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There’s no place I’d rather be than in Manitoba in the summer, and that’s something I 100% stand by. Even family members who moved away and love where they live agree. And it’s a combination of many things — the lakes, the festivals, the small-town drive-ins, and the socials.
So first, a drive-in here can mean either a small-town food restaurant or an outdoor movie theatre, while a social is a truly Manitoba thing. It’s a fundraising party at the local hall or legion with drinks and dancing, and if you get invited to one, please go.
We're a smaller province, so the easiest way to think about a summer here is to split it in two. There's what you'll find in the cities and what you'll find outside them, and both have amazing activities to keep your summer busy.
Niverville, MB | Image by Matthew Henry on Unsplash
The cities
We have more of them than people expect. Winnipeg, Brandon, Morden, Thompson, and Portage la Prairie, just to name a few. Larger provinces might not consider them big, but they have everything you'd find in any city, minus the metro.
That means pools and splash pads for the kids, and the arts if that's what you're after, whether it's ballet, musicals, or museums. There's sports most weekends, including CEBL basketball, baseball, and hockey.
Shopping is easy, and the restaurants are great. Manitoba has a great multicultural food scene, with Winnipeg as its epicentre.
Outside the cities
I can't even begin to start on what there is to do out here. But one thing you will need is a driver's license, because we don't have public transportation outside the cities.
First, there are great food spots out here, too: Look up “Manitoba Small Town Drive-Ins Review” on Facebook. It's the best resource I know for finding the small-town restaurants scattered around the province, and people often share feedback and recommendations.
Berry picking season: This is a huge Manitoba summer tradition. There are farms all over where you can pick your own strawberries, saskatoons, haskap, raspberries, and more. Visit the Prairie Fruit Growers' Association’s website, find a farm with the fruit you want, and go. Picking runs from late June through August, depending on what you're after, with strawberries first and raspberries near the end, so it's worth checking what's ready before you drive out.
The lakes: Lakes, camping, and hiking go hand in hand here. Manitoba has over 100,000 lakes, and where I live, there are at least ten beaches within an hour's drive. Most popular lakes have beaches, campgrounds, and trails, with shopping, golf, and festivals nearby.
Clear Lake, Manitoba | Image by Leah Mitchell
Some things I would tell you to do first
The Stardust Drive-In Theatre in Morden: An actual outdoor movie theatre, and the first thing I'd send you to if you've never been to one.
Countryfest in Dauphin: If you love country music, this is a must.
A trip north to Thompson: Camp at Paint Lake and visit the Pisew Falls along the way.
The Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg: Older Manitobans still call it the Museum of Man and Nature, so don't be confused if someone gives you that name.
Camping at Clear Lake: It is located within Riding Mountain National Park and is free to enter this summer.
Whiteshell Provincial Park, out east on the Ontario border: This park has got loads of great hikes with fantastic views
Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world: If you're up for an adventure, you can see beluga whales and maybe a polar bear. Beluga season is from July into August.
The Gimli Film Festival: Gimli is for you if you love movies.
For anything I haven't covered, Travel Manitoba has enough to plan an afternoon or an entire week. And for the food side of things, the local Instagram accounts I follow are:
The truth is, you can't go wrong, no matter what you choose to do here. We Manitobans make the most of our summers for the simple fact that in another six months it will be -30 C. Though, to be fair, there's plenty to do in the winter too.
If you've visited Manitoba, or you live here now, what would you add?
