Day trips from Winnipeg
Follow in the footsteps of the First Nations, Métis, trappers and traders who once lived and worked along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Visit four national historic sites all within 30 minutes of downtown Winnipeg.
Look no further; let these must-see places inspire your next outing!
A 6,000-year-old meeting place in the heart of the city.
- Walk: It's right downtown!
The Forks National Historic Site
How to get there
- Walk: It’s right downtown!
What to do
- Join us for Where Our Stories Meet, a guided tour that shares the history of The Forks, Winnipeg and Manitoba.
- Venture out into one of the many markets, museums, and festivals in this popular downtown meeting place.
- Download the Parks Canada App and walk through One Heart, Two Rivers, Four Directions, a nine-stop tour exploring Indigenous connections to The Forks.
Did you know:
In winter the river freezes and holds a Guinness World Record of being the longest naturally frozen skating trail in the world!
A vital hub of missionary activity for the lower Red River Settlement in the 1800s.
- Drive: 25 minutes
St Andrew’s Rectory National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Around 25 minutes’ drive north on Main Street (Highway 9).
What to do
- Take a GPS-triggered self-guided tour and find out more about the people who lived along the Red River in the 19th century.
- Are you of Scottish descent? Uncover your family’s roots and discover which tartan represents your family name.
Did you know?
The original missionary was built in 1854. The Rectory was carefully re-built and authentically reconstructed in the 1980s.
Historic fur trading post and original highway to the west.
- Drive: 30 minutes
Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Just 30 minute’s drive north on Main Street.
What to do
- Delve into the secrets of this fascinating fort, see how the birch bark is held together and marvel at the intricate details holding the wigwams in place at Gabeshiwin, the camp.
- Take part in a culinary workshop and learn to make tasty bannock bread, chocolate and ice cream surrounded by Canada’s oldest collection of stone fur trade buildings.
Did you know?
Treaty No. 1, the agreement between seven First Nations and the federal government, was signed here on August 3, 1871.
The family home of Louis Riel, Métis founder of Manitoba.
- Drive: 15 minutes
- Transit: 40 minutes
Riel House National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Just 15 minutes' drive via St Mary’s Road from downtown.
- Transit: A 40-minute bus ride from Winnipeg Square.
What to do
- Learn more about the fascinating life of Louis Riel and Métis culture.
- Are the kids ready for some fun? Pick up an Xplorers booklet and uncover interesting ways to explore the site.
Need to know:
The site is open seasonally between Canada Day (July 1) and Labour Day (early September).
Travel itineraries in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
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