Winnipeg has so much to offer, but can sometimes get overlooked in favour of bigger cities. Even us Winnipeggers are guilty of taking this grand city for granted. But today, we’re going to change that. We’ve chosen six things that not only reflect just how much of a standout city Winnipeg is, but will also give you a fresh perspective on its charms.

The Forks + the feasts

By now you must have seen the number plates and heard the slogan “Friendly Manitoba”. It’s true, Manitobans are a friendly bunch. And when you put it into context, it makes a lot of sense. After all, Winnipeg is at the heart of Canada and The Forks Market has been a meeting place for 6000-plus years. As one of the city’s most popular destinations, the food options are endless and reflect the gamut of our cultural diversity. Aside from The Forks, Winnipeg is known for its burgeoning food scene. With over 1,000 restaurants in the city alone, not only is there no need to eat at the same place twice, this also presents the perfect opportunity to treat your taste buds to a brand new culinary experience or sweet treat.

Code cracking at The Leg

When Dr. Frank Albo questioned the presence of Egyptian sphinxes atop the Manitoba Legislative Building, he likely never imagined that it would lead to one of the city’s most popular and mind-boggling tours. The Hermetic Code takes you on an extraordinary journey into the mind of its architect and the order of freemasonry, revealing the art, symbolism and numerology that makes this building an astounding masterpiece in the city’s history.

Vibrant culture + arts scene

Winnipeg may be small, but it boasts a rich cultural and arts scene. From our museums to our art galleries, from our Indigenous culture to our Ukrainian influences, there’s just so much to explore within this culturally vibrant hub. Winnipeg is home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, one of the world’s premier dance companies and Canada’s oldest ballet institution, which also produces ballet in the park every summer. And there’s no forgetting the Royal MTC’s world class theatre productions and Fringe Festival. This city can also lay claim to one of the most expansive Inuit art collections in North America, thanks to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The architecture

If you’re looking for architectural wonders, Winnipeg has quite a few of those too. In fact, we’ve got an entire district that oozes edgy architecture and North America’s grandest collection of heritage buildings known as the Winnipeg Exchange District. Beyond the Exchange, there is also the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, the Royal Canadian Mint, the St. Boniface Cathedral and Esplanade Riel that will all leave their marks on your mind long after you’ve left.

The cats + the wildlife

An African safari may treat you to the cats of the plains, but we’ve got cats of a different kind: river cats. Catfishing draws people from all walks of life and luckily you don’t have to go too far to sink your hook into one. Right here in the city where the Red River flows, you will find avid anglers casting their reels in hopes of hooking their next trophy. If you’re on the lookout for polar bears, you can come face to face with these majestic beasts right here in the city’s Assiniboine Park Zoo. Journey to Churchill will not only introduce you to the lords of the arctic, but will also introduce you to some of the province’s other spell-binding creatures, including snowy owls, arctic foxes, wolves, and seals.

Spa days

While Winnipeg isn’t the only place where you can have a spa day, it is home to one of the few places in proximity to a spa experience quite unlike any other, specifically, the Nordic experience. Thermëa offers the paradox of hot and cold therapies that take you from the steamy indoors to a frosty waterfall called the Iceber and the temperate Polarbër pool, where you can relax until it’s time to repeat the process all over again.

Now that you’ve got six ideas of why you should make Winnipeg your next destination, we’ll leave you to discover another six of your own!