Try searching for
Scenic Loop drive · Manitoba
Manitoba Interlake Route
Icelandic Manitoba between two great lakes.
Overview
The Interlake is the flat wedge of Manitoba between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba — a region of Icelandic settlement, warm-water beaches, and boreal-margin wildlife. This 280 km route strings together Gimli (largest Icelandic community outside Iceland), Grand Beach Provincial Park's white sand, and Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park on the largest lake island in the world.
Winnipeg north via Highway 8 reaches Gimli in 90 minutes — an Icelandic-heritage town on Lake Winnipeg with the New Iceland Heritage Museum, the annual Íslendingadagurinn festival, and Viking statues on the harbour. The Grand Beach Provincial Park side road (via Highway 59 east) delivers 3 km of white quartz sand that ranks among the world's best beaches.
North of Gimli, Highway 8 continues to Hecla Island — connected by causeway — with Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, the restored Icelandic village, and the Lakeview Hecla Resort. Wildlife viewing at the Grassy Narrows Marsh boardwalk is superb: moose, sandhill cranes, and enough birdlife to justify a scope.
Distance
280 km
Winnipeg → Hecla loop
Lake Winnipeg temp
22 °C
Warmest freshwater in the Prairies
Provincial parks
3
Grand Beach, Hecla, Birds Hill
Best month
August
Íslendingadagurinn festival
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 5 key waypoints along the drive.
Driving times
Leg by leg
280 km across 3 legs. Times exclude stops, ferries, and weather contingencies.
| # | From → To | Distance | Driving time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Winnipeg → Grand Beach | 90 km | 1h 15m | Highway 59 east then north |
| 02 | Grand Beach → Selkirk / Gimli | 80 km | 1h 15m | Cross the Red River |
| 03 | Gimli → Hecla Island | 110 km | 1h 30m | Highway 8 causeway |
| Total | 280 km | 4h+ | Drive time only |
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Winnipeg to Grand Beach
Drive Highway 59 east and north; beach afternoon, overnight in a Grand Beach cabin.
Grand Beach to Gimli
Cross to Gimli via Selkirk, tour the New Iceland Heritage Museum; overnight at the Lakeview Gimli.
Gimli to Hecla Island
Drive north to Hecla, hike the Grassy Narrows Marsh, dine at the Lakeview Hecla Resort, and return to Winnipeg.
When to drive
Month by month
Best window: May – September. Plan around shoulder months for fewer crowds at the cost of variable weather.
Budget
Three ways to drive it
Smart
$160–$250/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Provincial park camping, cottages
- Food
- Fish shacks + KJ's Ice Cream
- Experiences
- Beach + free heritage museum
Mid
$300–$480/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Lakeview Hecla, Lakeview Gimli
- Food
- Amma's, Lakeview dining
- Experiences
- Marsh boardwalk + heritage tour
Premium
$650+/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Lakeview Hecla suite, private cottages
- Food
- Lakeview chef's table
- Experiences
- Private fishing charter + Icelandic culinary tour
Editorial picks
Where to stop, sleep, and eat
Stop
Grand Beach
Grand Beach Provincial Park
3 km of white quartz sand and warm shallow water — one of Canada's best beaches.
Lodging
Lakeview Hecla Resort
Hecla Island
Only full-service resort on the island — spa, golf, lakefront restaurant.
Stop
Grassy Narrows Marsh boardwalk
Hecla Grindstone PP
Elevated boardwalk over prime moose and 200-species bird habitat.
Eat
Amma's Restaurant
Gimli
Icelandic-Canadian classics — vinarterta, rullupylsa, fresh Lake Winnipeg pickerel.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Grand Beach Provincial Park
New Iceland Heritage Museum
Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park
Grassy Narrows Marsh
Before you go
The prep checklist.
Practical things to lock in before you leave the driveway.
- Book Grand Beach cottages 3+ months ahead for July/August.
- Íslendingadagurinn (Icelandic Festival) is the first weekend in August — reserve early.
- The Grassy Narrows Marsh boardwalk is best at dawn or dusk for wildlife.
- Watch for deer on Highway 8 north of Winnipeg at night.
- Combine with Whiteshell Provincial Park (east of Winnipeg) for a longer Manitoba lakes loop.
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- How warm is Lake Winnipeg?
- Grand Beach is one of the warmest freshwater beaches in Canada — 22 °C in July and August, with shallow water extending far offshore.
- Best time for the Icelandic festival?
- Íslendingadagurinn runs the first weekend in August in Gimli. Book accommodations 2–3 months ahead.
- Is Hecla the wildlife highlight?
- Yes — the Grassy Narrows Marsh boardwalk delivers reliable moose, beaver, and 200+ bird species. Dawn and dusk visits are best.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Along this route
Parks, camps, and cities on the drive
Every place below is within a comfortable side-trip of the route waypoints — surfaced automatically from our national-park, provincial-park, campground, and city datasets.
Nearby provincial parks
Nearby campgrounds
Cities along the way
Curated trips
Related packages
Plan smarter
Related travel guides
Getting Around · 8 min
Getting Around Canada
Flights, trains, road trips, and ferries — how to cross the world's second-largest country.
Read guide →Getting Around · 7 min
Winter Driving in Canada
Snow tires, mountain passes, what to keep in your trunk, and when to stay off the highway entirely.
Read guide →What to Pack · 6 min
Packing by Season
A season-by-season packing list for a country that swings from -40°C in February to +35°C in July.
Read guide →Money & Budget · 5 min
Money, Tipping & Daily Costs
How much to budget per day, how tipping really works, and where to get the best exchange rate.
Read guide →Keep exploring
Other road trips
British Columbia
Sea-to-Sky Highway
Vancouver to Whistler along the Howe Sound fjord — waterfalls, granite walls, and ocean on one side.
Explore →Québec
Gaspé Peninsula
A grand loop around Québec's eastern peninsula where the St. Lawrence meets the open Atlantic.
Explore →Newfoundland
Viking Trail
Deer Lake to L'Anse aux Meadows along Route 430 — fjords, fossils, and Viking longhouses on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula.
Explore →British Columbia
Vancouver Island Circle
Victoria to Port Hardy via Tofino — a full loop of the Pacific coast, old-growth forests, and orca waters.
Explore →Ready to go?
Plan this road trip with us.
Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you're hoping to experience. A Canadian trip designer will reply within one business day with a custom itinerary built around "Manitoba Interlake Route" — no obligation, no pressure.
Free consultation · Reply within 1 business day