middle of the park, your eye will immediately be drawn to The Leaf with its conical glass design. Within, you can explore the balmy Tropical Biome (which is glorious on a cold day with its towering palm trees and exotic plant species), the fragrant Mediterranean biome (where you can find ultra-rare dinosaur-era Wollemi pines), a butterfly garden, and the Babs Asper Display House that changes with the seasons. It’s also a great place for lunch or dinner at its restaurant, [Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar (opens in new window)](https://www.gatherattheleaf.ca/), where ingredients are often sourced right from the biomes.

## Get lost in the world’s largest snow maze

 Just south of the city is where you’ll find [Amaze in Corn (opens in new window)](https://www.cornmaze.ca/), which in recent years has been home of the world’s largest snow maze — as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records. It takes an average of 45 minutes to navigate this snowy labyrinth, while onsite you’ll also find an ice slide, bonfires and an ice bar. You can also book a table within The Den, its restaurant carved out of 500,000 lbs. of snow. The tables are made from big slabs of ice and the dishes come from celebrity [chef Luc Jean (opens in new window)](https://ici.radio-canada.ca/lamainalapate/notre-chef), with menus featuring items like red wine-braised short ribs with wild mushroom ravioli (vegan and gluten-free choices too).

## Skate the city

 Winnipeg is all about making the cold cool, particularly when it comes to ice. On top of numerous picturesque skating surfaces [across the city, (opens in new window)](/winnipeg-skating-guide/) our legendary Nestaweya River Trail offers you the opportunity to skate, ski, fat tire bike, ice bike (from rentals right on the ice) or simply stroll along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers throughout downtown and its connecting neighbourhoods. Frequently reaching several miles in length (we’d normally say kilometers ????), this groomed surface on the frozen rivers features weird, whacky and wondrous warming huts that have been designed by firms and artists from around the globe, along with many entry and exit points along the rivers. For skate rentals, you’ll find those right within The Forks Market. And speaking of which….

## The Forks

 This place is Manitoba’s most-visited tourism centre for good reason, particularly in winter. Along with having the main access to the Nestaweya River Trail, this expansive space also features on-land skating trails that will make you feel like you’ve entered a [Hallmark film (opens in new window)](https://www.tourismwinnipeg.com/things-to-do/only-in-the-peg/read,post/1615/2024-winnipeg-hallmark-movie-guide) at night with its thousands of twinkling lights, along with a canopy rink where you can skate to local tunes (sometimes from a live DJ). For your après-skate, [The Forks Market (opens in new window)](https://www.theforks.com/) has excellent dining options, craft beer and wine from The Common (including flights!) and plenty of local shopping too. The place is also full of locals all the time, so it’s a primetime spot to make some new friends.

##  Arts for all

 Winnipeg’s performance scene is ridiculously robust for a city of this size. Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the royal designation onto [Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet (opens in new window)](https://www.rwb.org/) and [Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (opens in new window)](https://royalmtc.ca/), both of which stage productions throughout the winter, while the [Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (opens in new window)](https://wso.ca/) has no shortage of performances from pop to classics and kids’ concerts too, along with the groundbreaking [New Music Festival (opens in new window)](https://www.wnmf.ca/) (Jan 21-25). Winnipeg also has one of Canada’s busiest live music scenes, so [take your pick (opens in new window)](https://www.tourismwinnipeg.com/festivals-and-events/live-music) of these performances!

## Jets and Moose hockey games

 The [Winnipeg Jets (opens in new window)](https://www.nhl.com/jets/) have often been the hottest team in the National Hockey League (NHL) this season and tickets can often be found for games at Canada Life Centre, the liveliest arena in all of hockey. Our American Hockey League (AHL) [Manitoba Moose (opens in new window)](https://moosehockey.com/) also offer affordable seats and great family and group packs for their games, where dancing for the Jumbotron is pretty much mandatory (so your kids will have a blast).

## World-class museums and galleries

 Outside of winter-centric activities, Winnipeg’s indoor museums and cultural centres are sure to mesmerize. Given its prominence on our skyline, the [Canadian Museum for Human Rights (opens in new window)](https://humanrights.ca/) is one of the first things that will draw your eye in Winnipeg (and you can also find it on our $10 bill). Within this architectural marvel you’ll ascend from darkness to light through immersive galleries that depict human rights stories from across the globe and throughout history using artifacts and interactive exhibits.

 The architecture of [WAG-Qaumajuq (opens in new window)](https://www.wag.ca/) is equally impressive. This home for the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art was designed to pay homage to the stark, expansive beauty of the Arctic landscape and was met with [rave-reviews (opens in new window)](https://www.tourismwinnipeg.com/things-to-do/only-in-the-peg/read,post/1209/qaumajuq-ready-to-shine-light-on-inuit-art-and-culture-in-winnipeg) from noteworthy publications from across the world when it opened in 2021. At the [Manitoba Museum (opens in new window)](https://manitobamuseum.ca/) you’ll find everything from a 90-million-year-old intact pliosaur (this whole region was part of the Western Interior Seaway during the last dinosaur period), massive diorama’s that depict the region’s more recent history, and the famed Nonsuch ship which you and the family can board. At the [Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (opens in new window)](https://royalaviationmuseum.com/), you can do some serious plane spotting, while the [Royal Canadian Mint (opens in new window)](https://www.mint.ca/en?srsltid=AfmBOopnzTdHRI8LZaauIuTAIHPI42bwlblpDMPsQmGtk7-TMBS2WkKm) produces millions of coins for countries across the world.

## FortWhyte Alive

 If you’re looking to go snowshoeing, ice fishing, hiking and bison watching all within the city, head to [FortWhyte Alive (opens in new window)](https://www.fortwhyte.org/). This 660-acre reclaimed urban green space is great for birding, cross-country skiing, skating and fat tire biking and you won’t believe the amount of speed you’ll pick up while sliding down the Richardson Rrrrun toboggan slide that shoots you out on a frozen lake. Its onsite Buffalo Stone Café also offers locavore breakfast and lunch dishes and plenty of hot beverages too.

 [See you in Winnipeg!](https://winnipegdev.dci-test.com/visit/)