If you’re looking for a quick water related getaway to one of the lakes near Winnipeg, you came to the right place. With thousands of lakes and bodies of water which consist over 15% of the province’s entire land, you are no more than an hour drive away from a nice lake near Winnipeg.
Even if you happen to be in Winnipeg (as most of the people in the province), you can find a great lake not too far from the capitol of Manitoba.
Although many Manitobans have their favorite lake in mind when thinking of a weekend getaway, we’ll try and help you decide on your next sunny trip to the lake, and maybe even suggest a lake you’ve never visited before.
Birds Hill Park
One of the most favorite parks for Winnipegers to hang in during a warm summer day. Birds Hill Park holds several other attractions, but within its premise you’ll find a great artificial lake where you can dip and cool yourself in a hot summer weekend.
One of the reasons the people of Winnipeg love Birds Hill Park so much is its closeness to the city.
You get to enjoy a great trip to nature, only 17 KM away from the outskirts of town.
The only downside of its proximity to Winnipeg is the fact it’s usually packed with bathers throughout the summer, and especially on weekends.
Grand Beach
On the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg (the 6th largest body of water in Canada and 12th world-wide) you’ll find Grand Beach with its white sands.
Grand Beach stretches for 3 kilometers making it quite spacious, although can be crowded on weekend and holidays.
One of the nice natural attractions of the beach are its dunes of sand that you can find at the eastern side of it.
At about 85 KM form the outskirts of Winnipeg, Grand Beach is a great choice for people who would like to keep the drive at under an hour.
Since it is quite a long stretch of a shore, you can find several parking lots along it, whether you’d like to camp yourself at the eastern or western part of it.
St. Malo Lake
Most people of Winnipeg like to travel north of town to get their aquatic needs met, and it’s quite clear with one of the largest lakes in Canada just an hour away from the city. But if you happen to live in the southern parts of Winnipeg, or just looking for something a bit new St. Malo Beach and Provincial Park will be a great choice.
The lake in St. Malo is man-made and was created by the damming of the Rat River, it has a nice stretch of a sandy beach.
The lake is surrounded by a grassy park, shaded by trees that has some great spots for picnics and BBQ. There are also some nice play structures in the park, a feature favorable by families.
At around 60 KM away from the south-east corner of Winnipeg, and in under 40 minutes of drive, you’ll find a great dipping location which some might say is even a hidden gem in southern Manitoba.
Falcon Lake
If you’re willing to travel a bit out of Winnipeg, Falcon Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park is the destination for you.
Although 130 KM away from the eastern part of Winnipeg, the lake and many beaches surrounding sure worth the hour and a half of drive.
There are few lakes you can find within the enormous Whiteshell Provincial Park, but Falcon Lake is without a doubt the most popular of them all.
You can find some sandy beaches along the shores of this large lake, and even rent a small boat for leisure cruising in the lake’s marina.
See what there is to do around Falcon Lake.
Brereton Lake
Just like Falcon Lake, this vast and beautiful lake is located in Whiteshell Provincial Park, at the eastern border of the province.
Although not all of its shores are spotted with sandy beaches, you can find some nice spots in the southern part (south beach), middle part, where you can also find the Brereton Lake Resort (main beach) and northern shore (Inverness Falls Resort).
Due to its relative distance from Winnipeg and popularity of Falcon Lake (just south of it), the lake and its beaches are usually less crowded and some people find it to be a hidden gem in the vast Whiteshell Provincial Park.
Don’t forget to join our Facebook group – Manitoba Lakes, to get all the updates on lakes, beaches and maritime activities in the province.
