13 Canadian Outdoor Meccas by Explore Magazine Editor and Wilderness Junkie David Webb
Last week was an exciting one for the Explore Live the Adventure Club gearbox subscriber community. Why? Because Explore Magazine Editor and wilderness junkie, David Webb, tuned in on Facebook Live to personally answer readers’ questions.
Did you miss out? Don’t worry you can still join in; more on that below. For now, we’re spilling the beans: during his 26-minute broadcast he revealed his favourite places in each province and territory.
Now trust me, this is no easy question to answer. It’s a big country, with a lot of lakes, waterways and wilderness. But that’s what it makes it such an interesting question. And don’t you want to know what a person who has been to every province and territory thinks? What if I told you this person had been north of the Arctic Circle not once, but five times? What I told you this person was an award-winning travel writer? Meet our talented editor, David Webb.
Without further adieu, here are David’s standout wilderness destinations in Canada:
David Webb: Let’s get right to it…I’ll start in the west.*
British Columbia
I have to give it to the west coast of Vancouver Island – Tofino, Pacific Rim. It’s so alive with the rainforest and the sea life and the surfing and the kayaking and the hiking. I just love it.
Alberta
Super cliché but you can’t beat Banff…you get to the downtown and it seems crowded and touristy but you can go 100 metres off the roads and there’s nobody there. Banff is 8,000 square kilometres; there’s tons of wilderness. In an hour or two you can get to a viewpoint in Banff that’s one of the best in the country. It’s so beautiful.
Saskatchewan
Up in northern Saskatchewan I spent some time paddling near La Ronge. It was classic Canadian countryside with the loons and the sunsets in the summer. It’s just beautiful and quiet, serene; great paddling up there.
Manitoba
I had a great canoe trip on the Pinawa River but anything in eastern or northeastern Manitoba is great for canoeing. Whiteshell Provincial Park – beautiful canoeing there.
Ontario
I have to go Quetico for canoeing, I mean I think that’s probably the best canoeing destination in the country…with the exception of some really far-flung northern trips, but just because you don’t have to portage that much. You can do a little portaging but you can really canoe quite a bit.
Quebec
I love Quebec, it’s one of my favourite provinces to travel to. Love the culture, the language, the food, and they do winter. They love their winter activities – so I like to go there in winter.
I spent some time in Nunavik, in Arctic Quebec a couple of years ago and [the experience] has really stayed with me. The Inuit culture and the wide-open landscapes, and the traditions. I left there a little changed, it was beautiful.
Newfoundland & Labrador
So when I was in Nunavik we actually walked over into Labrador, across the border into the Torngats and that looked beautiful. But I haven’t fully explored the Torngats yet, so I can’t say that [is my favourite place in the province].
In Newfoundland, it’s anywhere you can see icebergs. I can’t get enough of the icebergs there. Go in early summer on the northeastern coast…they’re so cool.
Prince Edward Island
PEI is a tough one because it’s so small that just IT is awesome. Confederation Trail – great cycling; the beaches, the red sand beaches on the north. Again, it’s a tough one to pick just one spot because you can get around so easily there.
Nova Scotia
That’s a tough one because I spent some time in Cape Breton Island last fall and I loved it…but I still love Lawrencetown Beach for the surfing. I just want to put a tent there and surf. And I’m not even an good surfer and I still love it! So Lawrencetown, I might have to give it to Lawrencetown.
New Brunswick
Grand Manan Island. I was there last year and I loved it. I kayaked around the Bay of Fundy while tides were changing the landscape and it was sort of this traditional, rustic lobster fishing community. It was really cool.
Yukon
The Yukon, one of my favourite places to go for hiking. Kluane and Tombstone are amazing but I did go to Ivvavik last year, in the north of Yukon. Ivvavik – really – it’s maybe the most beautiful national park in the country that I’ve been to. It’s just incredible. Next issue of Explore, in the spring, we have an article about Ivvavik, so check that out.
Northwest Territories
It’s been awhile since I’ve been up to the Northwest Territories but I spent some time in Great Bear Lake. It was really fun. We went fishing and found these remote islands. It’s so far out and [the lake] is so huge; Great Bear Lake is the biggest lake entirely within Canada.
Nunavut
I went to the Tree River. I went fishing mostly but it’s this beautiful Arctic oasis in the middle of the tundra. It attracts all the wildlife and it’s full of fish. It was gorgeous. We went swimming in the Arctic Ocean.
*This broadcast was transcribed and edited slightly for clarity
Guess what? David Webb‘s Ask Me Anything segment is not a one-off.
When you’re an Explore Live the Adventure Club gearbox subscriber you get exclusives with Canadian adventurers and wilderness experts. Not only that, you will receive 4-6 pieces of outdoor adventure gear every three months and you open the door to a community of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.
Live the Adventure Club Gearbox Member Perks
- 4 – 6 pieces of outdoor adventure gear
- The latest issue of Explore Magazine
- Outdoor challenges utilizing your new gear
- Awesome prizes for those who complete the challenges
- A private community where you can hang out with other adventurers
- Intimate live video interviews with experts
