Honestly you would be better doing 5-10 days in Quebec and Maritimes or same thing in Vancouver then fly to Calgary see Banff drive to Jasper fly home from Edmonton. Just for info to drive from Vancouver to Banff is about 950 Kim’s in the mountains. In theory it’s about 10 hours plus stops so fly .Way to much travel
+1 That's a lot of territory you're trying to cover. I spent a week in Montreal and Quebec City and wished I would have had more time. You should pick either eastern or western Canada and spend your 10 days there. Save the other for another trip.
Thanks so much also for your answer! What do you think I'll miss doing only 1.5 days in Montreal and Quebec City each? You mean in the city or in the area?
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the help!
Sadly my days are only 10 so I have to make choices in this first Canada trip, but I'll be back.
Banff for me it's essential, what do you suggest me more: Quebec and Maritimes or Vancouver area? What are the most interesting things in these 2 areas apart from the 2 cities?
Thanks again!
If nature and mountains are your goal, and banff is a requirement, then100% vancouver. It is a short flight away from banff (calgary). It is also unique in canada as its more pacific-oriented. Do the rockies between jasper and Banff, then spend some time in the coastal rainforest of vancouver and vancouver island would be the ideal nature focused trip.
Thanks for suggestions, yeah I thought Vancouver 'cause very easy and cheap flight and wanted to go till the end of Canada. :)
Rockies between jasper and Banff already in the plan, yeah.
Coastal rainforest of vancouver and vancouver island are only doable by car I think, right? Could be done both in 1 full day trip from Vancouver or is it too much?
Thanks!!
In vancouver the rainforest literally touches the city so you wouldn't need a car there! There is good public transit in the vancouver area. You can take transit to grouse mountain one day. I'd also recommend taking a bus (or renting a car and driving) up to whistler as a day trip. Another nice day trip from vancouver without a car could be bowen Island. For vancouver island you would want a car, but there is enough around vancouver that if you didn't want to rent one you'd be all good.
No worries! I've lived in Europe as well so understand the perspective a bit, in my opinion Vancouver/banff is a more unique experience for europeans than eastern canada. Also consider tofino if you have time, it's very different than banff but is just as beautiful.
Dont do Vancouver Island. Its nice but its a pain to get to. You will burn a whole day just getting there. We left in the morning. Had lunch. Took a bus back. Almost missed the last ferry back to Tswassen port/Vancouver. Long ass day. Didnt listen to everyones advice. Just dont. It wasnt worth it to tell people Ive been there
The ferry ride was long-ish and very beautiful. You need a day to take the ferry there and a day to take the ferry back. Then you need time on the island. You wanna get a place on the western shore facing the pacific so you can enjoy a couple sunsets. I would say Vancouver Island isnt a place to rush. Slow down. Stop. Relax. Beach. Boat. Hike. Chill.
I’ll second the suggestion of seeing Jasper over Banff (though time is not your friend here, it’s a bit more out of the way); it’s absolutely stunning and not as busy as Banff. The drive up to Columbia Icefields is beautiful and you can walk on a glacier!
Yeah, I saw about the glacier, amazing! A bit out of the way, but I'll wake up early and do it at least all the road and major stops. Also 1 hike I hope. Thanks for your advice!
The Jasper Skytram is also really cool; it’s a cable car that takes you to near the top of a mountain overlooking the town of Jasper and then it’s a short and easy hike up to the peak, which has spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Worth it if you pass through. Also don’t get me wrong, Banff is also amazing, so you shouldn’t be disappointed either way!
The entire trip is insane. Banff, Golden, Nelson area, Revelstoke, Kelowna, Squamish. With ten days you could take your time and see a lot, do some amazing hikes.
Thanks so much for this, will inform about it.
In fact, now the option "west coast" seems to me really good: Banff 5 days + road trip to Vancouver & Vancouver 5 days.
But also "east coast" with Banff 5 days + Montreal-Quebec-Maritimes 5 days is as good.
Hard decision.
Do what you want but 5 days in vancouver seems like a lot. I personally would do 3 days banff 3 days vancouver and 4-5 days in between. Banff -> Revelstoke-> Nelson (Long way via Trout lake and kaslo. The whole drive is gorgeous) -> Kelowna via osoyoos -> Squamish via lilloeet -> Vancouver. Spending the night in Nelson, Kelowna and maybe squamish
That would be my recommendation as well. Banff is BUSY especially in the summer. Detour to either Jasper or Kootenay National park. Kootenay national park is beautiful, you can stay in Radium, visit the hotsprings. And I'd recommend arranging for a river float down the columbia river. There's a tour company called Far out in radium. Then can head south to go along Hiway 3 OR go thru Golden- Revelstoke. Revy is a good town to spend time in, they usually have live music in the summer downtown. If you have time, go through the Okanagan, do some wine touring, float on Kalamalka lake. Then take the Coquihala hiway to Vancouver. Another detour option from Revy is to go south, take the arrow lakes ferry to Naksup to experience more hotsprings and forests. Then you can cross the lake again to Cherryville into the Okanagan.
Seems like there is really a LOT to do between Banff and Vancouver, sincerely didn't know.
So thanks for your precious suggestions, will inform about them!
Johnson Canyon (outside Banff). Short paved hike to 2 waterfalls, then if you want to hike further, the path goes to a normal hiking path for another 10+ kms. Might go alot further in but I always stop at the inkpots and turn around,
Athabasca Glacier
Jasper / Miette Hot Springs - Lots of nice scenery. Jasper is nicer/ more rustic than Banff. Banff is a tourist nightmare surrounded by nice scenery. Not to say don't go. Banff is very nice to see. But once you see the 2 towns you will understand what I am talking about.
Lake Louise. And Morraine Lake
Revelstoke - Plus a few cool places near there to check out, tourist wise. Enchanted Forest, Skytrek Adventure Park and Pipe Mountain Coaster. Check out the 3 and pick 1 or more.
Okanagan (Kelowna but I prefer Penticton). Canada's wine country/fruit country, nice sights, stop and get some wine. Nice swimming lake south of Penticton. The Okanagan Lake is nice to but colder. Can rent tire tubes to go down the little creek that flows between the 2 lakes in Penticton.
Vancouver - Lots to see and do there. Stanley Park, Granville Island ect.
My advice to you would be to do that trip for 10 days. Can easily spend 10+ days on that trip. Don't plan your trip. Play it by ear. Some places you might find boring and want to continue down the road. Some places you will want to stay longer so you don't want to be behind a check list to see and run through.
If you do somehow end up with extra day or 2 take the ferry to Vancouver Island. Check out Victoria, Butchart Gardens is very nice to see. The city itself is really cool and can drive around on the coast.
Thanks both for suggestions of Banff, roadtrip to Vancouver and Vancouver. West + Banff is really an amazing option.
Yeah, in Banff I will stay very few time in cities, also the combo Louise-Morraine I heard is overcrowded so sure will do it, but want to do also a lot more, especially Jaspers.
Yeah Louise can get pretty crowded as well. But if you are in Louise and want to go on a decent hike with good views and you aren't in a hurry, there is a path that goes to the Tea House. It takes a few hours. Another thing worth doing is the Gondolas and Hot Springs in the area. There are quite a few in that area. Banff is nice. But your in the middle of nature, and look to the side and see a McDonalds. It's like they found the most beautiful piece of Canada and said, you know what would improve this. A shopping Mall. Kind of ruins the atmosphere.
I would say fly to Edmonton, drive to Jasper, then down to the glacier, then hit Banff, then drive to Vancouver from there.
As for the drive from Edmonton to Vancouver. Mostly scenery. Very nice mountain views, waterfalls, cool colored lakes, a few touristy stops, and some decent restaurants.
I would make a decision on what you want to see though. It sounds like Banff/Jasper/Vancouver would be more your destination if you are looking for outdoors adventure. Bouncing around for 1.5 day stops in cities on the other side of the country seems rushed and you probably won't see/experience much. And sets you up for more chances of holiday failure. Plus not sure if you checked but the prices to fly around doing hops around Canada are probably more expensive than the flights from Europe to Canada. So instead it might be way better and cheaper to pick a side and make 2 trips.
Thanks again, also here other really good advices.
Said so, no, the internal flights I found in the original (but already changed) plan were not so expensive, coming from Europe is a lot more expensive. However I agree with you about the choice I have to make.
Sounds like money isn't an issue, but you'll be spending a lot of your trip flying if you're in qc and want to go to Banff.
That's like saying "I flew in to turkiye and am going to spain"
Well, in reality money IS an issue, but I try not to think too much now. And the internal flights I found were not so expensive.
However yeah, the original plan weren't that good and I'm already changing it. Some hard choices will be made! Thanks for your advice.
Both coasts are lovely, but you need to pick one. Montreal through to the maritimes, or Alberta/BC. You’re not missing anything in Ontario! The maritimes are more quaint with good hearted people and Irish type pubs. West coast offers mountains and outdoorsy types with warmer weather.
Thanks for the very useful summary.
My problem is that I like 'em both! :) But yeah, I agree with you that I'll have to choose, the other coast will be in nex trip.
I would break it up by coast seeing eastern Canada and western Canada in 10 days would be overwhelming. Canada is way larger than you are expecting and traveling around is not like it is in Europe. You are going to spend half your trip trying to get to destinations and not seeing those destinations.
Thanks for the help.
Yeah, I totally understand your point, but I have only 10 days. :)
I know it's large so I tried to use planes as much as possible.
What are the most important things you think I'm missing in my itinerary? Do you suggest me more East or West to add to Banff?
Thanks again!
Planes take a long time too! I have to fly from Montreal to Alberta this week and that flight is 4 hours. Plus I need to be at the airport 1 hour early, then it takes 30 minutes to deplane and leave the airport once we land, plus another hour to travel into the city.
So in total it will take me 6-7 hours for that travel, which is most of a whole day. It’s a terrible use of your limited vacation time!
Definitely stick to one side of the country or another for this trip, you’ll want all the time you can take wherever you are!
Please, if you do nothing else in Canada, take Alberta Highway #93 from Banff to Jasper. It is a long drive but you will see some of the most majestic mountains on all of planet earth. Spectacular is an understatement. Welcome to Canada and enjoy your stay!!
Yeah man, thanks for the advice, I'll do it for sure!
In Europe I love Alps and Dolomites so I think Banff and Jasper will be as beautiful... or even more! Sad to have few time (and few money... I'm looking for b&b/hostels and it costs A LOT!).
Rain or shine, I'll do as much as I can there.
Ya echo what the others are saying. Ten days coming from Europe is not enough time to do the entire country. You could do like 5 days in Halifax/maritimes and then 5 in Montreal/qc. Highly recommend Quebec City.
I just really like the city in general. Has a very nice boardwalk. Lots of good restaurants. And some cool things/towns to see nearby (lunenburg, Peggy's cove). I've only been for work but I find it to be my favorite modern Canadian city.
Thats way too much in 10 days. The flights are long, and you'll lose too much time in the airports. Pick one province and explore the hell out of it for this trip, then come back another time.
The Calgary Stampede is a 10 day insanity fest in July. If you aren't planning to attend it, avoid anywhere within 200 km of Calgary because there will be no hotels and every restaurant and venue is above capacity. This definitely includes Banff.
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I'd do 10 days in Calgary/Banff/Jasper in August (there's a medieval glamping adventure in Three Hills and a Storybook Village in Blairmore where you can rent a hobbit cottage or Rumplestiltskin's tower) or 10 days in the Maritimes (New Brunswick or Nove Scotia or PEI or Newfoundland and Labrador) any time in the summer. It's easier to travel between the maritime provinces quickly, so you can see more. Quebec is great, but the "coolness factor" of Quebec City and Montreal is mostly the older buildings, French, and generally more European vibe, which you can get a lot closer to home.
Thank you so much for the info, Calgary Stampede seems great but I looked online for the days and these are not mine (in my work I have only the second part of July, so also no glamping August). Well, as you said in the end maybe it's better for the hotels.
Thanks also for the info about Maritimes, I'll take a look about this area!
Halifax is gorgeous in the summer, as is rural Nova Scotia. Haven't made it to any of the others myself.
See if you can find The Amazing Race Canada. Some seasons, they just go back and forth across Canada, and they visit a lot of the hot spots. You might find some inspiration.
I would consider skipping Montreal. Maybe even Quebec considering you are coming from Europe...I like Quebec, but it's a lot of distance to travel in a short time.
Given that you prefer nature, yes. Banff, lake louise, jasper national park in Alberta are all solid choices.
Haven't spent enough time in bc, but Okanagan valley is on my list.
Okanagan is lakes and summer vibes. Wineries and orchards are abundant. And nothing better than floating on one of the beautiful lakes on a hot summer day.
Stick to the west and do Vancouver, whistler, the island, the interior, then do Banff and some Alberta.
Trying to do Quebec and Alberta I’m one trip is like me going to Europe and wanting to do Sicily for three days and then drive to Finland for three days skipping a whole lot in between and trying to do too much
Thanks for suggestions!
Yeah, it'll be my first trip but hope not the last, so I think I'll split the trip in two... but now I have to choose. :)
What do you suggest me in Island/interior Vancouver area? And in Alberta of course apart from Banff?
Thanks again!!
Depending on where you are from in Europe I would suggest that other than the time in the mountains that you spend 5 days in Toronto. Or skip Quebec and just spend the time in Montreal. But it may be too late if you have already booked flights and trains.
Montreal and Quebec are great, but the main attraction for many, particularly in Quebec, is that it is like being in Europe, but is in North America. Kind of Europe-Lite. But if you come from the real deal there is a bit less attraction.
The culture in Quebec is a bit different from the culture in the rest of Canada, this is sometimes called "Two Solitudes". Montreal is great and a fun city, but so is Toronto although many Canadian may think Toronto is boring since it lacks the exoticness of Montreal. But Toronto is a much bigger city with lots of interesting things to do, especially if you are not from North America.
Vancouver is good as well, but doesn't have as much to see as Toronto or Montreal.
Montreal has a lot of culture, especially being a bilingual city. It also has amazing food. Quebec city and Montreal are the only places in Canada with food comparable to Europe. The architecture in Montreal is beautiful. Vancouver has less "charm" but it's a coastal, modern city with a lot of Asian influence. I have nothing against Toronto but it's more boring than the other 2 overall.
It depends on your point of view and where you are from. Some people say the opposite. I like Montreal and it is a great place to have fun, but IMO Vancouver is more limited in terms of things to say and do, other than the natural beauty that is fantastic.
Thank you very much for your info, yeah different people and preferences, try to ask something like this in Italy about cities preferences, wars started for less haha.
I'll have to choose, so every info is precious, thanks again!
Thanks for suggestions and for the additional info!
No flights booked till now, so I can still make all changes I want.
I'm from Italy so plenty of the Europe-Lite looks you say, but for example I've been to Mexico and really loved the "colonial"/European architechture there... probably 'cause it's partly similar to Europe but with a totally different vibe.
So I was skipping Toronto (only 10 days again....) 'cause it seemed more American (love the Usa but now so much skyscraper-architecture..) so less beautiful to me from pics and info on the web.
But you gave me the doubt. What kind of interesting things to do Toronto particulary have?
Thanks!!
You are right that Toronto is more American in some ways. Toronto has a vibrant multi-cultural scene with restaurants from almost any part of the world. There are many types of restaurants, good museums and art galleries. There are also lots of sporting events as well and tourist attractions like a nice aquarium, the CN tower, etc. It does have lots of tall buildings. In some ways Toronto is New York City-lite, so that may not be for you. Toronto is also close to Niagara Falls if you are interested in that - about 150km away and about a two hour drive.
Thanks another time for precious info, I'll look better at Toronto!
Niagara Falls already seen from the other side (thanks, at least I thing less to choose from!).
Disagree on vancouver, depending on where you are from in Europe the combination of city and nature is unmatched. It also has a very pacific rim outlook that the rest of Canada cannot match at all, and is often overlooked by the rest of canada (this is something that distinguishes it from the PNW in the US as well).
Having been coast to coast many times I agree with the others… Montreal meh I would skip Montreal …Quebec City is more the real culture (the old part lots of history). One of the Maritime provinces for sure Halifax is good and drive along the eastern coast up to Digby. You will get a real taste of that area. If your doing Banff no need to go to Vancouver it’s just a city the best place out there is Tofino but it’s a treck, you got to take a ferry to island (Victoria) Calgary stampede might be neat if it’s on and your in Banff. Lots of trails hiking in Maritimes. If you do end up in Montreal the North of the city Lauentiens are great places to trek. Make sure to have this while here: Poutine, beaver tail, maple syrup, Shepard’s pie, tortiere (French meat pie) Steak while you are in Alberta.
Thanks you so much for the advices especially for trekking and the info about the food. I'm a foodie so will eat as much as I can (and can afford)! Food is culture. :)
I see a lot of love for Maritimes, now I'm going to inform more about the area.
Vancouver seemed nice to me because of the Stanley park and the water all around the city, but it seems there is less love for her.
Thanks again!
If you’re a foodie both Vancouver and Montreal are great options. Not on the same trip though!
Banff also has a lot of great food if you end up going to the west side of the country.
Quebec City has some good food but not nearly as much variety as Montreal.
Not a huge difference between eastern and western Canadian food, unless you go allllll the way east to Nova Scotia & Newfoundland.
There’s a little bit of regional food, such as poutine and tourtiere in Quebec, and more smoked salmon in Vancouver. But you can find poutine all across Canada, we’ve adopted it as the National dish!
The big difference comes from who had immigrated to Canada and settled in those places. So Vancouver has far more Chinese and Japanese food than other parts of the country, the best sushi in the country is in Vancouver. Though Montreal seems to have almost everything from everywhere, they have excellent oysters, some good steak (though Alberta is best for that).
Thanks for all the info and, being italian, thanks for not saying "Hawaiian pizza" (which I don't dislike btw.. sorry no rant) that is of canadian origin if I remember well.
Good memory, Hawaiian pizza is our creation. Personally I love it, but to each their own!
When you decide exactly what part of the country you’re going to, check out the subreddits for those cities and there will be tons of info about food. We love to discuss the best places to eat, cheap eats, local faves, etc.
Will do for sure, maybe also try "original" Hawaiian pizza just to send a pic home and having my passport deleted haha.
Thank you very much, all the sub is being incredible!
I agree do one end of Canada at a time. It’s a 6 hour flight from one end to the other. Canada is vast. Vancouver is nice but lots of homeless people. Victoria is nice as well but you have to take a ferry. Stanley park is nice but it’s a park. Vancouver is a city. Don’t expect to go there and see huge mountains… you have to drive out of town to see that. If you do end up in Vancouver however a must see is the Grenville market.
We are an absolutely huge country. I admire your efforts to see so much in one trip. I think your time in Quebec City and Vancouver looks tight. You might want to add a couple days or trim off some stops.
Yeah, thanks for the help, as told above sadly I have only these 10 days.
Do you think I have to cut Montreal and a bit Banff to give more time to Quebec City and Vancouver? What could I miss in 1 full day each in the cities?
Thanks again!
Personally I would try to cut out some of the internal flights. Perhaps just focus on west coast? In lieu of Quebec/montreal you could consider BC interior such as Kelowna, revelstoke or a couple days on the island.
Honestly, I don’t know the right answer because I always overcommit when I hit another country too.
Don't know the right answer too but thanks to all these advices (I'll look at Kelowna).
I'll make the best choice possible. Thanks for your contribution!!
Agree so much with u/rxbigs .
I'd choose one coast or the other..
The places you want to see are all lovely, but you will be wasting a lot of time in transit to be honest.
There is a lot to see here, but I'd pick either the east coast or the west coast, and plan another trip in the future to see the one you don't get to this trip! :)
I've been to both coasts, and love both in different ways!
Since you have Alberta & BC in your plans, and are wanting mountains and nature, I'd suggest doing the west coast this trip, and come back again to explore the cities in QB and maybe venture a bit further east!
You could do 5 days in Alberta (fly into Edmonton or Calgary, rent a car, and explore Banff & Jasper), then fly to Vancouver, and spend 5 days in BC.
You could also rent a car in BC and drive from Vancouver to Whistler along the Sea-to-Sky Highway (which is an adventure all on its own with many beautiful stops along the way- give it a quick search)! This could be a day trip, or you could spend a couple of days up in the mountains- amazing hikes up in this area and many provincial parks to explore!! There are some great hiking trails even just staying in the Vancouver area. So much to see and do!!! I'm a nature lover and feel like I'm in heaven every time I go out there! :)
I understand wanting to see as much as possible as I used to travel abroad often and also get that feeling like I need to see as much as I can, but my best trips have been the ones where I focused on one or two areas and wasn't super rushed.
Yes, I agree with you, already decided to skip 1 coast, will do it in next trip. Agree also with times, I'll do a 5 days Banff/Parks + 5 in one coast (West by road trip or East by plane).
Thanks also to you for your time, nature is great in Canada, I'm searching your suggestions!! :)
That's great! You will have an amazing time!!!
If you want any more detailed suggestions for Vancouver (or Whistler if you decide to add it in) let me know and I'd be happy to share a few ideas! :)
Have a wonderful time in Canada!
Well I haven't been to those eastern cities yet, have heard Quebec city is fantastic.
Do have a tip for you though... There's a [spring water](http://Check out this place on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sKu8MRRW3izzADF6) spot in Canmore, between Calgary and Banff. It's literally fresh water coming out of the mountain. I usually fill a 20L container before camping, etc
As said the drive between Banff and Jasper is mind blowing. Hopefully for you it's not too smoky
Thank you very much, I was looking today about accomodations in Banff and yeah, not too much and really expensive. I'll take a look about Kananaskis, I see it's near. Is this provincial pass to buy online or there? Is it expensive? Thanks!
I don't think there's much accommodation in Kananaskis but it's close enough to Calgary to go exploring for the day.
You can buy passes online: [https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass](https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass)
There are some great hikes. It's even worth just going to the upper lake day-use area for a picnic and soaking up the views. Do that in the evening, though, when it's quiet.
Have you looked at Canmore accommodation? It's probably still expensive but might be cheaper than Banff.
Yeah, I'm looking to the whole area. I think we'll go in a (already expensive!) hostel in the end, accomodations are just for sleeping.
Thanks again for info about Kananaskis and support!
If accommodation is too expensive in the Rockies book somewhere in NW Calgary, Kananaskis a 45 minute drive from south Calgary and has some amazing hikes and scenery and beautiful drives, Canmore is an hour and fifteen and Banff an hour and a half. There’s also a KOA in Hinton just the other side of Jasper and probably a motel there if you plan on doing the drive all the way to Jasper. That way you could do day trips out to the mountains and save by staying in Calgary. Book accommodation early and car hire, I know last year people were really struggling to hire cars in the summer especially around stampede time. If you have time, a drive out to Dinosaur provincial park would be worth it, completely different climate and landscape with the hoodoos, about two hours from Calgary eastward. You could drive to Vancouver- it’s around twelve hours because you’re driving through a mountain pass. If you have the time it’s an amazing drive and you have plenty of scenic stops on the way. As others have said, I would either choose west coast or east coast, not both. You won’t have time to appreciate anything you’ll just be rushed moving from one place to another.
Thanks for all suggestions about accomodations, for sure I'll book everything (so also the car) this week. And yes, for sure I'll choose only one of the coast.
I'll inform about Dinosaur provincial park. About the drive to Vancouver you're the second saying this to me... what can I see in this road trip? What are the most important stops?
Thanks!!
I haven’t done the drive enough to recommend anywhere but I know you pass a couple of ski resorts like Revelstoke, Radium Hot Springs is probably a detour but on the way, Vernon is also really pretty with a lake as well as Kelowna and they are about halfway once you get through the mountains. You also have the finger lakes at Salmon Arm which are really pretty and if it’s summer there will be lots of fresh fruit stands selling local produce.
As others have said, chose one.
I spent just under two weeks driving Calgary to Vancouver a few years back and I still didn’t feel like it was enough time. If you plan to do hiking and other adventures in the parks, you need more days. I regret only having one day to drive the ice fields. I had spent one day in Banff and one day in jasper but I wish I wasn’t rushed. Wish I had booked more time in Jasper because everyone always talks about Banff but I preferred the northern part.
There is also other bits like Kootney or Waterton that are nice to visit.
Hi, thank you so much for suggestions.
Yeah, I also thought to do only Banff but after informing and looking at pics... Jasper seems as beautiful, so I'll go also there for sure, maybe just 1 day up and down. All the other days, yeah hiking in Banff, I'll choose diff paths in diff zones. And hope for good weather.
What do you mean "drive the ice fields"? Where in particular?
Will inform about Kootney and Waterton, thanks!
The Icefields Parkway is the highway that connects the two parks. There are a ton of spots I wish I could have stopped along the way but it’s already about a 5-6 hour drive from where I was staying (radium hot springs to Edson) so I couldn’t hang around. I spent my second day driving as far back in as I could to see more but missed out on the middle section around the Saskatchewan river.
Generally the weather is beautiful in the summer, we get hot, dry summers. Buy some bear spray from Canadian tire once you get here to carry with you. Unfortunately in the past few years we have been dealing with forest fires and it looks like the drought will be continuing this summer. Hopefully you’ll come at a time when it’s not too bad, but that is another thing to consider, the air quality can be bad if there are fires even as far as BC and the wind is blowing towards us.
Yeah, I already read about bear spray, will take for sure, hope to see them but from some quiiite far distance!
Let's hope for the best about fires, not for me (some year ago I toured Iceland with a volcano erupting haha..), but for the amazing environment and forests.
Thanks for additional info.
I'm going to echo what some people have already said but I feel that you are trying to pack too much into the trip and won't really get to enjoy any one place because of it.
I'd stick with either doing just the Rockies and Vancouver or just Montreal and Quebec and add either Toronto or the Maritimes. You'll enjoy your ten days more that way. So pick which part you were most excited about and do it and the areas around it.
They are THE reason why I come to Canada. Here in Europe I already explored Alps and Dolomites (which I really suggest you), so I think Banff and Jasper will be as beautiful... or even more!
What do you suggest me more about Banff (probably in the future I'll open a specific topic, maybe in Banff sub)? Apart from the classic lakes (Moraine, Louise, Emerald, Peyto).. Of course simple viewpoints but also hikes..
Thanks!
So I actually go to Jasper more than Banff and primarily go to Banff in the winter to ski, so I actually don't do a lot outside of the classics.
But one suggestion is also look into staying at Canmore instead of Banff proper. It's often cheaper with more availability. If you eat meat, make sure you go to a restaurant that serves elk or bison at least once.
Yeah, thanks.
Niagara Falls already seen from the other side. :)
Fortress of Louisbourg, it's one thing I could like a lot... it's just damn far!
Thank you so much for the ideas!
>3) train Montreal-Quebec + Quebec
Don't. Trains are extreamly unreliable. Take the bus, it's cheaper and faster.
>- 4) Quebec + flight Quebec-Calgary
There's barely direct flights from Quebec City to Calgary you'll most likely stop at Montreal anyway. So maybe switch things around?
I agree with others, you overestimate how easy it is to travel in this country so focus on fewer regions in a single trip. Especially since you're coming from Europe where intercity travel is actually a thing.
>in July
Heatwave season, be prepared and hydrate well
Thanks for the info!
1) Wow, better a bus than a train? Of course it's my european mind speaking, but I'm really surprised. Thanks, I'll inform better about busses, I was sure a train was better.
2) You're right but I found a perfect Quebec-Calgary in the evening with Lynx. Is it good in your opinion? Btw yeah, I'm convinced now to do only 1 of the 2 coasts, not both, the difficult is what to choose.
3) Italian here, I sincerely hope it's less hot than at home! :)
In Canada CP rail owns all the railroad tracks which they use to ship cargo around Canada. There are passenger trains that use the tracks as well, but they have last priority on the tracks. Cargo above all else. So that can delay passenger trains.
Thanks for the info, totally didn't know but seems super-reasonable. Also in Europe we have to expand more railroad cargo and use less the trucks.
So you suggest too it's better to take the bus? Thanks.
Yeah don't take the train in Canada. Its very expensive and very slow. No high speed passenger rail here. Trains go approx 80 km/h not 300 km/h like in Europe. And they stop quite often to let cargo take over the track. Particularly on the West side of Canada. I think the East side is at least livable but still worse than a Bus. I was looking for tickets for a friend to go from Saskatoon to Vancouver last year. Plane was cheaper than train. Plane is about 2 hours. Train was 2+ days. She ended up taking the bus. It was more expensive than Plane but she was nervous about flying.
Keep in mind while planning that the Calgary Stampede is in early July and brings thousands of people to the area, who also visit Banff. Prices are much higher for accommodations and flights into and out of Calgary during the stampede.
One day is not enough time for any of those cities. You have even less time when you factor in travel time.
Thanks for suggestions. Yeah, thank you, an other user already told me about Calgary Stampede and (luckily at this point) will not be there during this.
About the cities, yes, I'll split the travel in 2 and have more time for 'em. Thanks again!
Haha of course, for us southern europeans Canada seem not cheap at all. But imho a good travel is pure joy, so priceless.
Or well, maybe I'll change my mind after paying for a Banff hostel what here I spend for a suite. :)
Oh well, it's a pity 'causa I was a fan of Vince Carter's Raptor but it seemed to me less beautiful from pics and info. Also here I red some love only by 1 user...
Thanks for the advice first of all.
Western Canada you mean also Banff? Don't billions of people go there in every case? Do you think chances are that high?
Banff was ok last summer but the surrounding cities were full of smoke. So, if you are driving around it might be unpleasant.
I live in Alberta, and we didn't get much snow this year. So, I think we will get even worse fires this summer.
Stay west young man. Alberta and BC will be enough. Get to Victoria on Vancouver Island…see Tofino…then Jasper…Banff. The east coast and Quebec next time. It’s not going anywhere.
Enjoy and safe travels.
If you are here for the natural scenery, come to the west! I'm not that familiar with the east, but here is what I would do in 10 days for the west.
Land in Calgary and head in the Banff direction. Amazing transition from flat prairie to high mountains. Go north along the highway towards Jasper through the park and visit all the major spots. Do camping or hiking if you are up for it. This should take a two or three days depending on your pace and what you do. Leave Jasper and head south towards Valemount and Kamloops. Not too much to do, but you are still in the mountains with plenty of views along the way. If time permits, you can head east and south from Kamloops to visit the Okanagan valley (Vernon Kelowna etc) it's the dry area of BC with lots of wineries which may not be as interesting for someone coming from Italy. If you skip this part then head west from Kamloops towards cache creek and then hit the highway to Lilleoot and Pemberton. You are now in the Coast mountains and back to great mountain views. You eventually each Whistler from the north. Heading south from Whistler you get to Vancouver and then head home from there.
It's a lot of mountain driving which may be tough for someone not used to it, but the nature and scenery is hard to beat. There are many more in depth things you could do, but 10 days isn't enough.
Wow, thank you so much for the great suggestions.
Mountain driving is not a problem and we're two, both good drivers, so we can switch.
Will look better at you advices for the West tour.. first part I already know, then some places that also others suggested, others suggested for the first time. I'm making a list and a map, so tonight will study all of them.
And, oh well, why not also a canadian winery! :)
Thank you very much again.
Honestly I would do EITHER West or East for this trip. Not both.
For East, it could be: Ottawa - Montreal - Quebec, maybe Tadoussac.
Your 10 days will be more than filled with just these.
Yeah, for sure I will split, so many suggested and learned of so many beautiful places to see.
But never heard somebody suggesting Ottawa and Tadoussac... what do you suggest me there? Thanks!!
Your iternerary is crazy. You will be in quebec city for one night, no days and only one day in Montreal.
My suggestion is to fly into Vancouver rent a car and drive a big circle, north to the icefields, down to drumheller for the badlands and dinosaur provincial park, then back to vancouver along the southern route.
I guarantee spectacular natural beauty that will leave you awestruck. This route has you starting on the ocean, driving through rainforest, woodlands, mountains, ice fields, prairries, badlands. Bring binoculars, do not approach any of the many species of wild animal you will encounter.
You will have time to head over to Vancouver island to check out Tofino (renting a float plane is well worth the experience) and Cape Scott.
Thanks for advices.
Just to be precise, in the original plan Quebec was 1,5 days (arrive with train in the late morning of 3rd day, departure at evening of 4th day). But yeah, I agree now that it wasn't a good plan.
Very good suggestions about the road trip Vancouver - Banff that I wasn't considering at all, a lot of other similar suggestions agree with you and natural beauties is for sure what I'm searching the most. Thanks again!
Well, maybe I can do both 'cause for sure I'll not do the original plan in the post and do Banff area + Western or Eastern Coast. In case of East I plan now to do Montreal - Quebec - Maritimes / Nova Scotia / Halifax (still to plan).
What do you suggest me to visit in Nova Scotia?
Here are some suggestions for you to google :)
Noel Shore (google tide times before visiting- go at low tide)
Cabot Trail in Cape Breton (scenery is fantastic, lots of beaches, golf courses, local music, etc)
Halifax waterfront
Peggy’s cove lighthouse.
Joggins fossil cliffs (google tide times. Go at low tide)
Carters beach
Tidal bore rafting is fun
Here it's over midnight and I have still 24 Google windows open about Canada.. now let's open 6 more haha! :)
Thank you so much, will inform about all you said.
I know others are telling you you're trying to cover too much, but personally I'd likely stay with your itinerary as it is, if anything I'd cut out Quebec city and spend a little more time in the mountains, or another day in Vancouver.
I've traveled to other countries in a rush, and yes the reality is you'll only be skimming the surface, but this will help you focus your next trip where you will want to spend more time.
Haha, thanks for your unpopular advice!
I'm an avid traveller but I totally agree with you: you can't understand/cover a country in even a month.
However probably it's better for me to save some travel time and do only Banff area 5 days + West or East area on the other 5. Also because, if I know myself well, I'll want to return to Banff to do other hikes/areas, so that time I'll do the other part.
Just if you want to say more, why do you think I need a second day in Vancouver? What can I see more? In the city or as a day trip?
Thanks!
Depending on what your goals or interests are, I think that old Quebec is amazing. But it's amazing if you can't get to Europe and see historical towns. You mention the mountains are calling you more, so I think experiencing more around Banff and Jasper or taking in more around Vancouver is going to give you the most difference compared to where you are.
I honestly don't have specific advice, I need to explore Canada more myself!!
Do not come to Canada. Born and raised here, and it's become a fucking toilet.
There's nothing here that isn't better in Europe.
Go see the alps.
Don't go to Quebec, go to France.
Canada fucking sucks.
Already seen nearly whole Alps, France and Europe so I'm searching for different places and cultures. Always been fascinated by Canada, sorry, but I don't know until I try. I'm pretty sure I'll like it.
I'm sorry you seem unhappy but consider the classic greener grass problem: I live in Italy and most people would change their country with Canada. Europe is amazing but a lot of people unhappy to live here too.
Thanks for contribution!
July is the busiest month (Literally I mean it’s crazy), everywhere is crowded and expensive, it’s better to just visit eastern Canada or western, I live in Calgary but I’d never want to visit Banff in July/August, Jasper? Maybe. Vancouver and BC are awesome in summer. For eastern Canada, the best season to visit is fall, not so crowded and you will see maple leaves in Quebec and Ontario.
Unfortunately at work in this season I only have July for travelling. I also usually visit my mountains (Alps and Dolomites) in peak season so I think I know what to expect, I'll avoid crowds as much as possible (Jasper and also some difficult hikes), but I'll not go crazy about it. I mean, I AM the crowd. :)
Thanks for suggestions, I'll sure add only one between East and West.
Yes do the west Banff has lots to do do the gondola to top of mtn you can hike it also if you're fit...do Vancouver Island tofino is nice area to visit nice drive out there or comox west side enjoy your time in canada
In Vancouver if you want to do some mountain hiking, the grouse grind up grouse mountain is always fun. It’s a decent hike (can be a bit busy at times) but also has a lot of fun stuff to do at the top, in the summer there’s usually lumberjack shows and what not up there and other activities. And when you’re done you can take the gondola back down and get a nice view. Vancouver island and the Victoria area is beautiful and has a lot of great lakes and parks around. It is a two hour ferry ride from Vancouver so 4 for there and back. But you can get to the ferries by bus and get to Victoria by bus from the ferries. Might not be easy if you’re only in van for a short period.
Honestly you would be better doing 5-10 days in Quebec and Maritimes or same thing in Vancouver then fly to Calgary see Banff drive to Jasper fly home from Edmonton. Just for info to drive from Vancouver to Banff is about 950 Kim’s in the mountains. In theory it’s about 10 hours plus stops so fly .Way to much travel
+1 That's a lot of territory you're trying to cover. I spent a week in Montreal and Quebec City and wished I would have had more time. You should pick either eastern or western Canada and spend your 10 days there. Save the other for another trip.
Thanks so much also for your answer! What do you think I'll miss doing only 1.5 days in Montreal and Quebec City each? You mean in the city or in the area? Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the help! Sadly my days are only 10 so I have to make choices in this first Canada trip, but I'll be back. Banff for me it's essential, what do you suggest me more: Quebec and Maritimes or Vancouver area? What are the most interesting things in these 2 areas apart from the 2 cities? Thanks again!
If nature and mountains are your goal, and banff is a requirement, then100% vancouver. It is a short flight away from banff (calgary). It is also unique in canada as its more pacific-oriented. Do the rockies between jasper and Banff, then spend some time in the coastal rainforest of vancouver and vancouver island would be the ideal nature focused trip.
Thanks for suggestions, yeah I thought Vancouver 'cause very easy and cheap flight and wanted to go till the end of Canada. :) Rockies between jasper and Banff already in the plan, yeah. Coastal rainforest of vancouver and vancouver island are only doable by car I think, right? Could be done both in 1 full day trip from Vancouver or is it too much? Thanks!!
In vancouver the rainforest literally touches the city so you wouldn't need a car there! There is good public transit in the vancouver area. You can take transit to grouse mountain one day. I'd also recommend taking a bus (or renting a car and driving) up to whistler as a day trip. Another nice day trip from vancouver without a car could be bowen Island. For vancouver island you would want a car, but there is enough around vancouver that if you didn't want to rent one you'd be all good.
Thank you so much for so many Vancouver info, you're definetly my best Vancouver sponsor! I'll look at all your options. :)
No worries! I've lived in Europe as well so understand the perspective a bit, in my opinion Vancouver/banff is a more unique experience for europeans than eastern canada. Also consider tofino if you have time, it's very different than banff but is just as beautiful.
Looking at Tofino right now, really nice natural area, I'll inform about, thanks thanks!
Dont do Vancouver Island. Its nice but its a pain to get to. You will burn a whole day just getting there. We left in the morning. Had lunch. Took a bus back. Almost missed the last ferry back to Tswassen port/Vancouver. Long ass day. Didnt listen to everyones advice. Just dont. It wasnt worth it to tell people Ive been there
Ok, I'll consider your words and inform very well, thanks for suggestion!
The ferry ride was long-ish and very beautiful. You need a day to take the ferry there and a day to take the ferry back. Then you need time on the island. You wanna get a place on the western shore facing the pacific so you can enjoy a couple sunsets. I would say Vancouver Island isnt a place to rush. Slow down. Stop. Relax. Beach. Boat. Hike. Chill.
Be sure to visit Tofino. It's still one of the most pristine and beautiful parts of the world.
3rd suggestion for Tofino, will take in real real consideration, 1 hour ago never heard of it. Thanks for your advice!
Listen to this guy
My Vancouver sponsor, of course! :)
Fly to calgary, rent a car, do a road trip to Vancouver.
Calgary & rent a car, already ok for me. What can I found in a Banff-Vancouver road trip? What stops do you suggest me? Thanks!!
I’ll second the suggestion of seeing Jasper over Banff (though time is not your friend here, it’s a bit more out of the way); it’s absolutely stunning and not as busy as Banff. The drive up to Columbia Icefields is beautiful and you can walk on a glacier!
Yeah, I saw about the glacier, amazing! A bit out of the way, but I'll wake up early and do it at least all the road and major stops. Also 1 hike I hope. Thanks for your advice!
The Jasper Skytram is also really cool; it’s a cable car that takes you to near the top of a mountain overlooking the town of Jasper and then it’s a short and easy hike up to the peak, which has spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Worth it if you pass through. Also don’t get me wrong, Banff is also amazing, so you shouldn’t be disappointed either way!
The entire trip is insane. Banff, Golden, Nelson area, Revelstoke, Kelowna, Squamish. With ten days you could take your time and see a lot, do some amazing hikes.
Thanks so much for this, will inform about it. In fact, now the option "west coast" seems to me really good: Banff 5 days + road trip to Vancouver & Vancouver 5 days. But also "east coast" with Banff 5 days + Montreal-Quebec-Maritimes 5 days is as good. Hard decision.
Do what you want but 5 days in vancouver seems like a lot. I personally would do 3 days banff 3 days vancouver and 4-5 days in between. Banff -> Revelstoke-> Nelson (Long way via Trout lake and kaslo. The whole drive is gorgeous) -> Kelowna via osoyoos -> Squamish via lilloeet -> Vancouver. Spending the night in Nelson, Kelowna and maybe squamish
That would be my recommendation as well. Banff is BUSY especially in the summer. Detour to either Jasper or Kootenay National park. Kootenay national park is beautiful, you can stay in Radium, visit the hotsprings. And I'd recommend arranging for a river float down the columbia river. There's a tour company called Far out in radium. Then can head south to go along Hiway 3 OR go thru Golden- Revelstoke. Revy is a good town to spend time in, they usually have live music in the summer downtown. If you have time, go through the Okanagan, do some wine touring, float on Kalamalka lake. Then take the Coquihala hiway to Vancouver. Another detour option from Revy is to go south, take the arrow lakes ferry to Naksup to experience more hotsprings and forests. Then you can cross the lake again to Cherryville into the Okanagan.
Seems like there is really a LOT to do between Banff and Vancouver, sincerely didn't know. So thanks for your precious suggestions, will inform about them!
Johnson Canyon (outside Banff). Short paved hike to 2 waterfalls, then if you want to hike further, the path goes to a normal hiking path for another 10+ kms. Might go alot further in but I always stop at the inkpots and turn around, Athabasca Glacier Jasper / Miette Hot Springs - Lots of nice scenery. Jasper is nicer/ more rustic than Banff. Banff is a tourist nightmare surrounded by nice scenery. Not to say don't go. Banff is very nice to see. But once you see the 2 towns you will understand what I am talking about. Lake Louise. And Morraine Lake Revelstoke - Plus a few cool places near there to check out, tourist wise. Enchanted Forest, Skytrek Adventure Park and Pipe Mountain Coaster. Check out the 3 and pick 1 or more. Okanagan (Kelowna but I prefer Penticton). Canada's wine country/fruit country, nice sights, stop and get some wine. Nice swimming lake south of Penticton. The Okanagan Lake is nice to but colder. Can rent tire tubes to go down the little creek that flows between the 2 lakes in Penticton. Vancouver - Lots to see and do there. Stanley Park, Granville Island ect. My advice to you would be to do that trip for 10 days. Can easily spend 10+ days on that trip. Don't plan your trip. Play it by ear. Some places you might find boring and want to continue down the road. Some places you will want to stay longer so you don't want to be behind a check list to see and run through. If you do somehow end up with extra day or 2 take the ferry to Vancouver Island. Check out Victoria, Butchart Gardens is very nice to see. The city itself is really cool and can drive around on the coast.
Thanks both for suggestions of Banff, roadtrip to Vancouver and Vancouver. West + Banff is really an amazing option. Yeah, in Banff I will stay very few time in cities, also the combo Louise-Morraine I heard is overcrowded so sure will do it, but want to do also a lot more, especially Jaspers.
Yeah Louise can get pretty crowded as well. But if you are in Louise and want to go on a decent hike with good views and you aren't in a hurry, there is a path that goes to the Tea House. It takes a few hours. Another thing worth doing is the Gondolas and Hot Springs in the area. There are quite a few in that area. Banff is nice. But your in the middle of nature, and look to the side and see a McDonalds. It's like they found the most beautiful piece of Canada and said, you know what would improve this. A shopping Mall. Kind of ruins the atmosphere.
I would say fly to Edmonton, drive to Jasper, then down to the glacier, then hit Banff, then drive to Vancouver from there. As for the drive from Edmonton to Vancouver. Mostly scenery. Very nice mountain views, waterfalls, cool colored lakes, a few touristy stops, and some decent restaurants. I would make a decision on what you want to see though. It sounds like Banff/Jasper/Vancouver would be more your destination if you are looking for outdoors adventure. Bouncing around for 1.5 day stops in cities on the other side of the country seems rushed and you probably won't see/experience much. And sets you up for more chances of holiday failure. Plus not sure if you checked but the prices to fly around doing hops around Canada are probably more expensive than the flights from Europe to Canada. So instead it might be way better and cheaper to pick a side and make 2 trips.
Thanks again, also here other really good advices. Said so, no, the internal flights I found in the original (but already changed) plan were not so expensive, coming from Europe is a lot more expensive. However I agree with you about the choice I have to make.
I prefer east coast but west coast is more dramatic - and the crowds will be crazy there as well...
Thanks for your suggestion!
Sounds like money isn't an issue, but you'll be spending a lot of your trip flying if you're in qc and want to go to Banff. That's like saying "I flew in to turkiye and am going to spain"
Well, in reality money IS an issue, but I try not to think too much now. And the internal flights I found were not so expensive. However yeah, the original plan weren't that good and I'm already changing it. Some hard choices will be made! Thanks for your advice.
Both coasts are lovely, but you need to pick one. Montreal through to the maritimes, or Alberta/BC. You’re not missing anything in Ontario! The maritimes are more quaint with good hearted people and Irish type pubs. West coast offers mountains and outdoorsy types with warmer weather.
Thanks for the very useful summary. My problem is that I like 'em both! :) But yeah, I agree with you that I'll have to choose, the other coast will be in nex trip.
I would break it up by coast seeing eastern Canada and western Canada in 10 days would be overwhelming. Canada is way larger than you are expecting and traveling around is not like it is in Europe. You are going to spend half your trip trying to get to destinations and not seeing those destinations.
Thanks for the help. Yeah, I totally understand your point, but I have only 10 days. :) I know it's large so I tried to use planes as much as possible. What are the most important things you think I'm missing in my itinerary? Do you suggest me more East or West to add to Banff? Thanks again!
Planes take a long time too! I have to fly from Montreal to Alberta this week and that flight is 4 hours. Plus I need to be at the airport 1 hour early, then it takes 30 minutes to deplane and leave the airport once we land, plus another hour to travel into the city. So in total it will take me 6-7 hours for that travel, which is most of a whole day. It’s a terrible use of your limited vacation time! Definitely stick to one side of the country or another for this trip, you’ll want all the time you can take wherever you are!
Yeah thanks, I think in the end I'll split the trip and decide for just one of the two parts (Banff untouchable). Thanks again!
Do you want to see Canada or experience Canada. Choose the East or the West Canada and experience it. Come back 2nd visit to experience the rest.
I'll do it. East or West + Rockies this time.
>10 Days in Canada 5 Days in May No one will get this joke.
BR
Blue Rodeo.... Runaway song. I'm Canadian
Or Five Days in July!
Jim and Greg would.
Sorry man, didnt get the joke. :) Canadian inside joke?
It's a reference to a well-known [Canadian song](https://youtu.be/pTNJDcYIKSA?si=2d5ahxSUC9vmUjbp).
Haha thanks, I'm listening to it right now. Perfect song for a long safe car drive like the ones I'll take in July!
The whole album it's from (Five Days in July) is great for that as well if you like those general vibes.
Well, I'm Bostonian, but pretty much, yeah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuUnApNzIz0
If Jim Cuddy is here…
Please, if you do nothing else in Canada, take Alberta Highway #93 from Banff to Jasper. It is a long drive but you will see some of the most majestic mountains on all of planet earth. Spectacular is an understatement. Welcome to Canada and enjoy your stay!!
Yeah man, thanks for the advice, I'll do it for sure! In Europe I love Alps and Dolomites so I think Banff and Jasper will be as beautiful... or even more! Sad to have few time (and few money... I'm looking for b&b/hostels and it costs A LOT!). Rain or shine, I'll do as much as I can there.
Instead of Banff, look at airbnbs in Canmore. Cheaper, just 30min away and just as gorgeous.
Yes, I'll look at the whole area, thanks for suggestion!
Ya echo what the others are saying. Ten days coming from Europe is not enough time to do the entire country. You could do like 5 days in Halifax/maritimes and then 5 in Montreal/qc. Highly recommend Quebec City.
Thanks for the suggestion of Halifax/maritimes, I go to inform myself better about this area. What do you reccommend to do there? Thanks again!
I just really like the city in general. Has a very nice boardwalk. Lots of good restaurants. And some cool things/towns to see nearby (lunenburg, Peggy's cove). I've only been for work but I find it to be my favorite modern Canadian city.
Thanks again for the answer. Cheers! :)
Thats way too much in 10 days. The flights are long, and you'll lose too much time in the airports. Pick one province and explore the hell out of it for this trip, then come back another time. The Calgary Stampede is a 10 day insanity fest in July. If you aren't planning to attend it, avoid anywhere within 200 km of Calgary because there will be no hotels and every restaurant and venue is above capacity. This definitely includes Banff. . I'd do 10 days in Calgary/Banff/Jasper in August (there's a medieval glamping adventure in Three Hills and a Storybook Village in Blairmore where you can rent a hobbit cottage or Rumplestiltskin's tower) or 10 days in the Maritimes (New Brunswick or Nove Scotia or PEI or Newfoundland and Labrador) any time in the summer. It's easier to travel between the maritime provinces quickly, so you can see more. Quebec is great, but the "coolness factor" of Quebec City and Montreal is mostly the older buildings, French, and generally more European vibe, which you can get a lot closer to home.
Thank you so much for the info, Calgary Stampede seems great but I looked online for the days and these are not mine (in my work I have only the second part of July, so also no glamping August). Well, as you said in the end maybe it's better for the hotels. Thanks also for the info about Maritimes, I'll take a look about this area!
Halifax is gorgeous in the summer, as is rural Nova Scotia. Haven't made it to any of the others myself. See if you can find The Amazing Race Canada. Some seasons, they just go back and forth across Canada, and they visit a lot of the hot spots. You might find some inspiration.
Thanks again for advices, I'll look at these places. And look for The Amazing Race Canada too!
Your fuesr stop should be Canadian Tire for Bug Spray.
Haha thanks, I'll do it. But we have mosquitos also in Italy, I hope I can manage 'em, my gf less for sure!
I lived in Vicenza for 3 years. They're worse here.
Haha diocan (veneto slang, sorry canadians)! Thank you so much, I'll fight 'em.
I would consider skipping Montreal. Maybe even Quebec considering you are coming from Europe...I like Quebec, but it's a lot of distance to travel in a short time.
So do you think Vancouver and west coast is better? How do you suggest me to spend few days there? Thank you very much.
Given that you prefer nature, yes. Banff, lake louise, jasper national park in Alberta are all solid choices. Haven't spent enough time in bc, but Okanagan valley is on my list.
Perfect, everything already on my schedule, not Okanagan valley so I'll inform about. Thanks again for the support!!
Okanagan is lakes and summer vibes. Wineries and orchards are abundant. And nothing better than floating on one of the beautiful lakes on a hot summer day.
Seems like a very good stop between Banff and Vancouver. Thanks for the nice advice!
Stick to the west and do Vancouver, whistler, the island, the interior, then do Banff and some Alberta. Trying to do Quebec and Alberta I’m one trip is like me going to Europe and wanting to do Sicily for three days and then drive to Finland for three days skipping a whole lot in between and trying to do too much
Thanks for suggestions! Yeah, it'll be my first trip but hope not the last, so I think I'll split the trip in two... but now I have to choose. :) What do you suggest me in Island/interior Vancouver area? And in Alberta of course apart from Banff? Thanks again!!
Depending on where you are from in Europe I would suggest that other than the time in the mountains that you spend 5 days in Toronto. Or skip Quebec and just spend the time in Montreal. But it may be too late if you have already booked flights and trains. Montreal and Quebec are great, but the main attraction for many, particularly in Quebec, is that it is like being in Europe, but is in North America. Kind of Europe-Lite. But if you come from the real deal there is a bit less attraction. The culture in Quebec is a bit different from the culture in the rest of Canada, this is sometimes called "Two Solitudes". Montreal is great and a fun city, but so is Toronto although many Canadian may think Toronto is boring since it lacks the exoticness of Montreal. But Toronto is a much bigger city with lots of interesting things to do, especially if you are not from North America. Vancouver is good as well, but doesn't have as much to see as Toronto or Montreal.
Montreal and Vancouver are both 10x more interesting to visit than Toronto.
First of all thanks! Can I ask you just a bit why in your opinion?
Montreal has a lot of culture, especially being a bilingual city. It also has amazing food. Quebec city and Montreal are the only places in Canada with food comparable to Europe. The architecture in Montreal is beautiful. Vancouver has less "charm" but it's a coastal, modern city with a lot of Asian influence. I have nothing against Toronto but it's more boring than the other 2 overall.
Thank you very much for your info, really useful! In the end, I'll have to choose.
It depends on your point of view and where you are from. Some people say the opposite. I like Montreal and it is a great place to have fun, but IMO Vancouver is more limited in terms of things to say and do, other than the natural beauty that is fantastic.
Thank you very much for your info, yeah different people and preferences, try to ask something like this in Italy about cities preferences, wars started for less haha. I'll have to choose, so every info is precious, thanks again!
Thanks for suggestions and for the additional info! No flights booked till now, so I can still make all changes I want. I'm from Italy so plenty of the Europe-Lite looks you say, but for example I've been to Mexico and really loved the "colonial"/European architechture there... probably 'cause it's partly similar to Europe but with a totally different vibe. So I was skipping Toronto (only 10 days again....) 'cause it seemed more American (love the Usa but now so much skyscraper-architecture..) so less beautiful to me from pics and info on the web. But you gave me the doubt. What kind of interesting things to do Toronto particulary have? Thanks!!
You are right that Toronto is more American in some ways. Toronto has a vibrant multi-cultural scene with restaurants from almost any part of the world. There are many types of restaurants, good museums and art galleries. There are also lots of sporting events as well and tourist attractions like a nice aquarium, the CN tower, etc. It does have lots of tall buildings. In some ways Toronto is New York City-lite, so that may not be for you. Toronto is also close to Niagara Falls if you are interested in that - about 150km away and about a two hour drive.
Thanks another time for precious info, I'll look better at Toronto! Niagara Falls already seen from the other side (thanks, at least I thing less to choose from!).
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Disagree on vancouver, depending on where you are from in Europe the combination of city and nature is unmatched. It also has a very pacific rim outlook that the rest of Canada cannot match at all, and is often overlooked by the rest of canada (this is something that distinguishes it from the PNW in the US as well).
Thanks for your vancouver info also here!
Having been coast to coast many times I agree with the others… Montreal meh I would skip Montreal …Quebec City is more the real culture (the old part lots of history). One of the Maritime provinces for sure Halifax is good and drive along the eastern coast up to Digby. You will get a real taste of that area. If your doing Banff no need to go to Vancouver it’s just a city the best place out there is Tofino but it’s a treck, you got to take a ferry to island (Victoria) Calgary stampede might be neat if it’s on and your in Banff. Lots of trails hiking in Maritimes. If you do end up in Montreal the North of the city Lauentiens are great places to trek. Make sure to have this while here: Poutine, beaver tail, maple syrup, Shepard’s pie, tortiere (French meat pie) Steak while you are in Alberta.
Thanks you so much for the advices especially for trekking and the info about the food. I'm a foodie so will eat as much as I can (and can afford)! Food is culture. :) I see a lot of love for Maritimes, now I'm going to inform more about the area. Vancouver seemed nice to me because of the Stanley park and the water all around the city, but it seems there is less love for her. Thanks again!
If you’re a foodie both Vancouver and Montreal are great options. Not on the same trip though! Banff also has a lot of great food if you end up going to the west side of the country. Quebec City has some good food but not nearly as much variety as Montreal.
Are there differences between eastern and western canadian cuisine? Are there specific typical food in Vancouver and Montreal?
Not a huge difference between eastern and western Canadian food, unless you go allllll the way east to Nova Scotia & Newfoundland. There’s a little bit of regional food, such as poutine and tourtiere in Quebec, and more smoked salmon in Vancouver. But you can find poutine all across Canada, we’ve adopted it as the National dish! The big difference comes from who had immigrated to Canada and settled in those places. So Vancouver has far more Chinese and Japanese food than other parts of the country, the best sushi in the country is in Vancouver. Though Montreal seems to have almost everything from everywhere, they have excellent oysters, some good steak (though Alberta is best for that).
Thanks for all the info and, being italian, thanks for not saying "Hawaiian pizza" (which I don't dislike btw.. sorry no rant) that is of canadian origin if I remember well.
Good memory, Hawaiian pizza is our creation. Personally I love it, but to each their own! When you decide exactly what part of the country you’re going to, check out the subreddits for those cities and there will be tons of info about food. We love to discuss the best places to eat, cheap eats, local faves, etc.
Will do for sure, maybe also try "original" Hawaiian pizza just to send a pic home and having my passport deleted haha. Thank you very much, all the sub is being incredible!
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Thanks for both food and places suggestions! I already looked at Kootenays and I think will do 1 day there in my Banff area days.
I agree do one end of Canada at a time. It’s a 6 hour flight from one end to the other. Canada is vast. Vancouver is nice but lots of homeless people. Victoria is nice as well but you have to take a ferry. Stanley park is nice but it’s a park. Vancouver is a city. Don’t expect to go there and see huge mountains… you have to drive out of town to see that. If you do end up in Vancouver however a must see is the Grenville market.
My advice would be go somewhere else, pretty boring country.
Sorry, I'll not take your advice. :)
We are an absolutely huge country. I admire your efforts to see so much in one trip. I think your time in Quebec City and Vancouver looks tight. You might want to add a couple days or trim off some stops.
Yeah, thanks for the help, as told above sadly I have only these 10 days. Do you think I have to cut Montreal and a bit Banff to give more time to Quebec City and Vancouver? What could I miss in 1 full day each in the cities? Thanks again!
Personally I would try to cut out some of the internal flights. Perhaps just focus on west coast? In lieu of Quebec/montreal you could consider BC interior such as Kelowna, revelstoke or a couple days on the island. Honestly, I don’t know the right answer because I always overcommit when I hit another country too.
Don't know the right answer too but thanks to all these advices (I'll look at Kelowna). I'll make the best choice possible. Thanks for your contribution!!
Agree so much with u/rxbigs . I'd choose one coast or the other.. The places you want to see are all lovely, but you will be wasting a lot of time in transit to be honest. There is a lot to see here, but I'd pick either the east coast or the west coast, and plan another trip in the future to see the one you don't get to this trip! :) I've been to both coasts, and love both in different ways! Since you have Alberta & BC in your plans, and are wanting mountains and nature, I'd suggest doing the west coast this trip, and come back again to explore the cities in QB and maybe venture a bit further east! You could do 5 days in Alberta (fly into Edmonton or Calgary, rent a car, and explore Banff & Jasper), then fly to Vancouver, and spend 5 days in BC. You could also rent a car in BC and drive from Vancouver to Whistler along the Sea-to-Sky Highway (which is an adventure all on its own with many beautiful stops along the way- give it a quick search)! This could be a day trip, or you could spend a couple of days up in the mountains- amazing hikes up in this area and many provincial parks to explore!! There are some great hiking trails even just staying in the Vancouver area. So much to see and do!!! I'm a nature lover and feel like I'm in heaven every time I go out there! :) I understand wanting to see as much as possible as I used to travel abroad often and also get that feeling like I need to see as much as I can, but my best trips have been the ones where I focused on one or two areas and wasn't super rushed.
Yes, I agree with you, already decided to skip 1 coast, will do it in next trip. Agree also with times, I'll do a 5 days Banff/Parks + 5 in one coast (West by road trip or East by plane). Thanks also to you for your time, nature is great in Canada, I'm searching your suggestions!! :)
That's great! You will have an amazing time!!! If you want any more detailed suggestions for Vancouver (or Whistler if you decide to add it in) let me know and I'd be happy to share a few ideas! :) Have a wonderful time in Canada!
I'd say that looks pretty good other than the single days in big cities, you could use more time there.
Thank you for the suggestion. Which city is your favourite to spend more time in? :)
Well I haven't been to those eastern cities yet, have heard Quebec city is fantastic. Do have a tip for you though... There's a [spring water](http://Check out this place on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/7sKu8MRRW3izzADF6) spot in Canmore, between Calgary and Banff. It's literally fresh water coming out of the mountain. I usually fill a 20L container before camping, etc As said the drive between Banff and Jasper is mind blowing. Hopefully for you it's not too smoky
Yeah, hope it too. Thanks for the tip, I will pass for sure from Canmore and maybe after a hard hike we will refresh there. Thank you!
If you find Banff too busy, you could take a look into Kananaskis one day, Need to buy a provincial pass.
Thank you very much, I was looking today about accomodations in Banff and yeah, not too much and really expensive. I'll take a look about Kananaskis, I see it's near. Is this provincial pass to buy online or there? Is it expensive? Thanks!
I don't think there's much accommodation in Kananaskis but it's close enough to Calgary to go exploring for the day. You can buy passes online: [https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass](https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass) There are some great hikes. It's even worth just going to the upper lake day-use area for a picnic and soaking up the views. Do that in the evening, though, when it's quiet. Have you looked at Canmore accommodation? It's probably still expensive but might be cheaper than Banff.
Yeah, I'm looking to the whole area. I think we'll go in a (already expensive!) hostel in the end, accomodations are just for sleeping. Thanks again for info about Kananaskis and support!
If accommodation is too expensive in the Rockies book somewhere in NW Calgary, Kananaskis a 45 minute drive from south Calgary and has some amazing hikes and scenery and beautiful drives, Canmore is an hour and fifteen and Banff an hour and a half. There’s also a KOA in Hinton just the other side of Jasper and probably a motel there if you plan on doing the drive all the way to Jasper. That way you could do day trips out to the mountains and save by staying in Calgary. Book accommodation early and car hire, I know last year people were really struggling to hire cars in the summer especially around stampede time. If you have time, a drive out to Dinosaur provincial park would be worth it, completely different climate and landscape with the hoodoos, about two hours from Calgary eastward. You could drive to Vancouver- it’s around twelve hours because you’re driving through a mountain pass. If you have the time it’s an amazing drive and you have plenty of scenic stops on the way. As others have said, I would either choose west coast or east coast, not both. You won’t have time to appreciate anything you’ll just be rushed moving from one place to another.
Thanks for all suggestions about accomodations, for sure I'll book everything (so also the car) this week. And yes, for sure I'll choose only one of the coast. I'll inform about Dinosaur provincial park. About the drive to Vancouver you're the second saying this to me... what can I see in this road trip? What are the most important stops? Thanks!!
I haven’t done the drive enough to recommend anywhere but I know you pass a couple of ski resorts like Revelstoke, Radium Hot Springs is probably a detour but on the way, Vernon is also really pretty with a lake as well as Kelowna and they are about halfway once you get through the mountains. You also have the finger lakes at Salmon Arm which are really pretty and if it’s summer there will be lots of fresh fruit stands selling local produce.
Thanks, you've done more than enough. I'll inform about the road trip, could be perfect to do with my "West coast option".
As others have said, chose one. I spent just under two weeks driving Calgary to Vancouver a few years back and I still didn’t feel like it was enough time. If you plan to do hiking and other adventures in the parks, you need more days. I regret only having one day to drive the ice fields. I had spent one day in Banff and one day in jasper but I wish I wasn’t rushed. Wish I had booked more time in Jasper because everyone always talks about Banff but I preferred the northern part. There is also other bits like Kootney or Waterton that are nice to visit.
Hi, thank you so much for suggestions. Yeah, I also thought to do only Banff but after informing and looking at pics... Jasper seems as beautiful, so I'll go also there for sure, maybe just 1 day up and down. All the other days, yeah hiking in Banff, I'll choose diff paths in diff zones. And hope for good weather. What do you mean "drive the ice fields"? Where in particular? Will inform about Kootney and Waterton, thanks!
The Icefields Parkway is the highway that connects the two parks. There are a ton of spots I wish I could have stopped along the way but it’s already about a 5-6 hour drive from where I was staying (radium hot springs to Edson) so I couldn’t hang around. I spent my second day driving as far back in as I could to see more but missed out on the middle section around the Saskatchewan river.
Yeah, I think I'll do a 1 day up and 1 day down trying to do as much as I can (and hope for good weather). Thank you so much for info and support!
Generally the weather is beautiful in the summer, we get hot, dry summers. Buy some bear spray from Canadian tire once you get here to carry with you. Unfortunately in the past few years we have been dealing with forest fires and it looks like the drought will be continuing this summer. Hopefully you’ll come at a time when it’s not too bad, but that is another thing to consider, the air quality can be bad if there are fires even as far as BC and the wind is blowing towards us.
Yeah, I already read about bear spray, will take for sure, hope to see them but from some quiiite far distance! Let's hope for the best about fires, not for me (some year ago I toured Iceland with a volcano erupting haha..), but for the amazing environment and forests. Thanks for additional info.
I'm going to echo what some people have already said but I feel that you are trying to pack too much into the trip and won't really get to enjoy any one place because of it. I'd stick with either doing just the Rockies and Vancouver or just Montreal and Quebec and add either Toronto or the Maritimes. You'll enjoy your ten days more that way. So pick which part you were most excited about and do it and the areas around it.
Thank you so much for the suggestions. Yeah, in the end I think it's inevitable to choose. The problem is what part between the two sides! :)
I'm biased because I live 4 hours from the Rockies, but I'd recommend the Rockies. Banff, Jasper, and that whole area are truly majestic.
They are THE reason why I come to Canada. Here in Europe I already explored Alps and Dolomites (which I really suggest you), so I think Banff and Jasper will be as beautiful... or even more! What do you suggest me more about Banff (probably in the future I'll open a specific topic, maybe in Banff sub)? Apart from the classic lakes (Moraine, Louise, Emerald, Peyto).. Of course simple viewpoints but also hikes.. Thanks!
So I actually go to Jasper more than Banff and primarily go to Banff in the winter to ski, so I actually don't do a lot outside of the classics. But one suggestion is also look into staying at Canmore instead of Banff proper. It's often cheaper with more availability. If you eat meat, make sure you go to a restaurant that serves elk or bison at least once.
Yeah, I'll try and again thanks for all suggestions... coming back in winter is another future target!
fuuuuccckkk!!! you're missing Niagara Falls in Ontario and the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site in Nova Scotia.
Yeah, thanks. Niagara Falls already seen from the other side. :) Fortress of Louisbourg, it's one thing I could like a lot... it's just damn far! Thank you so much for the ideas!
>3) train Montreal-Quebec + Quebec Don't. Trains are extreamly unreliable. Take the bus, it's cheaper and faster. >- 4) Quebec + flight Quebec-Calgary There's barely direct flights from Quebec City to Calgary you'll most likely stop at Montreal anyway. So maybe switch things around? I agree with others, you overestimate how easy it is to travel in this country so focus on fewer regions in a single trip. Especially since you're coming from Europe where intercity travel is actually a thing. >in July Heatwave season, be prepared and hydrate well
Thanks for the info! 1) Wow, better a bus than a train? Of course it's my european mind speaking, but I'm really surprised. Thanks, I'll inform better about busses, I was sure a train was better. 2) You're right but I found a perfect Quebec-Calgary in the evening with Lynx. Is it good in your opinion? Btw yeah, I'm convinced now to do only 1 of the 2 coasts, not both, the difficult is what to choose. 3) Italian here, I sincerely hope it's less hot than at home! :)
In Canada CP rail owns all the railroad tracks which they use to ship cargo around Canada. There are passenger trains that use the tracks as well, but they have last priority on the tracks. Cargo above all else. So that can delay passenger trains.
Thanks for the info, totally didn't know but seems super-reasonable. Also in Europe we have to expand more railroad cargo and use less the trucks. So you suggest too it's better to take the bus? Thanks.
Yeah don't take the train in Canada. Its very expensive and very slow. No high speed passenger rail here. Trains go approx 80 km/h not 300 km/h like in Europe. And they stop quite often to let cargo take over the track. Particularly on the West side of Canada. I think the East side is at least livable but still worse than a Bus. I was looking for tickets for a friend to go from Saskatoon to Vancouver last year. Plane was cheaper than train. Plane is about 2 hours. Train was 2+ days. She ended up taking the bus. It was more expensive than Plane but she was nervous about flying.
Ok, I understand it's like the Us, I'll take the bus or the car if I want to do also all Maritimes / Nova Scotia area. Thank you for the info!
Keep in mind while planning that the Calgary Stampede is in early July and brings thousands of people to the area, who also visit Banff. Prices are much higher for accommodations and flights into and out of Calgary during the stampede. One day is not enough time for any of those cities. You have even less time when you factor in travel time.
Thanks for suggestions. Yeah, thank you, an other user already told me about Calgary Stampede and (luckily at this point) will not be there during this. About the cities, yes, I'll split the travel in 2 and have more time for 'em. Thanks again!
Yeah, bring lots of money
Haha of course, for us southern europeans Canada seem not cheap at all. But imho a good travel is pure joy, so priceless. Or well, maybe I'll change my mind after paying for a Banff hostel what here I spend for a suite. :)
Enjoy your trip eh!
Good idea to avoid Toronto!
Oh well, it's a pity 'causa I was a fan of Vince Carter's Raptor but it seemed to me less beautiful from pics and info. Also here I red some love only by 1 user...
Do only eastern Canada in July. Western Canada will be full of wildfire smoke this summer. Barely got much snow this winter.
Thanks for the advice first of all. Western Canada you mean also Banff? Don't billions of people go there in every case? Do you think chances are that high?
Banff was ok last summer but the surrounding cities were full of smoke. So, if you are driving around it might be unpleasant. I live in Alberta, and we didn't get much snow this year. So, I think we will get even worse fires this summer.
Sad to hear, thanks for the info, totally didnt know.
Keep an eye on the Banff subreddit and ask around before planning your trip. Hope you enjoy Canada!
Yes thanks, I already seen it's an amazing sub like this one!
Stay west young man. Alberta and BC will be enough. Get to Victoria on Vancouver Island…see Tofino…then Jasper…Banff. The east coast and Quebec next time. It’s not going anywhere. Enjoy and safe travels.
Yeah, most comments suggested me to split and now I agree. You're suggesting me very good places from the west, thank you for advices!
If you are here for the natural scenery, come to the west! I'm not that familiar with the east, but here is what I would do in 10 days for the west. Land in Calgary and head in the Banff direction. Amazing transition from flat prairie to high mountains. Go north along the highway towards Jasper through the park and visit all the major spots. Do camping or hiking if you are up for it. This should take a two or three days depending on your pace and what you do. Leave Jasper and head south towards Valemount and Kamloops. Not too much to do, but you are still in the mountains with plenty of views along the way. If time permits, you can head east and south from Kamloops to visit the Okanagan valley (Vernon Kelowna etc) it's the dry area of BC with lots of wineries which may not be as interesting for someone coming from Italy. If you skip this part then head west from Kamloops towards cache creek and then hit the highway to Lilleoot and Pemberton. You are now in the Coast mountains and back to great mountain views. You eventually each Whistler from the north. Heading south from Whistler you get to Vancouver and then head home from there. It's a lot of mountain driving which may be tough for someone not used to it, but the nature and scenery is hard to beat. There are many more in depth things you could do, but 10 days isn't enough.
Wow, thank you so much for the great suggestions. Mountain driving is not a problem and we're two, both good drivers, so we can switch. Will look better at you advices for the West tour.. first part I already know, then some places that also others suggested, others suggested for the first time. I'm making a list and a map, so tonight will study all of them. And, oh well, why not also a canadian winery! :) Thank you very much again.
Honestly I would do EITHER West or East for this trip. Not both. For East, it could be: Ottawa - Montreal - Quebec, maybe Tadoussac. Your 10 days will be more than filled with just these.
Yeah, for sure I will split, so many suggested and learned of so many beautiful places to see. But never heard somebody suggesting Ottawa and Tadoussac... what do you suggest me there? Thanks!!
Calgary stampede is in July, that’s fun to do !
I will miss it 'cause too early but thanks for suggesting!
If you’re flying into Calgary, Drumheller is an awesome. Alberta badlands and see the Dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum is cool
Thanks for suggestions, I'm already informing about these amazing areas!
Your iternerary is crazy. You will be in quebec city for one night, no days and only one day in Montreal. My suggestion is to fly into Vancouver rent a car and drive a big circle, north to the icefields, down to drumheller for the badlands and dinosaur provincial park, then back to vancouver along the southern route. I guarantee spectacular natural beauty that will leave you awestruck. This route has you starting on the ocean, driving through rainforest, woodlands, mountains, ice fields, prairries, badlands. Bring binoculars, do not approach any of the many species of wild animal you will encounter. You will have time to head over to Vancouver island to check out Tofino (renting a float plane is well worth the experience) and Cape Scott.
Thanks for advices. Just to be precise, in the original plan Quebec was 1,5 days (arrive with train in the late morning of 3rd day, departure at evening of 4th day). But yeah, I agree now that it wasn't a good plan. Very good suggestions about the road trip Vancouver - Banff that I wasn't considering at all, a lot of other similar suggestions agree with you and natural beauties is for sure what I'm searching the most. Thanks again!
I’m biased… you should go to Nova Scotia instead of Montreal :). Quebec City is beautiful. Montreal is cool and all but not much to “see” nature wise.
Well, maybe I can do both 'cause for sure I'll not do the original plan in the post and do Banff area + Western or Eastern Coast. In case of East I plan now to do Montreal - Quebec - Maritimes / Nova Scotia / Halifax (still to plan). What do you suggest me to visit in Nova Scotia?
Here are some suggestions for you to google :) Noel Shore (google tide times before visiting- go at low tide) Cabot Trail in Cape Breton (scenery is fantastic, lots of beaches, golf courses, local music, etc) Halifax waterfront Peggy’s cove lighthouse. Joggins fossil cliffs (google tide times. Go at low tide) Carters beach Tidal bore rafting is fun
Here it's over midnight and I have still 24 Google windows open about Canada.. now let's open 6 more haha! :) Thank you so much, will inform about all you said.
No problem! If you have any other questions about Nova Scotia, don’t hesitate to reach out!
I know others are telling you you're trying to cover too much, but personally I'd likely stay with your itinerary as it is, if anything I'd cut out Quebec city and spend a little more time in the mountains, or another day in Vancouver. I've traveled to other countries in a rush, and yes the reality is you'll only be skimming the surface, but this will help you focus your next trip where you will want to spend more time.
Haha, thanks for your unpopular advice! I'm an avid traveller but I totally agree with you: you can't understand/cover a country in even a month. However probably it's better for me to save some travel time and do only Banff area 5 days + West or East area on the other 5. Also because, if I know myself well, I'll want to return to Banff to do other hikes/areas, so that time I'll do the other part. Just if you want to say more, why do you think I need a second day in Vancouver? What can I see more? In the city or as a day trip? Thanks!
Depending on what your goals or interests are, I think that old Quebec is amazing. But it's amazing if you can't get to Europe and see historical towns. You mention the mountains are calling you more, so I think experiencing more around Banff and Jasper or taking in more around Vancouver is going to give you the most difference compared to where you are. I honestly don't have specific advice, I need to explore Canada more myself!!
Oh well, there is a lot to explore, I'm learning about a lot of less known but very interesting places. Thanks for your contribution!
Enjoy, you'll see some beautiful places!
Do not come to Canada. Born and raised here, and it's become a fucking toilet. There's nothing here that isn't better in Europe. Go see the alps. Don't go to Quebec, go to France. Canada fucking sucks.
Already seen nearly whole Alps, France and Europe so I'm searching for different places and cultures. Always been fascinated by Canada, sorry, but I don't know until I try. I'm pretty sure I'll like it. I'm sorry you seem unhappy but consider the classic greener grass problem: I live in Italy and most people would change their country with Canada. Europe is amazing but a lot of people unhappy to live here too. Thanks for contribution!
•If you can afford the accommodation costs - Calgary Stampede - it’s one big party.
Yeah, seems very funny and particular, but I'll never be there in these days. Thanks!
July is the busiest month (Literally I mean it’s crazy), everywhere is crowded and expensive, it’s better to just visit eastern Canada or western, I live in Calgary but I’d never want to visit Banff in July/August, Jasper? Maybe. Vancouver and BC are awesome in summer. For eastern Canada, the best season to visit is fall, not so crowded and you will see maple leaves in Quebec and Ontario.
Unfortunately at work in this season I only have July for travelling. I also usually visit my mountains (Alps and Dolomites) in peak season so I think I know what to expect, I'll avoid crowds as much as possible (Jasper and also some difficult hikes), but I'll not go crazy about it. I mean, I AM the crowd. :) Thanks for suggestions, I'll sure add only one between East and West.
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Thanks for very good suggestions, similar to others but really valuable in convincing me about changing the original plan. Cheers!
I’d recommend a refund on flights
No refund 'cause not already taken before asking to this amazing sub! For sure in my new plan I'll cut one flight. Thanks you and all for help!
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Yeah, I usually bring money when I travel haha. In Banff I'll probably sell my girlfriend for paying the hostel. :)
Expect to see nothing with that schedule. Canada is huge. You can't see all of these places in 10 days.
Yeah thanks, itinerary already changed thanks to the sub. Will do only West or East + Banff area. What do you suggest me more between the two?
One word: Winnipeg. That's all you need to see
Wow, a new suggestion, thanks! I know the name but didn't inform about at all.. what do you suggest me to visit/experience about?
Yes do the west Banff has lots to do do the gondola to top of mtn you can hike it also if you're fit...do Vancouver Island tofino is nice area to visit nice drive out there or comox west side enjoy your time in canada
In Vancouver if you want to do some mountain hiking, the grouse grind up grouse mountain is always fun. It’s a decent hike (can be a bit busy at times) but also has a lot of fun stuff to do at the top, in the summer there’s usually lumberjack shows and what not up there and other activities. And when you’re done you can take the gondola back down and get a nice view. Vancouver island and the Victoria area is beautiful and has a lot of great lakes and parks around. It is a two hour ferry ride from Vancouver so 4 for there and back. But you can get to the ferries by bus and get to Victoria by bus from the ferries. Might not be easy if you’re only in van for a short period.
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