When my friend Maddy’s husband was offered a job in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she agreed to move on the condition that they get a puppy. They moved in July of 2018, and by December, they had a baby golden retriever named Maple.
If you know me at all, you know that I’ll take any excuse to travel, and you’ll also know that I love golden retrievers more than (almost) anything. So naturally, when things lined up for me to travel to Winnipeg last May, I booked the trip.
Through January and February of last year, I worked two jobs, seven days a week, and had finally managed to pay off some debts and save up some money. In addition to that, I got a great deal with Air Canada through work, so everything fell in to place and I booked a trip over May Long Weekend. It had been more than ten months since I had last seen Maddy and Jordan, and naturally I was stoked to meet their puppy. I’d only been to Winnipeg once before, on a road trip from my cottage in Tobermory, Ontario back home to Calgary, and we had just stayed overnight in a generic hotel and eaten dinner at Boston Pizza. So, of course, I was looking forward to seeing more of the city.
I arrived in Winnipeg around noon on the Thursday before the long weekend, and Maddy was able to come and pick me up from the airport during her lunch break. She dropped me off at their house and headed back to work, and I spent the afternoon settling into their adorable guest room and bonding with Maple.
When Maddy got home from work, we headed to the Trans Canada Brewing Company for pizza + craft beer and some live music. { You can read more about what I ate and drank in Winnipeg here! } After dinner, we made a pitstop at the liquor store, and I discovered that my favourite drink from out at my cottage in Ontario, the Georgian Bay Gin Smash, was available there. I almost cried – you have to understand, I LOVE this drink, I missed the cottage, and I had never found it sold anywhere other than Ontario before.
We brought our drinks back to Maddy’s place and settled in to watch a girly movie for the night (Maddy’s husband, Jordan, was out of town for work and I didn’t see him until Friday evening).
I had a bit of a sleep-in on Friday morning, which is something I can never do at home! After downing some Starbucks iced coffee (Costco sells it by the bottle and it is DELICIOUS), Maddy and I set out to explore the city. Our first stop was Osbourne Village, a trendy area in the midst of a gentrification, full of boutique shops, cafes, and cute restaurants. We got coffees at Little Sister, and then poked around in a few of the nearby stores. I picked up a thrifted pair of the softest jeans ever a place called Shop Take Care.
From there, we drove over to the Exchange District, filled with skyscrapers that had local shops and eateries in their bases. We grabbed sandwiches from King + Bannatyne, wandered through an adorable stationery store (and a few others, naturally!) and then got tea cocktails from Amsterdam Tea Room, located right beside The Cube Stage in Old Market Square.
I love to soak in the local culture and “authentic” (for lack of a better word) experiences when I travel, but I will be the first to admit that I’m also a big “bucket-lister”, meaning that I always want to do the most touristy things and visit all the attractions when I go somewhere new. Just to say that I have, ya know? It’s so nice to have a friend-slash-tour-guide who can show me what the locals do and where they hang out, and the more off-the-beaten-path spots, but I was happy that Maddy was game to do the typical “Winnipeg” things with me too – such as visit The Forks, which was our next stop.
The Forks National Historic Site is Winnipeg’s original “Meeting Place”, where the two rivers attracted trappers and traders from around the world and connected them to the prairies. Today, it offers historical signs and monuments, a walking trail, a market and several other sights and attractions. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is located at one end of the historic site.
We walked along the river pathway, took a ton of photos, had a drink at the newly opened outdoor patio of The Common, sitting right by the water, and then explored inside The Forks Market.
I wish that the Eau Claire area in Calgary would do something like this – they have similar location and set-up, but lack energy and innovation in the area. Eau Claire could be so trendy and lively, and it would be a huge draw for visitors, the way that The Forks is.
Before dinner, we spent some time relaxing back at Maddy and Jordan’s place and took Maple for a walk. Soon, we were back out on the town, starting with dinner at La Roca, a visit to Forth Cafe, and then drinks at a comedy night at Wee Johnny’s.
Tired from our big day, all of us went to bed as soon as we get home!
On Saturday morning after breakfast, the three of us took Maple to a nearby dog park. It was huge and the natural landscape was gorgeous, putting the dog park I always visit in Calgary to shame. Maple loved running around and making new friends, and I really enjoyed my “puppy time”.
Our last stop of my trip was a search to find the “Garbage Hill” Hollywood-style sign that my friend had posted on her instagram after visiting her sister in Winnipeg a few months prior. Westview Park, where the sign was located (1 Midland Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 2Y6), was easy to find, but after wandering the hill and pathways for awhile (in high winds, too – not the most enjoyable walk!), we were ready to give up, so we left and started driving out of the park. That was when we found the sign, in a nondescript area on the side of the hill, near the road. We messed around and took some photos and, yes, it was everything I’d dreamed of.
Dinner that evening was pulled pork (courtesy of Jordan’s job) on buns that Maddy had purchased at the farmers’ market that morning, and it was AMAZING. I think I might have even had thirds.
After a little bit of TV watching and a few final drinks, I packed up my suitcase and headed to bed, in preparation of my early morning flight the next day. Maddy was a trooper and woke up at 5am to drive me back to the airport on Sunday morning, and just like that, my trip was over!
I’ve gotta say, I went into the trip expecting a good time with my friend, a visit with a precious puppy, and the chance to see a few sights in Winnipeg, but honestly? I was impressed with everything there was to do there! We did a number of things on my list, but there’s still tons more I want to see and do, and I can’t wait to get back and explore the city further – it definitely exceeded my expectations. Full of local business, cool art, lively nightlife and fun areas with surprises around every corner, I was blown away. Maddy and Jordan recently had their first baby, so as soon as it’s safe to travel again I’m hoping to make a trip back to meet the baby and check out more of Winnipeg.
