When summer arrives in Winnipeg, we don't take it for granted! We understand fully that this season is short, yet glorious, and we take every opportunity to enjoy the weather, the longer days and the long weekends. To help you make the most of your summer, we asked our entire staff to share their number one activity to do this summer! We've compiled all of these fun tips and are sharing our JRC Summer Bucket List with you. Consider this a fun list of activities to do to make the most of your summer. 1 - Hit The Beach! A classic for most people, hitting the beach is always a good time! "My favourite thing to do is heading to Grand Beach on a Monday. We always go to the family beach, even before we had kids because it’s less crowded. The campground at Grand Beach is great as well! We’re gonna test out camping with a toddler this summer." - Ashley 2 - Go to a Park There are so many things you can do in the park. You can play catch and go for bike rides (two of Claire's favourite activities) and you can take the activities you normally do indoors, outside like reading, listening to music or painting. 3 - Go for Ice Cream We may be biased to recommend heading to BDI to try an item off of our JRCxBDI collaborative menu available all summer long, however, there are so many incredible ice cream shops in all areas of the city. "My favourite place to go for ice cream is Chaeban. They even have GF and vegan options which is super cool and local!" - Alyssa 4 - Go for a Drive Getting out of the city for a quick drive is a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening. Nicole L loves taking drives to Lockport. 5 - Head to a Goldeyes, Bombers or Valour VCF game As a staff, we've gone to a Goldeyes game and it was so much fun! These games are affordable and fun for the whole family. Grab a few friends and make a night of it. 6 - Take in a show at Rainbow Stage Rainbow Stage really is fun for the whole family! Whether it's a date with friends or your partner, taking in some live talent is always fun. Nicole L always enjoys taking in a show over the summer! 7 - Visit the Zoo Who doesn't love the zoo?! Being able to walk around outdoors while learning about all the different animals at The Zoo has been a favourite past time of many of the JRC staff who will still take opportunities to get to the Zoo with nieces, nephews, cousins and all the other littles in their lives. 8 - St.Norbert Farmers Market We are so lucky in Manitoba to have access to so many amazing farmer's markets! From the downtown farmers markets to smaller markets popping up in small towns everywhere, we love supporting our local community. The St.Norbert Farmers Market is iconic and heading to the market on a Saturday morning to enjoy the local produce, treats and other goods from crafters and makers is a fun way to kick off the weekend. 9 - Take a long weekend and go to the lake! Mini golf? Ice cream? The Beach? Fishing? What can't you do at the lake!? Taking a long weekend to head to the lake is a favourite past time of many staff at JRC including Jeff, Jenna and Ashley's Dad! "I have a fishing boat and love to go out on the river or one of the many lakes close by and try to catch some fish. I am also trying to improve my golf game. Maybe I can break 90 by the end of the summer!" 10 - Bonfires + BBQ'S What is more Manitoban during the summer than Bonfires and BBQs? "Buying marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers, and heading out to one of the sites at Assiniboine Park is one of my fav things in the city! Not only is it relatively cheap but with a fire site that is ready to go, it’s also super easy." - Josee

11 - Walk the Forks Is it just us thinking this, or does The Forks keep getting better and better? The Forks always used to be an amazing tourist destination and all the recent improvements over the past few years have made The Forks THE place to be this summer. The Common's new outdoor licensed area is filled with comfortable seating and cute lights dangling from the tree's and with the announcement of their #targetzero project aiming to go zero garbage, you'll be supporting a wonderful initiative to improve our planet. 12 - Camping + Hiking. With the limited warm weather months, camping is a fun option for those with an adventurous streak! Jordain loves to go camping over the weekend when she can and will often hit up local areas for some evenings under the stars. Manitoba has a lot to offer for walks and hikes! You can enjoy the wilderness at places like Fort Whyte Alive right in Winnipeg, or branch out to Birds Hill Park or take in the trails in the Pembina Valley. 13 - Festivals Summer in Manitoba is filled with festivals! From local festivals in small towns to Winnipeg favourites like Folklorama and Many Fest, there's a festival for everyone in the summer. Aelea is looking forward to attending the first Sunflower Expo at A Maze In Corn this summer-- over 40 varieties of sunflowers with craft beer, wine and live music. 14 - Slurpees! What is more Winnipeg than being sure to indulge in as many slurpees as you can?! Claire loves getting in slurpees all summer long! 15 - Patio Life Winnipegers take true advantage of patio season! From the time a patio opens, Winnipegers will bundle up as much as they need to accommodate the weather just to sit outdoors for their food and drinks. A favourite place of Jenna Reid is The Roost on Corydon for fun cocktails in the summer! How do you make the most of summer? We would love to hear how you enjoy the short, but sweet, summer we have here in Manitoba!