As you’ll find out as Assiniboine Park Zoo this summer, sloths are a big sell.
Add in some adorable armadillos, seemingly huggable hedgehogs, and spine-tinglingly huge tarantulas, then you’ve got yourself a smash hit exhibit.
The claws (and cuteness) are coming out
This fabulous cast of characters can be found at Assiniboine Park Zoo this summer as part of the Defenses of the Animal Kingdom exhibit.
Located in the west side of the Zoo, within the Doug Harvey, Jan Shute and Family Centre, this new exhibit also features reptiles like the Taiwan beauty snake, musk turtle (so cute!) and box turtle (even cuter!), along with amphibians like the incredibly colourful ornate uromastyx, the Oman lizard and the super cool green anole that can change colours from brown to green.
All of these animals have adapted some incredible (and sometimes just plain strange) ways to defend themselves from predators, and you’ll be able to see them up close and learn how these mighty little marvels survive. Heck, you might even get to experience zoo keepers holding some of them right before your eyes!
The exhibit is now open and runs until September 2, with in-depth zoo chats with wildlife caretakers held daily at 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., with admission to the exhibit included with regular zoo admissions.
The biggest bugs you'll ever see!
How big you say? Well, normally, when it comes to bugs you are most likely looking down on them. But at the Xtreme BUGS exhibit, the tables have turned as these 19 massive animatronic insects will tower over your family!
Essentially, you’ll feel like an aphid as you stroll past massive insects like the orchid mantis, a leaf-cutter ant, seven-spotted ladybug (cute, sure, but their main diet is aphids!), a giant vinegaroon (definitely not cute) a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach and an African flat tail scorpion.
You don’t have to be an entomophile (that’s someone who is keen on insects) to love this exhibit. The scale of these animatronic behemoths will have you marvelling at the fascinating details – from the hairs, claws, mandibles and wings – that these insects flaunt.
Located in the Animals of Asia part of the zoo, this exhibit makes for one freaky and fascinating stroll.
Along with these two new exhibits, the zoo is of course always a sure bet in the summer, as you can see so many species enjoying the sunshine like the monkeys outside Toucan Ridge; the powerful Amur tiger (it has so much presence – when it walks by you can literally feel its breathing in your own chest!); those saucy bridge-crossing goats of Aunt Sally’s Farm; and all the Open Range animals like the red kangaroos and the oh-so-cute common wallaroo.
So much happening all around Assiniboine Park
Of course, the zoo is just one of many blockbuster attractions you can find in Assiniboine Park.
At The Leaf, a brand-new Garden of Healing summer display has just opened in the Babs Asper Display House, providing the tranquility and colour we all crave.
Outside, the thematic Gardens at The Leaf have really started to bloom, providing all your senses with a real feast –– from gorgeous aromas of blooming flowers, to stunning colours everywhere you look. With almost 30 acres to explore, this is an ideal setting to browse for hours on end.
The Park is also full of mature gardens like the formal English Garden, which too provides a serene scene for a stroll, as does the connected Leo Mol Sculpture Garden where you can see numerous bronze statues by the celebrated Ukrainian-Canadian artist.
Whenever you get hungry, Assiniboine Park provides a range of options. For something quick and casual head to the Park Treats window at The Park Café, which itself is one of the city’s top destinations for brunch. The Park Cafe itself also has a delightful courtyard-style patio that surrounds you in nature as you savour all-day breakfast dishes, or new smash burgers like the BBQ stacker.
At The Leaf, Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar has a menu from chef Mike de Groot that provides so much colour and flavour. In the summer, many of the ingredients come straight from the Kitchen Garden, located right outside The Leaf, while some exotic ingredients grown in the Tropical Biome can occasionally be found in the cocktails and desserts. The restaurant also has a splendid west-facing patio, ensuring your dinners come with a side of sunsets if you are there late. There are plenty of umbrellas for shade at lunch and cocktail hour (which is what we call 4 o'clock), and the patio is dog friendly too.
Cargo Bar, the Park’s much-loved-by-locals outdoor pop-up bar (located just across The Riley Family Duck Pond from the Park Café) also has a new addition this summer. To complement its selection of craft cocktails, local beer, and wines, you’ll now find Taco Barrio, a new concept that brings the best things about taquerias to this unbeatable al fresco setting.
From Cargo Bar you’ll spy the Lyric Theatre across the field, which too plays host to free concerts, films and more as part of the park's Summer Entertainment Series. This summer, this includes performances from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet during Ballet in the Park (July 24-26), along with all these performances listed here.
If you’re looking to see the most of the park in a short time, rent bikes from Bee-2-Gether Bikes –– whose fleet includes tandem bikes, novelty bikes that can hold a whole family, and cruisers –– then hit the trails.
Have kids in tow? The Nature Playground (located right beside The Pavilion) will re-open in mid-June with new improvements throughout. Once you enter through its lush gate, you can expect a land of enchantment with countless obstacles, hills, water features and swings that make for big fun for your littles.
If the weather turns foul, you can always explore The Pavilion too, which is home to treasures like the Pooh Gallery (you know Winnie is short for Winnipeg, right?), and the galleries of WAG@ThePark where you can see engrossing (and massive) landscapes from Ivan Eyre and the charming pastoral paintings of John P Crabb.
And that’s just a snapshot of what awaits in Winnipeg’s largest urban park.
For more inspiration head to
assiniboinepark.ca
