Complete Canada Travel Guide, What You Need to Know
Canada is well known for ice hockey, maple syrup, and gorgeous scenery. The country is so popular it receives over 22.1 million international tourists each year. Planning international travel can be overwhelming and time-consuming while working full time. Use this Canada travel guide and the following Canada travel blog posts to plan your perfect vacation. The top destinations in Canada are Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.
Vancouver Canada Travel Guide
Vancouver is located in beautiful British Columbia. The city is well known for its skyline of steel and glass skyscrapers, Stanley Park’s seawall, rainforests, waterfalls, suspension bridges, sky trains, totem poles, beaches, a famous steam clock, seaplanes, and blue-purple mountains.
READ 72 Hours in Vancouver Canada
READ Top Things to Do in Vancouver Canada
Vancouver Island Canada Travel Guide
Vancouver Island is an easy day trip from Vancouver. You will find the famous Butchart Gardens, the city of Victoria’s Parliament Building, Hatley Castle, Chinatown, floating homes, whale watching, and gorgeous harbors.
READ Vancouver Island Canada Day Trip Ideas
Montreal Canada Travel Guide
Montreal has it all: a medieval-inspired old town with cobblestone streets, French-inspired food, an underground city, street art, spiral staircases, parks, and many festivals.
READ Top Things to Do in Montreal Canada
Quebec City Canada Travel Guide
Quebec City is like stepping into a European town without leaving North America. It is the perfect place to wander winding cobblestone streets with hidden alleyways of brick buildings, hanging flowers, and lace curtains before relaxing on an outdoor terrace eating croissants, crepes, poutine, and maple fudge.
READ Top Things to Do in Quebec City Canada
Calgary Canada Travel Guide
Calgary Canada embraces its western heritage and is most known for the yearly Stampede rodeo. The city is a great headquarters for exploring Alberta’s National Parks, glacier lakes, and waterfall trails.
READ Top Things to Do in Calgary Canada
Canada’s National Parks
Banff National Park is Canada’s first National Park. It is well known for its snow-covered mountain peaks, charming resort town, distant glaciers, brilliant turquoise lakes, a castle in the sky, and the widely photographed Lake Louise.
READ Banff National Park, Alberta Canada Road Trip
Jasper National Park is known for the Columbia Icefield and its abundance of wildlife. You will also find snowcapped mountain peaks, waterfalls, turquoise glacier-fed lakes, hot springs, and red Adirondack chairs.
READ Jasper National Park Travel Guide
Waterton Lakes National Park sits in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and is full of glaciers, waterfalls, evergreen forests, trickling streams, scenic pullovers, picnic spots, red Adirondack chairs, and more. Popular park activities include hiking, horseback riding, biking, canoeing, and paddleboarding.
READ Waterton Lakes National Park Travel Guide
What You Need to Know When Planning a Trip to Canada
Where is Canada
Canada has a population of 38 million people and is located in North America bordering the USA. It is the largest country in the Western hemisphere, the second-largest country in the world, and has the longest international border (5,525 miles). Ottawa is Canada’s fourth-largest city and capital city.
What is the language in Canada?
Canada has two official languages. Most of Canada speaks English but French is spoken in the province of Quebec. Gwich’in, Chipewyan/Dené, Inuinnaqtun, Tłįchǫ Inuktitut, Cree, North Slavey, South Slavey, Inuvialuktun are also recognized. Be sure to learn a few key French phrases if you will be visiting Quebec. FluentU offers a helpful list of common words and phrases to learn before you travel.
Do I need a Visa to visit Canada?
U.S. citizens do not need visas for tourist visits of less than 180 days. Other travelers to Canada will need either a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travel. All adult travelers will need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a passport upon entry. Check COVID restrictions before arrival.
What is the currency in Canada?
The Canadian Dollar (CAD) is the official currency of Canada. Don’t be fooled by ‘0 commission’ money exchangers because the ‘service fee’ is high. Be sure to download a free currency calculator before you arrive.
Can I use credit cards and ATMs in Canada?
Debit cards and credit cards are widely accepted across Canada. Avoid large fees by using your bank’s international partner in Canada and google its location before you travel. Save money on fees with a credit card that waives foreign transaction fees and make purchases in CAD. Cash is needed in rural towns and campgrounds.
How much should I budget per day in Canada?
According to Budget Your Trip, the average daily cost of traveling in Canada is $146. Expect to pay $2,000 + airfare for a one-week trip for 2.
What is the best time of year to visit Canada?
Canada experiences four seasons. Winter is cold but brings the Northern Lights and ice castles. Be prepared, the coldest temperature on record is −81 °F in Snag, Yukon. Coastal areas are warmer. April is the rainy season. May and June are off-season; temperatures are warm and prices are moderate. July and August are high season, expect crowds and increased prices. Summer temperatures range from 65 – 75 F. Autumn is a great time to visit Canada to see the leaves change colors. Fall temperatures range from 50 – 65 F.
How do I get around in Canada?
Canada is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere and bigger than the EU. Traveling from one area to the next is quickest by plane, search WestJet and Air Canada for affordable flights. There are also transcontinental railway and Greyhound bus services in Canada.
What kind of adaptor do I need in Canada?
The plugs in Canada are type A and B. Canada operates on a 120V supply voltage and 60Hz. This is the same as the United States.
Is Canada a safe country for solo travelers?
According to Travel Safe Abroad, Canada is considered one of the safest destinations for travelers. Risk is low for pickpockets, scams, mugging, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. Canada’s emergency number is 911. Contact the US Embassy for non-urgent emergencies, such as a lost passport.
What Canadian food do I need to try?
Eat poutine (french fries, cheese curds, gravy), tourtière (meat pie), peameal bacon (Canadian bacon), bannock (fry bread) with bacon, butter tarts, Montreal bagels, and smoked meat, yellow split pea soup, Ketchup chips, Timbits (doughnut holes), beaver tail (pastry), Saskatoon berry pie, Nanaimo bars, maple taffy, Drink bagged milk, London Fog (tea latte), Canada Dry (ginger ale), ice wine, Crown Royal (Canadian whiskey) and a Caesar (Bloody Mary using Clamato Juice).
Tips for Traveling in Canada
Temperatures vary across the country, be sure to check the weather in each area you will be visiting.
The drinking age in Canada ranges from 18 to 19 years old.
Tipping 15-20% is standard in Canada.
Canada uses a blend of the imperial and the metric system of measurement, download a converter just in case.
Learn bear safety if you plan to hike in the national parks.
Canadians are known to be polite and apologize often.
Mobile phones must be used hands-free when driving in Canada.
It is illegal to smoke in a car if you are with a minor.
Be prepared for black flies and mosquitos if you plan to hike. Take vitamin B complex and use repellant.
Top 10 Things to See and Do in Canada
- View Niagara Falls from the Cave of the Winds observation deck
- Visit the world’s largest underground shopping center in Toronto
- Drive Icefields Parkway from Banff National Park to Jasper National Park
- Attend the Calgary Stampede rodeo in July
- Stay at the ice hotel in Québec
- Attend the Montreal Jazz Festival in July
- See why Vancouver is named the City of Glass
- Relax in Whistler’s alpine village
- Visit Butchart Gardens in Victoria
- Search for polar bears and beluga whales in Churchill
Check the Canada Tourism Office website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
Interesting Facts About Canada
- 80% of Canada’s population lives within 100 miles of the US border.
- There are over 3 million lakes in Canada; Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake are two of the biggest lakes in the world.
- Canada has the longest coastline in the world, it is 125,567 miles.
- Wood Buffalo National Park is the second-largest national park on earth.
- Baffin Islands, Victoria Island, and Ellesmere Island Canada are 3 of the 10 biggest islands in the world.
- The Trans-Canada Highway is the longest national highway in the world.
- Canada has the longest street in the world, Yonge Street is 1,178 miles and is located in Ontario.
- Toronto has the world’s biggest underground shopping complex.
- The Bay of Fundi has the highest tides in the world and waves over 42 ft high.
- Manitoba has the world’s largest concentration of snakes and 70k come out of hibernation in May.
- Quebec City is the only walled city in North America.
- Canada has the largest population growth of industrialized countries from immigration.
- Canada is the most educated country in the world.
- Canada produces 80% of the world’s maple syrup.
- Montreal Canada is the second-largest city in the world with a French-speaking population.
- There are over 2,800 hockey rinks in Canada yet lacrosse is the national sport.
- The maple leaf is the symbol of Canada and Canadians eat 1 billion donuts annually.
- Canada is considered the polar bear capital of the world but the national animal is the beaver.
- Schitt’s Creek was set and filmed in Canada.
- Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves, Donald and Kieffer Sutherland, Jim Carey, Mike Meyers, Howie Mandel, Martin Short, Dan Akroyd, and Pamela Anderson are all Canadian.
- Winnie-the-Pooh was named after a bear from Canada.
- Canadians love mac n cheese and call it Kraft Dinner.
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