Don’t take it from us: Praise for Canada

Here at Canadian Affair, we are experts when it comes to Canada, and we know everything that this stunning country has to offer. That’s why when you are looking for Canadian holidays our experts can help to create an itinerary and holiday that is exactly what you always dreamed of.

After more than a year of lockdowns and working from home, many of us are looking to book our dream holiday and unsurprisingly Canada is on the top of many people’s bucket lists for places they want to visit.

Whilst we can wax lyrical about why Canada is the number one holiday destination in the world and give you our reasons as to why you need to book a trip here, we have been speaking to travel bloggers who have visited the country before to tell us what they loved about Canada.

Canada’s natural wonders

With more than 40 national parks, an array of mountain ranges and the longest coastline in the world, it should come as little surprise that many people who visit Canada fall in love with its stunning natural beauty.

This is exactly what happened with Cat Lin, the Travel & Food Content Creator at For Two, Please, as she told us about why she fell in love with Canada.

“We love Canada for its stunning landscape and a vast variety of geographic features. Most people associate Canada with the Canadian Rockies. It certainly makes your jaw drop but there is so much more than that – we have badlands, glaciers, vineyards, and even desert! Not to mention the wildlife you get to see here… from grizzlies, whales, polar bears, to puffins! Every opportunity in the great outdoors helps us appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature and leaves us overflowing with gratitude for our precious Earth.

“Nothing can match the raw beauty of Canada’s natural wonders. If you need a reminder of what a great planet we live in, come to Canada and get ready to have your heart, mind, and soul blown away!”

READ MORE: Canada’s Greatest National Parks

Canada’s cities

Canada is home to some vibrant cities that are jam-packed full of world-class restaurants, iconic attractions and events that are renowned all over the globe. There is so much to do in Canada’s cities that you could quite easily spend a week in one and still have lots of things that you’d like to do.

With the likes of Toronto just over seven hours away from the UK, another appealing aspect of many cities in the country is that the flight to Canada is short.

But don’t just take our word for it! Linda and David, the travel bloggers behind the Retired And Travelling blog, spoke to us about all the things they love about Canada, including its diverse cities.

“So much to see in Canada. Major cities are large and cosmopolitan. Smaller towns offer local gems. And the outdoor beauty cannot be beaten with lakes, mountains and wildlife from coast to coast. A perfect vacation in Canada lets you experience this wide diversity in experiences and not just see one facet.

“But Canada is a big place and unless the visit is for a long stay, it is best to explore one area. Visit Vancouver and explore the city, mountains and head to Vancouver Island. With Calgary as a base, you can explore the Rocky Mountains including Banff and Jasper. Toronto provides a great city experience with local day trips, nearby provincial parks and features like Niagara Falls. Eastern Canada can include the old-world charm of Quebec and the coastal charms of the Maritime provinces.”

Below are some of the popular cities in Canada that you can visit.

Montréal

Montréal is one of the most diverse cities in the world with over 80 different languages spoken here. You also have a plethora of attractions you can explore like the Parc Jean Drapeau, the famous public markets and the museums in the city. As there are so many different cultures living in Montréal, you shouldn’t be surprised that there are numerous world-class restaurants located here.

Calgary

Calgary is a great city to visit and it is described as Canada’s Wild West, as urban cowboy meets city glamour. The city is most famous for being home to the Calgary Stampede, a city-wide festival that celebrates its wild western heritage with Chuckwagon races, live rodeos and concerts. Calgary is a great city to use as a base for exploring the Canadian Rockies as it is just a short distance away.

Québec City

Québec City is a world heritage treasure and with its cobbled streets, designer boutiques, Parisian-style cafes and eye-catching architecture, it should come as little surprise that it is one of the most popular cities in Canada.

Vancouver

There aren’t many cities in the world that offer you the varied activities that Vancouver does but as the city is located between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Mountain Range it means one day you can go skiing or snowboarding and the following day you can go kayaking or Stand Up Paddleboarding.

Nicole, the travel blogger behind Go Far Grow Close, told us a bit more about what she loves about Vancouver: “Quite simply, I adore Canada. I live in Vancouver and my backyard is Whistler – I think that I won the jackpot. Every day, I look outside to see majestic mountains soaring in the sky and the beautiful Pacific Ocean at my feet. I have my choice of hundreds of hiking trails within an hour drive from Vancouver and internationally renowned restaurants within walking distance or a short drive from my house. In summer, I paddleboard or sail and in winter, I ski on one of the best downhill ski hills in the world.

“Book a trip to Canada if you crave to see one of the most beautiful countries in the world. If you long to feel normal again but also feel safe, this is the destination for you.”

Toronto

Toronto is Canada’s version of Manhattan as it is the country’s cultural, financial and entertainment hub. The fact the city is located on the shores of Lake Ontario and is just an hour from Niagara Falls also means there is natural beauty right on your doorstep, so you get the best of both worlds.

READ MORE: The best Canadian cities to visit during the shoulder season

Canada’s culture and history

The country is steeped in history, and you’ll find people and communities across the entire nation that represent Canada’s indigenous culture. The First Nations people in Canada are the largest group of aboriginal peoples in Canada and they are made up of more than 630 bands.

The two largest indigenous groups are the Inuit, who live in the Arctic areas, and the Métis people, a distinct group that grew from the multicultural interactions of the Europeans and the First Nations people. These indigenous groups have lived in Canada for thousands of years.

Lindsay, the travel writer behind the site Carpe Diem Our Way, spoke about some of the indigenous experiences she enjoyed with her family in Alberta.

“There are plenty of authentic Indigenous experiences around Alberta. There are restaurants, tour companies, accommodation providers as well as cultural centres. There are plenty of ways to learn about Indigenous culture, through a mixture of listening, watching, and participating. Because I often travel with my kids, the more hands-on the better. They love jumping right in, whether it is following a tour guide into the forest, watching and then participating in a smudging session or enjoying a presentation. On our trip to Alberta, we experienced all of these.”

READ MORE: Insight into Canada’s First Nations

The wildlife in Canada

Canada is blessed with some of the world’s most spectacular wildlife both in the sea and on land. You can go on wildlife holidays in Canada and see some of the fascinating animals that live here.

Kristen and Siya, who run the Hopscotch The Globe blog, have spoken about a wildlife experience they enjoyed whilst they were in British Columbia: “If you’re like me and can’t get enough close encounters with wildlife, then going bear watching is a must. Witnessing black bears mating easily makes my ‘top things I’ve done in life’ list. We were lucky to see ten bears within our two-hour adventure.”

Wildlife you can see in Canada:

•Polar Bear

•Grizzly and Black Bears

•Killer Whales

•Humpback Whales and Minke Whales

•Moose

•Seals

•Wolves

•Cougars

•Caribou

•White-tailed deer

•Bald Eagle and Gold Eagle

•Bison

READ MORE: Wildlife in Canada: 11 animals you could meet

It’s a welcoming and family-friendly destination

Canada has previously topped the table when it comes to being the friendliest nation in the world and even today the nation is regarded as one of the most pleasant places to visit.

Canadians from large cosmopolitan cities to smaller towns are proud of Canada and are happy to show you around, advise you on great places to eat or help you when you get lost.

It is this laid-back attitude on top of the range of outdoor activities and events that make it the perfect travel destination for families with children. In winter you can go skiing and snowboarding and visit winter festivals or in the summer you can go hiking, wildlife watching and lots more.

Stephanie, the girl behind The World As I See It, speaks about the Québec Carnival in a blog post on her site.

She said: “Québec Carnival is filled with fun activities for the whole family from snow bowling, tubing and dog sledging to browsing the many exhibitors throughout the carnival area.

“There are also famous and popular foods to try like fries, cheese curds and gravy: a favourite known as Poutine.”

READ MORE: Canada vs UK

We know that Canada is a country of many greats, but this article gathers the experiences of travel bloggers and their opinions about what they loved so much about the country. Below is just a recap of what they loved about Canada:

•Canada’s natural wonders

•Canada’s cities

•Canada’s culture and history

•The wildlife in Canada

•It’s a welcoming and family-friendly destination

If you want to book your dream trip, we can help tailor it no matter whether you are looking for family holidays to Canada or a solo adventure. For more articles like this, check out the blog section of our website.