Looking for advice about Canada

pnieuw

Niagara Falls is a tourist trap, but definitely worth seeing. Especially from the Canadian side. Take the Maid of the Mist boat ride to the base of the falls.

No Maid of the Mist in February...summer only.

Egger29

I was tempted by the escorted tours, but I really want to get a feel for Canada as it would be day to day, rather than doing all the tourist attractions, if that makes sense?

"Escorted Tours" have a completely different meaning in Montreal! Ha ha! j/k

No seriously, our country here is so unique and there's far too much to see from coast to coast to be able to take it all in. I've been to most of the major cities and if you're looking for Uniqueness, definately Montreal and Halifax are incredible. If you hit the West coast, definitely Victoria as Vancouver Island is stunning! If you're into simply big cities, then Toronto and Vancouver are the giant Metropolises, and Calgary (Cowtown) is a stones throw away from the Canadian rockies with breathtaking scenery!

February is outside of the tourist season for most of the country (save for the Skiing in BC and Quebec, so you'll be able to do lots withouth being swarmed by giant crowds. Keep in mind it can also be bitter cold like Hell has Frozen over in some places as well. Dress Warm. :-)

Have an awesome trip!

Squible

I would just like to put my 2 cents in (or should that be toonie in? hah)

My boyfriend has been to canada a good few times (he is from Londond UK) and he has had the cahnce to live there for a year twice.

I was fortunate to go visit him in Vancouver for 2 weeks just after xmas in 2010. To be fair I wasnt too impressed for the first few days as it was just gray and cloudy and foggy and he had mainly been going on about the view of the mountains etc etc. Then when I saw those mountains and the sun come out and realised what a beautiful place it was I fell in love with it so much more.

I was able to go back in summer 2010 for 3 months for a long holiday after I finished uni and it was fantastic. to be able to explore the whoel city and then north vancouver and we got to go to seattle and just spend time in one place and experience it all was great and we hiked around Lynn Valley Canyon (which I am currently having withdrawal symptoms, I miss it so much!)

What I'm trying to say is although you want to see everywhere like other people have said Canada is a MASSIVE country maybe keep out visit to one city so you can truely soak up the cities atmosphere and you wouldnt just be doing touristy things but could find locals and try everything and be able to imagine what it would be like to live there.

I would definately suggest Vancouver though it really is pretty amazing.

Fiesta80

Canada is a hugely diverse country - and one of the largest in the world, so you will have to narrow it down a bit. ;-)

Where you choose to visit would depend on what you're interested in. For instance, hubby and I are both outdoor buffs, and we love to wilderness camp, hike and canoe. The east coast has a lot of things that cater to the outdoor enthusiast. But if that's not something you're interested in, aim for the cities.

My vote is for Nova Scotia....though, I'm biased (born and raised here)! The people are very friendly and down-to-earth (known for it), the beautiful rocky coastline, the lighthouses, quaint fishing villages, cheap seafood, and a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking, wilderness camping, kayaking, canoeing, white-water rafting, whale watching, etc.

Now I want to move to Nova Scotia

fitplease

I want to go visit! Canada is such a mystery to me, but it sounds so nice!

I wish you the best of luck as you visit the country. It's a great idea to see it before you move there. Why not go a couple of times this next year, to different areas that may interest you? That way, you can see more of it, in different seasons, and have time to mull it over in between visits.

worldtravelgirl98

I have only been to Canada once and this was to visit Vancouver and the Victoria. I loved it though. It is beautiful, clean, and has a lot of culture. I found Vancouver to be a big city with a smaller town feel. Good luck!

caribouisland

If I could pick a place in Canada to vacation... I would go to:
Old Montreal (Basilica) and the Ice Hotel
Ontario - Niagara Falls
Alberta - Lake Louise

Check them out on-line... you will not be disappointed

Also check out the VIA RAIL website for specials... travelling the Rockies by train is awesome!

http://www.viarail.ca/en/deals

xo_jewel_xo

Thanks everybody!

We're planning on coming for two weeks in February next year - time to really get a feel for the cold!!

On the provisional list is:

Fly to Montreal
Rent a car and drive to Ottawa
Drive to Toronto
Fly to Vancouver and maybe then Victoria

I was tempted by the escorted tours, but I really want to get a feel for Canada as it would be day to day, rather than doing all the tourist attractions, if that makes sense?

Ok, poutine is definitely on my list!!

I grew up in Toronto and moved to Victoria 10 years ago. The winters on the Island are much more gentle than they are in Montreal and Toronto! The climate in Victoria in February is moderate, usually above 0 celsius, probably raining (LOL) :grumble: , but a very small chance of snow. I loved living in Toronto as it offers everything! Victoria is beautiful and quaint. I hope you enjoy your visit.

poisongirl1

Another vote to visit Nova Scotia! It offers something other than your usual big cities (don't get me wrong, I love Montreal and really enjoyed Toronto, but the vibe and energy are so different). It's on the ocean, lots of sea food, wilderness, Bay of Fundy, fishing villages, great beaches (although you probably won't want to see them in Feb), everyone is so friendly and laid back, and you can try a Halifax donair! Halifax is a small city but has personality and tons of live local music (and alcohol, we drink a lot here...). Cape Breton has a lot of Gaelic culture, experience a ceilidh Nova Scotian style and see the beautiful highlands.

I also have to put in a vote for Québec City (in particular Old Québec). If you visit Montréal it's only a 2 hr drive from there, and it's full of old world history, architecture and culture. Like Montréal, it is a French city but you can get by knowing little to no French, although it does have less English than Montréal (you don't need to know a WORD of French and will be fine on Montréal).

Also, I've gotta say, you probably shouldn't visit in February. It's Canada, most places have bad winters. You'll probably get snowed in if you visit Québec in winter! So a warmer time of year would be best! I know here in Halifax, we typically don't get a ton of snow, but being on the Atlantic we have a ton of wind and it can get bitterly cold! It's hard to do any sightseeing when you either can't get around because of the snow, or you're just freezing your *kitten* off! And like other people have mentioned, you need to remember that it's a HUGE country, it'll be hard to try and visit each area, so you'll probably need to narrow your trip down.

linsben

If your moving to Canada then Winter will be your new friend for 5 months or so. Its really not that bad. I dont think you should be afraid to visit in any month because winter is beautiful and has only stopped me commuting to work 1.5 hours once last winter! so thats why i dont think you should be worried about driving or not liking it. Like you said, if you love it in the winter (which you will) you'll go crazy in the summer. Canada is soooo beautiful its nuts. And im not sure if you've heard of Muskoka. but its like paradise and only 3-4 hours north of Toronto. Its covered in fresh water lakes and the roads are blown into the rock of the Canadian shield. I want to move around there when i start a family.
Good luck picking a province to live in, such a hard decision.

cbear017

Unless you are serious fans of the cold I would highly recommend postponing your trip until the summer. I LOVE our Canadian winters (mostly because I do a lot of winter sports like snowshoeing, snowboarding and ice climbing) but if you are not accustomed to temperatures ranging from minus 10-40 celcius don't bother. You'll be under-dressed and miserable!

That being said, I would focus on one or two provinces if I were you. Canada is a massive country and you can't really experience it like you should all in one go. If you come to Ontario you should try Kingston (Wolfe Island) and Prince Edward County. I went there last year and fell in love with the area. I'm now considering moving there. If you are coming to scope out possible places to live then you're going to want to visit major cities because frankly that's where the jobs are now. Of course, it depends what you two do for a living

One more suggestion: Tobermory in Ontario. It is part of the Brue Peninsula/Trail and it is spectacular!

TourThePast

As you're thinking of emigrating and are interested in learning what the country is like, I suggest you avoid Vancouver unless you're expecting to be earning seriously big bucks. Yes, it's a wonderful place to live, but housing costs are stupidly high.

Seeing Montreal / Toronto / Ottawa in February is an excellent plan, it's something I need to do myself before making decisions. Check out the Winterlude events in Ottawa in February; the weather in Toronto won't be quite as severe.

DO make sure you get suitable clothing before you leave the UK, or if you don't have money to throw away on our crazy prices, ensure that one of your first stops on arrival is somewhere like the MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) or even a big supermarket to pick up some inexpensive down jackets etc. Having suitable clothing will make all the difference between enjoying yourself and staying indoors until you can get the next flight home!

kmaclpn

Hey, I'm from Fredericton New Brunswick Canada eh!!!! p.s we do say ehh!! but not after every sentence haha Prince Edward island is BEAUTIFUL as well as Nova Scotia.. st. Andrews umm the coastal drive is beautiful:) so much to see Canada is GORGEOUS<3 I'm proud to be Canadian for sure.. its hilarious watching t.v and how they portray Canadians.. umm not a very close resemblance

TourThePast

I'm proud to be Canadian for sure.. its hilarious watching t.v and how they portray Canadians.. umm not a very close resemblance

Agreed. Anyone thinking of moving to Canada should do a YouTube search for "Red Green Handyman Corner" to get a better picture of life in Canuckistan. :bigsmile:

(Edited to fix quotes)

danger_kitteh

Also if you're looking for another month besides February to visit the Ottawa region, the month of May brings the Tulip Festival which is pretty gorgeous!

jaretspencer

Canada in Feb is the middle of freakin winter with most of the country being in a deep freeze -12 to -21C it is a miserable month. I suggesy you come in sept, oct very pretty that time of year. My suggestion for city"s to visit are halifax, quecbec city, ottawa niagara falls. out west is banff and victoria

messyinthekitchen

Thanks everybody!

We're planning on coming for two weeks in February next year - time to really get a feel for the cold!!

On the provisional list is:

Fly to Montreal
Rent a car and drive to Ottawa
Drive to Toronto
Fly to Vancouver and maybe then Victoria

I was tempted by the escorted tours, but I really want to get a feel for Canada as it would be day to day, rather than doing all the tourist attractions, if that makes sense?

Ok, poutine is definitely on my list!!

The ferry ride over to Vancouver Island is incredible!

I second that

kelly_a

I'm from the Midwest/US and my dh family has a cabin near Ear Falls, Ontario. I've gone a few times in the summer, but his family has owned this cabin over 50 yrs. Lots of wildlife....moose, bald eagles, black bear....Pine trees EVERYWHERE, love it! I think Calgary and Vancouver would be beautiful (winter Olympics!)..Also, been to Niagra Falls, viewed from Canadian side, gorgeous! Enjoy!! what a fun time!

bregalad5

I grew up near Niagara Falls (on the US side). Another idea for flying in might be to fly into NYC or Buffalo, NY then take a cheap puddle-jumper flight to Toronto. If you flew into Buffalo, you'd land really close to Niagara Falls, albeit the American side. While the Falls are pretty in February, the winters in Buffalo-Niagara Falls (with Toronto right across the lake) are B-R-U-T-A-L.