Canada's Travel Regions
From storybook lands and magical fairytale settings to the sheer adrenaline rush of Canada's adventure opportunities, each region offers that 'little something' special. Whether it is a vacation for the senses, a relaxing weekend away or a once-in-a-lifetime dream come true - you're sure to find what you are looking for!
Pacific Northwest
Take a breathtaking drive or sail along the rugged coast of the Pacific Northwest. Echoes of the past are everywhere: from the 18th century Spanish explorers who anchored their ships here in search of gold, to old coach inns, forts, lighthouses, churches and monuments.
The scenery varies from pastoral to spectacular. In the south the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula rise high and hazy across the Juan de Fuca Strait, and killer whales can be observed. Further north the tranquil Gulf Islands, lying in the Strait of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the BC Coast support a slow-paced way of life. Field, forest and seascape provide an excellent get-away from the lively and turbulent cities of Vancouver and Seattle. Take Afternoon High Tea in Victoria, BC's capital, while observing the sail boats in the Inner Harbour, or cruise north to Alaska along the majestic Inside Passage.
British Columbia Rockies
Located southeast of the Thompson-Okanagan region and extending all the way to the Alberta border, this region offers spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies, glaciers, valleys, lakes and rivers and is a year-round playground for all interests.
Home to heli-skiing, downhill skiing, heli-hiking, mineral hot springs, historic sites, numerous championship golf courses, warm lakes, guest ranches, resorts and incredible scenery, the region offers an abundance of vacation opportunities.
The main cities in this region include Radium Hot Springs, Nelson, Castlegar, Inveremere, Cranbrook and Kimberly, a Bavarian-style village nestled in the mountains.
Canadian Rockies
The spectacular Canadian Rockies, offers some of Canada's most beautiful and diverse scenery, from glaciers to wilderness forests, from alpine meadows to snow-capped mountain peaks towering above sapphire lakes.
Visit one of our many, world famous national parks such as Yoho, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper or Mount Robson (home of the highest peaks in the Canadian Rockies and the deepest cave in Canada). A multitude of recreational opportunities abounds! Follow guided hiking trails, discover dramatic waterfalls, white water raft, kayak rapids, or heli-hike the Bugaboo Glacier in the Purcell Mountains. Bike, golf, ski, flightsee, river-tube, windsurf, hang-glide, swim or fish and afterwards soothe tired muscles in a naturally heated mineral pool.
More than 250 species of birds visit this area, adding to the indigenous wild-life including elk, white-tailed deer, moose, mountain goat, cougar and bear.
Take in a festival or museum or explore a diversity of historical attractions.
Western Canada
This beautiful region encompasses Alberta and British Columbia and features a land with vast forests, mountains, wilderness, lakes, rivers, cities, resorts and the Pacific Ocean.
British Columbia is spectacular with ocean vistas, fjords, towering mountains, lush vineyards, aboriginal cultures and cosmopolitan cities. Eastern British Columbia and Western Alberta are home to the stunning Canadian Rockies and in eastern Alberta, rolling foothills melt into the fertile prairies and the Alberta's badlands, where dinosaurs roamed centuries ago
Canadian Prairies
The Heartland provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
From lakes and forests to exotic desert, Manitoba is a land of contrasting beauty. For those of us who live in crowded cities, this province is a wonderful place to feel space and freedom. The land is dotted with lively cities and picturesque villages. Rivers take you back in time to the voyageurs. And spirits soar with the wind that whispers through Manitoba's diverse treasures.
Would you expect to find one hundred thousand lakes in a heartland province? That's Saskatchewan, golden wheat fields of the south spliced the desert sand dunes and mysterious badlands. To the north, the prairies give way to lush forests, crystalline lakes and thundering rivers. Across its diverse landscapes, Saskatchewan holds a wealth of hidden treasures.
Eastern Canada
More than half of Canada's population resides in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. This is the major industrial, manufacturing and financial region of Canada. Four of the five Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario - along with the St. Lawrence River, form the border between the United States and central Canada. Goods are shipped to markets all over the world through these waterways.
The two largest cities in Canada are located in this region, Toronto and Montreal, as well as the capital city of Canada, Ottawa and the first capital of Canada, Kingston.
French-Speaking Canada
Visitors to French-speaking Canada will be impressed by the heritage that French settlement has bestowed. From the tip of Gaspe where Jacques Cartier anchored his 3 ships to claim Quebec for France to the Ottawa River, a visitor can step back in time, viewing museums, churches, manors, statuary, mills, covered bridges and houses dating back to the mid 17th century.
Visit old Montreal with cobbled streets and historic limestone buildings and the old city of Quebec, which has been designated as a United Nations heritage site and is the only walled city north of Mexico.
In the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick and along the Evangeline Trail of northern Nova Scotia, Acadian history can be relived. Tour an historical village in a carriole drawn by horse or oxen and view reconstructed houses that mirror the tiniest details of early Acadian architecture. Watch costumed staff demonstrate pioneer skills such as spinning and weaving.
Atlantic Canada
East of the Canadian Shield lies the Atlantic provinces. Life in this rocky and mountainous region is tied to the sea and encompasses the provinces of Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
Fishing has been an important industry in Atlantic Canada however in recent years, pollution and overfishing, primarily by foreign factory ships have drastically cut the number and variety of fish. This has led to regulations that have closed fishing grounds and forced hundreds of fishermen to sell their boats and find another way to make a living.
Throughout this region many people of Irish or Scottish origin maintain strong ties with their culture. Additionally, the French-speaking Acadian culture can be found in the northeastern region of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Canada's Far North
Canada's three territories - Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut - cover the huge area north of the prairie provinces with lowlands, lakes, bays and islands that stretch to the North Pole. Frozen much of the year, this flat area is covered in tundra and taiga. Only low plants, mosses, lichens, shrubs and stunted trees grow on the tundra, while the taiga has forests of spruce, pine and fir trees that can survive severe winters.