Couple from Omaha, Nebraska choose Winnipeg as their vacation destination
An American couple who recently came to Winnipeg for their summer vacation says that people here seemed surprised at their choice of destination, but it turned out to be a good one in the end.
Bill Thoms hadn’t originally planned to travel to Winnipeg with his wife for a Canada Day long weekend, but when the time came for the couple from Omaha, Neb. to look at holiday destinations, it seemed like a good fit.
“I said we should go to Winnipeg, let’s go to Canada. It would be fun… and it’s somewhere we’ve never been,” said Thoms.
They made the nine-hour drive north through Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The couple stayed at the Fort Garry Hotel in downtown Winnipeg. After checking in, the two headed to The Forks for dinner and shopping before taking a stroll through St. Boniface.
On day two of their vacation in Winnipeg, Thoms and his wife joined the Splash Dash River Tour at The Forks. He said their guide was very entertaining and informative. “We learned a lot about the city, about the history of the city…we learned about the floods that happen there every year,” Thoms said.
Next, they went to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), which offered free admission on Canada Day.
“We were really blown away by it,” said Thoms. “Just from an architectural point of view, that building is absolutely amazing.”
He said the exhibits on Canadian residential schools and reconciliation made a real impression.
“As an American, I got the impression that Canadians are more willing to be a little bit more accountable for some past wrongdoings, when we don’t have that kind of culture of accountability in our country right now.” said Thomas.
“That was something I really admired about Canada.”
The Thoms also sang karaoke in Osborne Village, took a day trip to Lake Winnipeg and enjoyed some relaxation at Ten Spa at the Fort Garry Hotel before returning home at the end of the trip.
“We had a great visit overall,” said Thoms.
He said they had really good talks with Winnipeggers when they were here, but one question always came up.
“They said ‘why did you come here for your vacation?'” Thoms said. “It’s funny, because in Omaha we also give the same reaction when people come here.”
“They say ‘we came here for vacation’, we’re like ‘really?'”
When they got home, Thoms posted to the Winnipeg Reddit community, thanking the city for a great vacation. He said there are many similarities between Omaha and Winnipeg.
“There are great things to do in both cities, and I definitely encourage Canadians to come to our beautiful city as well. I’ll be happy to show them around.”
Specifically, he says Omaha has a world-class zoo and the city plans to open a riverside park similar to The Forks.
Despite popular opinion, Winnipeg does get a large number of tourists. According to Economic Development Winnipegthe city attracts about 3.5 million visitors every year.
Thoms said they loved their vacation in Winnipeg. “I would absolutely love to come back,” he said. “A very beautiful city and very nice people.”
