Winnipeg is one of Canada’s most vibrant cities, and though winters may be long, there are more than enough indoor attractions and activities to keep you entertained.
Relax in the city’s playground
At the heart of the city is the Forks park and market, a beautiful and historic area where the Red and Assiniboine rivers join. It’s the number-one meeting place for Winnipeggers, who come here to picnic, walk, cycle and kayak in the summer and ice skate or curl in the winter. The park is the venue for loads of great festivals, concerts and exhibits during summer months, and is also the site of the impressive Forks Market, which houses dozens of great stores and restaurants.
Visit unique museums
Just north of the Forks is the hugely ambitious Canadian Museum for Human Rights, housed in an eye-catching contemporary building designed by American architect Antoine Predock. This is a museum experience like no other. It explores human rights issues in Canadian culture and throughout the rest of the world through a series of awe-inspiring interactive exhibits. Gradually work your way through the museum as it climbs to the Israel Asper Tower of Hope, from where there are superb views of the city.
Discover Manitoba’s art, culture and history
Another excellent experience is the Manitoba Museum, which takes you on a trip through the province’s cultural and natural history. There’s also a planetarium and among the many highlights is a replica of the Nonsuch, the 17th-century ship that opened trade in the west of Canada.
The prestigious Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is home to 25,000 works of art, focusing on contemporary Manitoban and Canadian artists, and features the world's largest collection of Inuit artworks as well as several late Gothic and early Renaissance works and decorative art and photography collections. It also features impressive temporary exhibits by well-known international artists.
Get up close to a polar bear
Even if you’re not travelling with kids, the Assiniboine Park Zoo is well worth a visit. The zoo has more than 2,000 animals, mainly those indigenous to colder climates, and among its residents are white snow leopards, white Bengal tigers and polar bears. The centrepiece is the superb ‘Journey to Churchill’, which combines exhibits and live animals, and covers the province's ecology as well as its wildlife.
Enjoy the city’s fantastic food scene
Winnipeg is one of Canada’s top culinary destinations. The focus in many of the city’s restaurants is the fabulous local and regional produce – fish, elk and duck from nearby lakes and parks, accompanied by fresh summer berries and birch syrup, Manitoba’s answer to maple syrup.
The city’s diverse cultural mix has included a rich and varied ethnic food scene to Winnipeg, and you can sample a wide range of offerings, from Vietnamese pho to Ukranian pierogi, and pretty much everything in between. A highly recommended spot is Deer+Almond, a hip and classy restaurant close to the Exchange District.
There’s plenty to see and do here, and with Winnipeg car rental you can see it all.
