Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/117969
This itinerary is the ultimate for those looking for a bit of everything Manitoba has to offer: wildlife, culture, history and tons of fun. 5-DaySummerVacation 5-Day Summer Vacation M u lt i - D ay D e s t i n at i o n P l a n n e r 82 DAY 1 Start in downtown Winnipeg at the Manitoba Museum — explore a 17th century ship and go back even further in time discovering the Ancient Seas. Make sure to visit the Planetarium and Science Gallery while you're there. Next, make your way over to The Forks. Have lunch at one of the market's restaurants or kiosks and enjoy tastes from around the world. Explore the mixture of greenspace, eclectic shops and entertainment. Gaze up at the impressive Canadian Museum for Human Rights (on track to open in 2014) as you head across the Esplanade Riel bridge to St. Boniface, Winnipeg's French Quarter. Spend the afternoon absorbing the history of early Francophone and Métis communities at places like Le Musée de Saint-Boniface and Fort Gibraltar. Stop and have dinner at one of the trendy bistros or cafés located in St. Boniface. After your busy day, hit the sheets at one of Winnipeg's premier hotels. DAY 2 Begin your day by driving north on Highway 9 towards Selkirk following Routes on the Red's self-guided tour of fur trade sites en route to Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. Take a guided tour of the site to get an authentic experience of the 19th century fur trade at this original Hudson's Bay Company post — costumed interpreters re-enact events of the period. Stop for lunch in Selkirk, then head north to Gimli to learn about Manitoba's earliest settlers — Vikings! Stop at The New Iceland Heritage Museum to learn about Gimli's beginnings as New Iceland. The Lake Winnipeg Visitor Centre displays a 1940s whitefish boat and a 500-gallon aquarium with local species. Enjoy local fare at one of Gimli's family-run restaurants. Try vinaterta for dessert, one of the area's specialties that reflects its Icelandic roots. Get a good night's sleep at one of the town's hotels or resorts. Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball The Manitoba Museum Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site Canadian Museum for Human Rights