27 Jun Exploring Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Canada
Finding nature in or near a city is always a highlight for us. We love walking around parks, lakes, gardens and all that good stuff, so a trip through Assiniboine Park gave us just what we needed after a day full of exploring Winnipeg’s street art and wandering around the city.
Assiniboine Park is located just south of the Assiniboine River and only a hop, skip and a jump away from downtown Winnipeg, and it is beautiful! I was really surprised to see how large the park was when we drove up to the entrance; it was even more surprising to find that it extended way past the first garden we saw when arriving.
Within the park grounds there is plenty to do to keep you busy for an entire day. There is a large open lawn that would be a great picnic spot, a few cafes/restaurants, gardens, a conservatory, a playground, train, trails, sculptures and art, a music theater, bike rentals and even a zoo! Thankfully, there is a double decker bus that you can catch to take between attractions if you don’t have a car or don’t feel like driving. I really enjoyed visiting the park in the warm spring weather, but winter offers a range of different activities as well, such as ice-skating, ski trails, and a toboggan hill.
The Lyric Theater hosts free shows throughout the summer—the shows consist of concerts, ballets, opera, symphonies and various festivals. I would love to catch a show there; outdoor concerts are always our favorite!
There are a few different sculpture areas in the park. The Citizens Hall of Fame is a monument that boasts the “pursuit and attainment of individual excellence and achievement on behalf of one’s community”. It provides a fun look into the city’s history, residents, and art.
Beautiful sculptures are also scattered throughout the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. This garden was my favorite part of the park—the bronze sculptures were very interesting—I really enjoyed the adorable bears most of all!
The English Garden is located right next to the sculpture garden; unfortunately, we were there in late spring, so everything was still in the growing phase and not lush at all. Even so, it was still fun to take a quick walk around.
The Pavillion Gallery Museum is located in the center of the park and displays art from three local artists as well as Winnie the Pooh memorabilia. We didn’t have a chance to go inside, but I hope we can stop in for a look next time.
Polar Bears and Snow Leopard Cubs are the main attractions at the zoo, but it seems like there are many other animals that call the zoo home, as well. Even though the zoo wasn’t on our agenda this time, I’ve heard it is a great one, so it might be worth checking out if you are already in the area.
As we were short on time, we only had time to see a small portion of what the park offers, but you can bet we will be back for more exploring next time we are in Winnipeg!