Got just an hour or two?
12 reasons to visit The Forks Winnipeg!

Got just a few hours? Head for The Forks Winnipeg!

If you haven't much time but need to get away, maybe for a peaceful walk, just to look around a bit, or possibly to grab a quick bite or a more leisurely meal, it's the perfect spot to relax and re-charge.

Open daily year-round, The Forks is an easy stroll from all of the downtown hotels.

People have been meeting here for at least the past six thousand years, the archeologists tell us. Perhaps longer.

Today, The Forks, as the place where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet is known, is still Winnipeg’s most-visited destination, attracting more than 4 million people every year.

So why is The Forks Winnipeg our perennial favourite place to relax?

1. Get the big picture at The Forks Tower and Explore Manitoba

Start by climbing the Forks Tower for one of the best views in the city.

Then head to Johnston Terminal and Explore Manitoba’s small museum. You’ll be able to see it all in 10 minutes or so, but what you’ll get is the best quick summary of Manitoba – the who, what, where and why of this place, its history and culture. The other benefit is that it’s free.

More museums at The Forks Winnipeg – Manitoba Children’s Museum is a hands-on museum, a fun place for parents to play with little kids (if your children are older than age 8 or 9, they will find more to intrigue and edu-tain them at The Manitoba Museum on Main Street).

Currently a construction site, Canada’s newest national museum, The Canadian Human Rights Museum, is slated to open in 2012 at The Forks Winnipeg.

2. Grab a bite or dine in style at The Forks Winnipeg – there’s plenty of choice!

From an ice cream cone or a Skinner's hot dog to white table cloth dining at Sydney’s or at The Current, The Forks has a lot of restaurant choices (all the benefits of a food court, with more variety and price choice).

My husband and son are huge ethnic food fans, and at The forks we particularly like Bindy’s Caribbean Delights (fantastic roti, some say the best in Winnipeg) and Chilean Corner.

My favourite, among the fast food options at The Forks, is Fergie’s Fish’n’Chips, in my opinion the best in the city (the best haddock and chips anywhere that’s not next to an ocean).

But you might prefer Zorba’s for pizza, Yudyta’s Ukrainian for perogies, Taste of Sri Lanka, or Bibi’s Korean fare.

Looking for a patio restaurant? Muddy Waters Smokehouse and The Original Pancake House both have good patios, and the apple pancake at the OPH is a dessert-for-breakfast guaranteed kid-pleaser (it’s always crowded on Sundays). But my top pick among the patio restaurants is The Beachcomber, for their tremendous salads, wraps and specials; though the best river view is at Muddy Waters.

Want more of a pub atmosphere? That’s at Finn’s in Johnston Terminal.

Or, for just a sweet snack, there’s Maple Leaf Fudge, The Forks cookie at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery and ice cream at Neon Cone or (a Winnipeg staple food) Mini Donuts Factory minis.

For serious foodies, don’t miss the two Fentons – one for wines, cognac and liquers and the other for more than 750 varieties of cheese.

There is also a year-round farmer's market at The Forks.

If you are looking for organic foods including take-out meals and gluten-free items, there’s Grass Roots Prairie Kitchen.

And a special weekend treat – the Sunday buffet at The Current at Inn at the Forks.

3. Go Shopping at The Forks Winnipeg!

Most of the shops at The Forks Winnipeg offer the kind of touristy kitsch (tee shirts, teeny jewellery, giftware) you’d expect to find at harbour/airport shops. But not all.

These touristy shops are fun for a bit of mindless browsing and for kids to explore. (The Forks is a safe place to let them loose for a while).

Exceptions to tourist tat are the truly outstanding children’s toy store Kite and Kaboodle (upper level of Johnston Terminal) and smaller, but also with interesting science and learning games and toys, the museum shop at Manitoba Children's Museum. Don't miss Wah-Sa Gallery (for stunning Canadian Aboriginal art) and you'll find some truly lovely artisan jewellery at Artifacts Gallery. Also worth a visit -- Fentons for food/drink gifts. I am a complete sucker for mid-century modern and I’ve found some goodies (well priced) at the Antiques Market on the lower level of Johnson Terminal.

4. Watch as kids challenge Canada's largest skateboard park

Watch kids hone their BMX bike and skateboard moves at The Plaza, Canada’s largest and most innovative skateboard park.

The Plaza’s 44,000 square feet includes ledges, stairs, banks, rails, a massive bowl and a ribbon of concrete riders call a magic carpet. A local favourite, it is also the site of board competitions in summer.

In winter, it's transformed to a snowboard park.

5. Enjoy a serene prairie garden at The Forks Winnipeg!

Winnipeg isn’t known as a city of avid gardeners, yet it does have a few public gardens worth visiting. One of these is the natural Prairie Garden at The Forks. On a nice day, grab something to go and enjoy it on one of the garden benches.

Depending on the month, you’ll spot prairie crocus, wild iris, bergamot, wild columbine and more than 150 other native plants at The Forks Winnipeg Prairie Garden.

There is also an informative tallgrass prairie history in the interpretive shelter.

6. See Winnipeg from the water!

Splash Dash is Winnipeg’s water taxi, ferrying riders between various docks on the Assiniboine and Red Rivers and charging less than $3 (last time I checked) for the 5 minute or so ride from one dock to the next. It’s a quick and scenic way to get from The Forks, for example, to Manitoba Legislature or Saint Boniface.

But I prefer to pay $12 for the all-day-ride option, and I wait until I spot Captain Bud pulling in before I hop aboard. Not only do you get a boat ride, and a very lovely and different view of Winnipeg from the water, but Capt. Bud will entertain you with stories about Winnipeg river monsters (and as the afternoon progresses, the tales get even more outrageous). A fun way to spend an afternoon!

7. The Forks is a great place for Train buffs!

The Railroad not only defined Canada as a nation; it was both cause and symbol of Winnipeg’s rapid growth and prosperity. Today, The Forks Winnipeg buildings, all beautifully restored and re-purposed train sheds, are reminders of our rail history.

As is the Train Museum, housed next to The Forks behind Union Station, Winnipeg’s train Station. If you have a train buff in the family, it’s worth a visit. There you can see the Countess of Dufferin, the first steam locomotive on the Canadian Prairies, and talk to the train buffs (all volunteers) who run this museum and restore the rolling stock.

You might also want to watch for VIA Rail’s The Canadian, the transcontinental that passes through Winnipeg year-round (much more frequently in summer). Best view of The Canadian as it crosses the Red River overpass is from the patio at The Beachcomber restaurant.

8. Take a walking tour of The Forks

In summer there are several guided and themed walking tours with costumed interpreters. All of these start from (and return to) Explore Manitoba in Johnston Terminal, which is also where you purchase tickets ($8). If you are the kind of person who likes documentaries, I especially recommend one of the archeology tours.

Or you can opt for a self-guided tour of The Forks Winnipeg. They can set you up for a tour at your own pace at Explore Manitoba.

Or just take a walk through Festival Park (from The Forks towards Esplanade Riel and Saint Boniface or, in the other direction, towards Union Station and Broadway). It follows a traditional Aboriginal footpath and there are interpretive signs along the way telling you about both Native and railway history.

9. Free entertainment at The Forks!

There are hundreds of events each year at The Forks Winnipeg, including free outdoor concerts June to August, and festivals, workshops and competitions year-round. On any given weekend (and often through the week as well), there is something going on.

Generally, these events are well-publicized, but not always and I have been surprised to go to The Forks for no particular reason and literally stumble upon something that was both entertaining and free. A few recent examples: a wine festival, Ukrainian Christmas party, salsa dancing (free lessons!), a fashion show and a clowning festival.

The Forks is known for fireworks (after the Santa Claus Parade downtown in November, on New Year’s Eve and on Canada Day), and for its hugely popular Family New Year’s Eve party. They also put on the best Canada Day party in the province!

10. Rent a bike, kayak, canoe and explore!

Take a leisurely paddle along the rivers, or cycle along the River Walk.

The trail, which goes all the way to Assiniboine Park, is well marked.

You can rent kayaks and canoes at the Splash Dash booth and rent bicycles from a booth set up near Sugar Mountain.

11. Winter fun at The Forks Winnipeg

There are other places to skate all day or under the stars, play hockey or curl outdoors, fly down a toboggan chute, board through a snowboard park or take a horse-drawn sleigh ride, but nowhere else can you do all of these things at the centre of a city.

Arctic Glacier Winter Park at The Forks opens from mid-December until March. What I love about it is there is plenty of choice in activities, all ages turn out to enjoy our frosty (and sunny) winter pleasures and there are plenty of places to stop for a break. You can rent skates to skate on the river. Or skate to music on the rink under the Canopy. Warm up with hot cider or hot chocolate and mini-donuts, all sold from outside booths.

Throughout January and February there is also snow sculpture and demonstrations of ice sculpting, winter crafts for kids, bannock making workshops and drumming and traditional storytelling, with most of these free events happening on weekends.

In February, Arctic Glacier Winter Park connects to Assiniboine Credit Union’s River Trail, the longest natural river skate trail in the world.

To see hockey the way it was meant to be played, take in the Riverpond Classic shinny tourney in January.

In February, there are Dog Sled Races and the Ironman Curling Bonspeil & Ice Bike Races.

12. Explore Native culture and history at The Forks Winnipeg!

Learn how to make bannock, listen to Cree and Ojibwa myths and legends, explore the Oodena Celebration Circle and The Wall Through Time at The Forks.

Oodena Celebration Circle is a bowl, currently excavated to the level of about 3,000 years ago. It is also an astronomy tool (like Stonehenge), aligned to sunrise and sunset at the equinox of spring and of fall and solstices of summer and winter as well as true North.

The Wall Through Time tells the history of The Forks, the site of campsites and a centre of trade for thousands of years. It is an active archeological research site.

More things to do at The Forks Winnipeg

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