Steinbach

Understand

thumb|Mennonite Heritage Village Steinbach, founded by Mennonites in 1874 on land which had belonged to the Ojibway-speaking Anishinabe people, is now Manitoba's third largest city (behind Winnipeg and Brandon). A little over half of the population is of German descent; the city's name means "Stony Brook" in German.

While Steinbach is largely modern, traces of its Mennonite past can still be found; a few conservative Mennonite groups still make the city home and many local businesses close their doors on the Sabbath.

For visitors, the city's star attraction is the Mennonite Heritage Village, a living museum to Steinbach's agricultural past.

Get around

Steinbach is small enough to walk or bike; a taxi is available.

Do

The municipality has posted a 3.5km Steinbach Heritage Walking Tour which lists 41 historic buildings or landmarks in the city centre. The tour is also suitable for cyclists.

There are a few local golf clubs, including Quarry Oaks Golf Course (37142 Quarry Oaks Road), Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (350 Park Rd W) and Girouxsalem Golf and Country Club (38096 Rd 38N).

Eat

Fast food options include Dairy Queen, McDonald's, A&W, Tim Horton's, Subway, Pizza Hut and Dominos Pizza. A few major restaurant chains are located at the mall; other options include:

Drink

Because of its Mennonite roots, Steinbach has applied restrictive policies to alcohol. A 1950 referendum imposed liquor prohibition in the city; this was relaxed in 2003 to allow dining rooms to sell alcohol with meals, in 2007 to allow the golf course and sports facilities to serve drinks, in 2009 to open the provincial liquor store on PTH 12 North and in 2011 to license beverage rooms, cocktail lounges and private clubs.

There is a lounge and a bistro at the Frantz Inn; some local restaurants serve alcohol. Cherry Hill, a lakeside RV park, hosts Harry’s Bar and Restaurant.

Go next

Winnipeg - It's about 65 km from Steinbach to the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg. Attractions include The Forks, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Manitoba Legislative Building, the Assiniboine Park Zoo, the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretation Centre and the Fort Garry Hotel.