Canada has excellent tourism infrastructure that makes traveling a pleasure. Room and transportation reservations are a good idea in summer and around holidays. One thing to keep in mind is the country's immense scale. If you're like most people, you're traveling to get away from daily stresses, so don't try to pack too much into your itinerary and do consider limiting your explorations to one or two regions in depth.
When to go
There are reasons to visit Canada at any time of year, but most people arrive in summer when temperatures are pleasant and much of the action moves outdoors. Just what constitutes 'summer,' though, varies by region. In southern Canada, it generally refers to the period between Victoria Day (late May) and Labour Day (early September). In the northern regions, however, summer starts as late as mid-June and ends, often abruptly, with the first snowfall in early to mid-September.
In most areas, March to May and September to October bring fewer tourists and often surprisingly pleasant weather. Fall, which finds forests cloaked in a spectacular mantle of color, is a great time to visit. Canadian winters are long, cold and dark. With most outlying attractions closed, your explorations are pretty much limited to the ski resorts and cities. Quebec City, Toronto and Winnipeg are among those cities hosting big winter carnivals. City museums generally remain open in those months, and the ballet, opera and symphony season is in full swing as well.
What to take
- Bug spray
- Your driver's license and registration papers, plus adequate liability insurance
- Car, hotel or camping reservations, especially when traveling in summer
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