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Winnipeg Attractions
Taste of France Across the River: The Historic District of St. Boniface
Across the Red River from downtown in St. Boniface, a street becomes a rue and a hello becomes bonjour. Here, you'll find the largest French-speaking community in western Canada, dating from 1783, when Pierre Gaultier de Varennes established Fort Rouge at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. The junction became the center of a thriving fur trade for the North West Company, which rivaled and challenged the Hudson's Bay Company. A basilica built in 1819 was dedicated to Boniface, and in 1846, four Grey Nuns arrived and began their ministry by establishing the area's first hospital.
Parks & Gardens
Comprising 160 hectares (395 acres) for playing, picnicking, or biking, Assiniboine Park, at 2355 Corydon Ave., contains a miniature railway, duck pond, English garden (June to late September), and conservatory. In winter, you can go skating on the pond or tobogganing. The park also contains a zoo. Art lovers will also want to visit the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden (tel. 204/986-6531) to see around 300 works of this renowned Winnipeg sculptor. Assiniboine Park is open daily dawn to dusk. The elegant Terrace Fifty-Five (tel. 204/938-7275) is within a grand pavilion. Tuesday through Sunday, it offers lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm (C$9-C$16) and dinner 5 to 9:30pm (C$17-C$36). Reservations are suggested. In the same building, the Pavilion Gallery (tel. 204/888-5466) houses a permanent collection of works by Manitoba artists. And the outdoor Lyric Theatre (tel. 204/888-5466, ext. 5) provides free entertainment in summer with performances by the Winnipeg Symphony, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and local jazz combos, and it also hosts a Canada Day picnic.
Beside the Red River north of downtown, century-old Kildonan Park is quite delightful, with landscaped gardens, picnic spots, biking paths, outdoor swimming, and wading pools, as well as a golf course. Also look for the Witch's Hut from Hansel and Gretel in the park. In winter, the park is popular for its outdoor skating rink and toboggan hill.
Cruises & A Steam Train Excursion
During summer, the cruise boats MS River Rouge and MS Paddlewheel Queen depart from their dock at the east end of Alexander Avenue on a variety of cruises, including a sunset dinner-dance cruise beginning at 7pm and a moonlight version on weekends leaving at 10pm. Both cost C$19 adults, C$17 seniors. Two-hour sightseeing trips costing C$18 adults, C$16 seniors, and C$9.50 children 10 and under, depart at 1pm and provide fine views of the city from the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Fares cover the cruises only; drinks and meals are extra. For details, contact Paddlewheel River Boats (tel. 204/944-8000; www.paddlewheelcruises.com). The ticket office is 2 blocks from the dock at 78 George Ave.
A 1900 steam-era train, the Prairie Dog Central, takes you on a 2 1/2-hour, 58km (36-mile) round-trip from Winnipeg's Inkster Junction station north on the Oak Point line. En route, you get a feel for the prairie and what the late-19th-century immigrants might've seen when they arrived. The train operates every weekend from June to September, plus special days such as Canada Day, Mother's Day, and Halloween. Basic fares range from C$26 adults, C$18 children on the regular steam train schedule to C$28 adults, C$23 children for special events such as Halloween. For details, contact the Vintage Locomotive Society (tel. 866/751-2348 or 204/832-5259; www.pdcrailway.com); for tickets, call Ticketmaster (tel. 204/253-2787; www.ticketmaster.ca).
Especially for Kids
At the Forks, the Manitoba Children's Museum (45 Forks Market Rd.; tel. 204/924-4000; www.childrensmuseum.com) was scheduled to reopen in spring 2011 after major renovations. There are 12 themed galleries, including the water-themed Splash Lab; Tot Spot for toddlers; Lasagna Lookout, a food-oriented playroom; and Engine House, where children can explore the insides of a train. Admission is C$7.50 adults, C$6.50 seniors, C$7 children 2 to 17, and free for children under 2. The museum is open Sunday through Thursday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, Friday and Saturday 9:30am to 6pm. The museum is closed for major holidays.
Assiniboine Park (2355 Corydon Ave.) is a great place to picnic or play. Its top attraction, however, is the 40-hectare (99-acre) Assiniboine Park Zoo (tel. 204/927-6000; www.zoosociety.com), where 1,700 animals of 325 species -- including bears, lions, tigers, zebras, bison, and monkeys -- are kept in as natural an environment as possible. Some exotic species on display are snow leopards, ruffed lemurs, and Irkutsk lynx. Many spectacular birds live and breed in the Tropical House. A Discovery Centre with a barnful of young farm animals is fun. March through October, admission is C$4.60 adults, C$4.30 seniors, C$3 children 13 to 17, and C$2.45 children 2 to 12; November through February, it's C$4 adults, C$3.75 seniors, C$2.25 children 13 to 17, and C$1.80 children 2 to 12. The park is open daily dawn to dusk, with the zoo open daily 10am to dusk (July and Aug from 9am). To get there, take Portage Avenue west, exit onto Route 90 south, and then turn right onto Corydon.
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People (2 Forks Market Rd.; tel. 877/871-6897 or 204/942-8898; www.mtyp.ca) presents plays for children and teens. The season runs October through May, and tickets start at C$14 for both adults and children.
Winnipeg the Bear -- When Canadian Army lieutenant Harry Colebourn purchased an orphaned bear cub and took it with him to Europe during the First World War, little did he know that naming it after his home town of Winnipeg would lead its name to be immortalized as one of the world's best known fictional characters. By 1919, the bear had been donated to the London Zoo, where it became known as "Winnie" to hordes of admiring visitors. One frequent zoo visitor was Christopher Robin Milne, son of author A. A. Milne. Learning of his son's love of the bear, Milne was inspired to write a book of short fictional stories about Winnie, Christopher Robin, and their friends. First published in 1926, the stories of Winnie the Pooh are known throughout the world by young and old. The bear's link with Winnipeg is celebrated by a bronze statue of Colebourn and Winnie in Assiniboine Park.
Spas
Ten Spa (222 Broadway Ave.; [tel 204/946-6520; www.tenspa.ca) provides a world-class spa experience atop the Fort Gary Hotel. The C$3-million, 929-sq-m (10,000-sq.-ft.) facility is the result of 3 years of research at many of the world's foremost spas. Ten Spa offers a full range of aesthetic treatments and state-of-the-art steam rooms, with aroma- and light therapy, a variety of mud baths, scrubs, and massage and body treatments, as well as a hamam, a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Turkish bath. The full hamam treatment (C$219) is a 3-hour journey that includes a salt scrub, steam bath on a marble slab with foot and scalp massage, full body exfoliation, and olive-oil soap scrub-down, finished with a flexibility massage. The entire Ten Spa is beautifully designed, its tasteful modern aesthetic in distinction to the Victorian splendor found in the rest of the Fort Garry Hotel.
7 Results
- Historic Site
Exchange District
Just north of the famous corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street is the historic Exchange District, the best-preserved turn-of-the-20th-century district in North America. Now protected from development as a National Historic Site, the area encompasses 20 city blocks and 150 heritage… - Zoo/Aquarium
FortWhyte Alive
About 15 minutes from downtown, old cement quarries have been converted into lakes at FortWhyte Alive and now serve as the focal point of a feature-packed environmental educational facility. A 929-sq.-m (10,000-sq.-ft.) interpretive center houses Manitoba's largest indoor aquarium,… - Landmark
Golden Boy & Manitoba Legislative Building
There he stands, 73m (240 ft.) above ground, atop the Legislative Building's dome, clutching a sheaf of wheat under his left arm and holding aloft in his right arm an eternally lit torch symbolizing the spirit of progress. French sculptor Charles Gardet created his 5-ton, 4m (13-ft.)… - Landmark
Royal Canadian Mint
Canada's original mint, in Ottawa, now produces only commemorative coins, while the Winnipeg facility, which opened in 1976, produces all of Canada's regular coins, as well as currency for countries worldwide (it is claimed that one in four people in the world carry coins made in… - Religious Site
St. Boniface Museum & Cathedral
The religious, historic, and cultural home to many of western Canada's French-speaking Catholics was St. Boniface, established in 1818. The museum in the old convent house of the Grey Nuns is Winnipeg's oldest building and one of the oldest oak log structures in North America, and it… - Historic Site
The Forks
At the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers is the Forks National Historic Site, which has been a trade and meeting place for over 6,000 years. First Natives, then fur traders and settlers, found this river confluence a propitious place for settlement. The area was redeveloped… Winnipeg Art Gallery
A distinctive triangular building of local Tyndall stone, the Winnipeg Art Gallery houses one of the world's largest collections of contemporary Inuit art. Other collections focus on historic and contemporary Canadian art, as well as British and European artists such as Eugene-Loius…
Winnipeg Shopping
Several areas in Winnipeg are known for their shops, galleries, and cafes, and make good destinations for those spending a few days in town to get a better feel for the city and its diversity. These areas are Academy Road, in River Heights, trending toward upscale shops and appealing to a middle-aged and older crowd; Corydon Avenue, or Little Italy, known for its restaurants, as well as plenty of boutiques, second-hand and curio shops, and galleries; Osborne Village, on Osborne Street, the city's most densely populated precinct, catering to the young and fashion-minded with an almost bohemian vibe and lots of outdoor patios; the Exchange District, the most historic part of town, with many shops, galleries, restaurants, and clubs; the Wolseley (aka the "Granola Belt"), particularly along Westminster Avenue, with shops catering to ecological and spiritual interests, plus bakeries, cafes, and organic grocery stores; and Chinatown, between James and Logan avenues west of Main Street, where you can find excellent restaurants, visit herbalists and import shops, and view some beautiful architecture at the Chinese Cultural Centre.
Winnipeg Nightlife
The Performing Arts
Winnipeg's most important performing arts venue is the Centennial Concert Hall (555 Main St.; tel. 204/956-1360; www.centennialconcerthall.com), which is home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Manitoba Opera. The world-renowned Royal Winnipeg Ballet (380 Graham Ave., at Edmonton St.; tel. 204/956-2792 for the box office; www.rwb.org) was founded in 1939 by two British immigrant ballet teachers, making it North America's oldest continuously operating ballet company. By 1949, it was a professional troupe, and in 1953, it was granted a royal charter. Today, its repertoire includes both contemporary and classical works, such as Ashton's Thais, Giselle, and Sleeping Beauty. The company performs at the Centennial Concert Hall, usually for a week in each October, November, December, March, and May. Tickets are C$28 to C$84, with discounts for students, seniors, and children.
Established in 1947, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (555 Main St.; tel. 204/949-3950, or 204/949-3999 for the box office; www.wso.ca) performs at the Centennial Concert Hall. The orchestra's prestige has attracted guest artists such as Manitoba's own James Ehnes, as well as Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, Tracy Dahl, and Maureen Forrester. The season usually runs September to mid-May, and tickets are C$28 to C$55.
The Manitoba Opera (555 Main St.; tel. 204/942-7479, or 204/944-8824 for the box office; www.manitobaopera.mb.ca), features a season of two or three operas each year at the Centennial Concert Hall, with performances throughout the winter months. Tickets range from C$35 to C$129.
Theater -- You can enjoy theater in the park at the Rainbow Stage, in Kildonan Park at 2021 Main St. (tel. 204/989-5261, or 204/989-0888 for tickets; www.rainbowstage.net), Canada's largest and oldest continuously operating outdoor theater. The theater group actually presents two musical classics, running about 3 weeks each, one in the summer at Kildonan and one in mid-winter at the Pantages Playhouse (180 Market St.). On the banks of the Red River, the outdoor Rainbow Stage is easily accessible by public transport.
The Manitoba Theatre Centre (140 Rupert Ave., at Lily St.; tel. 204/956-1340, or 204/942-6537 for the box office; www.mtc.mb.ca) presents more cutting-edge, controversial plays in an intimate 300-seat theater. Its four-play season generally runs mid-October to mid-May, and tickets are C$15 to C$65.
The Prairie Theatre Exchange (Portage Place, 393 Portage Ave.; tel. 204/942-7291, or 204/942-5483 for the box office; www.pte.mb.ca) offers about six productions from October to April and provides the most serious alternative to MTC shows. Standard ticket prices are C$32 to C$42 adults, C$25 to C$32 seniors and students. Some less-expensive shows run on Wednesdays.
Casions
The tropical-themed Club Regent Casino (1425 Regent Ave. W.; tel. 800/265-3912 or 204/957-2500; www.clubregent.com) offers slots, electronic blackjack, bingo, poker, and keno, plus traditional bingo and the Fountain of Fortune, a series of progressive slot machines. Huge, walk-through aquariums and two live music stages add to the diversions. The club is open Monday through Saturday 9:30am to 3am and Sunday 11:30am to 3am.
The Grand Railway Hotel-themed McPhillips Station Casino (484 McPhillips St.; tel. 800/265-3912 or 204/957-2500; www.mcphillipsstation.com) is your other major casino option in town, featuring many of the same gaming choices as at the Club Regent (both are operated and regulated by the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation). The side show here is the indoor re-creation of an historic railway village, taking you back into Manitoba's past. McPhillips Station operates during the same hours as its sister casino, and both have restaurants and gift shops.
Dance Clubs
Country-western dance bars used to be a large part of the nightlife in Winnipeg, but the scene is rapidly changing. Even the Palomino Club (1133 Portage Ave.; tel. 204/722-0454), once the best place to sample line dancing, mostly features classic rock. Silverado's (2100 McPhillips St., in the Canad Inn Destination Centre Garden City; tel. 204/633-0024) has three floors of dancing to country bands and rock acts, plus DJ-spun dance-floor hits.
Winnipeg's dance club scene mirrors that of similar-sized cities across Canada. The Empire, at 436 Main St., near Portage Avenue (tel. 204/943-3979), features a Roman-themed dance floor in an historic bank building. In the Exchange District, Alive (140 Bannatyne Ave.; tel. 204/989-8080) has both DJs and live bands, and attracts an older crowd -- it allows entry only to those over 21. As dance clubs can be ephemeral, you may want to check out the latest news when you visit town; visit Uptown Magazine's website at www.uptownmag.com to search the latest club information and listings.
