The best places to vacation in Manitoba
From polar bear safaris in Churchill to Nordic spa days in Winnipeg and fly-in fishing at Atikaki, Manitoba brings together some of Canada’s most memorable vacation experiences in one province.
Manitoba packs an unusual amount of variety into one province. The best places to visit here stretch from the remote north to the heart of the city: fly-in fishing at Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park, Nordic-style spa days in Winnipeg, polar bears in Churchill, stargazing over the wetlands at Oak Hammock Marsh. There’s something in Manitoba for the angler, the spa-goer, the wildlife lover and the person who just wants a quiet night under the stars.
This prairie province is laid-back, creative and remarkably friendly. Its capital, Winnipeg, has the largest Indigenous population of any city in Canada and there are 63 distinct First Nations across the province. These include the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Dakota, Dene and Ojibwe.
Here’s where to go and what to do once you arrive in Manitoba.
Quick facts
Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park
- Region: Remote northern Manitoba (fly-in only)
- Best for: Trophy fly-in fishing
- Signature experiences: Guided walleye fishing, shore lunch, northern lights
- Key venue/operator: Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge
Winnipeg
- Region: Provincial capital, southern Manitoba
- Best for: Spa, dining, culture, shopping
- Signature experiences: Nordic thermal spa, Exchange District food tour, local shops
- Key venue/operator: Thermea Spa Village Winnipeg, Exchange District (50+ restaurants)
Churchill
- Region: Sub-Arctic Far North (Hudson Bay)
- Best for: Wildlife and northern lights
- Signature experiences: Polar bear safaris, aurora viewing (300+ active nights per year), beluga whales
- Key venue/operator: Churchill Wild, Frontiers North Adventures
Oak Hammock Marsh
- Region: Just north of Winnipeg
- Best for: Nature, birdwatching, stargazing
- Signature experiences: Guided naturalist walks, 300+ bird species, night astronomy workshops, kayak/bike rentals
- Key venue/operator: Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre
Is there fly-in fishing at Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park?
Trophy angling is front and center at the Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, a luxury fly-in fishing resort set on the sandy shores and rustling birch trees of Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park. Since 1949, this lodge has provided the most exclusive fly-in fishing in all of Manitoba, located in wilderness that has barely changed over the past 10,000 years. At the resort, you can improve your fishing skills with experienced guides, chill on the porch, take a dip in the lake and view the spectacular northern lights.
No matter how you choose to enjoy your time, you will not want to miss out on a shore lunch: an iconic Manitoban tradition where guides clean and cook your freshly caught fish right on the shore. At Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, they take this tradition one step further with their own special recipes that include mustard-fried walleye, fish tacos and bacon-wrapped walleye bites.
What is there to do in Winnipeg?
Manitoba's capital makes it easy to pair a spa day with great food, local shopping and a walk through one of Canada's most historic neighborhoods.
Unwind at Thermea Spa Village Winnipeg
The thermal pools stay open year-round, drawing steam into the prairie air even through Winnipeg's deep-freeze winters. Credit: Nordik Group
Start by unwinding at Thermea Spa Village, a rugged-yet-chic day spa located along the banks of the Red River. It was the first Nordic spa to open in the Canadian prairies. If you’re looking to relax while staying within a major city, this is the place for you. Its amenities include outdoor cold and hot baths, fire pits, waterfalls, steam saunas (hammams), Finnish-style cedar saunas, and much more. There are also relaxation loungers with personal headphones so you can tune out everything around you. After a day of relaxing, dine at Le Resto, the spa village’s signature restaurant featuring seasonal gourmet dishes and an ever-changing wine list artfully designed by their sommelier.
Eat and shop in Winnipeg's Exchange District
Winnipeg's early-1900s boom left the Exchange District with one of North America's largest collections of intact terra cotta and cut-stone commercial buildings. Credit: Exchange District
Locavores know Winnipeg's historic Exchange District is the culinary hot spot, home to more than 50 unique local restaurants. So while discovering the spectacular history of the area, make sure to explore some of the Exchange’s best spots for world-class cuisine. You can even join a summertime "Savour the Exchange” food tour: a walking tour that takes you past old brick warehouses and down cobbled lanes to three upscale dining venues that are home to passionate and innovative chefs.
Include some time for shopping as well, as the Exchange District has more than 40 one-of-a-kind local retailers within a 10-minute walk of each other. You can attend an event or try a monthly First Friday evening, where artists open their studios and galleries host special openings.
Can you see polar bears and northern lights in Churchill?
Polar bears gather along the Hudson Bay coast near Churchill each fall, waiting for the sea ice to form so they can head out to hunt seals. Credit: Travel Manitoba
Churchill is one of the few places where you can experience both polar bears and the northern lights on the same trip. Known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World, Churchill offers two main ways to see the bears: either by buggy or on foot (from a safe distance and with a guide, of course). Sign up for a Churchill Wild polar bear safari, a fully immersive and inclusive Arctic experience combining polar bear tours by foot, tundra-inspired cuisine and award-winning arctic eco-lodging. Every tour guide at Churchill Wild is specially trained to safely manage wildlife encounters, ensuring you, the polar bears and their habitats remain unharmed.
Get ready to see one of nature’s most marvelous phenomena; Churchill counts more than 300 nights of northern light activity per year! With clearer skies than popular destinations like Iceland and Norway, your chances of seeing the northern lights fully are much greater in Churchill. To see the northern lights, book a trip with Frontiers North Adventures. They’ll take you to see the northern lights in a tundra-buggy-turned-diner, while also taking you to see polar bears, beluga whales and all of Churchill’s wildlife that makes this place truly special.
Frontiers North's tundra buggies double as heated, windowed viewing platforms, letting travelers watch the aurora in comfort far from town lights. Credit: Travel Manitoba
Get ready to see one of nature’s most marvelous phenomena; Churchill counts more than 300 nights of northern light activity per year! With clearer skies than popular destinations like Iceland and Norway, your chances of seeing the northern lights fully are much greater in Churchill. To see the northern lights, book a trip with Frontiers North Adventures. They’ll take you to see the northern lights in a tundra-buggy-turned-diner, while also taking you to see polar bears, beluga whales and all of Churchill’s wildlife that makes this place truly special.
Where can I go stargazing in Manitoba?
The observation deck overlooks a mix of restored prairie marsh and grassland that draws close to 300 bird species through the migration seasons. Credit: Travel Manitoba
Some of Manitoba’s best stargazing is just a short drive north of Winnipeg at Oak Hammock Marsh. Before the stars appear, spend the day exploring scenic trails through wetlands and grasslands, where migrating birds, butterflies, reptiles and other wildlife are part of the landscape.
To experience everything the marsh has to offer, visit the Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre. You can sign up for guided walks, birdwatching tours and even nighttime astronomy workshops that teach you what is actually in the night sky. If you’re interested in exploring the marsh at your own pace, bicycles and canoes are available to rent, too.
Whether you're watching the northern lights dance over Churchill, sharing a shore lunch beside a remote lake or wandering Winnipeg's historic streets, Manitoba has a way of making every day feel completely different from the last. However you piece it together, it adds up to a trip worth taking.
Start planning your Manitoba adventure at travel.destinationcanada.com.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you see polar bears in Manitoba?
Churchill, the official Polar Bear Capital of the World. You can watch the bears two ways: by tundra buggy or on foot with a guide. Churchill Wild runs fully guided safaris that pair the bear tours with tundra-inspired food and arctic eco-lodging, and every guide is trained to keep both you and the bears safe.
Is Churchill really a good place to see the northern lights?
It's one of the best in the world. Churchill gets more than 300 nights of aurora activity a year, and its skies are clearer than other spots like Iceland and Norway. So your odds of a full, unobstructed show are much higher.
Where's the best fishing in Manitoba?
Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge in Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park. It's a fly-in-only spot that's been running the most exclusive fishing in the province since 1949, set in wilderness that's barely changed in 10,000 years. Don't leave without a shore lunch, where the guides clean and cook your fresh catch right on the shore. The mustard-fried walleye is worth the trip on its own.
Is there a Nordic spa in Winnipeg?
Yes, Thermea Spa Village, right inside the city. It's got outdoor hot and cold baths, waterfalls, steam saunas and Finnish-style cedar saunas, plus quiet loungers with personal headphones for when you want to tune everything out.
What can you do at Oak Hammock Marsh?
It's a short drive north of Winnipeg and one of the better stargazing spots near the city. During the day, you can walk the trails through dykes and wetlands, spot some of the 300+ bird species, or rent a bike or canoe. After dark, the Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre runs astronomy workshops that walk you through what's overhead.
Sources
Destination Canada – Manitoba: travel.destinationcanada.com/en-us/places-to-go/manitoba
Indigenous Services Canada – Indigenous Peoples in Manitoba: sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1626886719453/1626886859809
Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge: aikenslake.com
Travel Manitoba – Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge: travelmanitoba.com/directory/aikens-lake-wilderness-lodge-fishing-manitoba/
Thermëa Spa Village Winnipeg: thermea.com/winnipeg
Groupe Nordik – Our Spas: groupenordik.com/en/our-spas/current-spas/
Exchange District BIZ: exchangedistrict.org
Travel Manitoba – Churchill: travelmanitoba.com/churchill/
Churchill Wild – Polar Bear Safaris: churchillwild.com/polar-bear-safaris/
Frontiers North Adventures: frontiersnorth.com
Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre: oakhammockmarsh.ca/experience/
Travel Manitoba – Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre: travelmanitoba.com/directory/oak-hammock-marsh-wetland-discovery-centre/