Our French website is currently being updated and some content is appearing in English instead of French. We are working to resolve this quickly. Thank you for understanding.

More Info

Family Fun in Brandon: A Winter Weekend of Adventure and Memories

Posted: February 14, 2025 | Author: Paul Epp | Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

In the winter months, it's easy to stay home and dream of warmer adventures--but getaways and adventures can happen in any season!

We recently took off as a family of four (with two busy young daughters) to find out if a winter weekend in Brandon could satisfy our family’s adventurous spirit. We decided to put the Brandon Brings You Back slogan to the test!

Everywhere we went we met the friendliest people who recommended the next local hot spot to check out and because no one knows the best spots better than the people who love their hometown—we followed their nudge. Here's where our Brandon winter adventure took us!

Indoor Adventures

neXgen Family Entertainment Center

A person stands in a dark room while gazing at the projection of a crocodile swimming in front of them.

608 Park Avenue, Brandon

Featuring North America’s only Hologram Zoo, neXgen is a must-visit! We put on some lightweight battery-powered glasses and toured Africa seeing animals like lions, hyenas, gorillas, giraffes and a herd of elephants which we had to duck for when they ran towards and over us. A few screams from two little girls and their daddy filled the scene while mom stood strong.

A little girl points towards one of the hologram animals.
Portrait shot of a girl wearing the neXgen virtual reality goggles.
Two little girls and their mother stand in a row each with their VR goggles and blasters pointed out.

For families with children aged 9+, try their Virtual Reality which features escape rooms or other unforgettable group experiences like when our family became pirates, battling skeletons and the kraken monster!

Fun Time Pottery

Interior of a brightly coloured pottery studio lined with wooden shelves and tables with space to paint and create.

535 34th Street, Brandon

Our girls now have a Brandon grandma—Grandma Milly. Our girls fell in love with Milly who guided our ‘paint your own pottery’ experience at Fun Time Pottery. With a variety of items to choose from, we all picked an item and proceeded to paint it. Milly was gracious as our girls required lots of extra care and instruction.

Mother and daughter walk the isles looking at the pottery that can be painted.
One little girl is concentrating while painting black onto a dog figure, her sister runs by in the background.
Wooden shelves lined with all different kinds of pieces to be painted.

Because we live in Winnipeg, once our items are glazed and put to the fire, we asked that our items be shipped—so now we wait with anticipation for our pieces of art to arrive!

Pro Tip (from Grandma Milly): Paint at least three layers on your item for best results!

Outdoor Adventures

Riverbank Discovery Centre

Mother and daughter peer at the animals featured at the discovery centre.
Interior shot of the Woodland Discovery Centre shop.

545 Conservation Drive, Brandon

The Riverbank Discovery Centre was our starting point for outdoor exploring in the heart of Brandon. We started inside to learn all about this land located on Treaty 2 territory along the scenic Assiniboine River Corridor.

Exterior shot of mother and two daughters in the snow posing with the metal deer statues.
An over the shoulder closeup of a woman picking out a brochure from a rack.
A girl sitting at a table in front of the bay windows. Replicas of Canada geese sit on the window sills.

We looked at the taxidermy animals as we spoke to Dezarae and the staff about upcoming events. Here, you can also grab a trail map and get ready to explore the extensive trail system outside. Trails are available for cross-country skiers, skate-skiers, snowshoers, trail runners, fat bikers and walkers.

Pro Tip: Rent some snowshoes or cross-country skis at the Centre before you hit up the trails, then return for a cup of coffee or tea to warm up as you browse the gift shop!

Brandon Skating Oval

View from the Brandon skating oval looking at the ice path ahead and the tree shaped light displays.

McGregor Avenue, Brandon

Strap your skates on in the warming shack, then head out on the wide and winding path to the Oval! The Brandon Skating Oval features music, festive light displays, picnic tables and firepits (with lots of firewood)--all making for a magical winter experience. The warming shack and the firepits are great to warm up little toes that can get cold faster. The Skating Oval is free to use and open till 11 pm.

Pro Tip: Aim to visit for sunset or after. The lights around the oval make for a beautiful ambience and nothing makes bedtime easier than climbing into a warm bed after a good cold skate!

Dining & Coffee Breaks

Pizza Express

One of the daughters sitting in bed, pjs and sleep mask on, with a Pizza Express pizza box in her lap and a thumbs up.
Exterior night shot of the outside of Pizza Express.

360 10th Street

Recommended by the staff at neXgen, this pick-up and delivery spot has all sorts of foodie awards lining their walls—including an autographed photo of NHL great Peter Forsberg claiming that the Pizza Express pizza is the best. I’ve never seen so many ingredients on a pizza before and after a few bites of their Tropical Chicken pizza, it was hard to disagree with Mr. Forsberg.

Komfort Kitchen

Mother and two daughters sit in a red booth with three breakfast plates in front of them.

835 Princess Avenue

Greeted by hostess Amy like we were family, we enjoyed a delicious homemade breakfast featuring a giant toasted cinnamon bun and a deluxe perogy plate complete with sautéed onions, bacon and sour cream. Everything you hope a classic local diner to be is found at Komfort Kitchen!

The Dock on Princess

Close up of the Saskatoon berry bison burger with red onions, lettuce, and side fries.

1133 Princess Avenue

Saskatoon Berry Bison Burger made in-house with local ingredients? Yes please. After a long day of exploring and fun, we opted for take-out from local staple The Dock on Princess to enjoy in our cozy hotel room.

Chez Angela

Mother and two daughters sit in a cozy cafe at a low table. The walls are teal, the floor is black and white tile.
A black and white speckled mug that says Chez Angela in between two plates, each with one pastry.
over the shoulder shot of one of the daughters ordering from the barista.

29C 10th Street

Greeted by the lovely staff and the fresh smell of baked goods (all made from scratch using as many locally sourced ingredients as they can), this local champion is the perfect spot for a hot drink and a fresh treat. You can't miss Chez Angela on your visit to Brandon.

Pro Tip: Buy a fresh loaf of dill pickle sourdough to bring home!

Where to Stay in Brandon

Interior of the hotel room while the two daughters pose with their suitcases.

We stayed at the Best Western Plus Brandon Inn, which was easy to find just off of the #1 highway. The hotel served well as a home base for all of our Brandon exploring and was great to come back to at the end of the day. Our two queen bedroom was very clean and quiet, perfect to retreat to as we geared up for the next item on our itinerary.

Selfie of the family of four in the pool at the hotel. A large blue waterslide is visible in the background.
Exterior shot of a mom and two daughters sanding outside the Best Western Plus in Brandon.
Over the shoulder shot of the continental breakfast, bacon and hashbrowns in frame.

Our girls always ask if any hotel we stay at has a pool--and thankfully they did! Equipped with a waterslide, hot tub and steam room- a definite plus for two busy girls to get some energy out in the funnest way, for a super mom to have some relax time in the steam room or hot tub and for dad who loves finding a good waterslide!

The complimentary breakfast went beyond the bagels and muffins, with freshly-made bacon, eggs and waffles! There was also a 24 hour working coffee machine in the lobby to welcome us back from a cold outing with a french vanilla coffee or a hot chocolate.

After a wintery weekend in Brandon, we can confidently say that we agree with Brandon Brings You Back.

Paul will be back for: Another Saskatoon Berry Bison Burger!

Laurel will be back for: Exploring the trail systems around the Riverbank Discovery Centre.

Nova will be back for: Another paint-your-own pottery session with Milly.

Zaylia will be back for: Another visit to the neXgen Family Entertainment Centre for a dinosaur-themed zoo!

The family posing with the crew at Chez Angela.

We can’t wait to see our new friends again like Anna and the team at NexGen, Amy at Komfort Kitchen, Dezarae at the Riverbank Discovery Centre, Sam at Chez Angela and Milly from Fun Time Pottery. Experiencing the hospitality of the Brandon faithful really brings so much heart to visiting Manitoba’s second-largest city.

Something that one never regrets is time spent creating family memories. Take a weekend this winter and make some with yours. Warmer adventures can wait—it’s wintertime in Brandon!

About The Author

Paul Epp is a Manitoba adventurer who loves his family and the adventures they have together. They love discovering and promoting local gems in their home province and making new friends along the way.

Contributor