Can-do Canada
Can-do Canada
From the Rocky Mountains to Niagara Falls, travel to the USA’s northern neighbour is booming. We’ve found the best places to kick off a Canadian adventure
How much do you know about the world’s second largest country? Famous for its love of ice hockey (if you’ve seen Heated Rivalry, you’ll know why), ‘Mounties’, moose, lobster rolls and maple syrup, we also have Canada to thank for Ryan Gosling and Céline Dion.
Peaceful, welcoming and crowd-free (it has one of the lowest populations in the world), Canada is increasingly popular as a long-haul destination with UK tourists, with almost 900,000 expected to visit this year. ‘Canada has become one of our top destinations,’ says Trailfinders’ Nikki Davies. ‘It’s the combination of cities, fly-drive holidays, iconic rail journeys and great wildlife.’
It’s impossible to see everything Canada has to offer on one trip, so most first-time visitors focus on one of three main regions: West for the Rockies and Prairies; Central for Toronto, Montreal, Ontario and Quebec; or Atlantic Canada for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia’s rugged coastlines.
Thanks to rising demand, travel firms have launched a range of new itineraries to all three – with 19 from Cox & Kings (coxandkingstravel.com). Managing director Jennifer Charlton says: ‘While many first-time visitors gravitate to the Rockies, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is a hidden gem. The Cabot Trail has spectacular coastal scenery, plus hiking, wildlife spotting and charming fishing villages. It delivers everything people imagine Canada to be.’