Ice Castle: Winnipeg Edition

Once upon a time some folks from Utah came and built a glorious castle where two rivers meet. People came from far and wide to witness this icy masterpiece.

In all seriousness, the Ice Castle has been buzzing in Winnipeg this winter. This is the first year it has been here and they picked a good one as weather has been unseasonably cold. What a better place to build an ice castle than the coldest city on earth! But if you build it in ice, you can guarantee that the weather will warm up as Festival du Voyageur has taught us. I guess we can thank the Ice Castle for our recent warm (and mucky) weather.

We decided to wait a few weeks from opening to visit the castle. Our goal was to avoid the crowds and get in as early as possible to see it in daylight. I suggest you buy your tickets in advance as most of the evenings were sold out. If you are looking to get unobstructed photos, book the earliest time on a weekday and line up about 30 minutes in advance.

Once you are inside it is time to take it all in. The castle itself is about an acre in size. There are many nooks and crannies to explore. The castle houses a fountain, several fire pits and an ice slide for children. What I enjoyed most was seeing the Human Rights Museum and Esplanade Riel from inside. It gives it a unique Winnipeg feel. I believe the castle has been carefully constructed to highlight these structures.

I highly recommend visiting the castle if you are in the area. It is unlike anything I have seen. Truly magical and impressive. I would also recommend wearing flat boots that extend higher up on the leg. The snow in the castle is deep and granular which makes you sink in and get a boot full. I would tell you to dress warm, but I like to practice what I preach. Lucky, I did not get a cold or pneumonia! And they all lived happily ever after…

Happy Travels,

Kira Canadian Girl