Canada
Canada offers glacier mountains, lake country, French-speaking Quebec and a long coastline, and each region makes for a very different trip.
Canada is a North American country of ten provinces and three territories. It runs from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean. It is the second-largest country by total area and has the longest coastline in the world. Ottawa is the capital, and Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are its largest metro areas. Most Canadians live within about 150 km of the US border, so the north feels remote even on a map.
Travelers come for the mountains and glaciers of the Rockies, the lakes and forests of the interior, the French history of Quebec City and Montreal, and the coast of the Atlantic provinces. Quebec City was founded in 1608 and is the oldest place in North America continuously inhabited year-round by French settlers and their descendants. Poutine, maple syrup and butter tarts are common food to try. Summer suits most regions, while inland winters are long and very cold. Distances are large, so one to two weeks usually works best with one or two regions.
Five things to know before Canada
- Check your eTA before you fly
Visa-exempt travelers flying into Canada need an eTA, US citizens do not, and arriving by car, bus, train or boat needs none. The visa checker shows the rule for your passport. Visa checker
- Price a Parks Canada pass before the Rockies
Adults pay a daily fee in parks such as Banff and Jasper, and the annual Discovery Pass covers many Parks Canada places across the country. Compare the two before a week in the mountains. Parks Canada pass guide
- Reserve the Moraine Lake shuttle
Private cars cannot drive to Moraine Lake. Go by Parks Canada shuttle or a licensed bus, and book ahead in summer. Banff National Park
- Pick one region, not the whole map
The Rockies, the Pacific coast, Ontario and Québec, and the Atlantic provinces each fill a week. Add a second region only with two weeks or more, and fly between them. British Columbia and the Rockies
- Pair Montréal with Québec City
The two cities suit one trip by train or road. French is the main language in both, but staff in hotels and restaurants switch to English readily. Québec City
Canada travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the shuttles
Read the guideJasper National ParkQuieter Rockies, Maligne Lake, fire closures
Read the guideVancouverSeawall, Canada Line and Whistler day trips
Read the guideTorontoNeighborhoods, the islands and Niagara
Read the guideMontréalOld Montréal, the Plateau and festivals
Read the guideQuébec CityWalled old town and the Winter Carnival
Read the guideParks Canada passDaily fees or the Discovery Pass
Read the guideCanada eTA explainedWho needs it and where to apply
Read the guide
Destinations in Canada
CityNiagara FallsExplore
CityCalgaryExplore
CityQuébec CityExplore
CityEdmontonExplore
CityMontréalExplore
CityKingstonExplore
CityLake LouiseExplore
CityWhitehorseExplore
CityTorontoExplore
CityWhistlerExplore
CityChurchillExplore
CityHaida GwaiiExplore
CityTofinoExplore
CityYellowknifeExplore
CitySaint JohnExplore
CityVancouverExplore
CityWinnipegExplore
CityHalifaxExplore
CityOttawaExplore
CityKelownaExplore
CitySt John'sExplore
CitySaskatoonExplore
RegionOntarioExplore
RegionAlbertaExplore
RegionYukon TerritoryExplore
RegionQuébecExplore
RegionGaspé PeninsulaExplore
RegionOkanagan ValleyExplore
RegionManitobaExplore
RegionSaskatchewanExplore
RegionNunavutExplore
RegionNova ScotiaExplore
RegionNewfoundland & LabradorExplore
RegionPrince Edward IslandExplore
RegionBritish ColumbiaExplore
RegionNew BrunswickExplore
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- CA$55
- Food
- CA$40
- Transport
- CA$13
- Sights
- Free
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- CA$140
- Food
- CA$100
- Transport
- CA$40
- Sights
- CA$45
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- CA$260
- Food
- CA$200
- Transport
- CA$120
- Sights
- CA$160
When to go
- Best
- JanuaryWet, ski season
- FebruaryWet
- MarchBlossom, showers
- AprilSpring
- MayMild
- JuneLong days
- JulyDry, warm
- AugustDry, warm
- SeptemberMild, fewer crowds
- OctoberRains return
- NovemberWettest
- DecemberWet, ski season
Right now in Canada
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
3
- Feels like
- 0°
- Humidity
- 81%
- Wind
- 11 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 6%
Canada
02:05 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today5°-2°6%Monday: Cloudy. High 5°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Tue6°-2°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 6°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed3°-3°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 3°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu2°-2°0%Thursday: Fog. High 2°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri3°-1°7%Friday: Fog. High 3°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 7%.
- Sat3°-2°25%Saturday: Snow. High 3°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 25%.
- Sun3°-5°13%Sunday: Cloudy. High 3°, Low -5°. Chance of rain 13%.
Updated 11:50 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.397 CAD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Festivals by month
- JanQuebec Winter CarnivalQuébec City
- FebWinterludeOttawa
- Mar
- Apr
- MayCanadian Tulip FestivalOttawa
- JunMontreal International Jazz FestivalMontréal
- JulCalgary StampedeCalgaryFestival d'été de QuébecQuébec City
- AugMUTEKMontréalOsheaga FestivalMontréal
- SepPop MontrealMontréal
- OctFestival du Monde Arabe de MontréalMontréal
- Nov
- Dec
On tour in Canada: Olivia Rodrigo The Unraveled Tour Vancouver, Dec 1 – 2, 2026 · Rush Fifty Something Tour Edmonton, Vancouver, Dec 10 – 17, 2026 · Def Leppard 2027 North American tour Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Vancouver, Edmonton, Mar 5 – May 16, 2027 · Nickelback Everything Under the Sun Tour 2027 Montreal, Hamilton, Toronto, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Mar 12 – Apr 9, 2027 · Calvin Harris 2027 North American tour Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Vancouver, Apr 12 – May 16, 2027 · Harry Styles Together, Together 2027 Toronto, May 7 – 15, 2027 · Metallica M72 World Tour 2027 Vancouver, May 8, 2027 · Slipknot (sic)est Stadium Tour 2027 Montreal, Toronto, Jul 21 – 23, 2027
Before you go to Canada
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Canada FAQ
Do I need an eTA for Canada?
If you fly in on a visa-exempt passport, yes: it costs CAD $7, lasts up to five years or until the passport expires, and is applied for only on the Government of Canada site. US citizens are exempt, and arriving by car, bus, train or boat needs none.
When is the best time for the Rockies?
July to September for hiking, when lakes and high trails are usually open. Shoulder months can still bring snow and closures, so check Parks Canada for trail and road conditions before you book.
How do I get from Vancouver to Banff?
Fly to Calgary and drive about 1.5 hours to Banff, or drive from Vancouver over the mountain passes. The Rocky Mountaineer is a seasonal sightseeing train, not a quick transfer, and BC winter tire signs apply from October 1.
Is tax included in prices in Canada?
No. Federal GST and, in most provinces, a provincial or harmonized sales tax are added at the till, so the shelf price is lower than what you pay. Tips are also added on top in restaurants.
Is Canada better in summer or winter?
Summer suits the Rockies, Vancouver and Montréal's festivals, with hiking from July. Winter suits skiing in the Rockies and Whistler and the Québec City Carnival, but the east is very cold from December to February.