10 Best Road Trips Near Winnipeg
Escape Winnipeg on a Road Trip through Manitoba
The best road trips near Winnipeg take you on an adventure around the capital of Manitoba and the largest city in the province. As such, Winnipeg provides plenty of options for travellers, including festivals and sporting events. But if you want to expand on those options, then the open road is waiting for you.
Perhaps you’re hoping for some outdoor experiences. Nearby parks will have what you’re looking for, from sandy beaches to fields of wildflowers to campsites both rustic and full service. Head in one direction and you’ll discover a large farmers’ market. Go another direction and take part in a Viking festival. No matter what direction you head in, adventure awaits.
1. Grand Beach Provincial Park
One of Canada’s best beaches
Perfekt for: Par, Familier, Spenning
Grand Beach Provincial Park is less than an hour away from Winnipeg, but it would be well worth the drive if it were much further away. The beach features 3 kilometres of fine, white sand in addition to 12-meter sand dunes that allow the whole family to frolic.
The park sits on the eastern edge of Lake Winnipeg, which is one of North America’s largest freshwater lakes. Want to stay awhile? There is a campground that offers basic amenities and cottage rentals are also available nearby.
Beliggenhet: 79 1st St, Grand Marais, MB R0E 0T0, Canada
Telefonnummer: +1 204-754-5040
Grand Beach Provincial Park
2. Brandon
Manitoba’s second largest city
Perfekt for: Familier, Shopping, Mat
The drive to Brandon takes about 2.5 hours, and once you arrive, you’ll find the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba. Nestled along the banks of the Assiniboine River, Brandon is known as the Wheat City of Canada, so it’s no surprise that it hosts Ag Days each January. The annual event is the largest indoor agricultural trade show in Canada.
Brandon doesn’t just grow wheat, however. Several professional hockey players grew up in the area, and the Brandon Wheat Kings are members of the Western Hockey League. You’ll find plenty of restaurants and shops, and in the wintertime, you’ll want to bundle up and take advantage of the outdoor and recreational opportunities.
Brandon
3. St Norbert
Suburb with history and a Farmers’ Market
Perfekt for: Shopping, Historie, Mat
The drive to Winnipeg’s southernmost suburb, St. Norbert, might lead you to St. Norbert Provincial Heritage Park, where you will find log homes dating to the 1800s. Free guided tours of the home are available in August and September, and you’ll be able to see furnishings and artefacts that recreate the lifestyles of the families who lived here from 1906 to 1912.
The St. Norbert Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays year-round. It features more than 200 local makers, bakers and growers, and everything sold at the market is a product of Manitoba.
St Norbert
4. Birds Hill Provincial Park
Large park with campsites available
Perfekt for: Lave priser, Fotografering
Be prepared to spend some time outside enjoying nature when you visit Birds Hill Provincial Park, which is a little more than a half-hour drive from Winnipeg. Upon arrival, you’ll be able to walk through fields of wildflowers and cycle or horseback ride through a network of trails.
Each July, the park is home to the Winnipeg Folk Festival, one of North America’s largest folk music events. Look for any number of great spots to set up a picnic or stay even longer at one of the many campsites available. The park has fully serviced sites for recreational vehicles, but if you want to be a little more minimalist, there are more basic campsites designated for tents.
Beliggenhet: Oakbank, MB R0E 0K0, Canada
Åpent: Daily from 7 am to 11 pm
Telefonnummer: +1 204-654-6730
Birds Hill Provincial Park
5. Gimli
A community built on Icelandic culture and heritage
Perfekt for: Spenning, Unikt, Historie
Leave Winnipeg and drive north for 1 hour and you’ll find yourself in Gimli, the world’s biggest Icelandic community outside of Iceland. The town along Lake Winnipeg was founded in the 1870s, and the settlers deemed the area New Iceland. The community continues to embrace its strong ties to Iceland, and no visit to Gimli is complete without a picture posing with the giant Viking statue in Viking Park.
If you really want to live like a Viking then you’ll plan your road trip around Islendingadagurinn, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, where you can watch Viking battles and become an honorary Icelander by eating dried fish and drinking a shot of Icelandic schnapps.
Gimli
6. Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park
A series of islands with plenty of outdoor options
Perfekt for: Familier, Spenning, Fotografering
Drive north of Winnipeg for about 2 hours and you’ll find Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park, a series of islands between the east and west shores of Lake Winnipeg. The park draws visitors during all times of the year, as it features many hiking and cross-country ski trails, in addition to an 18-hole golf course.
The landscape in the area is varied, from limestone cliffs and silica sand beaches to the Grassy Narrows Marsh, which is an important nesting area for Canada Geese. The lighthouse at Gull Harbour is the payoff after a scenic hike. And if you want to stay at the park awhile, the options are endless, from campsites to vacation cabins to luxury resorts.
Telefonnummer: +1 204-378-2261
Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park
7. St. Pierre-Jolys
A village that celebrates maple syrup, frogs and more
Perfekt for: Unikt, Par, Mat
Drive about 45 minutes south of Winnipeg and you’ll end up in the village of St. Pierre-Jolys. Bring your appetite because there are plenty of restaurants waiting to fill you up. After a hearty meal you might want some fresh air and exercise. The former Crow Wing Trail is now part of the Trans-Canada Trail, the world’s longest network of recreational multi-use trails.
If the timing works, plan your visit around one of the several popular festivals that take place in St. Pierre-Jolys. The Sugaring-Off Festival in April celebrates maple syrup, and the Frog Follies in August feature National Frog Jumping Championships.
St. Pierre-Jolys
8. Pinawa Dam
Former dam on the Winnipeg River
Perfekt for: Spenning, Historie, Fotografering
It will take you more than an hour to make the drive to Pinawa Dam, but once you arrive, you’ll be at the site of Manitoba’s first hydro-electric generating station. The dam on the Winnipeg River was closed in 1951 and designated as a provincial park in 1985.
Today, water flows through the former ruins, forming rapids and waterfalls. The surrounding park offers several recreational possibilities. Perhaps you’ll encounter a white-tailed deer, a fox or other wildlife, or maybe you’ll find a spot for a swim. Several trails weave through the area, including the Dam Ruins Walk.
Beliggenhet: MB-520, Pinawa, MB R0E 1L0, Canada
Telefonnummer: +1 866-626-4862
Pinawa Dam
9. Oak Hammock Marsh
A bird-watching paradise
Perfekt for: Spenning, Fotografering
Drive north of Winnipeg for about a half hour and you’ll find Oak Hammock Marsh, which is home to 300 species of birds. On any given visit you might spot a snow goose or an American coot or even a rough-legged hawk. Head to the area on a Sunday and you’ll be able to take part in a guided marsh walk.
Depending on the season, you might want to rent a canoe, a bike or even a pair of snowshoes. If you visit the marsh in the springtime, you’ll be able to explore the marsh with the resident naturalist and watch as birds migrate back to the area.
Beliggenhet: Rockwood, MB R0C 3A0, Canada
Telefonnummer: +1 204-467-3300
Oak Hammock Marsh
10. Steinbach
City with a Mennonite history
Perfekt for: Historie, Mat
Steinbach, the third-largest city in the province of Manitoba, is a little more than a 45-minute drive from Winnipeg. History buffs will no doubt head straight for the Mennonite Heritage Village, which replicates a turn-of-the-century Russian Mennonite street village spread out over 16 hectares. During the summer season visitors can explore a classic Mennonite house bard and see a fully operational Dutch windmill.
After sampling some of the regional cuisine, which includes various Mennonite dishes, take a stroll along the Johann G. Barkman Heritage Walkway, which pays tribute to the area’s early settlers.
Steinbach
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