Winnipeg, Canada is perhaps less talked about than other Canadian gems like Toronto,
Vancouver, and Montreal. And yet the city is home to a ton of great things to do, see,
and eat. From a night out to watch the Winnipeg Jets play, to the Canadian Museum
For Human Rights, to the incredible Numeric Code Tour inside the Legislative building,
there’s something for everyone in this central Canadian city. So join Viewcation,
as we go over the best things to do in Winnipeg, Canada!
The Forks At the top of any list of the best things to
do in Winnipeg is The Forks. It sits at the spot where the Assiniboine River meets the Red River,
and long ago, it served as a building for railway repair. But over the years, it was slowly turned
into a retail district that not only features restaurants and shops but museums as well.
There are a lot of buildings that collectively make up The Forks,
and the primary one is known as the Forks Market. It boasts a main hall that’s chock full of stands
for locals to sell fresh produce. Some of the stands also offer cooked food,
so you can fill up as you walk around. It has two levels worth of stores as well. Plus,
there’s a great spot at the top of the building where you can see a panoramic view of the area.
Nearby is the Johnston Terminal Building, which hosts its own set of fantastic shops.
One of the best features of The Forks district is that it has an appeal all year round. In the
winters, it’s a popular spot for ice skating, as the rivers always freeze over. And in the summer
locals and tourists enjoy playing along the river banks, as well as dining indoors and outdoors.
There’s even a great Riverwalk, which is a perfect location for an afternoon stroll.
Canadian Museum For Human Rights This relatively new museum has the distinction
of being the only museum on the planet that’s dedicated strictly to human rights.
It was opened in 2008 to much fanfare, not only for its exhibits and content
but also because of its impressive architecture and visual style.
The outside of the building showcases the four landscapes most often associated with Canada.
And as such, the building itself has come to often be THE symbol of Winnipeg. The
interior of the building is just as impressive, as it was built in a way that not only is a feast
for the eyes but also serves to underscore the importance of the building's content.
Of course, the primary reason for a visit to the museum is to learn about the importance
and history of human rights. And it’s a mixture of information meant to help you learn about the
history of human rights and human rights abuses and information on how to understand it and think
about it going forward. It challenges all of its visitors to realize that understanding human
rights is a longer process than simply a visit to a museum. The Canadian Museum For Human Rights
is an impressive and moving place, and we highly encourage a visit there when you’re in Winnipeg!
Visit the Assiniboine Park Zoo The Assiniboine Park Zoo, which is located
inside the greater Assiniboine Park, is a definite must-visit if you’re in Winnipeg.
Unsurprisingly, the zoo has a focus on animals and plants that are native to cold,
northern areas of the globe. This means it has, among other things, a lot of polar bears.
You’ll be able to see these incredible creatures up close (but no too close!) They
also have creatures ranging from red kangaroos to Siberian tigers, and everything in between.
When you want a break from looking at animals, there’s also the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden,
which is visually stunning. Leo Mol is a sculptor who utilizes the ‘lost-wax’ method,
and the result is a garden of brass pieces that sit inside a gorgeous garden. There’s also a
small building there where Mol created many of the works shown in the garden.
If you have young kids with you, they’ll be delighted aboard the 4-8-2 miniature steam train,
which is inside the park but just outside the zoo. It runs around the park in the
summers and on weekends in the fall, and it’s fairly inexpensive to ride.
Catch a Game! Winnipeg has several professional sports teams,
and a city full of passionate fans. If you time your trip right, you can join them in rooting
on the home team at an NHL game, a Northern League baseball game, or a CFL football game.
The biggest draw, of course, is the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. This is Canada after all,
and they love their hockey. The arena is in downtown Winnipeg, and there are planet of
opportunities during the hockey season to catch a Jets home game. The Jets are one
of the NHL’s smallest franchises, yet manage to outsell many other bigger teams in the league in
terms of merchandise. (So be sure to snag a jersey or a hat while you’re at a game!)
In the warmer months, you might be inclined to see the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They play
At IG Arena, which you’ll find inside the campus of the University of Manitoba. Or perhaps spend an
afternoon at the ballpark watching the Winnipeg Goldeyes play baseball. One fun twist to the
baseball experience is to watch the game while you eat Indian food. That might sound like an
odd choice, given that Indian food isn’t the most ballpark-friendly option. But there’s a fantastic
restaurant called Clay Oven that is located within the ballpark. So you can order food
from them and eat it on their patio, where you’ll get a free watch of the baseball game next door!
Before we tell you more about the best things to do in Winnipeg,
Canada, be sure to give this video a like, and subscribe to Viewcation if you haven’t already!
Legislative Building If you decided to take a walk
on the Riverwalk after exploring The Forks, you’ll be led to the Legislative Building. It’s not only
an important building in terms of the legislation and government work of Manitoba, but it’s also an
amazing site in and of itself. It was built in the Neoclassic style, and was constructed in 1919 out
of Italian marble, mixed with local stone. Around the building are many monuments and
carefully kept gardens, as well a multitude of statues. This includes one called
“Golden Boy,” which is a five-ton statue of a boy holding both a torch and a sheaf of wheat,
to represent the agricultural history of Manitoba. The inside of the building is covered in
hieroglyphics, as well as numeric codes and Freemason symbols. One really cool option is
to go on the Hermetic Code Tour. You’ll feel like you’re in The Davinci Code, as you walk around and
hear about the secret numerical codes hidden within the symbols and drawings on the walls.
The tours are led by an architectural historian and are full of mystery and intrigue.
Check out the Festival du Voyageur If you’re in Winnipeg during the winter,
you should plan to hit up the Festival du Voyageur. It’s a uniquely Canadian event
and celebrates the early fur traders who roamed Canada many years ago. The festival is full of
live entertainment, food, dancing, and more. While the hub of the Festival du Voyageur is in Voyageur
park, there are actually tents all over the city that are a part of the celebration. Their festival
is equal parts French and English, so you don’t have to stress if you’re not a French Speaker.
Of note are the ice and snow sculptures, which are a must-see. And perhaps the most fun and
oddball component of Festival du Voyageur is the beard-growing contest. Obviously, this is
something that has to be started well beforehand, so every participant has to sign up 10 weeks in
advance, and then start from a clean-shaven face. By the time the festival rolls around
they then come to show off their beard growth in one of four categories. It’s quite the sight.
As you can tell, Winnipeg has a lot going for it. It may not be as talked about as other cities in
Canada, but it certainly is full of amazing things to do, see, eat, and drink. If you haven’t checked
it out yet, you should definitely consider it. You’ll get a chance to hit up museums,
stroll around the many stores and markets of The Forks, visit the incredible Canadian Museum For
Human Rights, and even watch a beard-growing contest. Plus there are incredible sights like
the Assinboine Zoo, the Legislative Building, and more. And for the sports fans out there, there are
really cool places to watch professional hockey, football, and baseball. So, in all, Winnipeg is a
city you should absolutely check out, regardless of what time of year you’re looking to visit.
So there you have it – the best things to do in Winnipeg. Now it’s time to hear from you.
Did we miss any of your favorite things to do in Winnipeg? Let us know in the comments
section below. And before you go, make sure to give this video a like, and subscribe to
Viewcation if you haven’t already. Click the bell icon to stay updated on all our latest content.