Canada Travel Information, Travel Pictures & Tips

tips for holidays to Canada or for moving to Canada

Canada is my home and native land, and I am often asked about holidays to Canada, or about immigrating.

Questions like 'What's it like to live in Canada? What is the best city to immigrate to?' (I live in Mississauga, Ontario, so I think that's the best place to live in!)

Canada is so large and so diverse, there's no easy answer. Here's some Canada information to help plan your trip or move Canada.

How far is it from Ontario to British Columbia? To drive from Toronto, Ontario, to Vancouver, BC, a distance of about 9,500 kilometers or 5,900 miles will take you about 5-7 days; By air, it's a 5 hour flight. If you are planning a one week holiday in Canada, consider travel ONLY in the east OR central Canada OR the west. In Central Canada -- Ontario and Quebec -- you'll have time to visit Niagara Falls and Toronto, and even Ottawa and Montreal.
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If you have two weeks holiday or longer In Ontario and Quebec, you have time to travel to the East coast provinces. To drive straight through from Toronto to Saint John New Brunswick takes about 16-20 hours; it's a 2.5-3 hour flight. (see my blog post comparing flying, driving, train from Toronto to New Brunswick.)

For a one week trip to Canadian Western provinces, like British Columbia and Alberta 7-10 days is enough time to explore Vancouver, Whistler, the Okanagan, and the Rocky Mountains national parks in and around Banff and Jasper. Two weeks in B.C. allows travel to Vancouver Island (see Port Hardy BC and the Sunshine Coast).

To plan your trip and help you get around when you get here, buy a current map atlas Canada, USA & Mexico (3 in 1!) and a good guidebook like Mobil travel guide for all Canada, USA & Mexico with information on 9 Canadian provinces (no Newfoundland) OR the new Lonely Planet Canada guide OR this new Fodor's Canada 2008 Gold guide. Travel guide books all include regional maps and information, and last for many years.

What Languages do they speak in Canada? Officially bilingual (English and French), with English spoken almost everywhere in Canada. The only areas I have had a language problem has been in some parts of Quebec and New Brunswick in small francophone communities. In communities that are popular with immigrants, like Mississauga, Ontario, many city programs are published in up to 14 different languages, including all the Southeast Asian languages. In Vancouver (with Hong Kong immigrants) and Toronto (Mainland China and Hong Kong immigrants), there is a corresponding increase in those who speak Chinese languages. (See the Mississauga Chinese Center, one of several Chinese malls in the Toronto area.)

Moving to Canada? Find out How to rent or buy homes in Canada.

Train travel in Canada The passenger trains are operated by VIA Rail (web site offered in 7 languages). This is not the cheapest way to travel across the country. Check the rates and schedules to help you decide. If you are visiting British Columbia, check out the Rocky Mountaineer rail tours between B.C. and Alberta

Airlines in Canada The main carriers are Air Canada and West Jet. Traveller reviews tend to rank WestJet domestic (internal) flights higher than Air Canada domestic (internal) flights (operating under the Tango and Jazz brands) in terms of service and price. However, Air Canada flies to many smaller Canadian towns than West Jet. There are also a number of regional carriers that only operate in one or two provinces. Travel from Canada to or from the United Kingdom in spring and summer, see this information at Snapshot Travel Blog.

Tourist Visa Visitor visas and other visas are handled by the Canadian government Citizenship and Immigration (English). TIP Deal only with the offical Government of Canada web sites and offices especially if you would like to immigrate to Canada.

What Currency (money) do they use in Canada? The Canadian dollar is the official currency.(CAD) About $1 CAD = $1.20 U.S. dollar; or $1 USD = $.85 CAD; Rates fluctuate. You can change / cash travellers checks at banks, many of which are open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays to Wednesdays and Saturdays, and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Closed Sundays and holidays. As well, there are a number of private companies who offer money services, but often at a higher fee than banks. ATMs are widely available, and the ATMs associated with banks offer the best rates. Many businesses will accept U.S. dollars, and they will post the exchange rate they use. See Travel Currency tips page for more travel money tips.

Food : Eat in Canada Most larger centers and even many smaller ones have foods from around the world, like at these Mississauga Ontario restaurants. Some wild foods in Canada include asparagus and fiddleheads (ferns) found in some parts of Canada (B.C., Ontario and the Maritimes). Usually the lands they are found groowing on are private property or protected park lands, so it's best to get your fiddleheads and asparagus in the supermarket.

What do I pack for a trip to Canada? Packing for Canada depends on what time of year, and which part of Canada you will visit.For summer, a light jacket and or rain jacket should be enough for any part of Canda but the Far North. And for winter, generally, winter is winter from coast to coast to coast, so warm winter clothing is necessary -- mitts or gloves, hats, scarves, boots, etc. If you are coming to Canada from a warm climate, and when you leave Canada, you don't need winter clothing, try this: Wear your warmer clothes (jacket, sweater, etc) for the trip TO Canada, and when you get here, go to a second hand store (Goodwill, Value Village etc.) Buy inexpensive, warm, used winter clothing, and wear it while you are here. Before you leave, donate it back to the charity. Check out my travel tips section inlcuding the pages on Travel clothes and what to pack.

Best time to travel to Canada For touring and sightseeing, the shoulder seasons Fall (September, October) and Spring (May and June) usually have good weather, though it may vary year to year, and by location. See also Canada Snow page. Many attractions are open only during the summer months, like boat tours at Niagara Falls and national parks. Ski hills are open across the country, depending on weather, from mid-November at the earliest to late March or early April. Check with individual resorts before you book. The summer months -- June, July and August -- are busiest, and air fares and hotels the most expensive. Consider renting a vehicle, and joinng all the other Canadians traveling while the kids are off school for summer break.

What side of the road do they drive on in Canada? In Canada they drive on the right. If you are planning to drive to Canada, and your vehicle Does Not have GPS, you may want to get a handheld GPS (see handheld GPS systems) to bring with you. Come to think of it, a handheld GPS would be great even if you are NOT driving but plan to do walking or hiking, etc tours. Niagara Escarpment is a popular North American spot for Geo-Caching - finding caches using a GPS system. See Escarpment waterfalls pictures at Hamilton, Ontario page. To plan your trip, and get around once you are in Canada, DO buy a current map atlas Canada, USA & Mexico (3 in 1!) and a good guidebook like Mobil travel guide for all Canada, USA & Mexico with information on 9 Canadian provinces (no Newfoundland). If you belong to an auto association like AAA, then check with them too to see what they offer their members. 

Travel Health Make sure your vaccinations are current, and check for current news around the time you plan to travel. Generally the water is safe to drink. See Public Health Canada pages for detailed information. See my travel documents tips here.

Phone home FROM Canada or make calls TO or WITHIN Canada Most convenience stores in Canada sell phone cards, but some may have hidden fees. See calling cards page for information.

(Get the Canada totem pole image top of page on postcards, notebooks, totes)

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More Canada Travel Information and Travel Pictures

General Canada pages

* Canada Snow - Winter in Canada

* How to find homes to buy or rent in Canada

Ontario Canada pages of travel information and pictures:

• Mississauga Ontario Located west of Toronto along Lake Ontario, a great family community.

• Streetsville Ontario Historic old village in north Mississauga, with new housing developments.

• Hamilton Ontario Waterfalls and walking trails around this city between Toronto and Niagara Falls

• Niagara Falls Ontario On the U.S. border, an hour and a half drive from Toronto on the QEW

• Brewing Beer Ontario Craft Brewers Brew pubs Ontario

• Canada Maple syrup festivals Pictures southern Ontario

British Columbia Canada pages for travel information and pictures

• Port Hardy B C On north Vancouver Island off British Columbia coast

• Telegraph Cove B.C.Northern Vancouver Island jumping off spot for grizzlie watching tours (seasonal)

• Sunshine Coast B. C. From Vancouver Island across to Powell River on the B.C.Mainland

• Sechelt B. C. British Columbia's southern Sunshine Coast

Looking for more pictures of Canada? See my Blog

• Snapshot Travel Blog South Thompson Late Summer (B.C.)

  Lake Ontario Port Credit late November in Mississauga Ontario
  
  Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area and Mississauga

• Snapshot Travel Blog Mallards Condo views Mississauga Lakeshore

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