I recently got back from a month long trip across Canada which was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. So now that I’m back (and attempting to adjust back to normal everyday life) I thought I would share with you some of the highlights and even some recommendations. But it’s mainly a way for me to relive the experience and show off some of my snaps from the trip.
So if you’re planning a trip to Canada and looking for some inspiration then read on….
Niagara Falls
An absolute must do, Niagara Falls was absolutely breathtaking. We chose to do an organised day tour which worked so well, and we got to experience some things which I wouldn’t have even known about. On our way to the falls we stopped at a winery and tried Ice Wine. Made from grapes that are picked in the middle of night in winter, it was very sweet but totally delicious. We also stopped at the picturesque town of Niagara on the Lake, which was once named the prettiest town in Canada. Once at Niagara, we went on the ‘Hornblower’ which is the boat that goes out to the base of Horseshoe Falls. We got very wet but it was absolutely worth it, to experience the roar of the falls and to see the water coming over the edge.
Baseball
You’ve gotta go to some sort of sporting game. Even if you don’t particularly like sport, it’s all about the atmosphere. Being there in summer meant that it was Baseball season so naturally while we were in Toronto, we took the opportunity to become Blue Jays fans and decked ourselves out in our new merch. I didn’t really know much about Baseball beforehand, but we taught ourselves some of the rules as the game went on and really got into it, we even had a hotdog or two.
Calgary Stampede
If you’re traveling in July then you can’t not stop at the Calgary Stampede. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it’s basically a huge rodeo. Known as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, it runs for a week or so and is so much fun! We were there for 2 days and enjoyed the rodeo, the evening show (which was incredible) and all the food and culture that comes with it. There’s something for everyone, there’s a kids area, an area dedicated to the First Nation’s people, there’s so much food (including some very interesting offerings – deep fried tequila shot anyone?) and even a country music tent for those of us who love a bit of country music.
Columbia Icefields Parkway Tour
One of the highlights of the entire trip, was a day trip we did to the Columbian Icefields from Banff. Not only did we get to drive along the scenic Icefields Parkway (one of the most scenic drives in the world) to the Athabasca Glacier, but we also got to stop at Lake Louise, Peyto Lake and Bow Lake. I knew I would love Lake Louise, but one of the big surprises was Peyto Lake. It’s the most amazing blue colour and even shaped like a wolf (see below). Going out onto the Glacier in a ‘snow coach’ was also an amazing experience. This tour, run through Discover Banff Tours, was amazing. We had a small tour group and the best tour guide. We even saw some bears just hanging out on the side of the road and a big horned sheep too!
Ziplining in Whistler
Whistler is well known for its winter sports but there is still plenty of things to do in summer. We went ziplining, which for an unadventurous person like me, is quite an achievement. But I’m so glad I did it because it was so much fun. We chose the ‘Bear’ tour which was good for families and first time zippers like us, but if you are more adventurous then there’s more options including the Sasquatch, a line over 2 kilometres long and over 600 feet in the air, it’s the longest zipline in Canada and the USA! Our tour included 4 treetop bridges and 5 ziplines between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.
There’s so much to do and see in Canada, so narrowing it down to a handful of highlights is so hard. This list doesn’t even include other amazing experiences like having high tea at Chateau Lake Louise, cruising the Thousand Islands, having dinner at the top of the CN Tower, being blown away by Notre Dame in Montreal, going to Victoria and the Butchart Gardens, experiencing the peak to peak Gondola in Whistler, just being in Banff (literally everything about it was incredible), and eating poutine and beavertails.
Cactus Pop 