Manitoba

Cultural Winnipeg is a must-visit during your holiday to Manitoba. You can admire more than 20,000 pieces at Winnipeg Art Gallery, learn about natural history at Manitoba Museum, or immerse yourself in inspiring exhibitions at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. There are dozens of theatres in Winnipeg, too, where you can watch everything from ballet to opera. Or why not catch a show at the Rainbow Stage? It’s Canada’s biggest and longest-running outdoor theatre.

If you’re travelling with kids, Assiniboine Park Zoo is a must-do. You can see all sorts of rare animals, ranging from red pandas to snow leopards. And Winnipeg has endless outdoor activities, including golf, cycling and ice-skating. Make sure you spend some time at FortWhyte Alive, 660-acres of reclaimed urban green space.  You can go paddling, fishing or wildlife watching during summer, while winter serves up cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tobogganing.

Churchill polar bears are world-famous. A remote town on the edge of Hudson Bay, Churchill is the only place on Earth where these majestic creatures live alongside humans. And, if you plan your Central Canada holiday for summer, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them. During the months of July/ August, October/November, and February/March, there are dozens of guided tours available here. You can explore by boat, helicopter or in a specially-designed vehicle – or why not stay at a lodge in the wilderness and embark on a walking tour?

There’s even more wildlife to be found off-shore. The western waters of Hudson Bay are home to more than 55,000 beluga whales, so the chances of seeing some are always good. But the odds increase further in summer, when 3,000 of them migrate to the Churchill River to feed, mate and give birth. You can get a closer look at these ghostly-white whales when you book a boat trip or kayak tour.

Riding Mountain National Park is just a three hour drive north-west of Winnipeg and offers windswept grasslands, dense forests, an abundance of lakes and wetland as well as many animals, including moose, bison, white-tailed deer and beavers just to name a few. The National Park sits within Treaty 2 Territory so the indigenous people are a very important part of the parks history as well as the current day activity in the park. 

A great place to head to for a base for you time in Ridding Mountain National Park is the community of Wasagaming. Located on the edge of Clear Lake it offer a small selection of hotels and apartments, boutique shops as well as cafes and restaurants. In the summer there are a whole host of activities going on around the lake including watersports like paddle boarding and kayaking, fat bike tours around the townsite and lake or head further a field and enjoy a wildlife tour or tour around one of the wetland areas. 

Despite its northerly location, Manitoba enjoys a seasonal climate. Between May and September, temperatures in Winnipeg generally hover in the low twenties, while Churchill is cooler with temperatures averaging 17°C. This pleasant weather is ideal for outdoor activities, such as kayaking and hiking. Summer is also the best time for wildlife-watching in Manitoba, as you’ll be able to see polar bears, seals and beluga whales.

Winter, meanwhile, is significantly colder. Between November and March, temperatures rarely rise above freezing. January is particularly cold, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as -24°C. If you’re a snowsports enthusiast, though, winter is the perfect time for your Manitoba holiday, as you’ll be able to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and more. And you’re almost guaranteed to see the Northern Lights.