Canada Mini Travel Guide
and Photos

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Why Travel to Canada?

Not just a greener, gentler version of USA, Canada is a huge, picturesque, sparsely populated country, with a multicultural identity and an interesting clash between English and French influences.
Canada is most attractive for outdoor types, particularly skiers in winter and hikers in summer, though the relaxed urbanity of Vancouver and lively culture of Montreal draw city lovers too.
For land viewing of arctic wildlife - especially polar bears - tours based from Churchill are unbeatable.
Canada is safe, spacious, spectacular, serves good, varied cuisine and half of it speaks your language.

This mini-guide to Canada, with pictures, is a simple introduction to the country to help you make a quick and correct destination decision. Later you will need a comprehensive travel guide to take with you.

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta

Downside:
- Although extremely cold in many places [-20C is not uncommon], the short summers can be very hot [30C+].
- It's not cheap [then again, nor is it expensive].

Canada climate guide:
Best: April-Sept. To ski, Dec-March.
Worst: Nov-March unless for winter sports [cold, or wet, or both].

Length of stay:
Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights: 1 week - 3 weeks.

Montreal, c'est la vie, Quebec

Guide to Canada's greatest hits:

Best cities: Vancouver [BC, English] and Quebec City [Quebec, French].

Best wildlife: Churchill, Manitoba.

Best winter festival: Ottawa Winterlude [Ontario].

Best summer festival: Calgary Stampede [Alberta].

Best beaches: Vancouver [BC] and Nova Scotia [Atlantic Prov.].

Best sight: Niagara Falls [Ontario].

Best cuisine: Quebec.

Best landscapes: British Columbia and Atlantic Province.

Where to travel in Canada:
For your conveniece we've split Canada Travel into five zones; click the link to see a more detailed summary of those places.

Vancouver, British Columbia [BC]

West Canada: British Columbia [BC] and Alberta provinces, including Vancouver city, Victoria, the Rocky Mountains, Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Pleasant city life in Anglophile Vancouver; stunning scenery all around; excellent outdoor activities of all sorts, including whale watching.
Alberta's parks are justly famous and sprinkled with magnificent peaks.

Niagara Falls, Canadian side, near Toronto

Central Canada: Ontario province, including Ottawa, Toronto and Niagara Falls.
Ottawa's Winterlude festival, wintersports, summer hikes and Niagara Falls are the main attractions here.

Frontenac Castle, Quebec City, Quebec.

French east Canada: the French speaking province of Quebec [picture top left, Iles-de-la-Madeleine], including Montreal and Quebec city.
Great night life and cuisine in Francophile Canada; stunning scenery all around; excellent outdoor activities, especially wintersports, and pretty cities, particularly Quebec City.

A village in New Brunswick

Far east Canada: the Atlantic Provinces of Newfoundland [picture top right], Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Laid back, rustic charms of little villages and splendid hiking routes full of rugged coasts and wildlife are the features that bring most travellers to this area of Canada.

Polar Bears discussing education strategies for their cub, Churchill, Manitoba.

Centre/North: the less visited central provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba - including the town of Churchill - and the northern provinces of the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut.
The number one item of travel interest in north Canada is wildlife, especially around Churchill [polar bears, arctic foxes, seals], though outdoor activities ranging from wintersports to summer hikes with big views are popular.

The Arctic

Canadian Festivals:
Jan/Feb, weekends only, La Fete des Nieges [Snow Festival], Montreal [Qu], dominated by a huge and labyrinthine snow castle.
Feb.weekends only, Ottawa [Ont] Winterlude festival features parades, dances, snow races, ice sculptures, sleigh rides and more, but especially skating.
Jan - Feb, Quebec City, Carnaval de Québec, a vigorous 10 day celebration of parades, themed parties, ice sculptures and, bien sur, winter sports of every description.
April, World Ski and Snowboard Festival, Whistler [BC], snow and music combined!
June - July, Montreal [Qu] International Jazz Festival.
Mid-May, Ottawa [Ont] Tulip Festival, a five day city-wide street party for all ages surrounded by 100,000's of tulips.
July, Just For Laughs, Montreal [Qu], a world comedy festival.
Summertime sees lunatic 'Fringe' theatre festivals all over Canada, from Victoria to Montreal.
Aug, Montreal Pride, a huge performing arts festival, gay, but not exclusively so. Free concerts, shows, parties conferences and more.
Summer, one week, Toronto [Ont], Caribana West Indian carnival, complete with parades of calypso bands, parties, ethnic foodstuffs and dancing in the street.
July, Calgary Stampede , a 10 day world-class rodeo riot.
Early Nov, Whistler [BC] Winterstart Festival, a carnival and events galore.

For some more precise dates see: English Speaking Festivals

Skiing in BC's famous 'Powder Triangle', the Monashee Mountains.

Canadian Activities:
Skiing, snowmobiles, sleighs and other winter sports: all over but especially in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
Walks/hikes: Champion walks of all sorts with BIG views, from hours to months, paricularly around BC, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia.
Water sports: white water rafting, canoeing and kayaking, all over.
Whale watching: good trips off both the east and west coasts.
Seals: Quebec's Magdalen Islands [Iles-de-la-Madeleine]
Mountain biking: all over, hire easily available.
Caving and climbing: the Rocky Mountains.

More outdoorsy English speaking travel spots:

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