Winnipeg Manitoba (The Short Journey to Churchill)

Anyone on their way to or from Churchill should definitely consider a stop in Winnipeg Manitoba.  Visiting the zoo is a nice companion to your Polar Bear excursions in Churchill, and you can see bears up close and personal.  There are plenty of other things to do.

Arrival in Winnipeg

We arrived in the very nice Winnipeg airport Hampton Inn late in the evening after our long drive from Thompson that afternoon.

Assiniboine Zoo

There was a very hearty breakfast at the Hampton Inn in the morning and then we headed to the Assiniboine Zoo for the “Journey to Churchill” exhibit.  There were many arctic animals but my favorite was the swimming polar bears!  I could watch these fumbling animals for hours!   Normally I’m not a fan of Zoos but seeing polar bears and seals swim over your head is priceless.

The even build a mini-Churchill town with buildings and polar bear traps.
Caribou – didn’t see any of these in Churchill, but they are around.
Baby musk ox – didn’t see any of these in Churchill.
Swimming seal
Bear feeding
Bear butt & huge paws.
It’s swimming right at me!
Bear looks surprised.

English Gardens

We stopped in the nearby park to see English Gardens with lots of flowers, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

Historic Forks area

Our last stop was the historic Forks area of downtown Winnipeg Manitoba, with a visit to the indoor marketplace.

Where I stayed:

Hampton Inn Winnipeg Airport.  Great hotel – pool and hot tub, airport shuttle (was super useful as I had a very early flight out), and amazing breakfast.  Book it now at booking.com.   

Traveled August, 2015.

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