Planning a Trip

The Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy. 1) cuts across the southern part of both provinces. In Manitoba, you can stop along Highway 1 at Whiteshell Provincial Park in the east. You can return to the highway or visit the shores of Lake Winnipeg at Grand Beach Provincial Park and then head south via Selkirk and Lower Fort Garry to Winnipeg, the provincial capital. From Winnipeg, you can take the train north to Churchill to explore the tundra around Hudson Bay. On your return to Winnipeg, you can pick up Highway 1 again and drive west across the province, stopping for a detour to Riding Mountain National Park or to Spruce Woods Provincial Park before exiting into Saskatchewan.

Highway 1 leads from Manitoba to Regina, with a stop perhaps at Moose Mountain Provincial Park along the way. From Regina, it's a 2 1/2-hour or so drive to Saskatoon, and about another 2 1/2-hour drive to Prince Albert National Park (you can stop at Batoche en route). From Prince Albert, you can return via Fort Battleford National Historic Park to Saskatoon and then to Highway 1 at Swift Current, or you can take Route 4 directly from Battleford to Swift Current. From here, the Trans-Canada Highway heads west to the Alberta border. From Winnipeg, the other driving option is the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy. 16), a four-lane expressway that runs directly to Saskatoon and Edmonton.

Visitor Information -- Contact Travel Manitoba, 155 Carlton St., 7th Floor, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3H8 (tel. 800/665-0040; www.travelmanitoba.com). Or you can visit the Explore Manitoba Centre at 21 Forks Market Rd., open daily 10am to 6pm year-round.

In Saskatchewan, contact Tourism Saskatchewan, 1922 Park St., Regina, SK S4P 3V7 (tel. 877/237-2273 or 306/787-2300; www.sasktourism.com); it's open year-round Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Farm & Ranch Vacations on the Prairies

There's no better way to really get the feel of the prairies than to stay on a farm or ranch. Contact the Manitoba Country Vacations Association, Box 93, Minto, MB R0K 1M0 (tel. 866/201-0440 or 204/776-2176; www.countryvacations.mb.ca), for details about farm accommodations. Rates average C$75 (US$75/£38) per day and C$450 (US$450/£225) per week for adults and C$25 (US$25/£13) per day and C$150 (US$150/£75) per week for children -- a very reasonable price for such an exciting authentic experience.

In Saskatchewan, farm vacations average C$60 to C$75 (US$60-US$75/£30-£38) for a double bed and a real farm breakfast (additional meals can be arranged). The Saskatchewan Bed and Breakfast Association, Box 694, Lumsden, SK S0G 3C0 (tel. 306/731-2646; www.bbsask.ca), has many rural members that also offer hands-on farm and ranch activities.