Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/651528
TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA fi shing are hugely popular here, and families can pitch tents or park campers in one of dozens of provincial parks, or settle into hotel rooms from two to fi ve-star rated in Riding Mountain National Park around the historic townsite of Wasagaming (www.pc.gc. ca/pn-np/mb/riding/index.aspx ). These days, Manitoba is best-known for far northern Churchill, hands-down the best place in the world for almost guaranteed sightings in October and November of the increasingly-endangered polar bear in its natural setting. Summertime brings the beautiful white belugas to the mouth of the Churchill River, and the delicate blooming of the tundra. But while Nature's the big draw for much of Manitoba, there's a whole lot more to be discovered in this varied province. WHAT'S NEW? Thermëa Nordik Nature Spa, tucked into a river bend in a quiet Winnipeg residen- tial neighbourhood, offers sensual spa serenity, and in 2015 launched special spa/hotel packages for visitors to the city (www.thermea.ca). The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is developing a new exhibit covering Canada's tragic residential schools era. They are already displaying the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Bentwood Box and the Witness Blanket made from reclaimed historic residential schools items ( www. humanrightsmuseum.ca ). Upper Fort Garry Heritage Park in downtown Winnipeg may look like just another immaculately-landscaped park with interesting stone relics, but a downloadable app reveals rich history underfoot. The 1830's vintage fort that was once here formed the hub for a trading area larger than Eastern Europe, and governed the Red River Settlement ( www.upperfortgarry.com ). CITY LIGHTS Winter in Winnipeg is serious culture time, when the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (www.wso.ca), Manitoba Opera (www. manitobaopera.mb.ca), Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Winnipeg Chamber Music Society, and GroundSwell all gear up; and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre (www.mtc.mb.ca) and Prairie Theatre Exchange (www.pte.mb.ca) raise their curtains on live theatre. In summer, the city's AAA baseball team, the Goldeyes, offer summer evening fun at Shaw Park (www.goldeyes.com ). The home of NHL hockey's Winnipeg Jets, the MTS Centre enlivens the city's downtown with not just winter home games, but all sorts of concerts and special events year-round (www.mtscentre.ca ). And the CFL's Blue Bombers battle all comers in football at Investors Group Field adjacent to the University of Manitoba (www.bluebombers.com/ stadium ). Rounding out the season are July's four-day Winnipeg Folk Festival of music at Birds Hill Provincial Park north of the city (www.winnipegfolkfestival. ca ), and Rainbow Stage's summer performances of time-tested musicals (www.rainbowstage.ca ), along with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park at Assiniboine Park's outdoor Lyric Theatre (www.rwb.org ). For food freaks, and who isn't one, Manitoba cooks up unique local special- ties (www.pegcitygrub.com ): the Salisbury House's Mr. Big Nip burger, the drippily-amazing schmoo torte at Baked Expectations in Osborne Village, Goog at the Bridge Drive-In—a moun- tainous ice cream sundae, and Junior's fantastic Fat Boy burger. Try gelati along Corydon Avenue's Little Italy, or stop by the Exchange District's ( www.exchange district.org ) Old Market Square or downtown's business district on Broadway Avenue at noon to sample from local food trucks. Upscale eaters browse top-rated avant-garde or fusion cuisine; Tourism Winnipeg tracks the edible action (www. tourismwinnipeg.com ); the Exchange District offers foodie tours; and patio restaurants and wine tours can be booked at the Downtown Biz (www.downtown winnipegbiz.com). THE GREAT OUTDOORS Provincial parks here preserve the most beautiful granite outcroppings and crisp, cool lakes and rivers of the Canadian Shield (www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/ parks/popular_parks/map.html). Whiteshell Provincial Park (www. whiteshell.mb.ca) is a handy hour's drive east of Winnipeg but, further afi eld, wilderness wanderers can take to lakes SASKATCHEWAN POPULATION: ,, CAPITAL CITY: Winnipeg PROVINCIAL WEBSITE: www.travelmanitoba.com INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY: Winnipeg James armstrong richardson international airport, 10 km (6 mi.) from downtown UKrainian feStiVaL • traVeL MB