Proud to be Canadian: 5 Great Travel Destinations in Canada
So, you want to travel, but you’d rather not go too far from home? Want to stay in Canada but experience a new kind of adventure? There’s no better time to explore our own big, beautiful country, which has plenty of amazing, unique travel experiences that you can enjoy without crossing a border.
Searching for a Sandy Holiday? Book a Beach Vacation in New Brunswick
Look at a map of New Brunswick—it looks roughly like a square. On three of its four sides, you’ll see ocean—including Canada’s warmest saltwater beaches.
To the north and east lies Northumberland Strait, a shallow body of water that heats up quickly in the sun, making water temperatures significantly warmer than other Atlantic Canadian beaches. From the south, there’s the Gulf Stream’s influence as it swings by the Maritimes. Combine them and you have some of the warmest ocean waters north of Virginia.
Many of New Brunswick’s more-than-50 beaches are not very crowded, either, providing a terrific opportunity to just sit, inhale the sea breezes and hear the waves roll in while chilling on the beach.
For more active beach fun, you can:
- Go for a coastal hike.
- Dine at St. Andrews, St. Martins, Deer Island, Grand Manan Island and Campobello Island.
- Enjoy some mackerel or striped bass fishing at the end of Yougall Beach in the Chaleur area.
- Participate in the annual Sand Sculpture Competition at New River Beach.
- Take a drive on an Acadian Shores road trip.
Want to Relax in an All-Inclusive? Settle into Club Med in Quebec
Want to enjoy the great outdoors in a variety of ways, all in one place? Club Med Quebec in Charlevoix offers an all-inclusive getaway to adventure.
The river meets the mountains at this resort, located an hour from Quebec City. It has all the usual amenities you would expect at a Club Med: accommodation, food and drink (with a few exceptions for premium alcoholic beverages), access to most of the activities and facilities in the area and childcare services for various age groups. It’s best to check regarding specifics when booking.
They offer three different styles of hiking (hikes for all, sportier hikes—which are a bit more challenging—and wellness hikes); mountain biking along the Le Massif de Charlevoix to pedal to the St. Lawrence River; six different yoga class styles to help you limber up for, or recover from, your activities.
You can also enjoy additional amenities, like horseback riding and spa treatments, for extra fees.
Don’t Travel to a Nordic Spa… Seek Bliss and Wellness in Manitoba
Since the longitudinal centre of Canada lies just east of Winnipeg, it should be no surprise that Manitoba’s capital is the centre of a vibrant Nordic spa scene in the province.
Nordic spas contain a series of hot and cold hydrotherapy stations including hot tubs, cold plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms. The theory is that quick transitions between extremes of hot and cold help boost your immunity, heal aches and pains and purify your body.
Thermea Spa in the heart of Winnipeg offers three “thermal cycles” for visitors: gentle, invigorating and intense. Massages and various body care treatments are also available.
The Salka Spa in Hecla, two hours north of Winning in Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, provides several body care treatments along with many hydrotherapy experiences: a Nordic plunge to simulate circulation, a hydrokinetic pool to improve muscle strength, a relaxation pool or a hot tub for stress relief.
Klar So (Danish for “Clear Water”) spa is in Elkhorn, just on the edge of Riding Mountain National Park, so in addition to getting a massage or other bodywork and experiencing its Nordic thermal cycles and mineral pool, it’s a great place to stay if you want to explore the park.
Mountain Towns Abound in Canada, and Our Favourite is Golden
There’s so much to do in and around Golden, it’s almost impossible to know where to start.
Golden sits at the heart of six great national parks—Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke—providing a great source for travel adventures in all forms.
Adrenaline junkies won’t want to miss whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River. Spring is actually the best time to go for this, because the snow melt really pumps up the rapids. Several outfitters serve the Golden area.
Want a wildlife experience? Visit the Grizzly Bear Interpretive Centre or the Northern Lights Wolf Centre. You can also combine slightly less hectic paddling with wildlife watching at Columbia Wetlands Outpost.
Spring and early summer are also great for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
As part of the BC Bird Trail, Golden sits on the Pacific Flyway. Moberly Marsh, a unique wetland in Burgess James Gadsden Provincial Park, provides critical nesting and feeding grounds for migratory birds passing through.
Discover a Scenic, Scorched Desert Paradise in British Columbia
Sitting in Canada’s only semi-arid shrubland, it goes without saying that no stay in Osoyoos would be complete without a visit to the Osoyoos Desert Centre, open from May to October.
At the 67-acre nature interpretive facility, you can learn about desert ecology, habitat restoration and conservation of South Okanagan endangered ecosystems. Stroll through the desert along a 1.5-kilometre boardwalk, either self-guided or with an interpreter.
The Okanagan is world-renowned for its wineries and Osoyoos is no slouch when it comes to wine tours. It’s sometimes more fun to tour wineries in the spring before the summer heat hits the desert. The area boasts more than 50 wineries. There is a strong Indigenous element to the winery experience here, with tour operators like Sẁiẁs Spirit Tours and Indigenous-inspired vineyard cuisine at The Bear, the Root, the Fish, and the Berry at Spirit Ridge.
Wine tours aren’t the only activity easily enjoyed in the spring, before all the heat. There are plenty of opportunities for birdwatching, hiking and biking adventures.
As a bonus, the area is very committed to sustainability. It received UN Biosphere Certification this year by signing a 2030 sustainability pledge.
