Welcome to the first e-newsletter dedicated to traveling in Manitoba for couples. We are Glenn & Lisa Tinley, Travel Manitoba’s Couples Ambassadors. We will be pleased to give you some ideas about things that couples can do together here in our province.

We are here to give you ideas of places to go and what to do when you are there. Whether you are a golfer, history seeker, cottager or spa-goer or just want to get out and see the sights- we will give you ideas about weekend getaways, holiday planning or just day trips. Visit the Travel Manitoba website often for links to great places and great deals.

If you want to learn more about some of the amazing women and men that call our province home, visit the web pages of our magazines, Winnipeg Women and Winnipeg Men. If you have ideas for upcoming e-newsletters or if you know of a hidden gem in Manitoba, email us at mbhotspots@studiopublications.net.

Pursuit — the name itself infers a chase: the pursuit of your dreams, the pursuit of achievements and the pursuit excellence. In our case the pursuit of driving excellence, where readers of Winnipeg Men magazine participated in a weekend test drive.

Typical of many weekends in late May, our trek began in the rain. This did not dampen the spirits of our group as they piled into their first vehicle and prepared to head north to our ultimate destination-the newly renovated Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort. We chose a route that would take some time, showcasing our fantastic province and beautiful Interlake region along the way. As we drove out of the rain on Highway 6, we switched vehicles every couple hours so everyone had a chance to drive each vehicle. If you have not driven this part of the province, mark it down n your ‘to do’ list for this summer.

After a few hours of leisurely driving, our group made its way to Hecla and to the entrance of the Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort. For those who hadn’t been out to Hecla for a number of years (as I’m sure many of you can relate), the change was dramatic. My message is: go to the website, book a room and make the trip. The Paletta family has created a destination spot that worth coming back to many times over. If I seem like I am gushing, it is because every couple on our trip said that they had never stayed in a nicer room. The interior is luxuriously done, while still remaining family friendly. The water park will keep the kids happy for a long time, the golf course is still one of the top courses in the province (and I think western Canada) and now the accommodations match the rest of the grounds and amenities.

One thing that can be a difficult to accomplish in a more remote destination is attracting great staff and a great chef. On both fronts, the Hecla Oasis Resort delivered. Knowledgeable staff attended to every detail and were helpful in answering questions about the resort. French-born, award-winning Chef Stephane Pierre Thierry, who has worked as a chef in renowned hotels from Berlin to the Alto Adige region of Italy, created an unbelievable five-course meal complete with wine pairings that many of us felt was the best meal we have ever had.

If you have been thinking of reacquainting yourself with the resort at Hecla, we urge you to follow through. We believe this resort will shortly become one of the provinces’ hot spots. It has been rightly revamped to attract couples, families, golfers, spa-goers and outdoors enthusiasts. When you combine luxury, great food, great scenery and a multitude of activities, this resort can’t help but be the place to go.

If you never thought of visiting a lake in the middle of the prairies, think again. Clear Lake, in the Riding Mountain Provincial Park, has it all. From a fantastic lake to rent a pontoon boat for the day to a lake town full of great shopping. If you are interested in more outdoor pursuits, there are mountain bike and hiking trails that can take you for the day or an overnight adventure. Once you get back from your day on the beach or the trails, head over to Elkhorn Resort & Spa for massage, pedicure or just sit and relax in the mineral pool. One thing that we love about Clear Lake is that you can get around the entire town on foot or bike. This means that once you get there, you can park your car and really take in what Clear Lake has to offer.

Our ideal weekend at Clear Lake is checking into a cabin at Mooswa Resort on Friday evening and sitting by the pool having something cool to drink. On Saturday morning, we will get up early to go for a run along the trail that follows the lakeshore and enjoy the peaceful songs of loons singing on the lake. Then we grab a coffee at the Boardwalk and fresh cinnamon bun from the bakery and head to the beach for the morning to read a magazine or head out for a hike along the Grey Owl trail. If the weather is not accommodating for outdoor pursuits you can shop at the numerous local stores offering an outstanding selection of items. Once evening rolls around, we either make our way to TR McCoys for a fantastic dinner or if we did not do the boat cruise in the afternoon, we buy a ticket for the sunset dinner cruise. Sunday morning will have us teeing off at the Clear Lake Golf Course which is one of the best and most interesting golf courses in our province.

So, if you thought you could not experience it all in our province in just on weekend, Clear Lake is the place to either sit back and relax at the beach or get in a great fitness weekend of hiking or golfing. With top-notch accommodations abundant and lots to do- this should be your next weekend getaway.

There is no better time to enjoy an afternoon at Assiniboia Downs than on Derby Day, Monday, August 4. Derby Day is a time to enjoy the best horse racing the track has to offer and features the $100,000 Manitoba Lotteries Derby. Derby Day Brunch tickets are available and may be purchased by calling 204-885-3330. The traditional Derby Hat Contest will offer everyone a chance to show off their finest and most creative headwear with prizes for the most beautiful, most original, and best Manitoba theme. Assiniboia Downs offers free admission and free parking. Come out and be seen at Assiniboia Downs: Monday, August 4, post time is 1pm.

From asparagus to zabaglione, with every conceivable dish and ethnic food in between, Manitoba is a gourmand's heaven. Winnipeg places among Canada's culinary meccas, with this diverse, provincial capital possessing one of the highest ratios of restaurants per capita in Canada. You'll find traditional First Nations foods like bison, game, fish, wild rice and saskatoon berries featured on Manitoba menus. Try bannock, sample smoked Lake Winnipeg goldeye and look for wild blueberry desserts in season. Sushi, gelato, dim sum, tourtière, pea soup, challah, fresh-baked bagels, vinetarta, souvlaki, kugel, perogies and borscht all coexist here in an eclectic culinary melange. In recent decades, they've been commingled with Filipino, south-east Asian, and Central and South American ethnic flavours.

Through July and August, Heartland International Travel and Tours is offering the 2008 TASTE CULINARY SERIES.

A chance to kayak with Beluga whales? Wow! Share your best Manitoba travel moment for a chance to win. Here's a recently submitted fishing moment from Winnipeg:

NIGHTS ON THE TOWN

I really should sit down and catch my breath but the band is great and the dance floor is hopping. My husband has outdone himself this time. It’s our anniversary and we are at one of those rare places— dance club for grown ups! This evening just keeps getting better. We started with dinner—low lights and wine—at the Royal Palms Restaurant inside Club

Regent Casino. Everything is tropical here. There’s the soothing sound of the splashing waterfall and the voices of exotic birds. It makes us feel like we are on a decadent vacation...

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