Friendly Manitoba: "Minnesota Nice" With a Canadian Twist

We have road-tripped our way through much of Canada during the past few years, but there are two provinces and three provincial capitals that have thus far eluded us. That is all about to change with our current summer travel plans.

First stop: Manitoba and Winnipeg, where the vibe is basically “Minnesota but with a cooler accent.” Located just to the north, Manitoba lays claim to the same wild weather, lake obsession, and ultra-friendly locals who made us feel like we were visiting long-lost cousins.

And, you betcha, they even share Minnesotans' passion for ice hockey, eh?

Yes,  "Friendly Manitoba" is more than just a slogan on their license plates. The people that we met treated us to "Minnesota Nice" with a Canadian twist.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

After an overnight stay at one of Manitoba's many beautiful provincial park campgrounds, we arrived in Winnipeg and quickly did the mandatory "legislative building" photo.

Next up it was time to find some lunch. Like many Canadian cities, Winnipeg is becoming quite "international" with its food choices as people from many nations settle here. The tacos from Fire & Spice Taqueria lived up to their name. Afterwards, we found that the "tried and true" northland delicacy at Oh Doughnuts added a nice balance of sweet to offset the spicy tacos.

I would have made my Polish grandma proud, when the next day I found a small Ukrainian deli selling authentic pierogies and cabbage rolls.

(no picture ... they disappeared too fast)

Next it was time to check off Doug's bucket list item ... a visit to a Winnipeg craft brewery. And much to his delight, there was no lack of breweries to choose from. Good thing we decided to stay in Winnipeg for a couple of days.

We used our "Boondockers Welcome" membership to find a great overnight spot to stay during our visit to the city. As a part of the Harvest Hosts program, these homeowners allow RVers to park in their driveway or on their property overnight. The hosts are often adventurous travelers also, so we always enjoy sharing travel stories with them.

A tranquil lake mural, a canoe overflowing with flowers, and friendly hosts greeted us, and invited us to make ourselves at home as we enjoyed our dinner on their patio overlooking the Red River. We got a full helping of “Friendly Manitoba” while swapping travel stories ... first on a stroll through the local park, then again during a peaceful sunset canoe paddle.

The next day, we headed back downtown to explore the city’s vibrant murals and soak up the sunshine at The Forks National Historic Site, where the expansive green space and shaded walking paths lined the river bank.

Later, while we were adding another brewery to Doug's growing list, a festive group of Manitobans descended from a pedal pub, and we struck up a conversation with them. Well, apparently stories of our wandering lifestyle makes for great party bait, because before we knew it, we were invited to join their celebration. We swapped stories, shared laughs, and found delightful connections with our friendly northern "cousins".

 

Riding Mountain National Park

 Wasagaming, Manitoba

Based on recommendations from all of our new friends ... and because we're excited to extend our national park quest into Canada, Riding Mountain National Park in western Manitoba was our next destination.

Canada's national parks have a slightly different vibe than their US counterparts. They seem to have more of a resort-type flavor to them as opposed to the US national parks that are more often very isolated from any type of commercial services. The cute town of Wasagaming, with its campgrounds, lodges, restaurants, and shops, is the "urban" center of Riding Mountain National Park and lies on the south shore of Clear Lake. 

And as our Winnipeg friends emphasized ... no visit to Wasagaming would be complete without a visit to White House Bakery. Upon entering, we were greeted by the heavenly scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, and faced with the dilemma of having to choose which of their other decadent desserts to take home for later.

I let Doug make that tough call!

But the real "stars" of Riding Mountain NP are the crystal clear waters of the area lakes, the dense forests thriving with wildlife, and Riding Mountain, which rises up to the north. Although it seemed more like a hill to me, I guess any sort of elevation is impressive after driving across the expansive flat plains of Manitoba.

Fueled with our sweet treats, we decided to hike along the northern shore of Clear Lake. While the various wildflowers in bloom were intriguing,

... this other obnoxious plant that lined the narrow trail along with a few hitch-hiking ticks, made us decide that maybe it was best to view the park from the safety of our van.

And we were grateful to have a safe view as we came upon ...

a mama bear and her two playful cubs,

who decided to try out their tree climbing skills.

"Now how do I get down???"

A little farther ahead, a solitary black bear rested on the side of the road, perfectly content.

He mirrored the same serenity we felt while taking in the beautiful scenery and the warm smiles of our northern neighbors. So familiar, Manitoba emits “Minnesota Nice” with a Canadian twist.

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