2 — Winnipeg, MB & Twin Cities, MN

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

In March of 2018, Liam and Bailey took their first trip outside of the United States. The couple had a desire to visit Canada, and being on a budget, Winnipeg was a great option! It was only a 10-hour drive straight north of Omaha, Nebraska (where the couple lived), so they made the trip, accompanied by a good friend.

Day 1 consisted of making the 10 hour trek to Winnipeg. The party made their first stop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to explore Falls Park. While in search of food, the group came across a St. Patrick’s day celebration in downtown that offered free breakfast. Somewhere in North Dakota, along the interstate, they passed by a vehicle on fire! This was a unique experience…

Day 2 was designated for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Experiencing this was an excellent way of learning more about the Canadian culture as well as some of the Canadian history that American students aren’t generally taught. The architecture of this building left Liam and Bailey in awe. The museum is built in such a way that doesn’t seem possible, yet it clearly is, as it stood right there in front of them. Following the museum, the group returned to the Airbnb for some rest, relaxation, and of course hockey!

Day 3 of the trip was one you might not commonly expect for Winnipeg in March. The group visited the Assiniboine Zoo. The warm weather animals and creatures were not around for viewing, however, there was still plenty to enjoy that day. The journey went extremely well and the group experienced much more than anticipated. That evening was spent at a local park called, Little Mountain Park. They hiked the park and captured a few photographs. As night fell, they all had quite the scare when they became lost in the thick trees. Don’t worry, they made it out just fine!

On day 4, the group visited the Royal Aviation Museum of Winnipeg. This idea came from Liam who is quite the aviation fanatic. The museum was exciting and held far more aircraft than expected, once again, leaving the crew in awe of the experience. That evening presented the main purpose of the trip to Winnipeg. Winnipeg Jets Hockey! The Jets were playing the Los Angeles Kings at Bell MTS Place. All 3 members on this trip are big hockey fans, which aways a great incentive to travel north. At the game, Liam and Bailey found a new favorite sandwich (Maple, Chicken, and Waffle—which they no longer sell), Liam received a puck from a former player of the junior hockey team from his hometown, and the Jets won in overtime! They could not have asked for a better experience.

Day 5 was spent at the Royal Canadian Mint, Winnipeg Legislation Building, and a comedy show at a local comedy bar. The Royal Canadian Mint was a unique experience, however, no photographs were allowed. Bailey did sneak a few pictures of the Olympic Medals from the 2010 Winter Olympics, as this was where they were made! The Legislation building was really just an excuse for Liam to get out and take some more pictures. The comedy show was at a club called Rumor’s Comedy Club and the headliner was a comedian by the name of Ryan Ash.

Day 6 was the final full day in Winnipeg. The group made a trip to the Assiniboine Park for a short hike and exploration. They also visited shops from previous days to make some last chance purchases they weren’t quite sure about previously. They then spent time in the Airbnb packing to leave the following morning as well as watching some more hockey (of course).

Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA

Day 7 of the trip was spent on the road, once again. The group left early in the morning for St. Paul, Minnesota. During the drive, they made passed through Fargo, North Dakota, and decided to stop for some food and exploration. The most memorable experience here was a restaurant named Pounds and a local hockey shop on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota.

The reason for taking time to stop in Minnesota was to both shorten the drive home and go to yet another hockey game. Prior to the game, the group visited Mall of America. This was Liam and Bailey’s first time visiting Mall of America, but their friend had been once or twice before. The Minnesota Wild were playing the Nashville Predators at Excel Energy Center.