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The landscape of Canada varies drastically across the land, from mountains to prairies to ice caps and polar bears. The country is made up of 10 providences, of which I have been to 4: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. And yet, I don’t think I have seen more than 5% of this enormous country.
British Columbia
Vancouver is less than a 3 hour drive from the Seattle area, and very easy to explore when I have been in the area visiting family. It is a beautiful city and is the headliner of BC.
Manitoba
Manitoba is perhaps known most as a jumping off point to explore the Arctic and see polar bears. However, your first stop will likely be Winnipeg, the capital of the province. From there you would either take a train or fly to Churchill. Manitoba is also home to Lake Winnipeg, the 10th largest freshwater lake in the world and the world’s 3rd largest reservoir. Winnipeg is the largest city in the province, known as the “Gateway to the West.” That explains all the railway cars I observed.
Lake Winnipeg
The lake holds four type of fish and is popular for angling. We launched from Heckla, which is the largest Icelandic settlement outside of Iceland. I was lucky to enjoy glass like water conditions because apparently this lake can get 6′ waves. As you boat around, you will likely see multiple lighthouses and rocky shorelines. It can get quite hot when you are out there, so bring sunscreen and bug spray.
Winnipeg
The Forks is one of the top places to visit in Winnipeg. It is a large food and tourist shopping area in the downtown area. It is located on the bank of the Red River, where you can walk around, take a boat ride on the river, or just hang out and maybe have a picnic. There is also a children’s museum.
The Museum for Human Rights is right next to The Forks.
Restaurants
Located close to downtown, this restaurant has an indigenous focus to it and has a lot of bison on the menu. Bison is so good for you (if you love meat), so I thought it was worth a shot. It was certainly interesting, although a little expensive for the quantity of food.
This was the absolute best meal during my time in Winnipeg. We had a potato soup with leek, bacon and corn that was delicious, meatballs (8 of them) with a delicious sourdough bread, plus pizza that was creative and delectable. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Ontario
Ontario is probably most known for Niagara Falls and Toronto.
Quebec
This province has special meaning for me because it is home to my favorite ski resort, Mont Tremblant, located an hour north of Montreal. The ski resort part of town is a walkable area with many places to eat and shop. Their ski school is great and much more affordable than schools in the USA. Be aware that this area can get extremely cold – -20 below – so you must be prepared. I am a huge fan of heated socks.
