What To Do In Winnipeg, Canada

Manitoba’s underrated capital flies under the radar with the Rocky Mountaineer-riding visitors who flock to Canada.

If Vancouver is Canada’s version of Sydney, then Winnipeg – the capital of prairie province Manitoba – is more like Melbourne.

It’s undeniably trendy, with a strong craft-beer scene, a funky streetscape full of murals and a world-class museum. Add to that fab food, fascinating history and a few colourful suprises, and the ’Peg, as the locals call it, rivals ’Van City when it comes to culture.

Since being named a cultural capital of Canada almost a decade ago, Winnipeg has continued to attract publicity for its array of artsy experiences – but still flies under the radar of international visitors, for now.

At the heart of the city’s burgeoning popularity is the Exchange District, located downtown. Once the centre of Canada’s grain industry, the area is characterised by the cobbled streets, 20th-century stone warehouses and terracotta-clad skyscrapers left behind.

While this distinctive urban landscape is impressive, it’s the goings-on inside these structures that keep travellers coming back, with specialty retailers, pop-up stores, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs and art galleries. Much more than a pit stop on the Trans-Canada Highway, Winnipeg has proven to be a destination in its own right.

Here’s what not to miss when you’re in town…

The Forks Market

At the edge of the Exchange District, Winnipeg’s spiritual heart The Forks (a historic meeting place at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers) is worth the trip for the markets.

Stop at The Forks for a craft brew or two

Former train yard stables house a fun mix of independent food and drink options, including a boisterous medley of regional craft brews at ground-floor get-together spot The Common.

With a suitably light head, spoil yourself with handmade creative pressies from the Etsy-like Forks Trading Company and graze on a light sourdough rye sandwich from Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company (with flour milled on site).

Address: 1 Forks Market Rd, Winnipeg

The Human Rights Museum

The concept-heavy, artefact-light Canadian Museum for Human Rights is an utter breath of fresh air, from its ‘100 moments in human rights’ exhibition to more intimate storytelling about such heroines as Viola Desmond, Canada’s version of Rosa Parkes.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is shaped like a dove

The modernist building’s glass exterior is symbolically shaped like a dove (sort of), but the seven-level journey inside is more impressive. It’s designed to mirror the battle for civil rights, starting in the dark spaces of the ground floor right up to the hope- and light-filled top storey.

The indigenous art on display is worth the trip alone, especially the largest Métis beadwork in existence.

Address: 85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg

See the hundreds of city-wide murals

The population that suffers Winnipeg’s icy winter deserves a little colour. The solution? Hundreds of city-wide murals, which mirror Winnipeg’s cultures (including a strong Ethiopian connection) and epochs.

You’ll see proof that the ’Peg was once Canada’s secret entertainment capital with tributes to legends who used to tread the boards here, from Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers to Blues divinities like B.B. King and Robert Johnson. Take a tour with Heartland International Travel & Tours so you catch all the highlights.

Manitoba’s Da Vinci Code

It’s not usually our style to recommend government buildings, but… While the 77-metre-high Manitoba Legislative Building is an impressive example of neoclassical design, it’s what you don’t see (at first) that is pure Da Vinci Code.

Unlock the secrets of the Manitoba Legislative Building

Without giving too much away, architect Frank Worthington Simon designed masonic symbols, bizarre mathematical repetitions, Nostradamus-like predictions and a sacrificial altar into a place that’s been described as ‘more temple than building’. Do the Hermetic Code Tour with expert Dr. Frank Albo (see Heartland, left) or you’ll definitely miss the best bits.

Dining in the Exchange District

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Deer + AlmonD

This haven caters for the discerning hipster who appreciates the odd culinary surprise: vodka tempura crudités with caramelised cauliflower dip anyone?

Peasant Cookery

French-inspired, made-from-scratch slow-food classics, the kind of thing your (French-Canadian) grandma would make: onion soups, chicken livers, beef tartare and house-made pickles. Try the charcuterie board.

Forth Coffee

Find monthly open-mic nights, a basement cocktail bar and a scrummy shakshuka and Parlour Coffee, a popular morning cuppa stop featuring baked holey treats from neighbouring Bronuts, deliver a way-better-than-your-average-North-American caffeine hit.

Parlour Coffee

The binge-inducing retro bakehouse with cartoon-colourful shelves full of rainbow sprinkles and topping jars. Sample a Boston cream cupcake or Saskatoon berry imperial cookie from these sweet treat virtuosos.

Spa Town

A 20-minute cab ride from the city centre takes you to Thermea Spa: part country club, part outdoor spa theme park.

Even when there’s snow on the ground (which is often in Winnipeg), it’s easy and comfortable to move between the outdoor and indoor (hot and cold) features, after a light lunch of locally sourced cold smoked fish. Throw another lemon grass-infused ice ball into the sauna and then head to the heated tile beds.

Details

Getting there

Air Canada flies daily from Sydney and Brisbane, and four times per week from Melbourne, direct to Vancouver, with connecting flights to Winnipeg.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.