When you compare travel wish lists with most people, you might find that almost everyone has Canada somewhere in their list, and for good reason. With friendly people, great food and a massively diverse option of locales and natural wonders to choose from, it’s no wonder so many people want to check out the Great White North. If you’re planning to head out to this wild and wonderful land, check out the below for some great tips on things to see while on a holiday to Canada.
Western Canada
The western province of Alberta is one of the best places in Canada if you want a little bit of everything. From the Badlands, east of Calgary to the majestic Rocky Mountains stretching along the border with British Columbia, Alberta has something for everyone. With Calgary as a huge international hub being only an hour away from small mountain towns such as Canmore and the bigger tourist town of Banff, make Calgary a great place to start your trip. The capital city of Edmonton is home to the living history museum, Fort Edmonton Park which is fully open between May and September and open occasionally the rest of the year for special events at Halloween and Christmas. Don’t forget to visit West Edmonton Mall to check out a replica of Columbus’ Santa Maria, extensive sea life caverns, two indoor mini-golf courses, 800 shops and restaurants, indoor waterpark and full amusement park. Hob nob with locals at one of the bars that stretch down Whyte Ave, especially during Edmonton Oilers games when it gets nicknamed the Blue Mile. Step back in time millions of years in the Alberta Badlands and bone up on your dinosaur knowledge in the small town of Drumheller, home of some seriously stunning landscapes with layered hills of sedimentary rock that help date the region back to periods such as the Cretaceous and Jurassic.
Eastern Canada
Want something a bit more culturally flavoured? Eastern Canada is awash with all the cultural focus of Canada’s colonial past and highlights it as being one of the primary countries of “the new world”. Check out some impressive French inspired cuisine in Quebec and stay at the impressive Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, a hotel that is more castle than anything and has a gorgeous view of the historic St Lawrence River that the first explorers used to access what became New France. If you’re looking for some beaches, head over to the island of Nova Scotia, literally New Scotland, where you can visit some gorgeous beaches by day and sample the local wines by night. Across the water from Nova Scotia’s north shore is New Brunswick, home to the Bay of Fundy National Park where you can revel at nature’s unpredictable awe through the world’s highest tide levels, then explore the area and its 25 waterfalls. For the ultimate in colonial history, head to the island of Newfoundland, a mere 4 and a half hours from London by plane. Having been part of Great Britain until 1949 and relatively secluded from the rest of Canada, the island has retained a huge cultural difference to the rest of the country and is home to not just its own unique cuisines, but also its own accents which can be difficult to understand being a mix of West Country, Irish and Cornish. You won’t regret your time in Newfoundland, but try to plan your visit for April to June when the icebergs come down the east coast, sometimes spending a week in the coves and bays before moving on.
There you have a couple of great reasons to visit Canada, and suggestions on what to see and do while you’re there. With so many different things to do from coast to coast the only problem you’ll face is choosing where to start on this vast, gorgeous and welcoming country.
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