Two Days In Winnipeg

Explore Manitoba Centre

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Attraction | "Learn About Manitoba Here"

Explore Manitoba Centre Photo - Explore Manitoba Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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This is a nice visitors center at The Forks where tourists can learn more about Manitoba and the culture of the people native to this high plains Canadian province.When you first walk in, it will look like just about any other visitors center you've seen in a hundred cities, states or provinces. A main desk with a cheery greeter, who is probably a volunteer, ready to tell you just about anything you want to know about their community. On this day, it was slow, as evidenced by their overwhelming desire to help us find something in Winnipeg to do on this fall afternoon.Along the wall opposite the desk were racks and racks, rows and rows of fliers, brochures and pamphlets on all...Read More

This is a nice visitors center at The Forks where tourists can learn more about Manitoba and the culture of the people native to this high plains Canadian province.

When you first walk in, it will look like just about any other visitors center you've seen in a hundred cities, states or provinces. A main desk with a cheery greeter, who is probably a volunteer, ready to tell you just about anything you want to know about their community. On this day, it was slow, as evidenced by their overwhelming desire to help us find something in Winnipeg to do on this fall afternoon.

Along the wall opposite the desk were racks and racks, rows and rows of fliers, brochures and pamphlets on all of the attractions, restaurants, parks, museums, hotels and things to do not only here in Winnipeg but throughout Manitoba. The literature racks were segmented by the areas of the province making locating "something to do" easier if you know where you're going to be.

There was an entire section on our destination: Churchill - The Polar Bear Capital of the World. We gleefully began to sweep up any and everything we could about Churchill and what we'd experience in the coming days. I was truly like a kid in the candy store!

Beyond this initial entry area of the center, was a large two story room that provided visitors with a geographical tour of Manitoba along with cultural and educational learning opportunities. No surprise we immediately gravitated to the exhibit entitled "North of 53" featuring a full sized stuffed polar bear. Some of the exhibits were interactive, including a photo spot where children (or the young at heart) can have their pictures taken as arctic natives.

This is a very interesting walking tour through Manitoba, taking about 30 to 45 minutes to explore all corners of this very diverse central province.

The Explore Manitoba Centre is open 10a-6p daily, seven days a week and is free!
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 15, 2008

Explore Manitoba Centre
1 Forks Market Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4L9
+1 204 945 3777

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Forks Market

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Dining & Shopping at The Forks"

Inside The Forks Market Photo - Forks Market, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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With just one afternoon available to explore Winnipeg and with empty tummies, it seemed that "The Forks" was a natural choice. Unsure how to get there we asked the folks in the hotel who suggested a taxi. After the $15 CDN cab ride across town, we arrived at the area known as The Forks, where the junction of the Assiniboine River where it meets the Red River. A popular spot for locals and tourists, it was a nice area to walk around on a Saturday afternoon.Inside the market plaza were a number of dining booths and mall type shops. It felt like "state fair meets flea market" with the eclectic assortment of goods sold here. Of particular interest, although we had no reason to buy, were t...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 15, 2008

Forks Market
1 Forks Market Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4L9
+1 204 942 6309; +1

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Forks Market

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Restaurant | "Good Lunch Spot"

Inside Beachcombers Photo - Forks Market, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Located right along the riverwalk area of The Forks, Beachcombers was a nice find for lunch on our first (and only) day in Winnipeg. You enter through the marketplace at The Forks, and walk through the mall like maze of booths and shops. At the back end of the mall you will come to the restaurant.They have two dining areas, the main restaurant and a more open bar with large windows facing the public open space of The Forks along the river. We opted for the bar area, so as to enjoy the view of the crisp fall afternoon outside our windows. This area was bustling with what we assumed to be primarily locals, afterall, it is November and this is hardly primetime for tourism.We s...Read More

Located right along the riverwalk area of The Forks, Beachcombers was a nice find for lunch on our first (and only) day in Winnipeg. You enter through the marketplace at The Forks, and walk through the mall like maze of booths and shops. At the back end of the mall you will come to the restaurant.

They have two dining areas, the main restaurant and a more open bar with large windows facing the public open space of The Forks along the river. We opted for the bar area, so as to enjoy the view of the crisp fall afternoon outside our windows. This area was bustling with what we assumed to be primarily locals, afterall, it is November and this is hardly primetime for tourism.

We started with cocktails, to toast the beginning of our great polar bear adventure. Unfortunately, some in our group had difficulty obtaining a decent tasting glass of wine. Even the non-alcoholic iced tea had a flavor that didn't seem quite right. I had a banana daiquiri which I consider to be pretty basic and probably difficult to mess up so I was happy.

For lunch, Susan and I both selected the fish n chips, which was a large portion of lightly breaded cod served with french fries. The fish had a good flavor and was not greasy. We were very happy with our meals. The other two in our group had wraps which they also thoroughly enjoyed. The serving portions were quite large - I don't think anyone cleaned their plate due to the size of the meal.

Pricing was also reasonable. I believe each of us spent approximately $25 CDN for our meal and a cocktail. More importantly, it was a comfortable location for us to get to know one another a bit more since we had only met face-to-face a few hours earlier. This would set the stage for our six days together, traveling, laughing and enjoying Canada in all her natural beauty.

For more information, including their menu check them out at: http://www.theforks.com/298/525/109 .

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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 15, 2008

Forks Market
1 Forks Market Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4L9
+1 204 942 6309; +1

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1800 Bistro

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Restaurant | "Decent for a Hotel Restaurant & Lounge"

My Dinner on the Finale Night Photo - 1800 Bistro, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Both evenings that we were in Winnipeg our group enjoyed time in the lounge for an adult beverage (or two) and dinner with our tour group friends. Saturday night in the lounge was very dead, even the regular bartender was off for the evening. The poor young lady who was hostessing was also doubling as the barmaid. She seemed to do OK but most were not willing to be to exotic with their drink choices.What a difference a few days makes in that when we returned on Wednesday evening, the lounge was hopping. Lots of what appeared to be business men enjoying the CFL (Canadian Football League) on the televisions while have a beverage and snack of their choice. Our little group of four girls ...Read More

Both evenings that we were in Winnipeg our group enjoyed time in the lounge for an adult beverage (or two) and dinner with our tour group friends. Saturday night in the lounge was very dead, even the regular bartender was off for the evening. The poor young lady who was hostessing was also doubling as the barmaid. She seemed to do OK but most were not willing to be to exotic with their drink choices.

What a difference a few days makes in that when we returned on Wednesday evening, the lounge was hopping. Lots of what appeared to be business men enjoying the CFL (Canadian Football League) on the televisions while have a beverage and snack of their choice. Our little group of four girls met up with the "3G" group from Canada. I called them the "3G" group because they were three generations of women from the same family . . . mom & daughter and the mom's mother-in-law. They were a wonderful family and terrific ladies, one of the highlights of our new found tour friends.

The atmosphere in the lounge was very nice and the seating comfortable for sharing stories and fondly remembering our collective adventures earlier in the week. Prices were very reasonable especially by American hotel bar standards. My large frozen drink (pina colada) was $6.50 CDN and that was not a happy hour price. Most of the others had wine, which was ordered from a rather extensive and reasonably priced wine list.

As for dinner our two nights in Winnipeg, both meals were offered from a limited menu given the size of our group (23 including our hosts). Both evenings we were treated to soup or salad, choice of entree and dessert. Rounded off with non-alcoholic beverages, it was a complete dining experience.

My first night I enjoyed the NY strip steak with garlic mashed potatoes and a berry covered cheesecake. The steak was served with a light burgundy sauce and was prepared just right. The soup was a creamy potato and was not too heavy. All and all, not a bad meal at all!

For the other dining experience, I opted for the fish which was served with some sorta of white creamy sauce. While the flavor was OK, I felt like it overwhelmed the taste of the fish. Dessert that night was a sinfully double chocolate "pyramid" with chocolate cake and white cream on the inside.

On my last morning in Winnipeg, our tour group was also treated to breakfast . . . the sunrise special which consisted of two eggs, toast, breakfast potatoes and coffee. I used my breakfast certificate (valued at $12 CDN) towards the Hilton Hot n Cold buffet for an additional $4 CDN. They provided a full spread of fruits, juices, cereals (hot and cold), eggs, breakfast meats (smoked salmon, sausage and bacon) and a nice selection of breads and muffins. Upgrading to the buffet was well worth it!

If you are staying at the Hilton Suites - Winnipeg Airport I believe you will be pleased with the food and beverage facilities onsite. They also offer in-room dining on a limited schedule.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 15, 2008

1800 Bistro
Hilton Suites - Airport - 1800 Wellington Avenue
Winnipeg R3H 1B2
(204) 783-1700

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Hilton Suites Winnipeg Airport

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Hotel | "Very Comfortable Accommodations"

Hilton Suites Sleeping Area Photo - Hilton Suites Winnipeg Airport, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Upon our arrival to Winnipeg we were able to call for the complimentary shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. A friendly young man promptly arrived and whisked us over to the hotel. I say "us" as I connected in Minneapolis with my new found friends Cindy, Susan and Celeste from Indianapolis. It was really nice to have made the acquaintance of Cindy months before this trip through TripAdvisor. By this time, we were already like new BFFs.I got checked into the room ahead of my roommate that I was doubled up with by the tour operator, so I was able to snap up some photos of our two room suite. It was very spacious and open. In the bedroom was all that you would expect in a hote...Read More

Upon our arrival to Winnipeg we were able to call for the complimentary shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. A friendly young man promptly arrived and whisked us over to the hotel. I say "us" as I connected in Minneapolis with my new found friends Cindy, Susan and Celeste from Indianapolis. It was really nice to have made the acquaintance of Cindy months before this trip through TripAdvisor. By this time, we were already like new BFFs.

I got checked into the room ahead of my roommate that I was doubled up with by the tour operator, so I was able to snap up some photos of our two room suite. It was very spacious and open. In the bedroom was all that you would expect in a hotel room, two queen sized beds, a dresser with a TV on it, nightstand complete with clock radio and telephone.

The other room of the suite was a nice sitting area with a sofa, work desk area and a wet bar. The bathroom was accessible from either the bedroom or the sitting room. This room also had a nice sized television and telephone.

It was also very nice to have free WiFi access from inside the room, making connecting to the Internet and sending e-mail a bonus. Guests were also provided with a complimentary newspaper each weekday morning of their stay.

Since we were only here for one night, there wasn't much use in getting too comfy, I didn't unpack anything but toiletries.

When we came back through Winnipeg five days later, we had a different room/suite. It was interesting that the second room was very different from the first in terms of layout, etc. My second suite had an open window between the bedroom and sitting room area. This limited the privacy particularly since I wanted to stay up later than my roommate to do some travel writing. It wasn't much of an issue however; as she slept with a sleeping eye cover that prevented the light in the sitting area to keep her awake.

Generally speaking, however, the amenities of the two floor plans were similar. The bedding and pillows were plentiful and very comfortable. I had outstanding nights' rest on both evenings here. I was surprised at the relative lack of airport noise, but then again, this was Winnipeg and not New York City!

This is a full service hotel with meeting and convention space, a restaurant and lounge and business center. While the cost of our hotel rooms in Winnipeg were part of our tour package pricing, I did look up the rates for the Hilton Suites and found them to be very reasonable . . . approximately $150/night (CDN).
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 15, 2008

Hilton Suites Winnipeg Airport
1800 WELLINGTON AVENUE
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H1B2
204-783-1700

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