Canada - Elemental Quests

Canada, our polite friend to the north, is the second largest country on Earth with four very distinct seasons, eh? Spring is wonderful, summers are hot, fall brings multicolored leaves, and winter is extremely cold. Canada has a fascinating mix of indigenous peoples, initial French and English descendants, and 20% born outside of Canada. Explore its majestic peaks, blue lakes, and wandering moose.

MUST SEES: OTTAWA

Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill rises south of the Ottawa River and west of the Rideau Canal. Take a free guided tour of Canada’s Gothic Revival parliamentary buildings.

Winterlude

Winterlude is a winter festival that takes place in the first two weeks of February. At Confederation Park, check out the chainsaw-wielding ice sculpture carvers by the ice lounge.

Tulip Festival

When the weather is warm, visit the Tulip Festival in May. The festival displays over one million tulips, with 300,000 next to Rideau Canal. The Netherlands have been sending tulip bulbs to Canada to honor those who served and for sheltering the royal family.

Rideau Canal

Next to ByWard Market and the Fairmont Château Laurier, you can inspect the Rideau Canal locks. When the weather is nice, people take boats through the canal. You can ice skate 4.8 miles to Dow’s Lake when the canal is frozen. Stop at stands offering beavertails, hot chocolate, and back bacon sandwiches.

Aerial Park

Camp Fortune is in the hills of Gatineau Park. In the summer, the aerial park is an obstacle course high in the trees. Balance on tightropes, walk the plank, sway on a monkey bridge, swing on a Tarzan rope, and crawl through tunnels. Cap off the adventure by ziplining from tree to tree.

MUST SEES: QUEBEC CITY

Quebec City

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded one of the oldest European settlements in North America. It’s the only fortified city on the continent north of Mexico. The grand Château Frontenac rests atop Cap Diamant in the upper town. The lower town is at the edge of the St. Lawrence River.

MUST SEES: THOUSAND ISLANDS

Thousand Islands

The North American archipelago of 1,864 islands overlaps the Canada–US border in the St. Lawrence River. Cruise past uninhabited rock outcroppings to large islands with lighthouses and historic castles. Only islands with one square foot of land and two trees are in the archipelago count.

MUST SEES: VANCOUVER

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Capilano Suspension Bridge stretches 450 feet from manicured First Nations totem poles to a dense rainforest. Have fun crossing the wobbly bridge, but have no fear as it can support a 747 jetliner. Visit the nearby Capilano Salmon Hatchery to view mature returning salmon in the fish ladder.

Butchart Gardens

Set aside some time for Victoria Island, which is a 3.5-hour ferry ride from Vancouver. On 55 acres of land, Butchart Gardens is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Fifty full-time gardeners tend the 900 varieties in the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and numerous greenhouses and fountains.

MUST SEES: BANFF

Lake Louise

Paddle the emerald waters of Lake Louise in Banff National Park. Or just sit by the giant window at the Fairmont Chateau and peer at the lake.

Moraine Lake

Dreamy Moraine Lake is a spectacular turquoise gem in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The glacier at the mountains’ edge deposits a moraine (rocky debris and sediments) by the lakeside. The deep blue color is due to the refraction of light off the rock sediment from the moraine.

Peyto Lake

You can thank rock flour for creating the magical turquoise color of Peyto Lake. Rock flour is glacial silt that is suspended throughout the water. The surrounding glacier grinds up the rock beneath the heavy ice as it shifts. When the lights hits the sediments just right, it produces stunning combinations of blue and green.

MUST SEES: JASPER

Athabasca Glacier

At the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park, ride a giant bus with fat tires on the Athabasca Glacier. Hop off, walk next to crevasses, and drink 10,000-year-old water.

Athabasca Falls

Athabasca Falls is a waterfall in Jasper National Park on the upper Athabasca River 19 miles south of Jasper, Alberta. The force and raw power of the Athabasca River has carved a short gorge beneath the cascade. With hard quartzite on top and soft limestone below, the river created potholes at the bottom of the slot canyon.

MUST SEES: TORONTO

Casa Loma

Sir Henry Pallett made a fortune bringing electricity to Toronto. He built a Gothic Revival castle on a hill with secret passageways and turrets. The mansion is setting of many films, such as X-Men and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

CN Tower

At the CN Tower, ride a high-speed glass elevator to the 1,136 feet-high observation deck in 58 seconds. From the former world’s tallest freestanding structure, enjoy stunning views of Toronto. If you dare, step out on the glass floor. If you have what it takes, walk around the tower at the thrilling EdgeWalk.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls has the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America with a vertical drop of 160+ feet. The largest cascade of Niagara Falls, Horseshoe Falls, straddles the Canada–United States border. Take the Maid the Mist boat right through the splash zone. You can also walk to the Cave of the Winds behind Bridal Veil Falls on the NY side.

MUST SEES: MONTREAL

Île Ste-Hélène

At Saint Helen’s Island in the Saint Lawrence River, explore the Montreal Biosphere. Buckminster Fuller designed the geodesic dome for Expo 67. His inventive design gave the structure super strength with a 250-foot diameter.

FOOD

Poutine

Poutine contains french fries, squeaky cheese curds, and brown gravy. Quebec’s beloved snack has spread across Canada and beyond. Now you can even have it with lobster.

BeaverTail

A BeaverTail is a fried dough pastry with an oblong shape. Popular toppings include whipped cream, Nutella, and sugar and cinnamon.

Sugar Shack

When winter ends in Quebec, you visit a sugar shack to enjoy traditional Québécois cuisine in a rustic log cabin. The hearty feast includes baked beans, eggs, ham and sausages soaked in maple syrup, meat pie, and more maple syrup.

Lobster Tower

Toronto’s Fishman Lobster Clubhouse is a Hong Kong-style seafood restaurant that doesn’t mess around. They bring a mountain of lobster fried in garlic and scallions. This is an experience that you don’t want to miss.

YKO

In Ottawa, YKO serves up some wonderful Ivorian chicken grilled over fragrant wood charcoal. The tender and juicy meat is seasoned with African spices and chilies. Sides include seasoned rice, soft cabbage leaves, and golden sweet plantains.

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