Things to do in Canada

Although Churchill, in the northeastern region overlooking Hudson Bay, features grim buildings, an iced-over port and harsh, biting winters, there is an upside to all of this; it’s home to one of the best things to do in Canada. It’s a prime location to go polar bear-watching: the bears arrive in June, forced ashore until the ice reforms enough to support their weight. This allows them to hunt seals - a polar bear can detect a scent from 32km away and the presence of deals under a metre of snow and ice. Local wildlife tour operators have thrown Churchill a lifeline with their polar bear tours; the best months to spot them are between September to early November, just before the ice reforms completely.

Canada’s Pacific capital is one of the nation’s most enticing cities, and its world-class cuisine shouldn’t go amiss. Vancouver’s multicultural history has produced, in turn, some of the country’s best restaurants - so it would be rude not to count this as one of the top things to do in Canada, right? Chinese cuisine has a high profile; particularly in Richmond, where there’s a delicious ‘dumpling trail’. Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai are also well represented, along with plenty of Korean options - they’re great shouts if you’re on a tight budget. One of the biggest trends in the Vancouver restaurant scene is for nose to tail, seed to stem dining and you’ll find plenty of “West Coast cuisine” too, which consists of fresh local ingredients such as salmon, oysters, and sweet local spot prawns. Vegetarians, vegans and the gluten-intolerant are well served by a number of specialist places, too. Browsing Canada holiday packages? Alongside its top-notch dining, sophisticated Vancouver is one of the world’s great scenic cities, with great art galleries and museums to boot.

The skiing and snowboarding season for Whistler is one of the longest in North America, often running for almost 200 days from November to early June and with an impressive annual average snowfall of 11.64m. It’s frequently rated as one of the world’s top-five winter ski destinations; but you can also give other winter sports a go here, like supreme mountain biking and highline hiking. The resort consists of two mountains, Whistler (2182m) and Blackcomb (2284m), although Whistler is the more approachable of the two. There’s no need to feel intimidated by its popularity, size and prestige, though; its breakdown of terrain is 20% beginner, 55% intermediate and 25% expert, so there’s room for everyone.

Even if you’ve seen all the postcards and watched all the films, nothing quite prepares you for your first glimpse of Niagara Falls, a fearsome white arc shrouded in clouds of dense spray with the river boats struggling down below. The spectacle is even more extraordinary in winter, where the snow-covered trees, freezing mist and heaped ice blocks make for a whole other experience. Even after the sun goes down, the Falls are a splendid sight, thanks to the Falls Illumination, a multi-coloured light and water show.

Wondering what to do in Canada where you can take in more of the Aboriginal heritage? This magical West-Coast archipelago of 200 islets is home to a vibrant Aboriginal culture, unique fauna and deep, mossy forests. The Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site protects large tracts of land, incredible biodiversity, traditional villages and numerous archeological sites. The highlight of any visit here is the chance to learn more about the Haida culture; there’s also the chance to visit their many deserted villages. The “Canadian Galapagos”, as it’s affectionately known, is so remote that it can only be accessed from Vancouver or Prince Rupert, or by ferry from Prince Rupert; there’s no public transport on the islands, but shuttle services are available. The best way to drink it all in? Head out on a kayaking tour through the oceans, rivers and lakes.

The annual Calgary Stampede brings around 1.25 million spectators and participants to southern Alberta’s likeable main city, Calgary, for ten days in early July. This isn’t just a tick-list tourist item; no, the event is one of the world’s biggest rodeos and comes close to living up to its “greatest outdoor show on earth” billing. The competition-end of things is taken very seriously and the combined prize money exceeds $2 million. Things kick off on the Friday with a 9am parade, with downtown’s Olympic Plaza serving free pancake breakfasts and morning entertainment in the forms of live music, mock gunfights and Aboriginal dancing. The Stampede’s real action - the rodeo and allied events - takes place in Stampede Park, with more entertainment on show.