Grand Beach, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Grand Beach is a freshwater beach on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg
in Manitoba
, Canada
. It is located on the northern edge of the town of Grand Marais.
In the early days the grandest of all buildings in the resort was the Dance Pavilion, rated by some as the largest dance hall of its time in the Commonwealth. It was destroyed in a fire in 1950. Along with the incredible beaches the dance hall made Grand Beach a very attractive day trip destination for Winnipeggers in the 1920s. This was made possible by regular train services to the capital (Winnipeg
), with the last train for Winnipeg leaving at midnight.
and features 3 km of fine, white sand and is backed by sand dunes that rise up to 12 meters above the beach. A boardwalk at the West end of the beach offers food and shopping. Change rooms and plumbed washrooms are available all along the beach.
The park offers 48 seasonal camp sites, 18 of which have electricity. There are 306 campsites in all about half offer electricity. Available activities include excellent bird watching, cycling
and hiking
trails, boating
, fishing
, kiteboarding and berry picking (saskatoons, chokecherries, and blueberries). In the winter the park offers snowmobiling and cross-country skiing
. A parking pass is required to enter the park. Passes are $7 for three days or $28 for a yearly pass.
Grand Beach is on the historic La Vérendrye Trail.
Greyhound
provides buses to Grand Beach on a limited bus service.
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located on the northern edge of the town of Grand Marais.
History
Originally founded by homesteaders, it was home to a substantial Metis community who were the only settlers until the Canadian Northern Railway built its line and set up the resort along the 'Grand' beach in 1916. After being made accessible by the railway it became a very popular resort for Manitobans.In the early days the grandest of all buildings in the resort was the Dance Pavilion, rated by some as the largest dance hall of its time in the Commonwealth. It was destroyed in a fire in 1950. Along with the incredible beaches the dance hall made Grand Beach a very attractive day trip destination for Winnipeggers in the 1920s. This was made possible by regular train services to the capital (Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
), with the last train for Winnipeg leaving at midnight.
Sites and attractions
Grand Beach is part of Grand Beach Provincial ParkGrand Beach Provincial Park
Grand Beach Provincial Park is a provincial park in Manitoba, Canada. It is located on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg, and has large white sand dunes and ancient beaches from the end of the last ice age...
and features 3 km of fine, white sand and is backed by sand dunes that rise up to 12 meters above the beach. A boardwalk at the West end of the beach offers food and shopping. Change rooms and plumbed washrooms are available all along the beach.
The park offers 48 seasonal camp sites, 18 of which have electricity. There are 306 campsites in all about half offer electricity. Available activities include excellent bird watching, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, kiteboarding and berry picking (saskatoons, chokecherries, and blueberries). In the winter the park offers snowmobiling and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
. A parking pass is required to enter the park. Passes are $7 for three days or $28 for a yearly pass.
Grand Beach is on the historic La Vérendrye Trail.
Greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
provides buses to Grand Beach on a limited bus service.
Annual events
- Canada Day Family Festival
- Grand Marais Family Festival
- Manitoba Summerfest
- Beaches Half Marathon