Canada is a great place to visit, and an even better place to stay.
It’s not all about maple syrup and snow, although that’s a huge part of what there is to do in Canada – and it’s true that we produce as much as 80% of the entire world’s supply of maple syrup! It’s also a boiling hot melting pot of culture, food, arts, nature, some of the best casinos you’ll find in the world next to Las Vegas – and yes, there’s snow.
If you’re planning a visit to the country with the big maple leaf on its flag, then you’ll want to experience the sights, sounds and tastes like the locals do.
Here are the top things that Canadians do for fun – and what should be on your itinerary if you’re coming for a visit or planning to stay.
The Arts
If you have a fine love for fine arts (see what we did there…?), then you’ll fit right in when you visit Canada.
We have some of the best art galleries around. You can visit the Two Rivers Gallery or the Canada Gallery to view some international and local art through history; there’s also the National Gallery of Canada if you’d like to see a wide variety of art covering that spans several timelines and styles of art. It’s truly one of the most impressive art collections you’ll get to see in your lifetime.
There are many regular art exhibitions across Canada to keep you interested, and you can even visit Art! Vancouver – the international art fair hosted that’s hosted as a yearly event. You can also visit Art Toronto if you happen to be in the area.
Eating
Canadians love eating – and that’s because Canada has some great food!
You can’t leave Canada without trying maple syrup – on bacon, on waffles, on toast, on pretty much everything you can get your hands on. We produce as much as eighty percent of the world’s authentic maple syrup right here.
That’s not all, though: You should also try the poutine. Most traditional Canadian eateries and restaurants will serve this truly-Canadian dish – and each restaurant will likely have their own unique recipe for making it their own.
We’ve also got treats like beavertails and butter tarts, Montreal bagels – and even some great traditional lobster rolls that are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted before.
There are plenty of great restaurants that you can visit, too, depending on where in Canada you end up. To name just a few of them, there’s Atelier, Montreal Plaza and Edulis Restaurant. If you’re in the vicinity of British Colombia, then you can visit Ayo Eat, Ithaka Greek Restaurant and Brasserie L’Ecole, or stop by any of the small, traditional eateries along the way – they’ll always have some great food waiting!
Gaming & Gambling
Gaming & gambling is huge in Canada, whether we’re talking about locals or people who visit the country. In fact, gambling brings in more than an estimated $13 million per year – and it’s true that a lot of people visit Canada just to visit some of the casinos here or to play through a Canadian casino online.
There are many casinos you can visit while you’re in Canada – including Casino de Montreal that’s located near Quebec, or you can go to the Gateway Casino in Point Edward or Casino Niagara located in Niagara Falls.
Online gambling is also very popular in Canada, and you can find any of the games that you’d find in a real casino online: From poker to slots, roulette and blackjack. Literally whatever tickles your fancy as a gambler.
If you’re not into gambling, you should still consider giving the casinos a visit – all of them offer much more than just the gambling experience; for example, you can see some great entertainment (including live music and comedy) on casino stages – or just spend a night feeling really fancy in a five-star hotel.
Sports
Canadians love sports, and either playing or watching sport is a huge part of what we do with our time. Even people who don’t pay much attention to sport in general have a sport they enjoy watching. There’s no sport more Canadian than curling, and even if you don’t know how to play, it’s still a lot of fun to watch a game.
Other sports popular in Canada include football, hockey, competitive ice-skating and basketball – though if the sport you enjoy isn’t on this list, don’t worry: There’s likely a sports club or game going on in your area. Just go online or check the local papers when you sit down at the diner to check out some of the excellent food we were talking about earlier.
Time for the Winter
Yes, wintertime is traditionally very Canadian: If you think of most depictions of Canada, then you think of snow, skiing and, well, snow. If you want an unforgettable winter experience, Canada is the place to be during the winter – and be sure to pack your thermal underwear for the trip. It’s exactly as cold as you think here, and then some.
While most people might think of skiing or ice-skating first, it’s not the only wintertime activity around this time of year. We also do a lot of diving in the winter – which sounds nuts, but it’s a lot of fun! There’s also a lot of fishing around wintertime – and there are no penalty fees if you don’t catch anything we swear.
If you still want to make skiing part of your experience, then you should visit the Rideau Canal in Ottawa during the right time of year for an incredible, unforgettable experience.
Canada also has its very own ice hotel, located in Quebec – so you can visit the Quebec Ice Hotel.
And, if you’re a bit more of an adrenaline junkie and you’d like to tackle something more hardcore, you can tackle some of the more high-octane activities – like zip-lining at Marble Mountain.
Oh, and if it isn’t winter there are many other things you can do to experience the beauty of Canada, including hiking trails and canoe outings for the more adventurous visitors.
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