Winnipeg is the center of Canada and the heart of the continent.
Winnipeg is an often under-appreciated city located at the very center of the country – the exact longitudinal (east-west) center of Canada.
We also happen to be located near the longitudinal centre of North America, which is why Winnipeg is sometimes referred to as “the heart of the continent”.
The city is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, a location rich in history.
While the city often gets a bad rep for its cold winters and crime problems, there is so much more to love here than many people realize. And personally, I kind of like the fact that a lot of folks have no idea about how much this city has to offer. It makes it one of Canada’s best kept secrets, in my opinion, and I like that.
Relative to many other cities, your money goes a lot farther in this prairie city. You can buy a lot more house, and a lot of lifestyle for the money you spend here.
We enjoy a low cost of living, affordable real estate (relatively speaking), a vibrant arts scene (art galleries, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Winnipeg Symphony, the theatre district). For sports enthusiasts, we’re home to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Winnipeg Jets, and The Gold Eyes. We’ve got an amazing restaurant scene, historic architecture (The Exchange District), stately old homes (Wellington Crescent and River Heights River Heights, just for starters). Our winters may be cold, but our summers are hot and steamy, and are filled with festivals celebrating music, the arts, culture, wine and food. There’s always something to do in or around town.
Speaking of those hot and steaming Manitoba summers, our beaches and natural bodies of water are within reach in as little as a 45 minute drive from the city. Love lake country? We’re under an hour away from one of the world’s largest lakes – Lake Winnipeg. I’ve overheard tourists talking at the beach mistakenly referring to it as “the ocean”.
With its sandy beaches, and water reaching out to the horizon, literally as far as the eye can see, its the third-largest freshwater lake contained entirely within Canada, and the eleventh largest freshwater lake on earth. But it is relatively shallow, with a mean depth of 39 ft or 12 meters, with the exception of the a narrow channel that runs between the northern and southern basins of the lake – there the water is 118 ft.
The lake’s east side has pristine boreal forests and rivers that were in 2018 inscribed as Pimachiowin Aki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is 416 km (258 mi) from north to south, with remote sandy beaches, large limestone cliffs, and many caves in some areas.
Three of the best spots to enjoy Lake Winnipeg are Grand Beach if you like to be where the action is (its been voted by Playboy Magazine as one of the best beaches in the world, and has also been called one of Canada’s best beaches). Or if you prefer a slower pace, the quaint resort town of Gimli should fit the bill. Winnipeg Beach is another option if you prefer an even more tranquil setting and smaller crowds.
Lake Winnipeg is large – its been likened to a small ocean, so for Winnipeggers who prefer the ambience of smaller lakes (there’s a LOT of them), the Whiteshell region is a popular destination; take a two hour’s drive out of the city to enjoy exploring an entire series of lakes in the Whiteshell, an expansive boreal forest covering 11,000 sq miles, which sits near the Ontario border and spans into our neighbour to the east. In addition to the many lakes that dot the region, here you’ll find forested areas filled with waterfalls and rapids, ravines, rock formations, canyons, caves and cliffs… and wildlife to enjoy ’til your heat’s content (bears, deer, wolves, coyotes… just to name a few). This is nature at its finest.
Within the city itself there’s The Forks, Assiniboine Park (as well as countless other smaller parks), horse racing at Assiniboia Downs, the Winnipeg Zoo features everything from polar bears to monkeys, and there’s outdoor theater in the summer at Rainbow Stage, or Ballet in the Park where the Royal Winnipeg Ballet put on free performances at Assiniboine Park. We could go on and on.
For thrill seekers there’s sky diving and a race track in the town of Gimli, and in the winter you can ice fish from your own hut right on iced-over Lake Winnipeg.
We’re a diverse, multi-cultural city, known for our friendly, welcoming vibe. Winnipeggers are down to earth peeps. Winnipeg’s cool in that its a mid size city with a small town feel. Everyone seems to know everyone here, one way or another.
There’s a whole lot more lifestyle to enjoy here than folks who aren’t from around these parts realize.
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