Welcome to the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World,’ where 1,000-pound giants co-exist with residents

I've landed in Churchill, a small town accessible only by air or train, perched on Hudson Bay at the edge of northern Manitoba, Canada. A “Welcome to Polar Bear Country” sign hangs above one of the smallest baggage claim belts I’ve ever seen. I, like every other tourist visiting this time of year, have traveled here with high hopes of seeing polar bears in the wild—and Churchill is one of the best places to do it.