Canada From Coast to Coast – Manitoba

Manitoba, the last of our Prairie provinces. In some ways you’d think they are all the same, but really they aren’t. Alberta has the Rockies and cattle, Saskatchewan lakes and farmland (the heart of our breadbasket) and Manitoba has farming the Canadian Shield and Churchill right on the Hudson’s Bay, with all its polar bears and beluga whales.

Full disclosure, I spent almost 2 full years in Winnipeg, MB, and well, I only lasted 2 years…it’s either outrageously hot or crazy cold. Well that was my experience anyway, plus I missed the mountains, not because I’m a climb them kind of a girl, but because they are majestic no matter what time of year; the mountains give me sense of being grounded. That being said, the prairies do however, have the most amazing thunder and lightening storms all summer, and you can see them for miles. I used to live on the 13th floor of a highrise without anyone blocking my view. The show was magnificent every time! Oh and while cold, the sun shines almost all winter, and they don’t actually get a ton of snow. Usually because its so cold. But the sun shines.

A bit about Manitoba, it’s sits pretty almost half way between Vancouver, BC (2,293 km) and Toronto, ON (1,975 km). Has a widely varied landscape, from arctic tundra and the Hudson Bay coastline in the North to dense boreal forest, large freshwater lakes, and prairie grasslands in the central and southern regions.

So, as with all the other provinces I will continue with the regions to help you find what suits your travel plans the best! We’ll start with Winnipeg, as it’s the capital and a population of about 817,000, so in our top 5 largest Canadian cities. Winnipeg in summer is the city of trees, it’s actually amazing, there are thousands of full grown trees throughout the city, and has a huge parks department. It is the city where two rivers meet, so started out as a major trading post. With the Assiniboine River and the Red River meeting. Here’s a fun little bit of trivia, the Red River actually flows South to North while the Assiniboine flows South, don’t ask me what happens when they meet, no seriously, don’t ask, I have no idea!

And because Manitoba seems to love these things, they have a fun collection of the “worlds largest” statues. From the Gimli Viking, the St. Claude Pipe, Mosquito, Catfish, Canada Goose, etc., etc., etc., I think there’s a giant rocking chair out there as well. Now, I don’t know if they are really the worlds largest, but they are ridiculously big, and I’ve seen many of them; and they’re kind of fun! Here’s a map to get you to some of them!

Winnipeg has a thriving arts community, from jazz to classical to rock, most notably Neil Young, The Guess Who, Bachman – Turner Overdrive, Chantel Kreviazuk and the Crash Test Dummies to name a few. There’s the Winnipeg Ballet, Art Galleries, The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and so much more, along with great food! Plus they have The Winnipeg Jets (hockey) and The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (football) if that’s more your thing. They also have a folk fest and fringe festival.

A must visit is The Forks – which gets its name from its position at the junction of the Assiniboine and Red rivers. You’ll find the sprawling Forks Market, one of the best places in Winnipeg to browse for food and gifts (think coffee from Fools & Horses, beer from The Common and candles from Coal and Canary) in an indoor setting.

If you’re there in winter, The Red River Mutual Trail is one of the longest naturally-frozen skating trails in the world and is considered one of the top things to do in Winnipeg in the winter. Skate or walk it from January to March—weather permitting—and pop by the Warming Huts created by guest architects like Anish Kapoor and Frank Gehry.

For two totally different experiences, there’s The Royal Canadian Mint – with every nickel and dime produced in Canada originating from this very building. A 45-minute guided tour of the Royal Canadian Mint’s Winnipeg facility offers a fascinating glimpse into the coin production process, and how it can inspire such passion for coin collectors. And because there’s a huge First Nations population, you can also find the Manito Ahbee Festival every May, celebrating indigenous art, music and culture with a marketplace and trade show, the Indigenous Music Awards ceremony and the largest powwow in Canada.

Churchill – firstly, this is not a hey, lets go to Churchill tomorrow kind of a trip, this needs to be planned above and beyond your trip to Manitoba. Churchill is way, way off the beaten path, you can’t drive, because there are no roads to get there. None. You can only get to this remote town on the shores of Hudson Bay either by train or plane. And while I am a fan of train travel, you need to take into account the travel times. Currently the Via Rail Canada train departs Union Station in Winnipeg for Churchill every Sunday and Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. The train departs Churchill every Thursday and Saturday. The train ride is approximately 48 hours long – two days and two nights as it covers 1697 kilometres through Manitoba (that’s each way). Alternatively there are private charters, and packages available.

Churchill hotels and eco-lodges welcome those seeking once-in-a-lifetime outdoor experiences watching polar bears, beluga whales and also the northern lights, which are visible here up to 300 nights of the year. I can promise you, it’s on my list!

Oh, and it’s not just polar bears you can see, there’s muskox, cariboo, different species of seals, belugas (some 20,000 at the height of summer), they have 130 different species of birds and raptors and you may even see Narwhals, now that’s one of God’s strangest creatures and as close to a unicorn as you’ll ever get!

I know what you’re asking, because it’s the first question that I asked “When is the best time to see the polar bears”, and frankly summer and fall are ideal, because Churchill has the most accessible population of polar bears than anywhere else, and while winter is probably your most dramatic time, they are usually out on the ice flows hunting. According to Churchill Wild, it really depends on what background you want, and what other wildlife you’d like to photograph at the same time!

Just a little perspective on the photo below. Those bears average between 8 – 10 feet high when standing upright!

I’ve realize I’ve spent a lot of time on Churchill, then again this is hardcore bucket list stuff, so it was warranted I think! Just a note, winter you’re looking at an average of -29 celcius (-20F), summer averages 10C (50F), so dress accordingly.

Let’s leave the belugas, polar bears, arctic fox and the Hudson’s Bay behind, and explore the rest of Manitoba!

Eastern Manitoba – The Canadian Shield. This is where you’ll find some of the province’s most popular parks. On one side of the region is Whiteshell Provincial Park, which offers year-round access to beautiful lakes and forests. This park is also home to the sacred Bannock Point Petroforms, an important site for Indigenous teaching and ceremony. On the other side of the region is Grand Beach Provincial Park and its three kilometres of soft white sand. And this lake is so big, you can’t see to the other side! The best part about Manitoba’s lakes is that they are generally shallow, so that as the summer heats up, so do all the lakes!

Central Manitoba Region – Is an important agricultural area, a heritage that is celebrated at museums and events. Its waterways and valleys are migration corridors for a range of Birding, including waterfowl and raptors. Its cities and towns welcome you with family-friendly attractions and festivals that offer a taste of life in the heart of Manitoba.

While the soil here is prized by farmers, it’s also treasured by paleontologists. Once covered by an ancient sea, thousands of prehistoric marine reptile fossils have been discovered in the area around Morden. The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre showcases many of these prehistoric treasures.

Something you’ll see throughout the prairies, but I found Manitoba in particular are trains, Winnipeg is a Canadian hub for train transport. From grain and wheat to fuel and even IKEA furniture, it’s being transported through Manitoba whether East or West.

Interlake Region – Manitoba’s Interlake region gets its name because it’s located between the province’s two biggest lakes — Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba. Cottage and Lake life is a way of life for most Manitobans, with Beaches along the shores of both lakes suitable for the whole family. Boats are swapped for ice fishing shacks in the winter. Birders flock to important habitats, including the marshes that filter the water going in and out of the lakes.

There’s a wide range of camping options along both lakes. Lake Winnipeg is usually the busiest, so book well in advance. Lake Manitoba, up the middle and on the west side are for those looking for a slower way of life. There are also lots of fully accessible RV sites on both lakes.

Parkland Region – The Parkland region gets its name from its landscape — pockets of forest emerging from grasslands. Manitoba’s Parkland has the added bonus of a range of hills formed by glaciers known as the Manitoba escarpment. There are several parks in this region that take advantage of this special landscape, including Manitoba’s most accessible national park, Riding Mountain. Make Clear Lake Country your home base to explore its lakes and trails any time of the year.

From Manitoba’s highest peak (Baldy Mountain in Duck Mountain Provincial Park) to its largest ski resort (Asessippi Ski Area & Resort), the Parkland is a destination for outdoor adventures. It also reflects Manitoba’s prairie past through museums and heritage sites like the Inglis Grain Elevators.

Western Region – This was where Manitoba’s first inhabitants arrived. The stories of people who have shaped this region continue to draw in visitors to this region. The retreat of the last glacier shaped the western region’s landscape. Rolling hills reach high above the prairie — visit Turtle Mountain Provincial Park to admire the views. The towering sand dunes known as the Spirit Sands at Spruce Woods Provincial Park are a rare sight surrounded by forests and fields. Discover the remarkable features of the parks in this region.

North Manitoba – North of the 53rd parallel is a vast region of Manitoba, where the landscape shifts from the forests of the Canadian Shield, to boggy muskeg to the sparsely treed tundra. Going back thousands of years, Indigenous people thrived off this land, and they also played an important role in the development of the fur trade. Communities in the north welcome you to experience incredible parks and other outdoor destinations for experiences like paddling, fishing and snowmobiling.

And so, that’s our last prairie province for you to explore. I hope you’ve discovered how diversified the topography is, and how unique it makes each province.

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Thanks – Maria

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