If you are planning a trip to Winnipeg, there is one absolute must-visit destination that completely showcases the heart, beauty, and modern growth of our city: Assiniboine Park.
Spanning over 1,100 acres, this isn’t just a standard city park. It is a world-class attraction blending historic English landscapes, internationally acclaimed art, and a $130M architectural marvel that brings a tropical paradise right to the Canadian Prairies.
Here is how to spend the perfect day exploring Assiniboine Park.
📍 Stop 1: The English Garden & Leo Mol Sculpture Garden
The English Garden
This gorgeous space was designed by landscape architect George Champion way back in the late 1920s. Personally, I can spend a long time in here just wandering around.
It’s laid out in a classic English Landscape style, which basically means you get asymmetrical, free-flowing layouts, curving paths, and open views instead of rigid, boring symmetry. The area features a gorgeous mix of annual flowerbeds, northern landscape plants, Manitoba-bred roses, evergreens, cedars, and ornamental grasses.
Because there are so many unique plants, I always pull out my plant identifier apps to figure out what we are looking at since not all plants are labelled. To be completely honest… the apps don’t always work 😅! But it’s still half the fun.
If you’re planning a trip here, a few things will save your life. (Quick heads-up: The product links below are Amazon affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you buy through them at no extra cost to you!) Winnipeg summers mean you absolutely need to lather up on sunscreen unless you want to match the red roses, a reliable pair of walking shoes since the paths keep going, and a good power bank. Seriously, don’t forget the charger like I sometimes do—there is nothing more stressful than watching your phone hit 2% right when you’re trying to shoot video footage! 😂
Fun fact: As you enter the garden, you’ll spot The Boy with the Boot. It’s a historic cast-iron fountain statue sitting right at the edge of a small pool. It was originally placed in Winnipeg in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee! You’ll also find the Queen Victoria Monument here.
- Hours: Daily from 9:00 AM to dusk
- Cost: Free admission to both the park and the garden
Leo Mol Sculpture Garden
Right at the centre of the garden, you’ll find the Leo Mol Gallery. It’s a small glass pavilion designed by Stechesen Katz. The transparent walls give you a clear view inside to look at the indoor displays of maquettes and sculpted busts while you stand among the outdoor greenery and lily pond. The garden also includes the former old schoolhouse that Leo Mol used as his actual studio.
Throughout the walk, you can see Dr. Mol’s beautiful sculptures scattered all over the garden. Because the backdrop is so gorgeous, it’s a massive hotspot for photography. Don’t be surprised if you run into wedding couples or school graduates getting their official photos taken here and over in the English Garden!
- Hours: Daily from 9:00 AM to dusk
- Cost: Free admission to both the park and the garden
- Winter Notice: The indoor Leo Mol Gallery and School House close during the winter season, but the outdoor sculpture paths remain open year-round
The Duck Pond & Park Café
The Riley Family Duck Pond and Park Café are located right across from the English Garden.
During the warmer months, it’s a super relaxing spot to watch the local ducks—and the dramatic Canadian geese—swimming around in the water.
Visiting in the winter? The whole pond completely transforms into an outdoor skating rink! They set up beautiful light displays all around the perimeter so you can go skating under the stars. If you are headed out there, make sure to pack your skates. The shelter right next to the pond is open daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, making it the perfect place to warm up and change.
Right next to it sits the Park Café, which is located inside the Qualico Family Centre. It features floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the nature trails, making the inside feel completely open and bright. It’s a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat, and they also have a lovely outdoor patio in the summer.
Café Hours: 9 am to 4 pm
🎥 Check out my YouTube video below for a full walkthrough of the gardens and a look at our brunch at the Park Café!
📍 Stop 2: The Leaf – Winnipeg’s $130M Garden Oasis
The Leaf
Opened back in November 2022, The Leaf is Winnipeg’s world-class horticultural attraction. It came with a pretty hefty price tag to build—coming in at around $130 million—but the result is absolutely stunning and a complete must-visit if you are in the city.
One of the coolest things about it is that some of the indoor displays and events change throughout the year, so you can keep going back and never have the exact same experience twice. In fact, many locals buy memberships so they can go back as many times as they want, and the same goes for the zoo
Before you step inside: Make sure to wander through the lovely outdoor gardens first! They are totally free to explore and include a kitchen garden, an indigenous people’s garden, a seasonal garden, and more.
Money-saving tip: Buy your tickets online ahead of time. It’s a bit cheaper than the gate price, and because entry is capped in strict 30-minute windows, booking early is the only way to guarantee your preferred time slot.
If you aren’t sure how to purchase tickets online, my YouTube video below actually has a dedicated chapter showing you exactly how to navigate their website and buy them.
Once you finally walk inside the biomes, the rushing indoor waterfall completely steals the show. It stands at about 60 feet tall, making it the tallest indoor waterfall in Canada! The Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden is absolutely magical, and the Mediterranean Biome and Babs Asper Display House are so beautiful and educational.
I go into full detail in the video below.
Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar
To finish the perfect tour, why not grab lunch at Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar, which is located right inside the building?
The menu is globally inspired but deeply local. They actually harvest a ton of fresh, seasonal ingredients and herbs directly from the outdoor kitchen gardens located right outside the restaurant windows!
Hours: 11 am to 11 pm
🎥 Watch the full 20-minute walkthrough, ticket-buying guide, and lunch at Gather here:
📍 Stop 3: Assiniboine Park Zoo
I used to go to the zoo every single year, and it is easily one of the most iconic spots in the city. The zoo is home to nearly 200 different animal species, featuring awesome seasonal events throughout the year like Red Panda Weekend and Boo at the Zoo for Halloween!
The absolute crown jewel here is Journey to Churchill, a spectacular 10-acre Arctic and northern species exhibit. This is where you get to get up close and personal with Manitoba’s most famous northern animals. It is home to caribou, muskoxen, snowy owls, Arctic foxes and wolves, seals, and of course, polar bears!
If you time it right, you can head inside the Gateway to the Arctic building and watch the polar bears swimming and jumping right into the water directly over your head through the underwater viewing tunnel. I was fortunate enough to catch them in action, and honestly, you just don’t get unique experiences like that in most places on the planet!
Another favourite memory of mine is sitting inside The Tundra Grill enjoying a hot beverage while watching the polar bears lunging and playing around right outside the windows.
Additionally, you can visit in the evening during the winter months for Zoo Lights—it usually runs from late November to early January.
Now, I can’t lie—going at night in December is incredibly cold. At least the two times I went, I was absolutely freezing! 😂 If you aren’t used to Winnipeg’s intense winter chill, you just have to dress for it. Make sure you bundle up in a serious, heavy-duty down winter parka if you want to actually enjoy the light displays without turning into an icicle.
Fun Fact: Did you know the zoo had its own TV show (2021 to 2022)? You can still watch Arctic Vets on CBC Gem and Prime Video. This documentary series follows the veterinary and conservation teams at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy as they care for polar bears and other Arctic species both at the zoo and in the wild. I love watching it, and it’s a perfect preview before your trip.
I’m definitely due for a return visit soon, and hopefully, I’ll be creating a full video tour when I go!
🌐 Official Visitor Directories & Links
Want to check current holiday hours, special event schedules, or menus before you go? Here are the official website links for everything covered in this guide:
- Assiniboine Park Grounds: Check out overall park maps and seasonal alerts on the Assiniboine Park Official Website.
- The Leaf: Book your timed-entry tickets and look up changing exhibits directly at The Leaf Homepage.
- Assiniboine Park Zoo: Plan your visit to see the polar bears and check upcoming winter events at the Assiniboine Park Zoo Directory.
- Where to Eat:
- Browse the fresh, garden-to-table menus at Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar.
- Check out breakfast and lunch hours at the Park Café Dining Page.