Winnipeg 
Start those holiday plans! As Christmas quickly approaches, there is no time like the present to start booking your holiday getaway in Manitoba.
Credit: Assiniboine Park & Zoo
No matter what kind of vacation style you prefer, there are many ways to make memories and the most of your holidays.
Choose between exploring Manitoba’s great outdoors, the province’s smaller communities, or the parks and rural areas. Otherwise, the capital has several holiday events and festivities around which you could plan a romantic or family getaway.
Winnipeg for the Holidays
The city of Winnipeg is bursting with holiday cheer this December. Whether you’re here for your own interests and a vacation, or to see family and friends, you’ll have several options on how to spend you getaway in Winnipeg.
- Save on festive packages or find holiday events and dining through hotels like the Fairmont Winnipeg, the Fort Garry Hotel & Conference Centre, or the Inn at the Forks.
- Lace up for an afternoon at one of Winnipeg’s several outdoor community rinks, or one of three natural skating surfaces: Kildonan Park, Harbourview Recreation Complex, or St. Vital Park Duck Pond. The Recreation Complex is also home to a large toboggan hill, while St. Vital and Kildonan Parks are home to winter slides.
- And all four City of Winnipeg parks listed above offer groomed cross-country ski trails. More trails are found at Crescent Drive Park, La Barriere Park, and the Windsor Park Golf Course. Downhill skiing is also available right beside the city! Hit the hills of Winnipeg’s Spring Hill Winter Park, whether by ski, snowboard, or snowtube.
- CF Polo Park is a large indoor shopping centre on the west side of Winnipeg. And over the holiday season and Christmas break, the mall will host live musical performances and visits with Santa until December 24th while the entire mall twinkles with festive light displays.
- Visit with another local attraction, the Assiniboine Park Zoo, to find another opportunity for getting into the holiday spirit. The park will host Zoo Lights from November 21, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
- Family-friendly fun is all over the city this Christmas season, including RWB’s The Nutcracker and Manitoba Theatre for Young People. Over the holidays, catch a showing of Munsch Upon a Time at the Prairie Theatre Exchange and The Lightning Thief at MTYP.
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Riding Mountain National Park for the Holidays
The extensive winter trails of Riding Mountain National Park (270km northwest of Winnipeg) can easily fill a day’s worth of fun and adventure. In total, the park boasts over 130km of winter trails! Choose between hitting the trails by foot, ski, snowshoe, or fat tire bike. The large park is divided into several different sections, and drive times to each will vary greatly depending on where you want to explore.
- The Moon Lake and Bread Lakes areas are both perfect for skiers with several longer and shorter loops of groomed ski-only trails.
- Fat bikers can get in a good ride on the Moon Lake or Brule loops.
- Snowshoers and hikers can head to the Lake Katherine Multi-Use trail system for various loops of different lengths.
Cozy Winter Cabins and Cottages
Spend the holidays away from the business, the hustle, or the bustle! These winter and four-season cabins around the province provide your quiet escape with several comforts of home included in your stay.
- Private rental sites like Airbnb or VRBO provide numerous options for cabin and cottage getaways around all parts of the province. These Airbnb cabin rentals have Christmas availability, and private or communal hot tub access while these VRBO cabins offer holiday getaways along the southern shores of Lake Winnipeg.
- The Buffalo Point Resort is about as far southeast as you can go in Manitoba and will place your holiday vacation on the scenic shores of the Lake of the Woods.
- The year-round cabins at Wekusko Falls Lodge in northern Manitoba are cozy places to spend any winter weekend, especially Christmas. And from November to April, the Lodge offers Ice Iishermen’s Special deals.
Holiday Glamping in Manitoba
Glamping is a popular experience for the holidays in Manitoba. While many campgrounds are fully booked for the week of Christmas, including those at Riding Mountain, these sites still have availability between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve!
- Take a dome camping experience this Christmas with the open availability at Raven’s Hollow in northwestern Manitoba (near Cranberry Portage).
- The House That Love Built is a bed and breakfast with a brand-new glamping tent and hot tub for guests. Reserve your holiday getaway with the lovely house or tent through Hipcamp.
Holiday Spa Getaways in Manitoba
Holidays may be about many things, but every holiday or winter break should include a bit of R&R. These spas around Manitoba offer many different ways to soak in all the relaxation over your Christmas break.
- thermëa Nordik Spa Nature is perfect for anyone spending the Christmas break in Winnipeg! The Nordic spa is in one of the city’s quiet slices of nature along the Red River and at Crescent Park. The spa boasts four outdoor pools, four different types of saunas, an exfoliation room, and on-site dining. Additionally, the Riverstone Spa in Winnipeg (inside Inn at the Forks) offers guests the choice between several classic treatments (massage, mani/pedi, esthetics).
- For those who want to explore Riding Mountain National Park for the holidays, there is a perfect opportunity right by the park for post-adventure relaxation. The Elkhorn Resort Spa & Conference Centre offer the full Nordic spa experience as well as accommodations, special events, and dining at the Buffalo Bar.
- Make a day trip from Winnipeg (or anywhere else in southern Manitoba) to the town of Brandon for a luxurious day spa experience. The Hills Spa offer several of the classic spa treatments, many of which come with upgrade options or luxurious twists.
Vacation Ideas for Winter Adventures and Recreation
The lakelands and varying landscapes across Manitoba create dozens of opportunities for all kinds of winter recreation. Planning a holiday getaway around outdoor adventure is simple with provincial parks, Riding Mountain, guided tour options, and self-guided fun.
- The Kannuk Outfitters professional guiding service provides both ice fishing adventures and ice shack rentals. Similar adventures are available with the Bakers Narrows Lodge in northwestern Manitoba, plus many other excursions and packages. Ice fishing is also permitted on the waters of Manitoba’s provincial parks.
- Outdoor skating is easy to find around Manitoba’s parks with ovals alongside hockey rinks at Turtle Mountain, Spruce Woods, and Paint Lake Provincial Parks. The rinks are lit for evening use, with toboggan hills also near each rink.
- Cross-country skiers will have just as much luck as skaters or hikers finding trails around Manitoba this winter and Christmas. Take to the extensive lakeside and riverside trails of Whiteshell Provincial Park, as well as at the Falcon Ridge Ski Resort (southeastern Manitoba), the rolling hills of Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, or the Gimli Ski Club Trails beside Lake Winnipeg.
- Snowshoe and winter hiking adventures could begin at Manitoba’s Birds Hill, Spruce Woods, Hecla/Grindstone, and Whiteshell Provincial Parks. Each park has vast areas and longer trails groomed for snowshoers and hikers.
Hit the Manitoba Slopes for the Holidays
Manitoba is home to several different ski hills and resort areas. These areas provide the outdoor recreation with more than just downhill sports, places to eat or drink, and places to stay. Plus, there are several other small-town ski hills located throughout the province.
- Asessippi Ski Area & Resort near the western provincial border offer great runs for skiers and snowboarders, plus snowtubing, snowshoeing, and snow biking. The resort will also host a big New Year’s Eve celebrations on the 31st.
- Find the Falcon Ridge Ski Resort on the eastern border of Manitoba for family-friendly fun on the hill, cabin accommodations, and other activities like cross-country skiing.
- Take to the hills of southern Manitoba at the Holiday Mountain Resort. The resort offers the downhill fun, dining, and lodging in its A-frame cabins.
- Thompson’s Mystery Mountain Winter Park in north-central Manitoba offers a great variety of fun in the snow with downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. And after all that fun, the park’s chalet creates the perfect place for a snack or warm drink.
