Aaniin, boozhoo, tansi, hello and bonjour!
Winnipeg is the quirky, friendly city that’s at the centre of it all, literally (well, North America at least). We’re all about providing world-class attractions within a setting that includes handsome architecture, elm-canopied streets, winding rivers, and so much creativity and culture.
We’re home to North America’s oldest professional ballet company, a zoo where polar bears swim right over your head, Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall (which cascades over a tropical biome) and an art institution that has been celebrated by esteemed publications the world over.
This city is rooted in 6,000 years of Indigenous history that continues to blossom.
From Métis leader Louis Riel, the father of the province, to new Indigenous-led projects like Niizhoziibean—The Gathering Place at The Forks, to Manito Ahbee—one of the largest gatherings of Nations on Turtle Island, Indigenous culture is both our past and promising future in Winnipeg.
We’re officially home to some of the best restaurants in Canada (something locals already knew), as our culinary scene continues to entice with distilleries, breweries, wine bars and the most joyous tree-covered patios.
More than 100 languages are spoken here and you’re sure to find a local and a location that speaks to you.
That’s us, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Plan your adventure at tourismwinnipeg.com.
1. In 1914, First World War veterinary officer Harry Colebourn took a black bear cub to England as his regiment’s mascot. When Colebourn shipped out for France he donated “Winnie” the bear (named after his hometown) to the London Zoo. A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin loved Winnie the Bear so much, Milne crafted the much-adored stories about his boy and the bear that we still enjoy today: Winnie-the-Pooh.
2. The world’s most famous spy, James Bond, was inspired by born-and-bred Winnipegger Sir William Stephenson. Throughout the First World War, he operated a high-tech lab that would inspire people like Ian Fleming, who trained under Stephenson. After the war, Stephenson and Fleming became friends and neighbours in Jamaica, where Fleming’s spy series took shape.
3. The Nestaweya River Trail is one of the world’s longest naturally frozen skating trails. It made the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008 when it was 8.54 kilometres long. In 2017, the river trail was extended even further to over 10 km.
4. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada’s oldest ballet company and the longest continuously running ballet company in North America. In 1953, the company received its royal title, the first granted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
5. Premier Wab Kinew is Canada’s first First Nations premier, elected in 2023. Winnipeg itself has Canada’s largest urban Indigenous population.
