Americas · North America
🇨🇦 Canada travel guide
Rocky Mountain lakes, friendly cities & northern lights.
- Currency
- $ CAD
- Time
- UTC −3:30 to −8
- Emergency
- 911
Best places in Canada
- Banff & Lake Louise. Turquoise lakes in the Rockies.
- Niagara Falls. Boat ride under the falls.
- Vancouver. Stanley Park and mountains by the sea.
- Québec City. Walled old town with French charm.
Hidden places
- Tofino. Surf, rainforest and storm watching.
- Gros Morne. Fjords in Newfoundland.
- Churchill. Polar bears and beluga whales.
- Dawson City. Gold Rush history in the Yukon.
When to go
- Best time. June–September; December–March for snow and auroras.
- Avoid. Spring mud season in the mountains.
- Festivals. Calgary Stampede (July), Québec Winter Carnival (Feb).
What you need
- Documents. Passport, eTA or visa.
- Pack. Warm layers, rain jacket, bear spray for hikes.
- Apps. Parks Canada, Transit, Uber.
- Booking. Parks Canada passes and shuttle bookings.
The soul of Canada
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Banff and Jasper, Vancouver, Toronto and Niagara, Montréal and Québec City.
- Choose your season. June–September for hiking; winter for snow and northern lights.
- Before you leave. Canada is vast — focus on east or west.
Visual money
- Currency · CAD $. $1 and $2 coins are called loonies and toonies.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget C$110–170; comfortable C$230–400.
- Tipping. 15–20% in restaurants. Sales tax is added at checkout.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Many visitors need an eTA or visa. Apply only on canada.ca.
- Your first ride. Vancouver’s Canada Line and Toronto’s UP Express connect airports to downtown.
- Get connected. Prepaid SIMs from major carriers; coverage is thin in remote areas.
Street codes
- Sorry. Canadians apologise often — it’s politeness.
- Bilingual. Québec is French-speaking; try “Bonjour”.
- Wildlife. Never feed animals; keep distance from bears and elk.
Beyond the postcard
- Cape Breton. The Cabot Trail and Celtic music in Nova Scotia.
- Tofino. Surf and rainforest on Vancouver Island.
- Yukon. Midnight sun in summer, auroras in winter.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Poutine, Montréal bagels, butter tarts and Pacific salmon.
- Maple. Visit a sugar shack in spring.
- Dietary needs. Vegetarian options are widespread.
Scam shield
- Fake eTA sites. Use only the official government site.
- Car rental extras. Check insurance and cross-border rules.
- Wildlife tours. Choose licensed operators.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Bonjour (Québec). Thank you · Merci.
- “Washroom”. Means toilet. “Toque” means a winter hat.
- “Eh?”. A friendly way to end a sentence.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 911. Police, fire and ambulance.
- Cold. Winter can reach −30°C; dress in layers.
- Power & time. 120V; sockets types A and B. Six time zones.
Your Canada chapter
- A gentle first journey. Vancouver → Banff → Jasper over 10 days.
- A different pace. Montréal → Québec City → the Maritimes by train and car.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.