38 Awesome Things To Do in Manitoba

If Canada were a novel, Manitoba would be one of those chapters you think you can skim—until you realize it’s where all the good plot twists happen. Smack dab in the middle of the country, this prairie province is often overlooked, but that just makes discovering it all the more rewarding. From polar bear encounters on the edge of Hudson Bay to canoeing through endless lakes in the Canadian Shield, Manitoba is where raw wilderness meets vibrant culture. Whether you’re chasing northern lights, wandering through historic cities, or canoeing next to Beluga whales, this province delivers experiences that are as unexpected as they are unforgettable.

So if you thought Manitoba was just wheat fields and winter, you couldn’t be more wrong. Here are the best things to do in Manitoba that’ll prove this province deserves a permanent spot on your Canadian bucket list.

Watch our Manitoba Travel Video

While our Manitoba video will only give you a taste of some of the province’s top attractions, it’s an entertaining way to get a glimpse into what Manitoba is all about. This video was created during our 2017 150-day road trip across Canada and features Winnipeg, Riding Mountain National Park, Churchill, and more!

Get Inspired at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (Winnipeg)

Not only is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights the first museum dedicated to the evolution, celebration, and future of human rights. It’s also one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in the country. It can be heartbreaking to learn about human rights violations that have happened in Canada and around the world, but it is also a very important topic that everyone should learn about. You’ll also learn about the inspiring people who’ve fought for human rights and will leave the museum feeling inspired, as well as get one of the best views of the city.

Enjoy Some Food at The Forks (Winnipeg)

A visit to Winnipeg just wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Forks. Located right next to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and home to more than 6,000+ years of history, the Forks is both a historic site and the #1 outdoor gathering space for locals and tourists alike. It’s the place where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet and is located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg. At 54-acres in size, you’ll find all sorts of things to do, including a bustling central market, exceptional dining and accommodations, beautiful treelined paths overlooking the riverbank, a world-class skate park, a children’s play area and water park, and all the best things a Winnipeg winter has to offer, like skate rentals and access to one of the world’s longest skating rinks.

See Polar Bears at the Assiniboine Park Zoo (Winnipeg)

Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo isn’t just any zoo—it’s where you can come face to face with some of Canada’s most iconic creatures, including polar bears that casually swim right over your head in the clear tunnels of the Journey to Churchill exhibit. This award-winning space doesn’t just showcase Arctic wildlife, it makes you feel like you’ve stepped right into their frosty backyard—without the frostbite, of course. Beyond the bears, the zoo is home to everything from snow leopards to red pandas, giving you a whirlwind world tour of wildlife without leaving Manitoba. Toss in interactive exhibits, conservation programs, and its prime location inside Assiniboine Park, and you’ve got a must-do Winnipeg experience that’s equal parts fun, educational, and Instagram-worthy.

Visit the Tropics at the Leaf (Winnipeg)

Not far from the zoo (in fact, you can take a free tram there) is The Leaf at Assiniboine Park, where you’ll be teleported out of Winnipeg and dropped somewhere far more tropical. This stunning indoor horticultural attraction is part futuristic greenhouse, part living museum, and all-around sensory overload (in the best way). Wander through lush biomes filled with rainforest humidity, desert landscapes, and fragrant Mediterranean gardens—all under one soaring glass roof. The star of the show is the massive tropical biome, where exotic plants tower overhead and butterflies sometimes steal the spotlight. Beyond being gorgeous, The Leaf also tells the story of our deep connections to plants, food, and culture, making it a place where you can marvel, learn, and maybe even pick up a new appreciation for that houseplant you’ve been neglecting at home.

Learn about Canada at Lower Fort Garry National Historical Site

Step back in time at Lower Fort Garry, where history isn’t just something you read about—it’s something you can walk, touch, and even taste. Built in 1830 along the mighty Red River, this National Historic Site was once a bustling fur-trading hub for the Hudson’s Bay Company, and wandering its stone walls and restored buildings is like stepping onto the set of a history movie. You can chat with costumed interpreters, try your hand at old-fashioned crafts, or explore the old powder magazine and officers’ quarters, all while imagining what life was like in early 19th-century Manitoba. We brought our family here and everyone had a great time.

Tip: After visiting Lower Fort Garry Historical Site, continue heading north to Grand Beach and experience one of the best lake beaches in all of Canada!

Step inside the Royal Canadian Mint (Winnipeg)

Not only does the Royal Canadian Mint produce money for Canada and other countries around the world, but it’s also situated inside one of Winnipeg’s most beautiful buildings with a reflective glass exterior that is quite remarkable at sunset. It’s a cool place to take a tour and learn about how money is made, and you’ll also get the opportunity to hold a $600,000 gold bar, admire Olympic gold medals, and get a photo of your face inside a penny!

Check out Art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq

The Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq isn’t just a museum—it’s a playground for the eyes and the imagination. Home to the largest collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world, it’s a place where centuries-old carvings, sculptures, and prints meet modern installations that’ll make you do a double-take. Wander through its galleries and you might find yourself contemplating a stunning ice-themed sculpture, marvelling at bold contemporary paintings, or even spotting a piece that makes you laugh out loud. With its striking architecture, rotating exhibitions, and thought-provoking programs, WAG proves that Winnipeg is not just about prairie skies and polar bears—it’s a city that knows how to flex its creative muscles, and this gallery is the ultimate proof.

Learn about the Province at the Manitoba Museum (Winnipeg)

The Manitoba Museum is basically Manitoba’s greatest hits album—all under one roof. This place has it all: life-sized bison thundering across the prairies, a massive replica of a 17th-century sailing ship (the Nonsuch) that you can actually climb aboard, and galleries that whisk you through time from the Ice Age to outer space. One minute you’re walking through a recreated Hudson Bay fur-trade post, the next you’re staring up at the northern lights in the planetarium. It’s part history museum, part science centre, part immersive playground, making it one of Winnipeg’s most well-rounded attractions. Whether you’re a family with curious kids, a history buff, or just someone who likes saying “wow” a lot, the Manitoba Museum is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Take a Hermetic Code Tour at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg

For a whole summer, we lived near the legislative building and didn’t get tired of its beauty. However, admiring the outside is just one of the things to do. Even more remarkable is the Hermetic Code Tour, which takes visitors on a journey to decipher the hieroglyphics, Freemasonic symbols and numeric codes that are housed inside this grandiose interior of this ode to Olympus.

Step Outside at FortWhyte Alive (Winnipeg)

At FortWhyte Alive, Winnipeg proves it doesn’t just do urban cool—it also knows how to bring the great outdoors right to the edge of the city. This sprawling nature centre is a one-stop shop for fresh-air adventures: think hiking trails, cycling paths, canoeing on peaceful lakes, and boardwalks that lead you straight into wetlands buzzing with wildlife. Bison herds roam the prairie like it’s still the 1800s, while birdwatchers will feel like they’ve hit the jackpot with every step. In winter, the fun doesn’t stop—snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and even ice fishing take over. With interactive exhibits, eco-education programs, and endless opportunities to reconnect with nature, FortWhyte Alive is the kind of place that makes you forget you’re still in the city limits.

Explore Winnipeg’s Exchange District National Historic Site

By far the most beautiful part of downtown Winnipeg is the Exchange District, which is home to North America’s most extensive turn-of-the-20th-century buildings. It’s a great place to go for a stroll, step into some of the city’s trendiest and tastiest small plate restaurants and bistros, admire a number of up-and-coming and established galleries, or go shopping in a variety of vintage and antique shops.

Birds Hill Provincial Park

Not very far from Winnipeg is Birds Hill Provincial Park, which is also the site of the world-famous Winnipeg Folk Fest. Featuring hills and ridges formed by ancient glaciers, this park is home to a lake, oak and aspen forests, native prairie wildflowers, deer, waterfowl and songbirds. There are also opportunities for hiking, walking, camping, swimming, having a picnic, fishing, and more! Interpretive programs are available on a year-round basis for groups of all ages, and the Winnipeg Folk Fest takes place in July.

Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre

If Jurassic Park had a prairie chapter, it would look a lot like the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. This hidden gem is home to the world’s largest collection of marine reptile fossils, including Bruce, a massive mosasaur that holds a Guinness World Record as the biggest of his kind. (Think of him as Manitoba’s unofficial sea monster mascot.) Walking through the museum, you’ll discover giant creatures that once swam where golden fields now grow, from ferocious plesiosaurs to ancient sharks with teeth that could give you nightmares. It’s part science lesson, part “whoa, that’s huge,” and all-around a fascinating peek into Manitoba’s prehistoric past. For dino-loving kids, curious adults, or anyone who secretly still thinks fossils are the coolest thing ever, this spot is an absolute must-do.

Relax at Thermëa Nordik Spa (Winnipeg)

If your idea of adventure involves swapping hiking boots for a fluffy robe, then Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature is your happy place. Tucked into the trees just minutes from downtown Winnipeg, this Scandinavian-style spa is all about slowing down, zoning out, and soaking up some serious relaxation. The concept is simple but oh-so-effective: alternate between hot (think steamy saunas and thermal pools), cold (a refreshing plunge that’ll wake up every cell in your body), and rest (lounging by the fire, preferably with a smoothie or glass of wine in hand). Add in outdoor relaxation areas, soothing treatments, and a gourmet restaurant, and you’ve got a day that feels like a vacation within a vacation. Whether you’re thawing out after a prairie winter or just need an excuse to do absolutely nothing, Thermëa is Winnipeg’s ultimate chill-out zone.

For more, check out our detailed guide to the best things to do in Winnipeg!

Relax in Grand Beach Provincial Park

If you thought Manitoba was all prairies and wheat fields, Grand Beach Provincial Park is here to blow your flip-flops off. Just an hour north of Winnipeg, this sandy paradise is home to some of the finest white-sand beaches in Canada—yes, Canada! The dunes here rise up to 12 metres high, giving the shoreline a desert-meets-lake vibe, while the shallow waters of Lake Winnipeg make it perfect for swimming, paddleboarding, or just floating around like a happy otter. Add in great birdwatching (it’s a hotspot for pelicans and other feathered celebrities), hiking and biking trails, and a lively summer vibe, and you’ve got yourself one of Manitoba’s ultimate summer escapes. It’s basically the province’s answer to a tropical getaway—just swap the palm trees for jack pines.

Get a Taste of Iceland in Gimli

Another popular feature of Lake Winnipeg is the charming town of Gimli. Canada is never short of small-town surprises, and Gimli is no different. Gimli is actually a settlement created by Icelanders who came here to found “New Iceland” back in 1875. It’s now home to some charming restaurants and accommodation, as well as the wonderful New Iceland Heritage Museum, which is dedicated to preserving and presenting this fascinating chapter of Manitoba’s history.

Go Birding at Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre

Located just 20 minutes outside of Winnipeg on Highway 67, Oak Hammock Marsh is one of North America’s top birding hotspots. This wetland is home to 25 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, numerous amphibians, as well as reptiles and fish. During the migration season, the number of waterfowl can exceed 100,000 daily!

Visit Hecla Provincial Park

Yet another incredible feature of massive Lake Winnipeg is Hecla Provincial Park, which is home to lush forest, rugged shoreline, beautiful beaches, and lots of wildlife. In the park, you’ll find many hiking and cross-country ski trails, as well as a campground, vacation cabins, tennis courts, a championship 18-hole golf course, and so much more.

The park is also home to Hecla Village, which features a 1-km self-guided trail through the restored village, allowing you to trace the history of Icelandic settlement in the area. Restored buildings include a church, community hall, 1920s school, an Icelandic home and a village store still in operation. Guided walks by a park interpreter are available in summer.

Stop by Stonewall Quarry Park

Mostly popular with locals, Stonewall Quarry Park is a summer excursion, located 40 minutes north of Winnipeg. Giant limestone kilns form the focus of this unique park, and it’s popular for its walking trails, picnic areas, white sand beach, and swimming in the man-made lake. However, it’s also home to a campground and the Quarry Park Heritage Art Centre, which is open daily.

Explore Pisew Falls Provincial Park

If you’re like us and you love dramatic waterfalls, then perhaps an adventurous road trip up to Pisew Falls Provincial Park should be on your bucket list. Located almost as far as you can drive north in Manitoba, this can easily be turned into an incredible adventure with lots of natural hot spots along the way. Extend the trip a little longer and go all the way up to Thompson!

Camp in Whiteshell Provincial Park

Whiteshell Provincial Park offers over 2,729 km² of lush forests and lakes. Park visitors can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, quiet beaches, and water sports of all kinds. In fact, there are more than 200 lakes, all of which offer fishing for fish such as walleye, northern pike, perch, smallmouth bass, and lake trout. Whiteshell Provincial Park is also year-round, as winter explorers can enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, winter hiking, skating, and snowmobiling.

Visit a UFO Site by Horseback

Yes, you read that right—a UFO horseback ride. Deep in Whiteshell Provincial Park, there’s a quirky little spot where a flying saucer-shaped house sits tucked among the trees, and the best way to get there is on horseback. The Futuro House, as it’s officially called, looks like it was beamed straight out of a 1960s sci-fi flick, and riding up to it feels like stumbling onto a movie set. The guided trail ride takes you through the park’s beautiful forests and lakes, blending classic prairie wilderness with a side of extraterrestrial oddity. It’s equal parts scenic and surreal—a bucket list adventure that proves Manitoba isn’t afraid to get a little weird (in the best way possible). After all, how often do you get to say you went horseback riding to a UFO?

Canoe through the Caddy Lake Tunnels

Canoeing in Whiteshell is already a must, but add in the Caddy Lake Tunnels and you’ve got yourself a full-on adventure. These hand-carved rock tunnels, blasted through solid granite in the early 1900s for railway tracks, now serve as watery gateways between sparkling lakes. Paddling through them feels a little like sneaking through secret passages—except instead of dusty castles, you’re surrounded by pine forests, rugged shield rock, and the occasional loon call echoing across the water. The tunnels are just wide enough for canoes and kayaks, making the trip both thrilling and peaceful at the same time. It’s one of those “only in Manitoba” experiences that mixes natural beauty with a dash of history and a whole lot of bragging rights.

Sleep on a Houseboat in Whiteshell Provincial Park

Why settle for a cabin near the lake when you can have a cabin on the lake? Staying on a houseboat in Whiteshell Provincial Park is like bringing a floating cottage with you wherever the mood takes you. Cruise across crystal-clear waters, drop anchor in a secluded bay, and wake up to sunrise views that change every single morning. By day, you can fish, swim, or paddle right off your deck; by night, you’ve got front-row seats to some of Manitoba’s most dazzling starry skies. It’s part camping trip, part road trip, part luxury sleepover—and 100% unforgettable. For families, groups of friends, or anyone who thinks “home is where you park it” should also apply to lakes, a Whiteshell houseboat getaway is the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure.

Float the Pinawa Channel

If summer in Manitoba had a mascot, it might just be a giant inflatable tube drifting lazily down the Pinawa Channel. This winding stretch of water near Pinawa is tailor-made for hot days when your only goal is to relax and let the current do the work. Grab a tube, a cooler (bonus points if it also floats), and some friends, and you’ve got yourself a full afternoon of sunshine, laughs, and Instagram-worthy chill. The channel meanders through forests and granite outcrops, with the occasional gentle rapid to keep things interesting. It’s part lazy river, part mini-adventure, and all-around one of the most fun ways to cool off in Manitoba. Just don’t forget sunscreen—you’ll be on “prairie time” out there, and it’s easy to lose track of the hours.

Pretend You’re in “The Last of Us” at Pinawa Dam Provincial Heritage Park

At Pinawa Dam Provincial Heritage Park, crumbling ruins and wild beauty come together to create one of Manitoba’s most unique hangouts. Once the site of the province’s very first hydroelectric generating station, the old dam now stands as a hauntingly beautiful reminder of early 20th-century ingenuity. Moss-covered concrete walls and arches peek out from the surrounding forest, making it a favourite for photographers, history buffs, and anyone who loves a good “urban ruins meets wilderness” vibe. Wander the trails, explore the interpretive signs, or just pack a picnic and enjoy the riverside views. Whether you’re here for the history lesson or the perfect backdrop for your next Instagram post, Pinawa Dam is proof that Manitoba’s past is anything but boring.

Spend a Weekend in Riding Mountain National Park

There are only two national parks in Manitoba, and Riding Mountain National Park is the most accessible. The other one is way up near Churchill. We’ve been here a number of times and truly love it. We even drove by a Moose and three baby bears!

Located approximately 100 km north of Brandon, Riding Mountain National Park has something to offer everyone. Not only is it a great place to spot wildlife and enjoy outdoor adventure, but it’s also home to the charming cottage town of Wasagaming, a picturesque town located along the shores of Clear Lake, which gets very busy during the summer as it’s home to a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as a beach, golf course, boat rentals, and even a dinner cruise around the lake.

It’s also home to one of the very few remaining original park entrances that were built in the 1930s. So, whether you’re looking for a laid-back lake town or some outdoor adventure, this is a great place to visit.

Visit Brandon, Manitoba’s 2nd Largest City

Winnipeg might get most of the spotlight, but Brandon—Manitoba’s second-largest city—holds its own with a mix of prairie charm, cultural flair, and plenty of outdoor adventure. Known as the “Wheat City” thanks to its strong agricultural roots, Brandon offers more than golden fields. You’ll find a lively arts scene at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, fascinating history at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, and plenty of year-round events like the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. When it comes to nature, the Assiniboine River trails and nearby Spruce Woods Provincial Park make Brandon a great base for hiking, canoeing, and even sand dune exploring. Add in friendly locals, craft breweries, and that laid-back small-city vibe, and Brandon proves it’s much more than just a pit stop between Winnipeg and Saskatchewan.

Stop by Fort la Reine Museum

Located right in between Winnipeg and Brandon, the Fort la Reine Museum is dedicated to preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the Canadian Prairies, and of the City and Municipality of Portage la Prairie. The Fort la Reine Museum has over 25 buildings displaying thousands of individual artifacts, including pre-European contact First Nations’ artifacts to more modern collections, including historic fire trucks, an old print shop, a general store, the “West Prospect” school, churches, and historic homes.

Explore Dauphin, Manitoba

Just north of Riding Mountain National Park and tucked between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipegosis, Dauphin is a hub for arts and culture, outdoor recreation, and specialty shopping. With three stages and an 11,000-seat amphitheatre at the Selo Ukrainian festival site, the town also attracts North America’s premier country music acts each July during Countryfest.

It’s also home to the Fort Dauphin Museum, which takes you on a history tour throughout their village, including a trapper’s cabin, a trading post, a blacksmith’s shop, a pioneer log house, a schoolhouse, a church, and the main log building, which are all located inside palisade walls. In addition, the Parkland Archaeological Laboratory houses over 80,000 artifacts, and the Museum hosts the Fur Traders Rendezvous in September.

Visit Spruce Woods Provincial Park

Looking for some unique outdoor adventure? Head to Spirit Sands, a desert-like area with sand dunes that tower 30 metres above the prairies, or visit Devil’s Punch Bowl, an eerie pond formed by underground streams. Spruce Woods Provincial Park is home to self-guided trails and horse-drawn covered wagon rides. You may even spot the unique northern prairie skink (Manitoba’s only lizard), a western hognose snake and/or two species of cacti.

Visit Boissevain

The little community of Boissevain is steeped in history and beauty. It’s home to four museums, a giant outdoor art gallery, Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, the International Peace Garden, and Tommy Turtle.

Explore Turtle Mountain Provincial Park

Turtle Mountain Provincial Park is proof that Manitoba isn’t flat everywhere—you just have to know where to look. Perched along the U.S. border, this park is a patchwork of rolling hills, shimmering lakes, and thick forests that feel worlds away from the prairies. It’s a paradise for outdoor adventurers: you can hike or bike through over 200 kilometres of trails, paddle across secluded lakes, or spot wildlife like moose, black bears, and the occasional snapping turtle (fitting, right?). In winter, it flips into a wonderland for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. And let’s not forget nearby Lake Metigoshe, a local gem for beach days and boating. With its diverse landscapes and year-round adventures, Turtle Mountain is the kind of place that makes you say, “Wait, this is Manitoba?!”

Admire the International Peace Garden

Located right on the Canadian/American border, not far from Boissevain, is a park where visitors can roam freely within the garden from one country to the other. The Peace Garden is home to many flowers, as well as summer camps and camping. However, it is also dedicated to peace and has sites such as our Conservatory, Interpretive Centre, North American Game Warden Museum, and Peace Chapel.

The Garden is open year-round with the exception of the week between Christmas & New Year, and it’s an exquisite example of landscaping,  featuring nearly 3,000 flowers.

Camp at Manitoba Agricultural Museum & Campground

Interested in farming? The Manitoba Agricultural Museum holds the largest collection of vintage farm machinery in Canada, with more than 500 implements, many dating back to the Pioneer era of Manitoba. You’ll also find the Homesteaders’ Village, which represents village life in the late 19th century with an 1883 schoolhouse, a post office, typical log houses of the era, an elegant clapboard mansion, a general store, a railway station, and more! In July, you’ll also find the Manitoba Agricultural Museum’s annual festival – the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede.

Ski at Asessippi Ski Area and Resort

Manitoba is certainly not a skiing hotspot, but it is home to the Asessippi Ski Area, which has 3 chair lifts, 26 downhill ski/snowboard runs, 2 terrain parks and a snow tubing park. It’s not Banff National Park, but it’s a great place to enjoy winter in Manitoba!

Visit Churchill, Canada’s Wild North

Located in Canada’s deep north, Churchill is an unforgettable place for those interested in unique wildlife encounters and Inuit culture. After all, it’s both the polar bear capital of the world and the beluga whale capital of the world. It’s probably one of Canada’s most accessible northern communities, but it still takes some money to get there. There are two ways of getting to Churchill. You can fly (it takes about three hours from Winnipeg) or you can take the train, which takes about 40 hours.

Kayak with Beluga Whales

Although the rules have changed since we were there in 2017, we will never forget the experience of snorkelling in a dry suit with dozens of beluga whales, all of whom were just over a couple feet away, singing to us as we sang back to them. It was truly a magical moment. These days, snorkelling is no longer allowed, but visitors can still dip their heads in the water from a floating dock towed by a boat, or kayak next to them, giving you an equally enchanting experience.

Regardless of whether you choose to admire them from the boat, a kayak, or the floating dock, this is a rare opportunity to witness the highest concentration of beluga whales in the world. This typically occurs from July to August.

Get Close to Polar Bears

Perhaps what Churchill is most famous for is the polar bears. After all, polar bears have been enchanting people for decades. Although quite fierce, even by “bear standards”, tours will bring you up close and personal, typically between September and October. The most popular tours are typically done in heavy-duty arctic buses, all of which have the windows barred off by metal pipes. This allows you to see them, and sometimes even feel their breath, without the risk of being eaten. We haven’t done this yet, but it’s at the top of our bucket lists.

View the Northern Lights

Canada is known for its incredibly beautiful Northern Lights, and Churchill is one of the best places in the country, and in the world, to see this wonderful natural phenomenon. We actually see them during our summer tour to see the beluga whales, but they’re even easier to see during the colder, darker months of the fall and winter. They can be hard to time, but if you get the chance to see them dance amongst the sky, you’ll never forget!

Visit Itsanitaq Museum

Another delight of visiting Churchill is setting foot into the small but impressive Itsanitaq Museum. This museum has a collection of Inuit carvings and artifacts that are among the finest and oldest in the world, dating from Pre-Dorset (1700 B.C.) through Dorset, Thule, and modern Inuit times. The gift shop specializes in northern books, Canadian Inuit art, unique postcards, art cards, stationery, and local wild berry preserves.

Explore Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site

The British certainly left their mark on Canada, including all the way up in Churchill with the Prince of Wales Fort. This National Historic Site is visited only by tour (it takes a boat to get there) but is quite impressive to see, especially with the stories that come with it. Built more than 250 years ago, you’ll get a real sense of a fur trader’s life in the subarctic at this massive stone outpost.

Get Wild in Wapusk National Park

This national park, which is located in a remote subarctic region of Canada, is a whopping 11,475 square kilometres in size! It encompasses the transition between the boreal forest and the arctic tundra and even protects one of the largest polar bear maternity denning areas in the world! Wapusk is located within the range of the Western Hudson Bay population of polar bears, which numbers approximately 1000 bears. Nature lovers can hope to see arctic foxes, arctic hares, wolves, caribou, and wolverine, as well as more than 200 bird species. This park is remote and only accessible with authorized commercial tour operators in Churchill.

Get a Photo at Miss Piggy Plane Wreck

In terms of great spots for an “Instagram photo”, this is probably the best. Home to the remains of a plane crash, and now decorated in graffiti, this makes for one of those interesting, unique, and obscure tourist attractions. This is the wreck of a Curtiss C-46 “Commando” twin-prop cargo aircraft owned by Lamb Airways Ltd. Widely used by the US military during the Second World War, the plane crashed in November 1979 as it attempted to return to the Churchill airport shortly after takeoff. The plane landed in rough terrain and was badly damaged, but no one died.

Explore Thompson

Although Thompson is virtually in the middle of nowhere, it is on the way to Churchill if you’re going by train. It sounds like an interesting place, so if you make it there, here are some things to do.

Go Biking on Spirit Way 

This award-winning walking and biking pathway highlights 16 remarkable points of interest, including Canada’s largest mural of a Robert Bateman wolf painting, the start of Canada’s largest rockface sculpture, an aviation tribute, scenic vistas, and more.

Visit the Manitoba Star Attraction Mining Museum

The Manitoba Star Attraction Mining Museum has a collection of mining artifacts, complete with mining equipment such as drills, mucking machines, old mine rescue equipment and old maps. See a replica of a raise and drift, a painting of a cross-section of a mine, and the clothes the miners wore. Guided tours are offered from late June to the September long weekend.

Best Time to Visit Manitoba

Manitoba is known to have some of the most extreme weather in Canada, with very hot and humid summers and very cold winters. We lived in Winnipeg for the summer and we can confirm that it is indeed very humid and quite hot. This is due to all the surrounding lakes. Winnipeg is also home to some of the coldest winter temperatures in the country and in fact, Winnipeg is known as the coldest city in all of Canada.

With that being said, there are many things to do throughout the year. However, the summer is definitely the most popular time to visit, with many incredible outdoor festivals, boating, fishing, rafting, golfing, and so much more. In Churchill, this is also the time to witness thousands of beluga whales migrating through the Hudson Bay.

The shoulder season can also be a good time to visit Manitoba, especially in the fall when the temperatures are neither hot nor cold. The tourism season is slower, and so prices will drop and there will be fewer crowds. In Churchill, this is also the time to see polar bears.

For the winter, although it can be cold, there are many incredible opportunities, such as snowmobiling, dog-sledding, ice fishing, and a variety of opportunities to see the Northern Lights!

Please note: If you visit in the winter, make sure you know how to dress for Canadian winters!

Exploring Manitoba and Beyond

As you can see, Manitoba is an exciting province to explore. Whether you’re looking for the city delights of Winnipeg, the incredible wildlife adventures of Churchill or some of North America’s top lakes and beaches, Manitoba has something for everyone.

If there’s something we missed, please let us know in the comments.

For more on things to do in Canada, check out these articles below:

• Things to Do in Winnipeg
• Things to Do in Saskatchewan
• Things to Do in Ontario
• Things to Do in Regina

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