Manitoba is a great winter destination for snowmobilers--great trails, great communities, and great people to make your holiday memorable.

Brandon is a favorite entry spot from the US to Manitoba, particularly in the summer when the International Peace Gardens are in bloom. This small city of around 40,000 is directly north of Rugby, the geographical center of North America. To check out Brandon's year-round attractions, visit: http://winnipeg.foundlocally.com/Travel/Near-Brandon.htm. Brandon is about 45 minutes from the US border.

I've stayed in Brandon on numerous occasions, and my favorite location is always the Colonial Inn, right on the #10 highway that comes in from the US. The rooms are comfortable, quiet, and affordable. Plus, who can resist the whirlpool when warming up after snowmobiling? For more information, check http://www.wdd.cx/colonial/.

For snow conditions, trails and trail pass information for this area, and others in Manitoba, check out: http://www.snoman.mb.ca/buyride.htm. The http://www.mts.net/~rvanwyck/snoflies.html site also has maps and trail reports for Southern Manitoba.

Winnipeg, MB, is about an hour north of the US border on highway #75 [US I-29, that leads directly into Fargo, ND]. It's truly the city that loves winter, as you can see from the mayor's Snowman Challenge! Check it out at: http://www.city.winnipeg.mb.ca/interhom/events/20030222.stm. They also publish a convenient winter guide, so you can plan your after-snowmobiling fun! Download it here: http://www.city.winnipeg.mb.ca/cms/Leisure/.

Capital city of Manitoba, Winnipeg is Canada's 8th largest city with a population of 671,000 (see Canadian city statistics at: http://www.canadainfolink.ca/cities.htm). It is a very multicultural city, which is reflected in its dining rooms -- http://winnipeg.foundlocally.com/Dining/Rest-Scene.htm. My favorite hotel is the Radisson Suite Hotel, Winnipeg Airport at: http://www.radisson.com/winnipegca_airport [Try their dining room, the meals are delicious.]

If you'd like to ride in the snowmobile center of Manitoba, check out Beausejour -- we've been visiting for 25 years, and each trip is more fun than the last! The town's site is at: http://www.granite.mb.ca/erdc/beausejour/. Home of the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships [CPTC], the Beausejour race track was only second after The Pas, MB [1958] in bringing snowmobile racing to spectators at their 1962 winter festival. It was a year ahead of the US Eagle River World Championship of Racing that began in 1963. For more information on CPTC, visit http://cptcracing.com/#.

Snowmobile ice sculpture at Beausejour winter festival.

You can park your sleds at one of four different locations in Beausejour for the night, all of which will provide you with a comfortable sleep. For contact information, visit http://www.granite.mb.ca/erdc/beausejour/ or these direct links:

• Super 8 Motel


• Beausejour hotels & motels

Nearly 10,000 years ago, geologists say Lake Agassiz covered nearly all of southern Manitoba. Eventally, the glaciers and Lake Agassiz disappeared, leaving moraines, drumlins, eskers and remnant lakes scattered across the province. The province has more than 100,000 lakes scattered throughout, with Lake Winnipeg the largest. Today snowmobilers will find more than 10,000 kms of groomed trails.

For information about snowmobiling Manitoba's parks visit:

• http://www.parklandtourism.com/winter.html


• http://www.lodgesresorts.com/Manitoba/man-southern-eco.html


• http://www.travelmanitoba.com/visitorinfo/scenic_highway.html


• http://www.triplescfdc.mb.ca/tourism/recreation.htm

If you're looking for the perfect family snowmobile destination this winter, choose Southern Manitoba!

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