Top 13 Places to Visit in Canada

To the east is Ontario, to the West is Saskatchewan, in the middle, Manitoba. Stretching into the Arctic Tundra all the way down the Hudson’s Bay and further until it reaches United States of America borders for North Dakota and Minnesota.

Manitoba is glittered with lakes (+100,000) and rivers, 80 provincial parks, and homes 1.369-million people.

History

The God Who Speaks is the Indigenous term for the name Manitoba. The province was the fifth to become part of the country of Canada in 1870 and its capital city, Winnipeg, is it’s largest. Over one-fifth of the land is still forestry.

The Canadian Shield covers three-fifths of the province (north and east regions), which helps to account for the rockier and water-filled terrain in the province.

Rather than agriculture, the First Nations were predominantly hunters in this region, including moose, caribou, beavers and beers. Buffalo were used for food, clothing, shelter and tools by those of the plains area.

The fur trade began picking up in the 1700s and two main European companies were formed: The Hudson’s Bay Company (1670) and then The Northwest Company (1783). They officially amalgamated in 1821. By participating in the fur trade, the Indigenous culture was forever altered, changing their territories, and social and economic patterns.

Not only that, but smallpox ran across their population in 1871. Without any immunity to the sickness, their people were decimated by nine-tenths (estimated).

Touring

First things first, go take a picture with the five-metre-tall statue of a Viking!

On your way, you’ll find tiny homes for the huldufólk (elves) along the path — another sign of the Viking influence and heritage. Just because you see one, doesn’t mean you should disturb it. These tiny elves are generally very nice, but they can be little buggers when disrespected.

Summer = beach time! Because of the location, Gimli is the perfect place to soak up some rays of sun and splash in the water. Visitors can rent any number of items to get out on the water, from kayaks to canoes, paddleboarding to powerboating, fishing or even kite boarding.

Winter = ice fishing. Depending on the time of year you choose to travel, your destination here may be more welcoming on top of the water, fishing through a large hole in the ice. If you want something a touch more exhilarating, you must join the cars on their ice racetrack! Learn how to weave your way through tough winter terrain with experienced drivers and teachers.

Shop & Eat

H.P. Tergesens & Sons was established in 1899, and is still run by the Tergesens. Fun fact, they are one of the longest running companies in the province. Don’t be fooled by the older building, the products are modern. You can find a wide assortment of interesting, different or funky products there.

If you want to try a traditional Icelandic dessert, look no further. Filled with prune or apricot puree, Vinarterta is a layered cookie-cake. Sugar Me Cookie Boutique has passed the family recipe on for generations, which means you can’t get more traditional than that. If you want to try another traditional dish, Lagterta is another cake available: Icelandic Spice Cake.