Brains and Bronzed

Summers in Winnipeg are short but sooo sweet! Whether your weekends are usually spent at home, the hitting the lake, or discovering new spots, this is the time to see the city at its best with a Winnipeg Summer Weekend Staycation!

While Winnipeg isn’t the biggest city, it’s certainly vibrant and there’s so much to do and see! With amazing restaurants and patios open, live sports back in action, and some new spots having opened up over the past year or so, exploring the city is almost like discovering a brand new travel destination that we just so happen to call home!

The stay

It’s totally different living in the suburbs vs. downtown, so for our weekend stay we checked into the Alt Hotel, smack dab in the middle of downtown in the Sports, Hospitality and Entertainment District (SHED) across from Canada Life Centre! We checked into our room at this modern, stylish, hotel to find a spacious layout and spa-like bathroom plus an amazing view that made you think you must be in a big city.

With Alt as our “hub” for the weekend, it was super easy to walk to most places or call an Uber for a short ride back after a few drinks, but our room included free parking in an attached parkade to make it simple when taking our car to a few further spots. It’s the perfect place to stay when you’re looking for a chic room in a convenient location to some of the city’s best spots.

Winnipeg Summer Weekend Staycation Itinerary

Friday

After checking in and a quick refresh, we took a 5 minute walk over to Hargrave Street Market for our dinner reso at one of the many restaurants! I recommend arriving at least 30 minutes early to sit in Truth North Square and order an Aperol Spritz from the Aperol Cart, or a beer from Lake of the Woods Brew Co! During NHL playoff season, this is theeee spot to watch and cheer the Jets on live.

Mottola Grocery is another must right in the market! Carrying fresh food, flowers, a ton of local and Canadian products, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with more than a couple items! And if you happened to forget anything needed for your staycation, you’ll likely be able to pick it up here.

We then headed upstairs to Gusto North, one of the city’s best Italian restaurants, the menu and ambiance is unparalleled. Opt for a pizza or two to share (we got the Waterloo and Fungo), a pasta, and the Calmari Frite is a MUST. Plus the always-evolving cocktail menu is full of elevated aperitifs for every palette. If you can swing it, opt for a patio table! The view is stunning, but even if you’re inside the restaurant it’s sure to be a lovely experience.

Post-dinner calls for a walk around the square and the surrounding areas before heading back to the hotel. Once we got back, we threw on the complimentary robe and slippers to relax before gearing up for some well-needed z’s on the super soft bed… something about hotel beds, I tell ya!

Saturday

I’m all for an early start, especially on Saturday. There’s only 24 hours in the day, better make the most of them!

First things first, we took a short walk over to Bagelsmith, one of the city’s only Montreal-style bagel spots and a serious must-visit in my book! With a slew of bagel options and my favorite part, a whole menu of different shcmears ranging from a classic cream cheese to the limited-edition (and my choice) spinach dip schmear, there’s nothing like these bagels. Sweet or savoury, there’s options for everyone!

With our bagels in tow, we headed over to the new outdoor Gardens at The Leaf at Assiniboine Park for a beautiful walk around the 6 gardens. Part of Canada’s Diversity Gardens, these beautiful spaces unite nature and culture in a spot for all to access! It was such a nice start to the day to see so many beautiful flowers, plants, vegetables and walk around the almost 30 acres. Might I add, access to the outdoor gardens is totally free!

After a morning of walking, it’s time to head to the Valour FC Game! We stopped at Cottage Bakery along the way for an Iced Coconut Latte and a Nutella Banana Croissant — so delish! They have so many different types of lattes and I wish I knew about this local gem while I was still going to the U of Manitoba and drove right by it on my daily commute! 

With our iced coffees in hand, we made it to IG Field and found our seats for the Valour FC game for the first live sports game I’ve attended in months if not longer! The professional soccer club came to Winnipeg in 2018, named after Winnipeg’s famous Valour Road honouring 3 WWI soldiers who lived on the same street. Whether you’re a big fan of soccer or not, just being in the stadium and experiencing the sense of excitement is so amazing! It’s a great (and affordable) thing to do on a day in the city!

After the game, we went back to the Alt to rest up for a while before heading out for dinner and the rest of the night. We changed out of our jerseys and headed out for another short walk to Tavern United Downtown, attached to downtown’s Canada Life Centre! Tavern is famous for being one best rooftop spots to sit above the city, and with killer drink specials it’s a patio must to start your Saturday night. We got a bucket of 4 local beers for $12, featuring Farmery & Torque, two of our faves! I always love a good salad and the Signature Cobb is a classic, Nico got the All Day Brunch Burger but the real star of the show was the Deep Fried Pickles, a Happy Hour special. They’re cut into spheres before frying, the most amazing & crispy alternative to fries!

If you’re energized and looking to hit the city after nightfall, there are tons of great spots to check out nearby including Browns SocialHouse and The Merchant Kitchen, both just steps away from Alt, or venture over to the Exchange District and stop by Amsterdam Tea Room, Nonsuch Brewery, or Patent 5 Distillery & Tasting Room for some unique local cocktails and brews.

Sunday

This summer, I’ve been all about maximizing Sundays, so we started the day with slight sleep in, and then packed up to say goodbye and check out of the Alt. We packed up our suitcases and headed over to another Winnipeg gem, Forth Cafe in the Exchange District. One of my personal fave spots to stop by for coffee, cocktails, whatever! I highly recommend ordering an Iced Chai Latte, paired with a delicious piece of fresh Avocado Toast covered in feta, but Nico got the Ham & Cheese Croissant and also loved it! There’s tons of cute spots to sit inside of Forth, but I love to be outside as much as I can, so the street-facing patio is always a yes from me.

After fueling up, we got to do the one thing I’ve been waiting YEARS to try… Axe Throwing! We went to Bad Axe Throwing with a crew of friends to put our skills to work. It’s definitely harder than it looks, but once you get the hang of it, it is SO much fun! Shockingly, I got more than a couple Bullseyes!

We weren’t quite ready to end our amazing staycation in the city just yet,, so we decided to head back to our end of the city to end the weekend by checking out Springhill Park! Yes, that Springhill, AKA the city’s only ski and snowboard hill but set up as an outdoor beer gardens and patio for the summer! We grabbed some drinks and some food, and sat out soaking up the sunshine, music, and outdoor games for the perfect afternoon and finale to an amazing Winnipeg Summer Weekend Staycation.

Keep in mind our Sunday activity locations were a bit spread out across the city, but if you’re looking for some other options, check out Axe Throwing Winnipeg and The Beer Can or The Garden instead!

We truly had the most fun exploring Winnipeg this weekend, if you’re looking to plan your own Winnipeg Summer Weekend Staycation, check out Tourism Winnipeg’s incredible resources to plan your own staycation, day trip, or activity at www.hereforitwpg.com!

As well, learn more about Manitoba’s Tourism Rebate Incentive Program (TRIP) and from now until August 16th, you can receive up to a $100 rebate on a hotel stay, $150 rebate on a hotel package or up to 50% off admission at qualifying attractions!

Interested in more local getaway ideas? Check out my Gimli Weekend Staycation or my Whiteshell Provincial Park Day Trip Itinerary.

This staycation was done in partnership with Tourism Winnipeg, but all locations were selected by me, and all experiences and opinions are my own.