Canada

Canada spans six time zones, and some say that it boasts the longest street in the world. This nation gave the world Leonard Cohen, Leslie Nielsen, Mounties, Tim Hortons, Superman, zippers, the light bulb, and the snowblower. This is a place where polar bears, poutine, and epic panoramas predominate. Canada’s wilderness beckons adventure-seekers from the world over, while the country’s cultural attractions, culinary marvels, hockey rinks, and artistic landmarks thrill visitors of all stripes.

Vancouver Canada totem pole

Overview

When’s the best time to go to Canada?

The best time to visit Canada depends on what you wish to experience. The snowy months of winter allow for world-class skiing, snowshoeing, and hockey games. Summer is ripe for sunseekers to explore both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, the lakes of Ontario, and the wild country of the North. Spring turns the West into one gigantic flowerpot, while fall transforms Eastern Canada into a kaleidoscope of colors. Keep in mind that many Canadians travel during the summer months. Also, national parks and big cities attract thousands of visitors from the United States during school holidays and long weekends, when prices can soar in destinations like Toronto, Vancouver, Jasper, Montreal, Banff, Calgary, and Halifax.

How to get around Canada

Major international airports are spread across the country from Vancouver in the west to Halifax in the east. Many international visitors choose to arrive at U.S. border cities (e.g. Seattle, WA and Buffalo, NY) and then drive across the border. This can be a cheaper way of entering Canada, but be prepared for traffic and extended waits at border checkpoints during peak travel times.

Major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Halifax have excellent public transportation networks: taking the bus, riding the metro, or hailing a cab is a breeze. Smaller cities and rural towns are walkable, but you’ll need a car to get out into the countryside. Public transportation in and out of national parks is virtually nonexistent. The space between metro centers can seem daunting, so consider flying if you wish to cut down on travel times.

Food and drink to try in Canada

Canadian cuisine is as diverse as the country is expansive. On one city block—or on one menu—you may find restaurants serving Ukrainian, Chinese, Irish, German, Portuguese, Haitian, Nigerian, and Ethiopian dishes. Each province and city has its own culinary flair: you’ll find unique Western fare in Calgary and Edmonton, gastro-nouveau in Toronto and Vancouver, fine French dining in Montreal and Quebec City—and the best the ocean has to offer in Halifax, Charlottetown, and St. John.

Culture in Canada

Have you come for the great outdoors, or Winnipeg’s Folklorama? Perhaps you’re in town for Toronto’s MuslimFest, or you made the trek to quirky little Maxville, Ontario, for the Glengarry Highland Games. Massey Hall in Toronto has hosted the world’s largest musical acts for decades, while the Quebec Winter Carnival is Canada’s premiere winter event. The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, held every August, is the largest and oldest fringe fest in North America.

Canadians love to party. Canada Day (July 1) is celebrated from coast to coast, with Canadians and visitors packing public squares, stadiums, parks, and concert halls for massive festivals. The Calgary Stampede takes over Alberta’s largest city every July; Montreal’s International Jazz Festival (June 29–July 9) welcomes 2.5 million visitors each year; and Pride, Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival, The Canadian National Exhibition, and the Toronto International Film Festival bring revelry to Ontario’s capital.

Local travel tips for Canada

English is Canada’s common tongue, though French is spoken throughout Quebec and in many Atlantic cities. That said, you’ll hear nearly every other language in the big metro centers. The currency is the Canadian Dollar ($). Tipping is required (15%) in restaurants, and it is generally expected in taxis and hotels. ATMs are everywhere, and major credit cards are accepted across the country. Electricity is 110v.

Guide Editor

Flash Parker AFAR Ambassador

Flash Parker is a writer, photographer, and photojournalist originally from Toronto, Canada. His work has been published by AFAR, GQ Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, USA Today, Voyeur Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Get Lost Magazine, Asian Geographic, Escape Magazine and more; additionally, Flash was nominated for a PATA Gold Award in destination journalism.

Read Before You Go
If you’re not one of the more than 30 million Americans living inside the path of totality, consider a solar eclipse getaway with these tour operators.
Resources to help plan your trip
Far from an excessively consumerist city, Montreal likes its goods select, well designed and generally not too showy. Bling has very little place here, where status tends to be demonstrated with understated finds rather than a season’s international It piece. That means that the best stores around carry small, recherché brands, with a focus on things made here or near. From clothes to design objects to homeware, here’s a list of shops that will inspire you to keep room in your luggage.
Vancouver’s cocktail bar scene is top notch, featuring award-winning bartenders, excellent hospitality, and some truly innovative cocktail lists. If you want to go really local, ask your bartender to use a BC-made spirit in your drink. The area’s microdistilleries are producing some of the world’s best liquors. Of course, the wine and craft beer scene offers plenty of delights too. Oh, there are plenty of happy hour spots worth popping into too if you’ve got food and drink on your mind. Stay an extra week. You’re going to need the time.
Montreal’s coolest neighborhood is also it’s most sought-after; as a kind of love child of Brooklyn, Shoreditch, and Sodermälm, Plateau Mont-Royal is inherently hip and has been setting trends for well over two decades now. Quirky shops, colorful buildings with twirling iron staircases, and third-wave coffee shops are among Plateau Mont-Royal’s most popular things to do, as are having picnics in Parc Laurier and designer shopping on Montreal’s iconic Boulevard Saint-Laurent.
Want to escape to the Canadian wilderness? Cozy up in one of these remote lodges across the provinces.
Montréal’s culinary scene includes chefs who represent the best of Québecois cuisine, marrying Old World techniques and New World ingredients—the bounty of the province’s farms, game from its forests, and fish from the Atlantic. What may come as a surprise, however, is the global diversity of the restaurants in this decidedly cosmopolitan city.
Halifax is a small harbourside city home to 400,000 people with a lot of character and charm. There are several museums filled with tales from the high seas, including the sinking of the Titanic. Walking around downtown there is a mix of historic buildings and brand new infrastructures dispersed amongst Irish pubs with busy outdoor patios in the summertime. With its farmers market, and lots of green space Halifax is truly a city for everyone, which this Wanderlist helps highlight.
Alberta’s Rocky Mountains are never more inviting than beneath the summer sun. Hike beneath the soaring peaks in Banff National Park, sip micro-brewed beer made from mountain-fresh glacier water, or simply road trip through the Canadian Rockies to enjoy the best of the summer season, but don’t miss the opportunity to swim in an alpine lake or walk atop the Athabasca Glacier. Summer in Alberta invites adventure in the Canadian Rockies.
Just outside the city of Toronto, Niagara-on-the-lake is the ultimate destination, offering something for the active traveler and the gastronome alike. Located a relatively short drive from the city, Niagara-on-the-lake boasts a series of recreational bike routes and a generous assortment of wineries and restaurants serving up elegant yet approachable fare. Ontario’s most popular—and best—wine region is far enough away to invigorate, but close enough to make for an easy getaway.
The capital of British Columbia and one of Canada’s largest tourist hotspots, there is no shortage of activities to be had in Victoria. Its fast-paced downtown scene is perfect for those seeking a vibrant nightlife, amazing restaurants, and great shopping, while its more rural areas are home to some of Canada’s greatest nature trails and parks.
The ideal day trip from Montreal for visitors hungry for history, architecture and culinary experiences. A short and scenic drive from Montreal, the Eastern Townships offer rolling green hills, wineries and apple-picking, destination spas, a charming zoo, and quaint English-like villages.
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.