Winnipeg walking tours

Winnipeg walking tours, best Winnipeg tour, walking tours Winnipeg.

Ghosts, mystery, architecture, gardens and magnificent public art - Winnipeg offers all this and more, and the best way to see it is on foot.

While you can do that on your own, you’ll see more during these guided walking tours of Winnipeg.

Bonus, it’s flat here, making this an easily-walkable city.

All of these tours are offered summer only, except as noted:

A personalized Winnipeg walking tour

This is the one guided tour on this list that can be arranged for any time of year.

Your personalized tour is led by a Winnipeg Downtown Watch Ambassador.

Downtown BIZ (the association of downtown business owners) can also organize customized tours for groups, with a broad range of themes.

Call (204) 958-4640.

More Downtown Winnipeg walking tours

Muddy Waters Tours

Muddy Waters Tours offers historical walking tours led by costumed guides and coach/walking tours, all themed.

The focus of their Winnipeg walking tours is on edutainment with a blend of history, story-telling, and humour.

They also have ghost-hunting tours for adults interested in the paranormal and theme tours specifically designed for corporate and other special interest groups, and for groups of school-age or daycare children.

Their tour season runs April to November, with the most options (tours and times offered) during July and August. (In spring and fall, the focus is more on corporate, school and other group tours).

Tours have various points of departure, most often The Exchange District, VIA Rail Station on Main Street or The Forks. All are conveniently close to parking.

Prices (cash only) for the walking tours are $10 for adults and less for students, seniors, youth and children and the coach/walking tours are $32 for adults and $14 for youth. Prices are plus GST and don’t include the tip for your guide.

Walking tours are about an hour to 1 ½ hours; the coach/walking tours are about 2 ½ hours.

The Boom & Bust of Winnipeg

Discover the rise of the city that was hailed as “the Chicago of the North” between 1874 and 1915, reaching a level of wealth and influence still reflected in the grand buildings of the era during this downtown tour.

In summer, offered every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

Hear tales of murders, ghosts and executioners as you visit the places connected with their stories.

Every Wednesday and Friday in July and August.

Pestilence, Shamans and Doctors

Learn about native healing and how early Manitobans stayed healthy (or tried to).

In July and August, Fridays only.

Symbols, Secrets & Sacrifices under the Golden Boy

Tour of Manitoba Legislature, telling how, and why, Manitoba came to have a copy of the Temple of Soloman as its seat of provincial government.

This tour is more extensive (and informed) than the one offered at the Legislature (by summer staff).

More than Métis the Eye

The Métis people created a distinctive culture, blending their French and Native traditions, on the Canadian Prairies and American Northern Plains.

They helped define Winnipeg and Manitoba. You get a sense of who they were – and are – during this interactive tour.

Especially recommended for families.

Mondays and Tuesdays in July and August.

Naughty Bawdy Tour

Take a closer look at Winnipeg’s seamy, steamy (and sometimes raunchy) past.

This is a Winnipeg walking tour for adults only.

Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August.

For tickets for all Muddy Waters Tours, call (204) 898-4678.

6,000 years in 60 minutes

This is a tour at The Forks National Historic Site with a costumed Parks Canada guide of the place where two rivers and several cultures have met (or collided) for at least the past six thousand years.

Offered July 3 to August 31 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays in English at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and in French at 1 p.m.

Tickets and tour information at Explore Manitoba, the tourist info centre at The Forks.

The Forks – Uncovered

This is billed as an easy archeology walking tour with a Parks Canada guide who will tell you about the pots, pipes, footprints and other artifacts that have been discovered at The Forks.

Tours are July 3 to August 31 on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, in English at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and in French at 1 p.m.

Info at (204) 983-6757. Tickets at Explore Manitoba Centre at The Forks.

Selkirk Avenue Historic Walking Tour

Explore the cultural centre of the North End with this award-winning hour-long tour offered Tuesday to Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in June, July and August.

Information: (204) 586-3445.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Tours

If you have a child who would love to attend ballet school, (or perhaps this is your own dream), Royal Winnipeg Ballet School offers behind-the-scenes tours at the RWB school and residence, 380 Graham Ave.

Call (204) 956-0183 to arrange.

Hermetic Code Tour

What are those weird symbols at Manitoba Legislative Building?

Turns out the place is a trove of Masonic images. How (and why) this is so is the subject of a book, The Hermetic Code, researched by the tour guide, Frank Albo.

He promises an evening of magic and architectural mystery. Tickets are $39.30.

Call (204) 989-9630.

Winnipeg walking tours – See The Exchange District

The Exchange District is a national Historic Site due to its beautiful late nineteenth-early twentieth century buildings from Winnipeg’s last Golden Era. Exchange District BIZ offers several themed tours detailing their charms.

They also tell the stories of power, corruption and heroism of the citizens (and renegades) of the past, showing you where it all happened.

Unlike some tours, you get to see the insides of these fine old buildings, some otherwise closed to the public.

Themed tours are about 45 minutes; the East Exchange tour and West Exchange tour are each 1 ½ hours.

New in 2010 is their Death and Debauchery Tour, taking you to the sites that lead Winnipeg to be called “The wickedest city in the Dominion” back in the day.

Prostitutes on horseback, mobs with attitude, murderers mad and otherwise – you’ll hear their stories. This one is rated A for Adults Only.

Tickets are $5 and $7. All tours depart from Old Market Square, King St. and Bannatyne Ave.

Winnipeg walking tours – Discover Winnipeg’s French Quarter

Saint-Boniface Guided Walking Tours

1 ½ hour walking tour highlighting the French Quarter’s history and attractions.

Tours are daily in summer at 10:30 and 1:30, in either English or French.

Info and tickets at Old St. Boniface City Hall, 219 Provencher Blvd.

Marche-Done St. Boniface Tours

This in-depth two-hour tour is led by a long-term St. Boniface resident and history-buff.

Designed so you can get to know Louis Riel, author Gabrielle Roy and other St. Boniface citizens including local artists.

Tours in either English or French, April to October, by phoning (204) 235-1043.

In Riel’s Footsteps Theatre & Cemetery Tour

Tour St. Boniface Cathedral’s cemetery (where Louis Riel is buried) as ghosts rise from the graves (costumed actors) to tell you stories about early Manitobans including Riel in this theatrical Winnipeg walking tour.

Offered in July and August in either English or French.

Tickets are $5 or $7 at the kiosk (next to the Cathedral) before the show.

In English on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

French performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 4 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 9:30 p.m.

Winnipeg Walking Tours – Ghost Tours

Haunted St. Boniface Vigil

An evening of chasing spirits at St. Boniface Museum, with an attempt to communicate using various techniques, lead by a spirit medium.

Offered April to September.

Lower Fort Garry Vigil

A coach trip to Lower Fort Garry to commune with the spirits or trappers, traders, soldiers and farmers.

Historical Haunted Winnipeg Tour

Investigate paranormal activity every Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m. and leaving from Via Rail Station on Main Street, June to October.

These three coach/walking tours are offered by Muddy Waters Tours, (204) 898-4678.

Winnipeg walking tours – Art and garden tours

West End Biz Mural Walking Tours

There are more than 50 murals along Ellice Ave. and Sargent Ave. in Winnipeg’s West End.

This is also where you will find some of the city’s most intriguing boutiques and ethnic restaurants.

See them during West End Biz Mural walking tours, Mondays through Saturdays in June, July & August. Tours last about 2 hours.

Tickets are $5 for adults or $2 for children.

Winnipeg Garden Tours

Self-guided garden tours are offered in a different section of the city every Wednesday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. in July until August 4.

Info and tickets: (204) 895-4560.

Take a self-guided tour

If you prefer a self-guided tour or hike and the convenience of going any time you choose, but a map and guidebook that tells you some interesting things about what you'll see along the way, I highly recommend Winnipeg Walks by Prairie Pathfinders, a Manitoba hiking club.

38 walks, with plenty of photos, maps, tips about when to go, and interesting insights into the architecture, gardens, good places to stop for a snack and sights along the way.

Head out with this book, comfortable shoes and a water bottle and get to experience Winnipeg in a way that is impossible from a tour bus.

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