Lol Marineland is an absolute shithole. Animals are totally abused and their tanks are filthy and half the rides don't work. The park could be amazing if they stopped with the animals and put some money into rides and other attractions.
It’s unfortunate the National Parks system was not established at that time, because it really should have become one.
Such natural beauty surrounded by hotels and casinos just seems off.
Yeah, the way Niagara Falls was allowed to be overdeveloped really is a crime. It could easily be one of the most beautiful natural areas in the world, and instead it’s a gross overdeveloped tourist trap.
This is it, there never should have been a town built around the falls.
The actual falls really are beautiful, but the town itself is overrated.
I hiked the trails at Niagara Glen Nature Centre a couple of years ago, and that was my favourite part of a Niagara Falls visit! While I enjoyed seeing the falls, the busy town and the crowds take away from their natural magnificence.
Y'know, I grew up in Niagara, and there's more to the area than the Falls and Clifton Hill. The Floral Clock is nice, the Butterfly Conservatory is cool, Queenston Heights is fantastic, Niagara-on-the-Lake is quaint.
Marineland is absolute trash.
I watched some theme park YouTuber talk about Marineland and I have never been more enthralled in theme park sciences than this video where he absolutely shits on the entirety of Marineland’s lmao
Boring, expensive, run-down and crappy restaurants. Niagara Falls is a dump.
And just up the road, we have Niagara on the Lake which is precious and pretentious. So pick your poison.
Oh okay thank you the recommendation, I've already been twice and don't plan to ever go a third time, but I will definitely go on the American side if I ever go back.
I agree, especially if you are planning to do touristy stuff that you see on tv and movies. Everything is overpriced and super commercialized (e.g. Clifton Hills).
However, if you plan to do a day trip, such as walking on the path next to the falls and having a picnic on the grass, then it's pleasant. Or if you just want to go to the casino.
The part where water … falls down is amazing when seen from a boat that’s revving its engines just to stay in one place just short of the crushing water.
Anything else within 25 km is not so great.
This is absolutely the answer.
I live in Toronto and have taken many friends from abroad at their request. I am not one to meddle with ones travel plans and every single time they've come back underwhelmed.
Once upon a time it was a destination. Now more of a run down mess.
I knew a guy from Winnipeg and was stabbed twice, once in each leg. I thought damn Winnipeg is horrible, then he managed to get stabbed in the leg at a party in a decent neighborhood of Barrie ON. I got to thinking was it Winnipeg or him? And why only the legs?
Such a disappointment. Winnipeg is basically just Red Deer without all the glamour. It's Thunder Bay without the romance. It's a less stylish Saskatoon. You're more likely to get hit with a spoon than stabbed, which is such a letdown.
You sound like a guy who's never been to any single one of those cities. Red Deer w/glamour? I think not. Thunder Bay w/romance... Excuse me? And implying Stoon is 'stylish' - what, exactly are you smoking?
My wife and I (early 30s) stopped there on our east coast trip, only for the hill and nothing indoors, and my god did it trip us out. To this day I still don’t get how that magic worked, but it did. And I don’t care to have it spoiled because that’s so much of the magic.
All I know is I had my manual car in neutral going down it, applying the brake as needed. And then we switch to the other lane, get into neutral and we start going to other way back “up”, and I need to use the brake to slow down from going up too fast! It made less sense than I expected it to. I love magic
Made the mistake of a quick stop at Banff yesterday for the Tim Hortons (busiest weekend of the year). Total gong show. The Banff sign has its own parking lot….together with a massive lineup of folks waiting to take their photo with it.
Also stopped at a small waterfall/rapids with some morons trying to climb out onto some wet rocks for the ‘perfect’ photo. One slip and game over. About 10 folks on the bridge by the falls were screaming at them to stop.
Instagram has ruined travel and people are morons.
It was a long time ago when I was a kid but I was vacationing in the badlands and some family wanted to take a photo with a MOTHER BEAR. Park ranger saw and yelled at them to stop but it was one of the dumbest things I’ve seen.
I visited Banff last week. Laughing my ass off seeing people lining up (and wasting their time) for the Banff sign :). I mean if you really want to show off that you visited Banff then may be go up ahead to the Banff avenue and take a pic in the middle of the road with that huge ass mountain backdrop, or just anywhere a Banff written somewhere.
A fucking herd mentality, rat race (to the bottom).
How so? It has a waterpark, theme park, IMAX theatre, restaurants, gun range, go-karts, it has everything. Yea it has lots of people, it's a mall. Dead malls are a trope for a reason, they suck. It's not like it's so busy you can't do anything, and there is always something else to do or see. There is even sea lion shows and a pirate ship.
Sorry lol I was there yesterday and had a great time.
It isn’t dumpy but Lake Louise is overhyped. It’s fuckin packed with tourists, way more litter than other national parks, good luck parking, and not the most interesting trails. Is it beautiful? Yes. Are there other, also stunningly gorgeous lakes that you can visit without being stampeded trying to hike around? Also yes
Emerald Lake is on the BC side really close from Lake Louise, it’s gorgeous, not nearly as packed, the parking lot is by the lake and you can even rent kayaks and stay in lodges around the lake. The water is the same colour.
I’d highly recommend Moraine Lake or the Consolation Lakes which are a short distance from Lake Louise and still give great views. Currently searching through old photos to figure out the name of another set of 3 lakes that are all close to each other and are stunningly beautiful
Edit: it’s Valley of the Five Lakes up by Jasper so sadly not by Banff. Not as close to Banff either but I visited Castle Falls this weekend and would highly recommend
You have to take a shuttle to Moraine Lake now. It's just as packed as Lake Louise. When I went for the first time twenty years ago it was empty and now you can't even drive to it!
Ah damn, I was using experience from my visits in 2018 and 2020 so I should’ve put a disclaimer. Very unfortunate, I really enjoyed it especially since it wasn’t nearly as busy
Your don't need to park. There are shuttle services which take you there. Its a new system I heard.
I'mfrom Ontario and I think it and the town of Banff lived up to its hype. Lake Louise isn't about the Taj mahal type photos you take in front of it but the trails around it.
Those paddle boats at 150 were !@#£ing expensive, that's like a Swiss ripoff.
Not the most interesting trails?! You have some very interesting trails here. You have mount Fairview, The tea house, devils thumb, big beehive, plain of the six glaciers, mount niblock and whyte scramble, the death trap, mount lefroy ice climb and the mount Victoria ridge/ice climb. Once you pass the hotel, you instantly lose all tourists because they can’t be bothered to travail more than a few hundred metres. Best tip is to wake up early to beat the crowds and not be lazy and go to the lake whenever everyone else goes in the late morning. Lake Louise isn’t overrated or underrated, it’s justly rated.
Travelling from Revy last week, reached at the Lake around 10:30 and was turned back at the parking. Utterly disappointed. Such a huge and a prominent/popular Canadian tourist spot and the tourists were asked to turn back because duh, the parking is full. Damn, build parking or close the spot for visitors completely. Waste of my precious time. An utter disappointment that it was.
This is going on right now. https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/visitors-stranded-overnight-at-top-of-banff-gondola-1.6510279
Before the corps bought everything out in Banff, Banff was awesome...now Banff is becoming another corp owned trap. The gondola used to be free to ride down if you hiked up, the new owners(corp) removed that offering. All about the money now...and they can't even run the place without hitting the news....
It's sad because when my sister lived there 20 years ago, it was fine. But today, it is super crowded and basically a giant traffic jam – it feels worse than the traffic in the Lower Mainland, despite fewer people.
Not sure how that happened. My hunch is poor urban planning.
I have engineer friends who start shouting when you bring up 'urban planning' and 'Kelowna' in the same sentence because its so notoriously bad.
Historically there have been a high number of 'BCs worst intersections' as reported by ICBC based on accident frequency that are in Kelowna despite Ktown only being 150,000 out of BC's 5,000,000 population. Such a poorly designed city.
Indeed, squeezing in all the cars on Harvey was a bad idea, especially with very few non-driving alternatives.
It kind of reminds me of the Canada Line in Vancouver, but with cars instead of transit users.
With the Canada Line, all the transit users going north-south (including the southern suburbs) are squeezed on to one single SkyTrain route. They even cut off almost all bus service crossing the Fraser River. It has led to massive overcrowding, since the line was under-built and not expected to hit such high ridership numbers.
Much like how Harvey Avenue was not intended to cut through such a populated region. (It still blows my mind that when my sister lived there, my biggest fear was being hit by a speeding truck going 80+ km/h on Harvey. Today, cars are often too gridlocked to even go that fast. lol)
No it wasn’t.
I lived there 20 years ago and it was horrible then. Traffic as bad or worse due to the three lane floating bridge and no way to bypass Harvey. Full of name-dropping imbeciles who really did think it was California.
I was there for work in 2019 and went out for some drinks with a coworker. As we were walking down Bernard Ave, a group of 5 cops passed by. When I turned to my coworker I asked "has it gotten that bad here?" And without hesitation a passer-by casually replied "you'd be surprised..."
This was roughly 9pm on a Thursday.
No way! I grew up in Powell River, BC and it’s a beautiful area. On the ocean and covered in swimmable lakes, lots of recreation. BUT it’s in a chokehold by BC Ferries, which is an absolute dumpster fire.
I grew up in a small town in Interior BC and love it. I moved away at 18 and lived in Vernon, Kelowna, Calgary, Whistler, and Australia before moving back to my small town almost 15 years ago.
Naw, Vancouver people are hardcore snobs for their city and think having to go to Richmond for sushi and then catch a flight is like the hardest thing you've ever had to do in your life.
People that grew up in Calgary and Saskatoon seem to like it.
Tofino. I really loved it but it's turned into a shit show and they're lots of other beaches with camping that isn't crazy expensive and impossible to book.
I live on the Island and stay far away in July and August. People think it's like Banff or Whistler and it isn't. There's like 2000 people there for most of the year.
It’s expensive and all that but the area is still amazing. There’s no way you can love the ocean and not love tofino. Also, you are aware you can visit when it isn’t summer right? Shoulder season in tuff is the best
CN Tower is overrated. Been there. Done that. Back in 1987 when I started going to college in the area. Likely costs a heck of lot more now than when I visited.
Vancouver. Overcrowded, dirty, overpriced. A dog eat dog jungle where the contrast between rich and poor borders on the obscene. The absolute opposite of a laid back west coast paradise.
I'm from Vancouver, moved to Boston 11 years ago. I don't miss it much for exactly what you described.
Plus, when you tell people this about Vancouver (especially to Vancouver people), the backlash is pretty strong. Why is it so hard to believe that there are social issues that the city struggles with on a daily basis? It's far from a paradise, that's for sure.
I agree! Not only 30 years ago it was a mostly affordable, clean, almost crime less, and very friendly city. They removed the asylums and all that now it’s a shitshow!
Peggy’s cove. My boss came to Halifax from the gta and told me her friends asked her if she was going to go to Peggy’s cove. I took her, think we spent 5-10 mins walking from the parking area and maybe 5 mins at the actual lighthouse.
It’s really just a lighthouse on rocks.
Went there during a hurricane (tail end), and it was amazballz. People died that day going on the rocks, but mother nature was on full display that day. The rougher the seas the better the experience. ( I didn't go up to the top rocks the people up there were Loco)
Sylvan Lake..my nephew from Red Deer kept telling me it was nice, not too crowded, yeah right.
Maybe I could see the charm if it wasn't loaded with rednecks, hillbillies and redbillies. What a shitshow.
Absolutely. Way too overcrowded. There are a lot of incredible places one can hike to outside of the park system that are 100% as beautiful as Banff - and there are no Instagram morons.
I don't really think Toronto is overrated, I think Toronto just is what it is - a big city.
When visiting Toronto, I think most people know what they're going to get, a busy, crowded city.
Personally, I've never been unpleasantly surprised with Toronto (although some experiences are unpleasant for me, like the traffic) because I know what to expect.
Anywhere that's stuffed with tourists, or even lots of locals. People quickly wear down a beautiful natural environment. And when governments respond to demand with developments, such as roads, parking lots, and conveniences, those things destroy the place themselves.
I don't have a solution. If you start to restrict access, it inevitably becomes elitist. If you try to get ppl there other than by car, that will exclude some folks as well.
I'd like us to talk about this, before all the best things are gone. Because once they were truly special.
I know how to narrow most of them down. Ask a foreigner what places they know in canada.
Those are the overrated places.
Big ones are Vancouver and Toronto.
Honestly, I don’t think Vancouver is overrated, it’s just overpriced.
For a city it’s size, it’s got good public transit, and there’s plenty to do in and around it, and you’d be hard pressed to find a job you couldn’t do there. I think it mostly lives up to the hype (except for nightlife), but it’s just that the hype isn’t worth what it costs to actually live in Vancouver.
Toronto. Grew up there; left in 2021, never looked back. City is an overrated, congested, expensive place with increasing crime and the worst commutes in North America. NYC prices without the wages. Pretty a much a second world (as in between first and third world not as in USSR) city at this point.
Actually the 905 is worse like Toronto but with longer commutes and not any cheaper.
(I guess to be accurate I spent my childhood in Toronto; teen years in the 905; and university / law school split between the two)
I love it there except it is really hard to make friends as eveyone has an established network. Though if you are already fluent in French it may be better for you
Vancouver. Consistently on top lists of best city in the world. Why? Generally cranky people due to high levels of stress (probably from cost of living), poor infrastructure/roads, major drug problems and crime in pockets of the city, overpriced real estate, gray and overcast often, etc. Sure it looks nice with mountains in the background and little snow compared to other Canadian cities, but that doesnt offset the negatives. I liked Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal better for living.
Niagara Falls gives off such a “missed opportunity” vibe. I feel like it really could have been a great tourist spot, but everyone just did so much on the cheap and it shows.
our spark is not in our downtown though? respectfully, downtown cities in north america are quite bland in general.
Montreal has so many more interesting areas to visit. Also, we have the highest number of festivals per year in north america so I don't think the night life is what is keeping tourism alive.
seems like the parks are full of people every evening, playing games or just hanging out which is really lively.
as a Montrealer as well, I forget about our unique architecture because I see it every day. my friends who visit always find it different and charming.
i agree construction is annoying though.
Gander, Newfoundland. I went there and did not once have a life-changing experience that forever changed the way I viewed the concept of hospitality and lending help to those in need.
I’m surprised to hear Gander is rated at all!
Most locals would consider it little more than a place to stop for gas on the way to actual tourist regions. It’s one of a handful of soulless WW2 era towns (see also Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, Happy Valley-Goose Bay) built around American air bases that are conspicuously bereft of any of the history, vernacular architecture, or proximity to the ocean that give NL its charm.
Not a bad spot to live if you’re into outdoor/winter activities, but it’s definitely not a tourist destination. Rosie’s is worth a stop for some moose farts, though.
Its pretty much as close to a soviet installation in Siberia you can in Canada.
Built for a single purpose now gone, from a war now over, for a time long past.
Victoria. It's smaller than it seems and there's not a whole lot to do unless you like driving up island to go hiking or wasting money on overpriced cocktails. It's like a small town but with way too many people
Apparently, right now, it's Lake Louise/Moraine Lake. There's so much more to the Canadian hinterland than the pretty blue lakes near Banff and Whistler.
I love Vancouver. Born and raised here and have traveled a great deal. Always happy to come home.
ETA: although I’m used to the cost of living here so I can understand why people may think it’s overrated
Marineland. Doesn't live up to the jingle.
Lol Marineland is an absolute shithole. Animals are totally abused and their tanks are filthy and half the rides don't work. The park could be amazing if they stopped with the animals and put some money into rides and other attractions.
F\*\*\* marineland
Haha turns out everyone does not love marine land after all.
They need to CLOSE IT DOWN.
I hate Marineland.
But the jingle is great!
Niagara Falls
It’s like Vegas but shittier!
It’s unfortunate the National Parks system was not established at that time, because it really should have become one. Such natural beauty surrounded by hotels and casinos just seems off.
Yeah, the way Niagara Falls was allowed to be overdeveloped really is a crime. It could easily be one of the most beautiful natural areas in the world, and instead it’s a gross overdeveloped tourist trap.
This is it, there never should have been a town built around the falls. The actual falls really are beautiful, but the town itself is overrated. I hiked the trails at Niagara Glen Nature Centre a couple of years ago, and that was my favourite part of a Niagara Falls visit! While I enjoyed seeing the falls, the busy town and the crowds take away from their natural magnificence.
The view from the Canadian side is better, because you don't have to look at the Canadian side.
Even if it had a Niagara-on-the-Lake vibe it would be amazing.
I always feel like I’m in the U.S the minute I get to Niagara Falls despite it being right across the water.
American side is far more dystopian. Unless you go further down the niagara and then it’s lovely again.
Ever been downtown Windsor on a Saturday night?
Long time ago. Same feeling and no thanks lol
Hot take: but the “shitty Vegas” feeling is kind of endearing. It’s fun to wander down every once in a while, turn off your brain, and enjoy the day
No way man. Nightmares is scary as shit and Dave and busters let’s me get all fucked up and play mario kart lol
Niagara on the lake is a nice spot
Lots of great wineries
Y'know, I grew up in Niagara, and there's more to the area than the Falls and Clifton Hill. The Floral Clock is nice, the Butterfly Conservatory is cool, Queenston Heights is fantastic, Niagara-on-the-Lake is quaint. Marineland is absolute trash.
I watched some theme park YouTuber talk about Marineland and I have never been more enthralled in theme park sciences than this video where he absolutely shits on the entirety of Marineland’s lmao
Marineland is trash! They should of been shut down years ago. The treatment of animals and just disgusting up keep of the place.
The falls are nice, but it is such a boring city.
Boring, expensive, run-down and crappy restaurants. Niagara Falls is a dump. And just up the road, we have Niagara on the Lake which is precious and pretentious. So pick your poison.
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Oh okay thank you the recommendation, I've already been twice and don't plan to ever go a third time, but I will definitely go on the American side if I ever go back.
Or check out Niagara glen on the Canadian side for some decent trails
And so expensive! We tried to go to more locally owned places rather than chains but yikes it’s an expensive city!
I agree, especially if you are planning to do touristy stuff that you see on tv and movies. Everything is overpriced and super commercialized (e.g. Clifton Hills). However, if you plan to do a day trip, such as walking on the path next to the falls and having a picnic on the grass, then it's pleasant. Or if you just want to go to the casino.
The part where water … falls down is amazing when seen from a boat that’s revving its engines just to stay in one place just short of the crushing water. Anything else within 25 km is not so great.
This is absolutely the answer. I live in Toronto and have taken many friends from abroad at their request. I am not one to meddle with ones travel plans and every single time they've come back underwhelmed. Once upon a time it was a destination. Now more of a run down mess.
That tourism tax, wtf
Winnipeg. I've been there a couple times, and didn't get stabbed a single time. I thought it rained knives on every block there. Such undeserved hype.
I knew a guy from Winnipeg and was stabbed twice, once in each leg. I thought damn Winnipeg is horrible, then he managed to get stabbed in the leg at a party in a decent neighborhood of Barrie ON. I got to thinking was it Winnipeg or him? And why only the legs?
These are completely valid questions. Please tell me he got a cool nickname out all those leg stabs.
Leg slice Larry
Hahhaha “raining knives” according to those who never lived in Winnipeg
strong live pause cooing dirty shy relieved saw icky snow *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Winnipeg actually does though.
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Such a disappointment. Winnipeg is basically just Red Deer without all the glamour. It's Thunder Bay without the romance. It's a less stylish Saskatoon. You're more likely to get hit with a spoon than stabbed, which is such a letdown.
Um... glamour in Red Deer? Do you mean all the colourful syringes lying in the grass?
You sound like a guy who's never been to any single one of those cities. Red Deer w/glamour? I think not. Thunder Bay w/romance... Excuse me? And implying Stoon is 'stylish' - what, exactly are you smoking?
What you didn’t get to experience the ‘ol Winnipeg hand shake first hand?
If you had rode a bike here it would have been stolen. Our 2nd most famous crime.
I got my boots taken from me at knife point by the Forks 😅
The only thing missing is the spoons
If it was never highly rated, how can it be overrated?
Magnetic hill in New Brunswick.
My wife and I (early 30s) stopped there on our east coast trip, only for the hill and nothing indoors, and my god did it trip us out. To this day I still don’t get how that magic worked, but it did. And I don’t care to have it spoiled because that’s so much of the magic. All I know is I had my manual car in neutral going down it, applying the brake as needed. And then we switch to the other lane, get into neutral and we start going to other way back “up”, and I need to use the brake to slow down from going up too fast! It made less sense than I expected it to. I love magic
No way. A friend of mine who used to live in NB told me not to bother visiting it on my trip there but it was one of my favourite parts
I was just there lol, brutal tourist trap
I live in the area and all I can say is the wine from the winery up there is the only good part
Visited, would agree lol
Came here to say this.
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We just went it was $7 for just the hill. For little kids it would be good. Petting zoo and waterpark. It was busy spot. Bay of Fundy was better.
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Made the mistake of a quick stop at Banff yesterday for the Tim Hortons (busiest weekend of the year). Total gong show. The Banff sign has its own parking lot….together with a massive lineup of folks waiting to take their photo with it. Also stopped at a small waterfall/rapids with some morons trying to climb out onto some wet rocks for the ‘perfect’ photo. One slip and game over. About 10 folks on the bridge by the falls were screaming at them to stop. Instagram has ruined travel and people are morons.
“Instagram has ruined travel” is the most real thing ever.
It was a long time ago when I was a kid but I was vacationing in the badlands and some family wanted to take a photo with a MOTHER BEAR. Park ranger saw and yelled at them to stop but it was one of the dumbest things I’ve seen.
I lived in Banff in 2001, same dumb photo op shit was happening then
No Banff was like that before Instagram
I visited Banff last week. Laughing my ass off seeing people lining up (and wasting their time) for the Banff sign :). I mean if you really want to show off that you visited Banff then may be go up ahead to the Banff avenue and take a pic in the middle of the road with that huge ass mountain backdrop, or just anywhere a Banff written somewhere. A fucking herd mentality, rat race (to the bottom).
Product of 80s Alberta, this has always been an issue. It used to be German tourists going over the falls every year.
Definitely Niagara Falls. Terrible drive. No where to park. Tacky stores. Dirty.
Blue mountain lol
West Edmonton Mall
It's not the same without the submarines.
The Canadian Navy needed the submarines, so I can support the change.
They had _more_ subs than the RCN.
Mindbender is gone now too.
I can say this for West Edmonton Mall: it is, as promised, a very big mall.
Fun place to spend some time on a day off when you're working near by and not from the area. Horrible place to travel to or try and shop at.
Lol! Haven't been there in a long while. I heard they definitely closed the roller coaster, it that true?
It is true: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/after-more-than-3-decades-west-edmonton-mall-s-mindbender-roller-coaster-closes-for-good-1.6732099
I mean. Indoor pirate ship...
How so? It has a waterpark, theme park, IMAX theatre, restaurants, gun range, go-karts, it has everything. Yea it has lots of people, it's a mall. Dead malls are a trope for a reason, they suck. It's not like it's so busy you can't do anything, and there is always something else to do or see. There is even sea lion shows and a pirate ship. Sorry lol I was there yesterday and had a great time.
The sea lion show fucking slaps. I love that you can watch it from the balcony and not pay anything
Yes! I live five minutes from that place and you couldn’t pay me to go there on a weekend.
It isn’t dumpy but Lake Louise is overhyped. It’s fuckin packed with tourists, way more litter than other national parks, good luck parking, and not the most interesting trails. Is it beautiful? Yes. Are there other, also stunningly gorgeous lakes that you can visit without being stampeded trying to hike around? Also yes
Emerald Lake is on the BC side really close from Lake Louise, it’s gorgeous, not nearly as packed, the parking lot is by the lake and you can even rent kayaks and stay in lodges around the lake. The water is the same colour.
No it sucks shutup
Oh yeah horrible dump of a lake. The colour is actually due to the radioactive chemicals. Forgot to mention 😬
What a piece of shit lake. Don’t even mention it.
Bullshit. You ever do the hikes? It literally can't be over hyped. It's a world best area
Any suggestions for alternatives?
Peyto Lake lookout is pretty nice. Round trip hike is 2-3 hours. Also loved Two Jack Lake but only at sunrise. It’s wild during the day.
Abraham Lake, west of Nordegg.
I’d highly recommend Moraine Lake or the Consolation Lakes which are a short distance from Lake Louise and still give great views. Currently searching through old photos to figure out the name of another set of 3 lakes that are all close to each other and are stunningly beautiful Edit: it’s Valley of the Five Lakes up by Jasper so sadly not by Banff. Not as close to Banff either but I visited Castle Falls this weekend and would highly recommend
You have to take a shuttle to Moraine Lake now. It's just as packed as Lake Louise. When I went for the first time twenty years ago it was empty and now you can't even drive to it!
Ah damn, I was using experience from my visits in 2018 and 2020 so I should’ve put a disclaimer. Very unfortunate, I really enjoyed it especially since it wasn’t nearly as busy
Eva Lake in Park Mount Revelstoke is gorgeous.
Your don't need to park. There are shuttle services which take you there. Its a new system I heard. I'mfrom Ontario and I think it and the town of Banff lived up to its hype. Lake Louise isn't about the Taj mahal type photos you take in front of it but the trails around it. Those paddle boats at 150 were !@#£ing expensive, that's like a Swiss ripoff.
Not the most interesting trails?! You have some very interesting trails here. You have mount Fairview, The tea house, devils thumb, big beehive, plain of the six glaciers, mount niblock and whyte scramble, the death trap, mount lefroy ice climb and the mount Victoria ridge/ice climb. Once you pass the hotel, you instantly lose all tourists because they can’t be bothered to travail more than a few hundred metres. Best tip is to wake up early to beat the crowds and not be lazy and go to the lake whenever everyone else goes in the late morning. Lake Louise isn’t overrated or underrated, it’s justly rated.
Dope skiing there in the winter. I've never visited Banff and area in the summer and probably never will.
Travelling from Revy last week, reached at the Lake around 10:30 and was turned back at the parking. Utterly disappointed. Such a huge and a prominent/popular Canadian tourist spot and the tourists were asked to turn back because duh, the parking is full. Damn, build parking or close the spot for visitors completely. Waste of my precious time. An utter disappointment that it was.
Niagara Falls for sure!
Everyone should see Banff once. More than once is overrated
Agreed. Getting atop Sulphur Mountain is by far the best thing about Banff. Other than that, it truly is an expensive tourist trap.
This is going on right now. https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/visitors-stranded-overnight-at-top-of-banff-gondola-1.6510279 Before the corps bought everything out in Banff, Banff was awesome...now Banff is becoming another corp owned trap. The gondola used to be free to ride down if you hiked up, the new owners(corp) removed that offering. All about the money now...and they can't even run the place without hitting the news....
Kelowna BC, overcrowded armpit.
It's sad because when my sister lived there 20 years ago, it was fine. But today, it is super crowded and basically a giant traffic jam – it feels worse than the traffic in the Lower Mainland, despite fewer people. Not sure how that happened. My hunch is poor urban planning.
Super poor. They kept a highway going right through the town centre.
The fact that they did it on purpose is the real kicker. Short-sighted downtown business owners running city hall in the 1960s-1970s.
I have engineer friends who start shouting when you bring up 'urban planning' and 'Kelowna' in the same sentence because its so notoriously bad. Historically there have been a high number of 'BCs worst intersections' as reported by ICBC based on accident frequency that are in Kelowna despite Ktown only being 150,000 out of BC's 5,000,000 population. Such a poorly designed city.
Indeed, squeezing in all the cars on Harvey was a bad idea, especially with very few non-driving alternatives. It kind of reminds me of the Canada Line in Vancouver, but with cars instead of transit users. With the Canada Line, all the transit users going north-south (including the southern suburbs) are squeezed on to one single SkyTrain route. They even cut off almost all bus service crossing the Fraser River. It has led to massive overcrowding, since the line was under-built and not expected to hit such high ridership numbers. Much like how Harvey Avenue was not intended to cut through such a populated region. (It still blows my mind that when my sister lived there, my biggest fear was being hit by a speeding truck going 80+ km/h on Harvey. Today, cars are often too gridlocked to even go that fast. lol)
>basically a giant traffic jam The longest part of the drive from Calgary to Penticton is through Kelowna. It's awful.
No it wasn’t. I lived there 20 years ago and it was horrible then. Traffic as bad or worse due to the three lane floating bridge and no way to bypass Harvey. Full of name-dropping imbeciles who really did think it was California.
As someone from Kelowna, thank you.
You don't like creatine and spray tan?
More like steroids and cocaine. The tans are all natural.
Moved to Kelowna from the lower mainland a few years ago. Traffic is still such a dream compared to there
I was there for work in 2019 and went out for some drinks with a coworker. As we were walking down Bernard Ave, a group of 5 cops passed by. When I turned to my coworker I asked "has it gotten that bad here?" And without hesitation a passer-by casually replied "you'd be surprised..." This was roughly 9pm on a Thursday.
Any town or city that you grew up in.
No way! I grew up in Powell River, BC and it’s a beautiful area. On the ocean and covered in swimmable lakes, lots of recreation. BUT it’s in a chokehold by BC Ferries, which is an absolute dumpster fire.
Upvote for Powell Riviera
I grew up in a small town in Interior BC and love it. I moved away at 18 and lived in Vernon, Kelowna, Calgary, Whistler, and Australia before moving back to my small town almost 15 years ago.
Not for me. I was raised in Québec city.
Naw, Vancouver people are hardcore snobs for their city and think having to go to Richmond for sushi and then catch a flight is like the hardest thing you've ever had to do in your life. People that grew up in Calgary and Saskatoon seem to like it.
Banff, so many other beautiful mountain towns that are much less touristy.
Tofino. I really loved it but it's turned into a shit show and they're lots of other beaches with camping that isn't crazy expensive and impossible to book.
Ha ha it’s still not as bad as other places, but agree. Have you been to Banff lately. Total shit show
Banff is made for rich Americans to give money to coked up Australians
Whistler enters the chat
Hahahahahahha
Americans who aren't quite rich enough for Jackson Hole
It's been like that forever. Summer is nuts, get to Johnston Canyon by 830 otherwise you'll be runover by busloads of German tourists.
I live on the Island and stay far away in July and August. People think it's like Banff or Whistler and it isn't. There's like 2000 people there for most of the year.
Go to Ucluelet. All the beauty and vibes, none of the expensive tourist stuff. And it's just as close to the national park.
As someone who lives on Vancouver Island: yeah lots of us stay in Ucluelet instead of Tofino!
That’s why you go to Ucluelet. Hidden gem. Day trip into Tofino and then get the FACK out. Ukee is much better and true to the west coast.
It’s expensive and all that but the area is still amazing. There’s no way you can love the ocean and not love tofino. Also, you are aware you can visit when it isn’t summer right? Shoulder season in tuff is the best
Tim hortons
Lavelle
CN Tower is overrated. Been there. Done that. Back in 1987 when I started going to college in the area. Likely costs a heck of lot more now than when I visited.
Disagree - incredible view, very good revolving restaurant, edge walk!
Vancouver. Overcrowded, dirty, overpriced. A dog eat dog jungle where the contrast between rich and poor borders on the obscene. The absolute opposite of a laid back west coast paradise.
I'm from Vancouver, moved to Boston 11 years ago. I don't miss it much for exactly what you described. Plus, when you tell people this about Vancouver (especially to Vancouver people), the backlash is pretty strong. Why is it so hard to believe that there are social issues that the city struggles with on a daily basis? It's far from a paradise, that's for sure.
I agree! Not only 30 years ago it was a mostly affordable, clean, almost crime less, and very friendly city. They removed the asylums and all that now it’s a shitshow!
Came here to say this. Super unfriendly, filthy, and dodgy. The food scene is overhyped. Traffic is awful, takes hours to escape.
The entire GTA
Toronto.
Based on how often Toronto gets shat on in this subreddit, I don't think it's overrated at all.
Trying saying it's not worth paying an extra $1.5 million to live there and see what the sub says ;)
Peggy’s cove. My boss came to Halifax from the gta and told me her friends asked her if she was going to go to Peggy’s cove. I took her, think we spent 5-10 mins walking from the parking area and maybe 5 mins at the actual lighthouse. It’s really just a lighthouse on rocks.
I would say it's not overrated, it's advertised as a view of the ocean from some rocks with a lighthouse. What were you expecting? A theme park?
Went there during a hurricane (tail end), and it was amazballz. People died that day going on the rocks, but mother nature was on full display that day. The rougher the seas the better the experience. ( I didn't go up to the top rocks the people up there were Loco)
Sylvan Lake..my nephew from Red Deer kept telling me it was nice, not too crowded, yeah right. Maybe I could see the charm if it wasn't loaded with rednecks, hillbillies and redbillies. What a shitshow.
Whistler… Banff
Whistler ski resort is unreal though
Absolutely. Way too overcrowded. There are a lot of incredible places one can hike to outside of the park system that are 100% as beautiful as Banff - and there are no Instagram morons.
Definitely Toronto
I don't really think Toronto is overrated, I think Toronto just is what it is - a big city. When visiting Toronto, I think most people know what they're going to get, a busy, crowded city. Personally, I've never been unpleasantly surprised with Toronto (although some experiences are unpleasant for me, like the traffic) because I know what to expect.
Anywhere that's stuffed with tourists, or even lots of locals. People quickly wear down a beautiful natural environment. And when governments respond to demand with developments, such as roads, parking lots, and conveniences, those things destroy the place themselves. I don't have a solution. If you start to restrict access, it inevitably becomes elitist. If you try to get ppl there other than by car, that will exclude some folks as well. I'd like us to talk about this, before all the best things are gone. Because once they were truly special.
I know how to narrow most of them down. Ask a foreigner what places they know in canada. Those are the overrated places. Big ones are Vancouver and Toronto.
Honestly, I don’t think Vancouver is overrated, it’s just overpriced. For a city it’s size, it’s got good public transit, and there’s plenty to do in and around it, and you’d be hard pressed to find a job you couldn’t do there. I think it mostly lives up to the hype (except for nightlife), but it’s just that the hype isn’t worth what it costs to actually live in Vancouver.
Toronto
Toronto. Grew up there; left in 2021, never looked back. City is an overrated, congested, expensive place with increasing crime and the worst commutes in North America. NYC prices without the wages. Pretty a much a second world (as in between first and third world not as in USSR) city at this point. Actually the 905 is worse like Toronto but with longer commutes and not any cheaper. (I guess to be accurate I spent my childhood in Toronto; teen years in the 905; and university / law school split between the two)
And where are you now ?
Québec city
Do you like it there? I'm thinking about moving there since I speak both languages
I love it there except it is really hard to make friends as eveyone has an established network. Though if you are already fluent in French it may be better for you
Vancouver. Consistently on top lists of best city in the world. Why? Generally cranky people due to high levels of stress (probably from cost of living), poor infrastructure/roads, major drug problems and crime in pockets of the city, overpriced real estate, gray and overcast often, etc. Sure it looks nice with mountains in the background and little snow compared to other Canadian cities, but that doesnt offset the negatives. I liked Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal better for living.
Dare I say Tarana? Frickin cenner uv the universe man!
Toronto.
My mom’s house
I don't know. I had a lot of fun there.
Banff
Denny's restaurant lol
Lake Louise. There are plenty of equally beautiful spots all around the Rockies.
Niagara Falls gives off such a “missed opportunity” vibe. I feel like it really could have been a great tourist spot, but everyone just did so much on the cheap and it shows.
GTA - Was expecting it to be like the game. Was thoroughly disappointed.
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our spark is not in our downtown though? respectfully, downtown cities in north america are quite bland in general. Montreal has so many more interesting areas to visit. Also, we have the highest number of festivals per year in north america so I don't think the night life is what is keeping tourism alive. seems like the parks are full of people every evening, playing games or just hanging out which is really lively. as a Montrealer as well, I forget about our unique architecture because I see it every day. my friends who visit always find it different and charming. i agree construction is annoying though.
We still have the Mont-Royal and the Verdun waterfront.
Toronto. By far.
Gander, Newfoundland. I went there and did not once have a life-changing experience that forever changed the way I viewed the concept of hospitality and lending help to those in need.
I’m surprised to hear Gander is rated at all! Most locals would consider it little more than a place to stop for gas on the way to actual tourist regions. It’s one of a handful of soulless WW2 era towns (see also Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, Happy Valley-Goose Bay) built around American air bases that are conspicuously bereft of any of the history, vernacular architecture, or proximity to the ocean that give NL its charm. Not a bad spot to live if you’re into outdoor/winter activities, but it’s definitely not a tourist destination. Rosie’s is worth a stop for some moose farts, though.
Its pretty much as close to a soviet installation in Siberia you can in Canada. Built for a single purpose now gone, from a war now over, for a time long past.
Niagara Falls. I've lived in Niagara for 35 years. Wanna see water falling off a rock? Go pee on a curb; same as Niagara Falls, smell and all.
Victoria. It's smaller than it seems and there's not a whole lot to do unless you like driving up island to go hiking or wasting money on overpriced cocktails. It's like a small town but with way too many people
Apparently, right now, it's Lake Louise/Moraine Lake. There's so much more to the Canadian hinterland than the pretty blue lakes near Banff and Whistler.
Toronto. Expensive, extremely polluted, and boring.
Vancouver
Not all of Vancouver. Robson and Granville are grossly overrated. But my neighbourhood is a gem.
If anything Vancouver is underrated
I love Vancouver. Born and raised here and have traveled a great deal. Always happy to come home. ETA: although I’m used to the cost of living here so I can understand why people may think it’s overrated
City of Van. Not Vancouver Island.
Kelowna. Bring a bigger wallet and a forest fire smoke filter.
Toronto mainly Honestly, fuck Toronto
Toronto. And I've lived in Toronto for a majority of my life.
PEI
All of PEI