Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba on the edge of the Hudson Bay. Henry and I have both been up here a handful of times –he more than me. The kids have been hearing about this tiny town, its polar bears and beluga whales, its river and tundra, since they were babies. Now, thanks to Polar Bears International, we are here as a family.
We flew in from Winnipeg early this morning and spent the day wandering around. I’ve been posting photos on Instagram and here are a few more to give you an idea of what Churchill is all about.
Keep scrolling to see our video of ten things to do in Churchill in summer.
Churchill is just one of many fun places we like to visit in Canada, Banff with kids is high on the list, too.
The lichen-covered rocks are a welcome back.
We’ve been really drawn to the beach this summer. But this beach just might have polar bears.
One of the highlights of this trip so far, is seeing wildflowers.
Glassing for wildlife and spotting a monster!
After two days in the car and a flight, we couldn’t wait to run around on the rocks and jump over tide pools.
A congregation of snow geese.
The airplane wreck known as “Miss Piggy” turned out to be a great (if not especially safe) jungle gym.
Henry, Anders, and Finn watch a seal and lots of beluga whales.
Sunset over the Churchill River from Cape Merry.
What time of year did you go with your family? Did you go on any tours – they are expensive for a family of four? Did you see any polar bears? How safe is it to walk around in the town with the bears – did you feel comfortable knowing a bear could come out?
We visited in August. This is a good time if you want to see bulugas and polar bear or two. You can see more polar bears in October and November, but the whales are gone. We went on a Tundra Buggy Tour with Frontiers North Adventures. I recommend them above all other polar bear tours. They are expensive – everything about going to Churchill is expensive. I took a snorkeling tour to swim with the beluga whales, but I don’t think they do that any more.
I felt ok walking around town – especially in August when there aren’t as many bears about. When I have been there in bear season, I walk with other people and carry bear spray. The main thing is to be very aware when you are walking around and don’t come around blind corners quickly.
I am planning on going August 2023 and taking my kids. Is there an age limit for kids for the Tundra Buggy Tour with Frontiers North Adventures? I have been considering using them for our tour. My kids are 9 and 11 but my brother was wanting to come and he will have an almost 1 year old and an almost 3 year old.
Your pictures are lovely! Which hotel did you stay at?
They don’t have an age limit, but it could be pretty boring for the little ones. And you do have to be kind of quiet and mellow so as not to disturb the bears. Here’s what Frontiers North says, “We do not have a specific policy as it relates to age requirements for joining our tours; however, there are a few things we like to emphasize to our clients. We ask that you keep in mind that our departures can involve long days, and depending on the age of the participant (as well as their interest and concentration level), these days may be too long for them to enjoy. For families with young children, you may want to check out our Family Learning Adventures, which were specially designed with younger children in mind.”
The Family Learning Adventures might be a better fit: https://frontiersnorth.com/adventures/find-your-adventure#!/eyJkZXN0IjpbXSwiZXhwIjpbIjQ4NCJdLCJkYXRlcyI6W119
We really love Frontiers North Adventures and highly recommend them!