Ipanema in Manitoba

Gimli
Gimli was settled by waves of Icelanders frustrated by an epidemic that wiped out sheep and crippled the island nation’s economy during the 1860s. They emigrated to form the Republic of New Iceland with Gimli as its capital, and the town remains the largest Icelandic settlement outside of the homeland. Iceland, one of Europe’s powerhouse fishing nations, left its Viking prints on almost every aspect of Gimli. The largest industry is commercial fishing (most of the walleye you eat in the Twin Cities comes from these waters), so Gimli’s very lifeblood emanates from Lake Winnipeg.

Gimli has more than a mile of beaches within its boundaries, but the most popular stretch of sand lies right beside 1st Avenue, the main drag. The bottom drops gradually into the beautiful waters and this is where windsurfers show off their skills for sunbathers. But it’s the beach’s easy access to Gimli’s shopping and dining area at 1st Avenue and Centre Street that lures families, seniors, and all kinds of beach-crazed visitors.

My personal Gimli ritual involves laying down a towel, going for a swim or two, then making the three-minute trek to Kris’ Fish & Chips for the oh-so-yummy pickerel (what you call walleye) and chips (pan-fried, of course, with extra lemon). Then I create a picnic lunch (or in the dog days of summer, sometimes even dinner) and dig in, on my towel, on the benches along the paved walkway, or even on the shaded grassy picnic area in front of the beach. The food is scrumptious, the lake vista stellar, and I can wash off any crumbs with another swim soon afterward.

Other nearby options include the best imperial cookies (a sugar cookie with lemon and nutmeg) at Central Bakery (where there’s also a popular diner serving up basic breakfasts and lunches) and Kaffe Haus for an iced cappuccino. There’s even cool shopping at H.P. Tergesen & Sons—the oldest operating store in Manitoba (it opened in 1899)—with an original pressed tin exterior and interior. The vintage surroundings belie the store’s trendy merchandise, from the latest in beach fashions and rad surf-wear to a surprisingly excellent book selection.

Gimli Beach is also one of the venues during The Gimli Film Festival (August 1–5 this year), where you can see quirky Canadian movies on a giant screen erected in Lake Winnipeg. Nothing quite compares to sprawling on a moonlit beach on a hot summer night and watching a flick into the wee hours.

Gimli Gimli is about fifty-five miles north of Winnipeg on Provincial Highway 8. Stay Lakeview Resort features an outdoor pool and rooms overlooking Gimli Beach, along with an indoor pool and boutiques. From C$119, 877-355-3500. Always Summer Bed and Breakfast, a mere two blocks from the beach, offers an indoor pool, hot tub/spa, and sauna, as well as queen beds and private bathrooms. From C$70, 204-642-7013 Eat Lakeview Resort’s attractive restaurant and lounge, Seagulls, serves a diverse menu that includes steaks, pizza, and salads, plus beer-battered pickerel (walleye) and other items with local flair. The food is complemented by the best patio in town with swell views of Lake Winnipeg and Gimli’s harbor. To fully savor the town’s Icelandic heritage, pop into Amma’s, a charming tea room, and order the Icelandic sampler plate with rúllupylsa (smoked lamb), pönnukökur (crepes), a yogurtlike cheese known as skyr, and a slice of vinarterta—an incomparable multilayer cardamom-prune cake. Amma’s brews eighteen varieties of loose-leaf teas. Waterfront Centre, 94 1st Ave., 204-642-7232 Do If all the town’s Viking flavors leave you intrigued, the New Iceland Heritage Museum will unfold the story of New Iceland, including the arrival of the first settlers on the shores of Lake Winnipeg and the history of the area’s fishing industry. 204-642-4001 The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba (also known as Islendingadagurinn), August 4–7, is a celebration of all things Icelandic and features cultural celebrations, poetry readings, folk music, Viking reenactments, and Islendingadunk, a game where contestants sit on a pole suspended over water and try to knock each other off with pillows. 204-642-7417

Gaylene Dempsey is a Winnipeg-based writer who loves Minnesota, but is stymied by its lack of glorious beaches.