Our Country, My Canada: Manitoba Bucket List

If you want to be in the middle of it all, Manitoba is the place to be; it is at the longitudinal centre of Canada! Over 80 provincial parks keep Manitoba close to nature, with landscapes stretching from the Arctic tundra to southern farmland. Explore each of these unique regions and the cities within, culminating in the mighty city of Winnipeg, the provincial capital. From rooting for the home hockey team to picking your own vegetables at a local farm, Manitoba is sure to provide you with plenty of authentic, Canadian experiences. We have compiled 10 things to help round out your next Manitoba adventure!

1. Hit the ice with Manitoba sports teams

Any Manitoban will tell you sports are front and center in this province! From local teams, like the Norman North Stars, Brandon Wheat Kings, and Winnipeg Rifles, to the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, ice sports are king in Manitoba. For those who like their team sports on the warmer side, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Goldeyes and Winnipeg Alliance are sure to delight football, baseball, and soccer fans. If a game isn’t scheduled for your time in Winnipeg, never fear! The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Sport for Life Center are sure to appease any enthusiast.

2. Experience the best in agriculture and equestrian sport

Another event that is dear to Manitoban hearts is the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. This event takes place the last week of March in Brandon. It is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and equestrian competition in Manitoba, and it has taken place for over 100 years! Breeders, growers and exhibitors all bring their best to the table to be crowned champion, providing a unique experience for visitors to learn, shop and view all the competitions with family and friends. It’s homegrown fun you won’t want to miss!

3. Pick your own produce at a local farm

Some of the most quaint and authentic farms experiences in the prairie provinces can be found in Manitoba. In Winnipeg, you’ll find a slew of pick-your-own berry farms and vegetable gardens, plus plenty throughout eastern Manitoba in cities like Steinbach, Winkler, and Loretta. Also known as Wheat City, Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba – but don’t let that “city” part fool you. Brandon is the epicenter of western Manitoba, home to a number of visitor-friendly ranches and pick-your-farms. Select a region of Manitoba, and get ready to hang a “Gone Picking” sign somewhere in your home or office. There’s sure to be a Best Western hotel nearby, so make a week of it!

4. Get in touch with the great outdoors

Manitoba’s great outdoor activities don’t stop there! FortWhyte Alive is a must for anyone visiting this prairie province. 640 acres encompass this environmental educational center in Winnipeg. This space was once a clay mine and cement factory, but now is home to native trails, floating boardwalks, and waterfowl, deer, and songbirds in their native habitat. In addition to simply witnessing nature, guests can take part in seminars, workshops and seasonal recreational activities across the park.

5. Take a step back in time with provincial heritage sites

While in Winnipeg, be sure to stop by some of the great provincial heritage sites in the city. One great example is Saint Boniface Cathedral. Five cathedrals have stood on this location since the first, a small log chapel, was erected in 1818. The most recent was built in 1972, after a major fire in 1968 that demolished the fourth rendition. The cathedral is home to the oldest Catholic cemetery in Western Canada, with many key figures and settlers buried there. It is 80^th on a list of over 120 designated provincial heritage sites in Manitoba.

6. Gain insight into social issues facing us all

Another key site in Winnipeg is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. It is the first new national museum created in Canada since 1967. Its unique architecture has become a staple of the Winnipeg skyline. The museum explores the subject of human rights, not only as it relates to Canada, and promotes respect, reflection, and dialogue. To enter the museum, guests climb a series of lighted, inclined ramps which draw the visitor from darkness to light, paralleling the human rights journey. Midway through the museum, stop at the reflection garden to pause and contemplate on all you have just witnessed and learned. This museum will truly have a lasting impact on your view of human rights, and is a must-see for anyone visiting Winnipeg. Make a point to visit this museum on your trip!

7. Embrace international cultures

After being inspired by the Human Rights Museum, dive even deeper into humanity’s various cultures with Folklorama! It’s the world’s largest and longest-running multicultural festival, celebrating the cultural and ethnic heritage of the people who have come from all around the world to call Winnipeg home. With over 40 pavilions to explore, taste test some cultural treats, dance to new music or just take in all that is this cultural delight!

8. Find your new favorite jazz artist

Another great Winnipeg festival is the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival. This amazing event takes over Winnipeg’s downtown every June for 10 days, filling the streets with the best in local, national and even international talent. The first four days consist of free programming in the city’s historic Old Market Square. Then, for six days, the city’s downtown theatres and clubs fill up jazz concerts to delight listeners. If you’re a jazz fan or just want to get in on the great downtown vibe, be sure to attend this event. Book your stay a nearby Best Western hotel, and experience it all!

9. Let your mind soar with the history of Canadian flight

If the Jazz Festival has you thinking of decades gone by, stop by the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada while in Winnipeg. It’s housed in an original Trans-Canada Air Lines hangar from the 1930s, and its aircraft reflect the history of aviation in Canada, more specifically, Winnipeg. This city was a major hub for aviation development in Canada, and it shows in this detailed collection of aircraft – the second-largest in Canada! Visitor can even watch takeoffs and landings at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport from the museum’s fully-enclosed flight deck.

10. Lose an afternoon to a classic Winnipeg park

Before leaving Winnipeg, be sure to visit Assiniboine Park. Stretching over 1,100 acres, the park includes the Assiniboine Forest, Assiniboine Park Zoo, Assiniboine Park Conservatory and the historic Assiniboine Park Pavilion, in additional to many informal and formal gardens, a miniature railway, and outdoor theatre. The Forks is also another great park to visit, nestled in the heart of downtown. More than 4 million visitors are drawn to The Forks each year for its dining, shopping and entertainment experiences. Tucked between the Red River and Assiniboine River, there is plenty to see and do.