If Manitoba’s capital city of Winnipeg hasn’t been on your to-do list of late, grab a pencil and add these reasons to your list of travel musts. Begin with the new Thermëa, modeled on the Scandinavian spa tradition of alternating circuits of hot and cold treatments. The spa offers year-round seasonal experiences, and features a Finnish sauna and Norwegian steam bath, plus an icy waterfall, cold pool and multiple relaxation areas. Try the Aufguss ritual, where the steamy vapors are enhanced by essential oils.

Make a visit to the brand new Canadian Museum for Human Rights, with exhibitions that weave together the story of human rights issues throughout the world, broken out in 11 separate galleries that include Indigenous Perspectives and Breaking the Silence, an exploration of historic atrocities that have been hidden or denied. At Assiniboine Park Zoo, take a trip through the world’s largest and most far-reaching exploration of northern species with Journey to Churchill. Landscape recreations include the Wapusk Lowlands, Gateway to the Arctic and the Churchill Coast. Additional areas include the Aurora Borealis Theatre and the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre.