Depends on what you want to do, and what you think Canada is like. I had a Czech friend come here to where I live (Southern Ontario) because she loved the notion of the "Canadian wilderness", she loves wildlife, and she loves the outdoors. We did a lot of hiking in the back country. She thoroughly enjoyed it.
British Columbia is beautiful for mountains and conifers. Eastern Canada is stunning for the natural beauty of the ocean and coastal/rural communities. Central Canada is interesting because of cowboys. ;-)
It really depends on what you would like your vacation to be about.
I like nature, photography and mountain bike. Would love to know some places at the Rocky Mountains. The idea of "Canadian Wilderness" is interesting to me...
The other two with me will like it too, but I don't know if they would tolerate big hikes or camping. They are more "urbanoid" people... ;-)
Anyway... for now would be interesting to have general advice, so I can do some research based on the "must see" tips and check what would fit better...
My brother went to Lake Louise at Banff National Park in Alberta. He says it was his most favourite place to visit in Canada. Others have said the train ride through the Canadian Rockie mountains is spectacular. Lake Louise is very popular for photography/hikers.
My suggestion, Vancouver. You get the best of both worlds. The city is very clean and modern with a vibrant community for your travel mates and close enough to outdoor activities for you. Mountains, sea, and great atmosphere all around.
Not cheap though. You have to search to find good deals.
Quite a few of us in the Ottawa area, and as Ottawa is Canada's capital, surely you must plan to visit and take in the history here :-) Depending on the season can go skating on the world's longest outdoor skating rink, aka the Rideau Canal...or go skiing/snowshoeing in the Gatineau Hills just 20 min from downtown...and if it's summertime plenty of mountain biking and hiking. And Ottawa is not as hideously expensive as Vancouver or Toronto.
Last fall I took a 2-week road trip from Calgary to Jasper National Park, stopping for few days in Banff and and for two days at Lake Louise/Moraine Lake. It's one of the most beautiful trips I've ever taken. The whole two weeks, you are surrounded by scenery that you can't help but photograph every step of the way. I highly recommend renting a car and reserving hotels along the way, and enjoy every bit of the gorgeous journey through the mountains. You'll not regret it.
The other option is to drive over the mountains, from Calgary to Vancouver and stopping anywhere you like. It's at least two weeks journey though. But it's worth it!
I agree with those who say Vancouver to Braniff / Lake Louis, on to Jasper by way of the Icefields Highway and then back to Vancouver. You can easily do this loop in less than two weeks and have plenty of time for exploring. You will end up seeing wonderful mountain scenery, glaciers, a stunning modern and vibrant city as well as one of the most beautiful inland waterways in the world. Do a bit of research and you will find that there will be no shortage of what to do.
If you like mountain biking, the West Kootenays in British Columbia are fabulous. Look up the area around Rossland, BC. Lots of other outdoor/nature (like kayaking, or backpacking) stuff to do there also, although the mountains are not as "alpine" looking as in the Rockies. Kokanee Park close to Nelson, BC is a fantastic place to hike, and Nelson is a cool town to hang out.
If you do that Vancouver/Rockies/Vancouver loop, you can take the southern route (the Crowsnest Highway) to hit the Kootenays and Nelson/Rossland. You can always come back over the trans-Canada and see Glacier Park (the Canadian Glacier Park, not the American park by the same name, although the American Park is pretty cool too).
May I point out the magnificent fall foliage in the Gatineau Hills near Ottawa? I mention this because BC is largely a province of evergreens. Just sayin...
There is so much to see as it's a very big country. Beautiful coastline on both east and west coasts.
Icebergs and whales in Newfoundland, although July may be a bit late for the bergs. Also has the most easterly point in North America, right next to the oldest city in North America. Also has the viking settlement (first Europeans to visit the new world) on the northern peninsula.
The Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) have some similar physical characteristics as Newfoundland along with long rich histories of their own. New Brunswick also boasts the highest tides in the world.
Quebec of course is the basis of French culture in the country.
Nature varies between regions, but is easily available from just about any point in Canada. Even the large cities are pretty much surrounded by it. Only a question of it being a 10 minute drive or an hour, depending on the size of the city.
The Canadian Rockies have to be one of the most beautiful places on the earth. We honeymooned in the national parks. We only hit 3 out of the 4 there, but the thing is the all had a different feel to them.
Banff to Lake Louise to emerald lake is gorgeous, one of my ultimate favorites is the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper. The drive is wonderful and I frequent it a fair amount on the odd day trip because of the diversity in landscapes. Below is an idea what you can see driving through there...
Day 1 - Brazil - Vancouver
Day 2 - Vancouver
Day 3 - Vancouver - Kamloops
Day 4 - Kamloops - Jasper
Day 5 - Jasper
Day 6 - Jasper - Lake Louise
Day 7 - Lake Louise
Day 8 - Lake Louise - Banff
Day 9 - Banff
Day 10 - Banff - Calgary
Day 11 - Calgary - Brazil
The trip on days 3 and 4 would be made on the Rocky Mountaineer train. The rest would be made by bus.
What do you think?
It seems to be possible to stay some more days on Calgary or Vancouver. Which one would you prefer to stay a little more?
It also seems to be possible to make the tour backwards, starting at Calgary and finishing at Vancouver. Which one do you pick?
