Canada Travel Guide
The ultimate guide to the coolest things to do and see in Canada
The second largest country in the world, and home of some of the friendliest people, Canada is a destination not to miss! Whether you’re interest lie in exploring the great outdoors or up-and-coming neighbourhoods, Canada has something to offer with some of the most pristine national parks in the world as well as some of the coolest cities. Start here with my basic Canada travel tips, or jump down below to read my latest Canada travel blogs.
Top Canada Travel Guides
When to Visit
The time of year you visit Canada will dramatically impact the type of experience you’ll have of the country. With the vast majority north of the 42nd parallel, winters are unsurprisingly cold and dark, while summers can have extremely long days, and mild weather. There can be something quite magical about visiting many of Canada’s eastern cities in the winter while covered in snow, but you likely won’t get much daylight.
Vancouver and much of British Columbia has quite a different climate than the Atlantic facing provinces, with much less variation in temperature between summer and winter. Fall can be a wonderful time to visit any part of Canada, especially the east for the colors of the changing leaves. Of course, a visit coinciding with Canada Day, July 1st, is a great idea, as you’ll get to see all the country’s quirkiest traditions come out!
The Most Canadian Things to Do
See an ice hockey game – The country’s most beloved sport, and national past-time, every Canadian grows up watching hockey. The Bell Centre in Montreal, the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Rogers Place in Edmonton or Rogers Arena in Vancouver are probably the best places in the country to see this most Canadian game.
Go skiing – The ski season in some parts of Canada can be up to seven months long, and most Canadians (at least from the west of the country) grew up skiing from a very young age. The best ski locations in Canada are to be found in British Colombia and Alberta, with Whistler, Red Mountain, Lake Louise and Silver Star being definite highlights, but don’t miss the gay ski weekend in Quebec, either!
Eat everything with maple syrup – It may be a stereotype that everything is covered in maple syrup in Canada, but there could be at least a little truth to that! Several typical Canadian foods are prepared with maple syrup, such as Canadian baked beans, cooked with maple syrup, grandpères, dumplings that are boiled in maple syrup and the Quebecois drink caribou, a mixture of red wine, maple syrup and whiskey.
Canada Tours
Being such a huge country, Canada has a lot to see. When planning your trip there, try to focus on just one particular area, but taking a tour through part of the country could definitely save you time while letting you explore a bit more than you could by yourself. There are also some great tours to be taken in many of the Canadian cities. Start by having a look at this selection.
LGBT – Gay Canada Travel Guide
Canada was the first country in the Americas to introduce marriage equality, and nowadays LGBT people in Canada enjoy some of the most equal rights of any nation on the planet. As such, it’s no surprise that Canada is an extremely gay friendly place to visit as a traveler. Here are some things to be aware of.
Toronto Pride – The largest pride event in Canada, and among the biggest in the world, Toronto’s annual pride is a party not to miss! It happens every year at the end of June.
Vancouver Queer Film Festival – Taking place over two weeks every August, this huge queer arts event takes over the city of Vancouver with screenings, performances, parties and workshops on range of queer-related topics.
Hot Mess, Calgary – This monthly queer dance party (that’s also straight-friendly!) takes place in a different location every month, in a place that isn’t usually considered a gay space. So it’s a queer take-over event!
More gay travel resources here.
Canada Hotel Deals
In the cities across Canada, you’ll typically find a huge range of types and prices of accommodation, and you can easily spend several hundred dollars a night if you want. There are bargains to be found, however, and I find that using Booking.com, Agoda.com or Hotels Combined , especially for last-minute trips, can be a really good starting point.
Booking.com
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