Travel – Winnipeg Free Press

Dorothy Mackintosh photo
Gord and Margie Mackintosh float down the Pinawa Channel.

Boreal river town Pinawa a summertime delight

Gord Mackintosh 5 minute read Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Next summer, try floating downstream immersed in boreal beauty. Bounce on a suspension bridge or a buoyant playground. Stroll among tumbling cascades or mid-town deer. Lose your golf balls.

All at pretty Pinawa, roughly a 90-minute drive northeast of Winnipeg.

Floating down the Pinawa Channel is a Manitoba must. Margie and I rent the Dynamic Duo inflatable tube from Pinawa Float and Paddle. Pinawa Unplugged is another option. Don’t fear this adventure just because it ends at Pinawa Cemetery.

The two-to-three-hour journey can be a raucous, jostling event with excited youngsters as flotilla sailors, or a quiet, relaxing drift.

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Tyra the Tyrannosaurus likely to leave a footprint in Drumheller civic election

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Tyra the Tyrannosaurus likely to leave a footprint in Drumheller civic election

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

DRUMHELLER, ALBERTA, CANADA - The future of Tyra the Tyrannosaurus is still up in the air, but that’s not stopping her from leaving a big footprint in Drumheller’s upcoming civic election.

AJ Frey, a local businessman who drummed up a 25,000-name petition to try to keep the 25-metre-high tourist attraction from extinction, is running for town council.

And he says Tyra is running with him on the ballot.

"Whether she does become an election issue or not I'm going to make her one," Frey said in an interview. "I felt like that kind of gave me a little bit of an edge because people will know right away, (saying) ‘Oh, that's the dinosaur guy.’"

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Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the lovable landmark that towers over the Drumheller skyline in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, is facing an extinction-level event and is pictured in Drumheller, Alta., Tuesday, April 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘Massive lift’: Toronto businesses, industry groups welcome Blue Jays playoff boost

Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

‘Massive lift’: Toronto businesses, industry groups welcome Blue Jays playoff boost

Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

TORONTO - As the Toronto Blue Jays prepare to host the New York Yankees in the first game of the American League Division Series on Saturday, local businesses and industry groups say they welcome the expected boost in tourism and consumer spending amid a tough year for the Canadian economy.

The first-ever playoff meeting between the two teams opens with games on Saturday and Sunday at Rogers Centre. The series is good news for restaurants, hotels and other businesses across the city, said Kelly Jackson, vice-president of destination development for Destination Toronto.

"When you go to a Jays game during the regular season, it's not surprising to see fans there with flags from Newfoundland or homemade signs saying that they had come from the Prairies," said Jackson.

"The excitement around the playoffs is only going to amplify that kind of enthusiasm and we're expecting that many people will be travelling into Toronto to be part of the experience."

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Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette celebrate with teammates after winning the American League East Division title following MLB baseball action against the Tampa Bay Rays, in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Autumn in the park

Shel Zolkewich 5 minute read Preview

Autumn in the park

Shel Zolkewich 5 minute read Saturday, Sep. 27, 2025

There was a time, not so long ago, when the arrival of autumn meant the departure of summer visitors and the inevitable closing of most shops and services in Wasagaming.

That has all changed for the town inside Riding Mountain National Park.

Throughout fall and even into winter, more than a dozen accommodation options invite visitors to come to Clear Lake.

Restaurants and shops extend their seasons to Thanksgiving, and some keep the doors open the entire year.

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Saturday, Sep. 27, 2025

On your way out, take the road less travelled. The historic East Gate entrance dates to the 1930s and you’ll get the best views along the way.

Artemis II crew and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen ready for historic moon mission

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Artemis II crew and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen ready for historic moon mission

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Sep. 24, 2025

LONGUEUIL - The crew of the Artemis II mission, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are heading around the moon in 2026, but the team said Wednesday they are most concerned about laying the groundwork for future missions.

"We look through the lens of mission success, which is Artemis III getting back to the surface of the moon," Hansen told a news conference Wednesday at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"And so we do all of this training, all this preparation ... always thinking about what are we handing off to the next crew. Is what we're developing going to help them achieve that objective?"

"It's just a really neat way to look at this."

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Wednesday, Sep. 24, 2025

Jenni Gibbons, left, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, both Canadian Space Agency astronauts, work in the Orion mission simulator at Johnson Space Center on Friday, July 25, 2025, in Houston, ahead of the Artemis II mission. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Ashley Landis

Spirit Airlines to furlough 1,800 flight attendants amid second bankruptcy

Rio Yamat, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Spirit Airlines to furlough 1,800 flight attendants amid second bankruptcy

Rio Yamat, The Associated Press 3 minute read Monday, Sep. 22, 2025

Spirit Airlines plans to furlough 1,800 flight attendants before the end of the year, the cash-strapped budget carrier said Monday.

The company said it made the “difficult decision” to put cabin crew members on temporary leave to match staffing needs with expected flight demand during Spirit's second bankruptcy in a year.

“We recognize the impact of this decision on affected team members, and we are committed to treating them with care and respect during this process,” the airline said in a statement.

Spirit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month and subsequently announced that it planned to suspend operations in about a dozen U.S. cities beginning in October.

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Monday, Sep. 22, 2025

FILE - A Spirit Airlines 319 Airbus approaches Manchester Boston Regional Airport for a landing, Friday, June 2, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

DIY Vancouver by bike: Leisurely cycling, striking statues, yummy eats and a trendy hotel

Steve MacNaull 5 minute read Preview

DIY Vancouver by bike: Leisurely cycling, striking statues, yummy eats and a trendy hotel

Steve MacNaull 5 minute read Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025

Terry Fox waves to me.

Naturally, I wave back.

And then I stop my rental bike in the plaza in front of BC Place Stadium and the BC Sports Hall of Fame because this series of four sculptures of Fox is so striking.

The bronzes by Vancouver artist, designer and novelist Douglas Coupland are a poignant and perfect tribute to a Canadian hero who was born in Winnipeg and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.

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Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025

Steve MacNaull photos / Free Press
The author with his rental wheels.

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‘Something ain’t right’: Streamer captures WestJet plane hard landing in St. Maarten

Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

‘Something ain’t right’: Streamer captures WestJet plane hard landing in St. Maarten

Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Monday, Sep. 8, 2025

A St. Maarten-based live streamer and ex-airplane mechanic says he's never witnessed something as disruptive as the hard landing of a WestJet plane that shut down the runway at the Caribbean island's iconic airport.

Jacco Steffens, co-founder of content and streaming website SHOWME Caribbean, said he was remotely operating a web camera pointed at St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport and streaming on YouTube as usual on Sunday.

That was until he went to zoom into the landing of WestJet flight WS2276 from Toronto at around 1 p.m. ET.

"I said, 'Something ain't right,'" Steffens recalled.

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Monday, Sep. 8, 2025

Members of the flight crew are shown near a WestJet plane after a hard landing at Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten in this Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Government of Sint Maarten (Mandatory Credit)

New life in an old town: Neepawa is having a growth spurt

Shel Zolkewich 4 minute read Preview

New life in an old town: Neepawa is having a growth spurt

Shel Zolkewich 4 minute read Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025

A weathered tombstone stands in the historic Riverside Cemetery at Neepawa’s northern edge. The date of Lewis Hickman’s passing was April 15, 1912, and for aficionados of one famous ocean liner, that date is significant.

But how did a prairie cemetery in Canada come to be the final resting place of a Titanic victim?

In 1908, Leonard Hickman — the younger brother of Lewis — emigrated to Neepawa and found rewarding work at Harold Honeyman’s farm. A few years later, he travelled back to England and convinced his brothers, Lewis and Stanley, to come to Canada.

During the chaos on the sinking ship, Lewis grabbed his brother Leonard’s coat and went up on deck. His body was the 256th recovered and was identified as that of Leonard because a membership card for the Neepawa Foresters Lodge was found in his pocket.

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Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025

Shel Zolkewich photo
You can’t miss the delightful hid’n hollow children’s store, packed with toys, books, baby goods and plenty of ideas to let those imaginations soar.

A roadtrip through Scotland’s rolling hills, ancient history and the zany spectacle of Fringe

Eva Wasney 4 minute read Preview

A roadtrip through Scotland’s rolling hills, ancient history and the zany spectacle of Fringe

Eva Wasney 4 minute read Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

Caravanners, backpackers and daredevil cyclists.

Roadtripping in Scotland is a chance to explore the country’s awe-inspiring landscape on your own schedule, while dodging droves of eclectic travellers doing the exact same.

My partner and I spent eight days in July navigating the Scottish countryside in a rented campervan.

We picked up our home on wheels — a well-appointed Volkswagen van — near Edinburgh and headed north for the highlands. Rolling farmland quickly gave way to rolling hills and tall evergreens. A wee taste of what was to come.

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Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

A rebuilt highland outpost, Eilean Donan is one of Scotland’s thousands of castles.

Wet and wonky is the theme of Wawanesa’s water race

Gord Mackintosh 5 minute read Preview

Wet and wonky is the theme of Wawanesa’s water race

Gord Mackintosh 5 minute read Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

A plywood sheet. Some two-inch boards. Poly and a Styrofoam sheet. Plus a plastic pipe, screws and duct tape.

From these materials, 10 boisterous teams build boats and oars in just over three hours for a truly endearing race: Wawanesa’s Pound, Pail and Paddle.

This July, two boats capsized. Just two! Sometimes, most do. Sometimes vessels don’t leave the start line.

Two hours southwest of Winnipeg, Wawanesa lies between a meander of the Souris River. Cliffs and hills further distinguish the townsite from its prairie milieu.

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Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

They’re off, with Valley Gurlz in the foreground.

Vancouver International Airport reports delays, cites staffing issues with NAV CANADA

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Vancouver International Airport reports delays, cites staffing issues with NAV CANADA

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025

VANCOUVER - Vancouver International Airport is reporting that some of its flights are being delayed, citing staffing shortfalls with NAV CANADA.

A media release from the airport says that due to unexpected staffing constraints at the country’s air navigation service provider, passengers may experience changes to their flights.

That includes delays that may affect connecting flights and cancellations, particularly on regional routes around B.C.

NAV CANADA issued its own statement on the social media platform known as X, saying it regrets the impact the disruption may have on travellers.

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Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025

People sleep under a flight information board at the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how

Rio Yamat, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how

Rio Yamat, The Associated Press 3 minute read Monday, Aug. 25, 2025

Southwest Airlines will soon require travelers who don't fit within the armrests of their seat to pay for an extra one in advance, part of a string of recent changes the carrier is making.

The new rule goes into effect Jan. 27, the same day Southwest starts assigning seats.

Currently, plus-size passengers can either pay for an extra seat in advance with the option of getting that money back later, or they can request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the carrier's new policy, a refund is still possible but no longer guaranteed.

In a statement Monday, Southwest said it is updating some of its policies as it prepares for assigned seating next year.

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Monday, Aug. 25, 2025

FILE - A Southwest Airlines plane pull into a gate at Pittsburgh International Airport in Imperial, Pa., Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Backpack, rifle belonging to missing Norwegian hiker found in northern Manitoba: RCMP

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Backpack, rifle belonging to missing Norwegian hiker found in northern Manitoba: RCMP

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025

WINNIPEG - Searchers canvassing treacherous muskeg and swift-moving rivers have recovered a backpack and rifle belonging to a missing Norwegian trekker who was on a cross-continental journey of the Canadian wilderness.

Manitoba RCMP say a search continued Thursday for Steffen Skjottelvik when those involved found the items.

Police previously obtained what are believed to be the last coordinates where Skjottelvik's GPS device was connected to satellites. They could not say whether the backpack and rifle were found in the same area.

Skjottelvik was travelling on foot with his two dogs from Fort Severn, Ont., to York Factory in northern Manitoba when he went missing last week.

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Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025

Steffen Skjottelvik is seen in an undated handout photo published to social media Dec. 19, 2024. The 29-year-old had set out on foot with his two dogs last month with plans to arrive in York Factory on Friday, but he never made it. Royal Canadian Mounted Police believe Skjottelvik tried to cross a fast-moving river and was swept away in the process. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Facebook, @steffen.lauritzen.1 (Mandatory Credit)

Air Canada to cover hotel, meal costs for passengers whose flights were cancelled

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Air Canada to cover hotel, meal costs for passengers whose flights were cancelled

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025

Air Canada says it is expanding its reimbursement policy for customers affected by widespread cancellations during the recent flight attendants' strike.

The airline said that in addition to refunding customers who booked alternative transportation because of cancelled flights between Aug. 15 and Aug. 23, it will now also cover "reasonable expenses" for hotel stays, meals and other related costs during that period.

"We deeply apologize to all customers whose travel plans were disrupted, and we're committed to making things right for all customers — particularly those who were stranded during their trip," said Mark Nasr, executive vice-president and chief operations officer at Air Canada, in a press release.

The company said claims must be supported with receipts, which can be submitted through Air Canada's online customer relations portal.

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Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025

An Air Canada traveller gets her boarding pass at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, Que., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Paris residents fight overtourism and ‘Disneyfication’ of beloved Montmartre neighborhood

Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Paris residents fight overtourism and ‘Disneyfication’ of beloved Montmartre neighborhood

Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025

PARIS (AP) — When Olivier Baroin moved into an apartment in Montmartre about 15 years ago, it felt like he was living in a village in the heart of Paris. Not anymore.

Stores for residents are disappearing, along with the friendly atmosphere, he says. In their place are hordes of people taking selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets, and cafés whose seating spills into the narrow, cobbled streets as overtourism takes its toll.

Baroin has had enough. He put his apartment up for sale after local streets were designated pedestrian-only while accommodating the growing number of visitors.

“I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, it’s even more complicated when you can no longer take your car, when you have to call a taxi from morning to night," he told The Associated Press.

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Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025

October 7, 2025

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