Steinbach
Steinbach, a city of 13,500 people in Eastern Manitoba, makes a good day trip from Winnipeg.
Understand
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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 in
By car
Steinbach is on Manitoba Highway 12, about 25 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway.
By bus
There is no bus to Steinbach as of Nov 2019.
By plane
There are two 800 ft (240 m) airstrips for general aviation; Harv's Air Service owns one, the other is city-owned.
Get around
Steinbach is small enough to walk or bike; a taxi is available.
- Steinbach Taxi, 584 Main St., ☏ +1 204-326-9937.
See
- 1 Mennonite Heritage Village, ☏ +1 204-326-9661. May-Sep: M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 11:30AM-5PM; Jul-Aug: open until 6PM. Off-season: outdoor buildings closed, indoor museum open M-F 9AM-5PM. An indoor cultural history museum documents the arrival of German speaking Mennonites from Russia; an outdoor village, most famous for its windmill, recreates local pioneer life. Two monuments honour Mennonite leaders Jacob Hoeppner and Johann Bartsch, who chose the site and accompanied its first colonists. Village grounds and Livery Barn Restaurant (M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11:30-4, $10-17) operate seasonally; allow 1½ to 2 hours for the self-guided tour. Horse-drawn wagon rides may be offered on the village grounds on event days. $10 (adult), $8 (senior/student).
- Steinbach Arts Council Hall Gallery, 304 Second St., ☏ +1 204-346-1077. Local art gallery; the council also offers visual arts, cooking, dance and theatre instruction. $2 (recommended gallery donation).
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).
- Adventure at Altitude, Unit #4 (2nd floor) Hanger 289 – Steinbach Municipal Airport, Highway #12 North, ☏ +1 204-333-WING (9464). Skydiving
- Penner Pumpkins and the Scarecrow Forest, Box 42 Grp 3 RR1, ☏ +1 204-371-5556. Pumpkin patch, zip line, corn maze, petting zoo.
- Steinbach Aquatic Centre, 330 Park Rd E, ☏ +1 204-346-6207, fax: +1 204-346-6539. Public swimming pool.
Events
- Summer in the City Festival. Three-day Main Street festival, mid-June. Live music stage, entertainment, midway, dozens of food vendors, artists and artisans.
- Canada Day Celebration. July 1. Mennonite Heritage Village offers free admission with activities and entertainment throughout the day, ending with fireworks at 10:45PM.
- Steinbach Pride Parade. early July. Steinbach held its first LGBT pride parade in July 2016 as a political protest - a bold move for a tiny, conservative and deeply religious city.
- Pioneer Days. Parade begins at 10AM on Friday of the August long weekend, travelling west from the Fire Hall down Main Street. Steinbach Mennonite Heritage Village hosts four days of pioneer activities including concerts, drama, a petting zoo, horse shows, steam power, milling and threshing demonstrations.
Buy
- Clearspring Centre, 178 PTH 12 North, ☏ +1 204-326-1633. M-F 9:30AM-9PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM. Thirty-store enclosed mall includes a Marks Work Warehouse, Reitman’s, Shoe Warehouse, Dollarama, Sport Chek, Warehouse One, Ardene, The Source, Bentley and Winners. Free-standing buildings on the site house a Staples, Smitty’s, Subway, Domino’s Pizza, Walmart and Boston Pizza.
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:
- Doener Grill Express, A-237 Lumber Ave, ☏ +1 204-326-2997. M-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, closed Su. European.
- Grapes Market Grille, 3-90 Brandt Street, ☏ +1 204-320-9943.
- Jay's Café, 279 PTH 12 North, ☏ +1 204-326-2908. 6AM-3PM. Home made classic burgers and fries, old fashioned Mennonite dishes, all day breakfast, daily specials.
- MJ's Kafe, 408 Main Street, ☏ +1 204-326-2224. M-W 7AM-7PM, The F 7AM-8PM, Sa 8AM-2PM, closed Su. Mennonite food, homemade pies, tarts, cinnamon rolls. Uses locally grown products and herbs to prepare most of the dishes from scratch..
- Niakwa Pizza, 197-C Main Street, ☏ +1 204-320-9955. Small Winnipeg regional chain with locations in Steinbach, Carman and Niverville.
- Pizza Hotline, 20 Brandt St, ☏ +1 204-326-5511. Another small regional chain, serves pizza and wings.
- Skylite Restaurant, A 12 Brandt Street, ☏ +1 204-326-4066. 5:30AM-4:30PM. Canadian family-style restaurant.
- The Village Green, 350 Park Road E, ☏ +1 204-320-4655. Daily 7AM-8PM, F Sa 7AM-9PM.
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.
- Sawney Bean's, 340 Main Street, ☏ +1 204-320-2632. Pub-style restaurant, established 2007 to serve homemade, traditional British comfort food and Canadian favourites.
Sleep
- Frantz Inn, Hwy 52 East, ☏ +1 204-326-9831, toll-free: +1-855-326-9831, fax: +1 204-326-6913. R-Bistro restaurant and Edge Lounge bar, 19-room inn with wi-fi, parking, two queen beds and fridge/microwave/coffee in room. An $8 breakfast coupon is included for overnight guests. $90/double.
- Days Inn, 75 PTH 12 North, ☏ +1 204-320-9200, toll-free: +1-877-906-9200, fax: +1 204-320-9222. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Wi-fi, gym, pool, extra charge for pets. Non-smoking.
- Sleep Suite Motel, 150 Park Rd W, ☏ +1 204-326-1374, toll-free: +1-800-667-1324, fax: +1 204-326-9597. A/C, TV, wi-fi, included continental breakfast. $100+.
Connect
Nearby
Blumenort
Small (pop 1100) Mennonite dairy and agricultural village with a pair of churches and a restaurant, 10 km (6 mi) north of Steinbach on Hwy 12.
- Ambush Anonymous Airsoft. A mid-sized airsoft field 6 km (4 miles) west of Blumenort, offers a variety of obstacles and buildings. Open Saturdays.
- Evangelical Mennonite Church, 59 Centre Ave, Blumenort, ☏ +1 204-326-1644.
Ste. Anne
Tiny village 25 km (15 mi) north of Steinbach on Hwy 12 crossroads with the Trans-Canada Highway. There are a couple of hotels near the main road.
- Ste Anne Hotel, 103 Dawson Rd, Ste. Anne, ☏ +1 204 422-9275.
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.
| Routes through Steinbach |
Grand Beach Provincial Park ← Beausejour ← Jct W  E ← |
N  S |
→ Sprague → becomes  → Warroad |
ENDS at N  S ← |
W  E |
→ ENDS at  |