Things to do in 

Canada

Explore alternative things to do in Canada, from island studio visits off Vancouver to kitchen parties in Newfoundland, and trade big-ticket sights for easy, hands-on moments across provinces.

Cultural experiences: In Vancouver, meet carvers at Indigenous-owned galleries on Granville Island and join a cedar weaving workshop in North Vancouver, a gentle, hands-on hour families and seniors enjoy. In Montreal’s Mile End, roll sesame bagels with a baker before a vinyl-digging stop on Saint-Laurent; couples often add a cozy wine bar afterward. Near Quebec City, sit down for a maple-season meal at a family cabane à sucre on Île d’Orléans, with horse-drawn sleighs when snow cooperates. In St. John’s, pop into a neighborhood kitchen party in Petty Harbour and try your first screech-in; luxury travelers can arrange a private fiddler for a small group.

Day Trip Ideas: From Vancouver, ferry 20 minutes to Bowen Island for forest trails and a dockside café, or drive 30 minutes south to Steveston’s historic cannery and wharf. From Toronto, sip icewine in Niagara-on-the-Lake 90 minutes away, then stroll Queen Street’s verandas; another day, head to St. Jacobs near Waterloo for the farmers’ market and Mennonite country roads. From Calgary, skip the crowds in Banff and wander Kananaskis Country an hour west for quiet valleys and glacier-fed creeks ideal for picnics. From Halifax, trace the Lighthouse Route to Lunenburg for shipwright tales, or stop at Peggy’s Cove for granite boulders and a chowder break.

Explore Canada's Regions: On the West Coast, pair Vancouver’s neighborhoods with ferries to Vancouver Island for Cowichan Valley farms and tidal beaches. In the Canadian Rockies, base in Canmore or Banff and add a quieter day in Kananaskis or Yoho for waterfalls and teal lakes. Around Ontario, balance Toronto’s markets with Niagara wine country and a detour to Prince Edward County’s barns and bays. In Quebec, mix Montreal’s cafés with stone lanes in Quebec City and the riverside train to Charlevoix for small cheese dairies. Out East, roam Nova Scotia’s South Shore and hop to Newfoundland for cliff walks near Torbay; adventurous travelers look north to Whitehorse for aurora nights and canoe days.

Canada is vast; plan 7–10 days for a single region like British Columbia or Quebec, 12–14 if you’re combining two, and 3–4 weeks for a coast-to-coast sampler of unique experiences.

More places to see in Canada

Outside Toronto, make time for places where daily life leads the way — small ports, old lanes, and wide-open parks that are easy to explore. These are stops where you can eat with locals, learn a story or two, and follow the day at a relaxed pace.

Vancouver Island: Wander through Victoria’s narrow Fan Tan Alley, then head to Fisherman’s Wharf for midday fish and chips by the water. Follow the shoreline path along Dallas Road in the late afternoon, watching kite surfers while the sun drops toward the Strait.

Québec City & Île d’Orléans: Ride the funicular to Rue du Petit-Champlain and drift past stone storefronts and quiet courtyards. Stop by the Grand Marché de Québec around midday for cheese, charcuterie, and maple treats. Cross to Île d’Orléans for a slow loop past farm stands, tasting strawberries and ice cider in the afternoon.

Nova Scotia’s South Shore: Trace the waterfront in Lunenburg and step into the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to see workboats up close. Watch the Bluenose II if she’s in port, then drive to Peggy’s Cove for the late-day light on the lighthouse and the granite ledges.

Yukon: In Dawson City, walk the boardwalks and visit the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre for Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in history in the afternoon. Drive up to the Midnight Dome for a late-evening view under the long summer sun. Leave a day for the Grizzly Ridge Trail in Tombstone Territorial Park, where the ridgelines feel close enough to touch.

Seasonal activities

Spring: Follow maple season to sugar shacks in Québec and Ontario, then watch cherry blossoms unfurl in Vancouver and Victoria as patios open and neighbourhoods shake off winter. Waterfalls run high at Niagara and migratory birds sweep across prairie skies, an easy pace for families and seniors.

Summer: Stretch out long days on alpine trails in the Rockies, paddle quiet lakes in Algonquin or the Thousand Islands, and watch for whales off British Columbia’s coast. Swim warm beaches on Prince Edward Island and slip into festival-filled evenings that suit couples, friends, and multi‑generational groups.

Fall: Trace fiery foliage through the Laurentians, Algonquin, or the Cabot Trail, then taste harvest season in the Okanagan and Niagara with farm stands and vineyard views. Catch early auroras in the North and settle into shoulder‑season city breaks with museum wanders and neighbourhood food tours.

Winter: Carve turns at Whistler, Banff, or Tremblant, snowshoe quiet forest loops, and skate the Rideau Canal when it freezes into a ribbon through Ottawa. Try dogsledding or cosy up in a lodge for starry nights and, with luck, a burst of northern lights, while Niagara’s icewine harvest adds a sweet finish.

Year after year, Canada’s calendar fills with street-forward celebrations: Canada Day fireworks on July 1, Pride parades in major cities, and Montréal’s summer music streetscapes. Join citywide Stampede festivities in Calgary, the Celebration of Light over Vancouver’s harbour, Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s parade, and winter fun at Ottawa’s Winterlude and Québec City’s snowy party with sculptures and night parades.