Staycation: staying where you are for vacation. It’s advertised as an affordable option, where you don’t have to spend heaps of money to be able to enjoy some well-deserved holiday time. They also support your local economy where money remains in your community to support the amenities and services that benefit your area. Staycations make good economic sense, but they also make good environmental sense.
This year, they are more important than ever, with the COVID-19 pandemic that took over the world and kept us physically distant, washing hands frequently and staying inside. With summer upon us, and still being responsible with health restrictions, we are able to start to go outside and stay safe, instead of just staying home.
With travel restrictions in place this summer, vacationing within Manitoba is a great way to relax and enjoy the season safely, learn more about this Province, and keep our carbon footprint low. Take advantage of the many amazing natural, cultural, historical, and artistic resources Manitoba has to offer!
The Great Outdoors
Manitoba is a natural beauty. Numerous studies have demonstrated that nature is good for our health and happiness. Spending time in nature also establishes a connection, which is one of the most essential ways of creating a desire to care for and protect our environment. Whether you’re visiting a park, hiking trail, campsite, or beach this summer, remember to leave no trace!
We love the sound of the High Lake Eco Cabins at Falcon Trails Resort near Falcon Lake, Manitoba. This is where you will find six outpost luxury eco cabins offering the latest sustainable technologies in addition to all your cottage comforts, including solar power electricity supply, state of the art composting toilet, gravity fed water supply, locally harvested logs and materials, composting and Recycling bins for waste, and promotion of sustainable transportation.
Try Something New
Staying home more than ever, and enjoying our neighborhoods and city we live in doesn’t have to be boring! This is our chance to learn more about ourselves and where we live. We have come up with a few things to try to get you started:
- Cycle to new destinations!
- With more and more bike lanes around the city, the open streets in place this year, and lots of parks to see, there are lots of places to try cycling this summer. Guide your way with one of these maps.
- Explore Winnipeg’s murals!
- Did you know there are over 600 murals across the city? Each of them has a special story, and now is the perfect time to discover this art and what it has to say.
- Picnic!
- Be it at the beach, in a park, or your own backyard, gather up some good food and enjoy the great outdoors as a family. Bring along some outdoor games like ladder golf or bocce ball and make a day out of it! Visit our Plastic Free July page for more tips!
- Start a hobby!
- Ever wanted to learn how to can or preserve, or take up a musical instrument? Now’s the time!
- Watch a move at the drive-in theatre!
- Miss the movie theatre? This drive-in theatre in Starbuck, Manitoba is showing movies all summer and allows you to stay safe and responsible. Visit their website for all the upcoming movies.
Major Attractions
Even though many of the following sites are open year-round, summer is a great time to get out and experience them as many offer specialized programming (especially for families):
A visit to The Forks National Historic Site is a must have in the summer, with its offerings of tours, live entertainment, shopping, and food and drink. Their Target Zero Eco Tours teach children and families how to minimize their carbon footprint by showcasing their environmental initiatives. The tours, created and executed in conjunction with Green Kids Inc., offers a 60 minute interactive walking experience for school-aged children during the school year, and families in the summer months.
Take a tour through the world-renowned Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and see the seasonal exhibit ARTticulate our Rights. Every Sunday is Family Day, where children under six get free admission and family-friendly tours and activities are offered.
FortWhyte Alive (summer guide) and Oak Hammock Marsh offer the natural and educational experience. Want an up-close visit with bison? Try a Bison Safari EcoTour at FortWhyte Alive!
The Manitoba Museum and Winnipeg Art Gallery with its award winning galleries and largest collection of Inuit Art, respectively, are both must-see stops in Winnipeg, each with their own unique events and proramming. Both have and are currently undergoing major renovations, so it’s a great opportunity to see what’s new and what’s changing.
Assiniboine Park and Zoo, with about 400 acres of parkland with picnic areas, the Leo Mol Sculpture Gardens, Nature Playground, steam train rides, Qualico Family Centre, and over 300 different species in the zoo, offers visitors endless opportunities over the course of the summer!
Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site offers a unique experience for visitors with costumed interpreters bringing history to life. Each day features a different exciting event for the public including Children’s Days, Murder Mystery T, and historic “Iron Chef”.
Food & Drink
It’s that wonderful time of year when markets are fruitful and in full swing! St. Norbert’s Farmers Market and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ’s Farmers Market, servicing two very different areas, offer local food and handcrafted goods. See our blog for a full list of local food options and markets in Winnipeg.
Manitoba has a top-notch food scene. You can sample diverse dishes at mom-and-pop restaurants, bite into innovative tapas at trendy bistros, and get the full fine dinning experience (visit www.pegcitygrub.com to search for eateries by category in Winnipeg). We encourage supporting establishments that offer local food sourced and served sustainably (see the 105+ restaurants that took the 2018 Strawless Summer Campaign). Here are a few staff favourites:
- Brazen Hall
- Pineridge Hollow
- Circle Kitchen
- Bodegeos
- Copper Chimney
- Chaeban Ice Cream
- BMC Market – Taqueria
- Skinners
- Clementine
- Feast Café Bistro
- Prairie Firehouse
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