Road map Brandon city surrounding area (Manitoba, Canada)

Southwestern Manitoba     

The Assiniboine River meanders through a remarkably level  landscape, once the bed of Lake Agassiz. The fertile sedimentary soil,  left behind when the lake receded 8,000 years ago, is the basis for  bountiful crops of wheat, flax, and canola. Along its eastward journey,  the Assiniboine absorbs the Souris River and passes by Brandon, this  prosperous area's economic anchor. South of Carberry, the orderly  prairie changes dramatically at Spruce Hills. This tract of dunes and  hills, once an ancient river delta, defied the efforts of early farmers,  and it remains beautiful and untamed to this day.    

Boissevain [D5] Two dozen outdoor murals illustrate local  history. A guided mural tour begins at the tourist information center,  as does a self-guided walk to historic sites, such as the handsome  fieldstone St. Paul's United Church (1893). Beckoning Hills Museum shows  pioneer items; Moncur Gallery, archaeological relics.     

Brandon [A6] Born in 1883 as a CPR stop, Brandon is Manitoba's  second largest city. The early days come to life at Daly House Museum,  which displays Victorian furnishings and photographs. The Agriculture  and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre, dating from 1886, is open for  drive-through and guided tours. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan  Museum salutes the thousands of trainees based here during World War II.  Brandon University's B.J. Hales Museum exhibits geological and  archaeological items.

Carberry [A8] Seton Centre honors artist, author, and  naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose 1899 book The Trail of a  Sandhill Stag describes his home-steading days in nearby Spruce Hills.  Carberry Plains Museum salutes Seton, World War I flying ace Douglas  "Wop" May (1896-1952) and NDP leader Tommy Douglas (1904-86).

Glenboro [C8] The statue of Sara the Camel alerts visitors to  the sand dunes of Spruce Woods, just to the north. The Borough of Gleann  Museum features a collection of antiques and pioneer artifacts.

International Peace Garden [E5] Straddling the Canada-United  States border, this memorial celebrates the two nations' enduring  friendship. The four 35 m pillars of the Peace Tower soar above a  landscaped garden of flowers, pools, and pathways.

Shilo [A7] The Royal Canadian Artillery Museum at CFB Shilo  shows weaponry past and present. A special exhibit is a printing plate  said to have been used to print John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields in  1915.

Spruce Woods Provincial Park [B8]

Embracing rolling hills, forests of spruce and basswood, and  oxbow lakes, the park boasts two natural curiosities. Spirit Sands, once  an ancient river delta, is now a tract of high, restless duneland. The  Devil's Punch Bowl, a sunken lime-green pool fed by an underground  stream. A 90-minute covered-wagon ride takes visitors to both sites. The  park's trails, such as the short, steep Isputinaw Trail, lead to  panoramic views of the surrounding prairie. The changing terrain of the  Epinette Creek Trails attracts cyclists in summer, skiers in winter.     

Virden [A3] Manitoba's oil-producing center, Virden is home to  western Canada's oldest opera house, the 1911 Auditorium Theatre. Now  restored, the 500-seat "Aud" showcases live entertainment. Virden  Pioneer Home Museum, in a splendid 1888 house, evokes local life in the  Victorian era.     

ATTRACTIONS     

BOISSEVAIN     

Beckoning Hills Museum Moncur Gallery Turtle Mountain Provincial Park     

BRANDON     

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba     

Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Daly House Museum Stott Site (at Grand Valley Provincial Park) Thunder Mountain Waterslide     

CARBERRY     

Carberry Plains Museum     

The Seton Centre Spruce Woods Provincial Heritage Park (North access)     

ELKHORN     

Automobile Museum     

GLENBORO     

Sara the Camel statue Spruce Woods Provincial Heritage Park (South access)     

KILLARNEY     

J.A.V. David Museum     

SHILO     

The Royal Canadian Artillery Museum     

SOURIS     

Hillcrest Museum     

Rock Shop Swinging Bridge     

VIRDEN     

Auditorium Theatre Pioneer Home Museum