Thanks to COVID-19, the travel trend of 2020 has become the “staycation”. Whether that means exploring your neighborhood, city, or surrounding area, travel has meant road trips, walks, train travel, and even bicycle tours — and traveling locally doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.
To embrace this local travel trend, we are pulling together local travel guides for destinations all over the world with content ranging from gorgeous spots you need to check out to things to know to make your trip better. Whether you are a local planning your staycation, or someone looking for travel inspiration once quarantine rules are lifted, there is sure to be something in these guides to inspire you to explore!
The focus of this guide is Canada, a huge country with a lot of incredible cities, stunning landscapes, and expansive coastlines. The wild, natural environment is what draws a lot of tourists to this destination, but there is also great dining, interesting history, and more to experience — check out the round-up below and stay tuned for more travel guides!
What you need to know about Canadian food
One of the common questions that gets tossed around by weary wanders on the travel trail is what kind of food you miss from home. This usually leads to questions about what your country's food is like.
In Italy you have pasta, pastries, and espresso; the UK evokes images of fish and chips, pints, and Shepard's Pie; while in Korea there is kimchi, rice, and more kimchi. But when someone asks me what Canadian food is, I am always at a loss.
Yes, we have fast-food chains selling burgers, pizza, etc. — and our Canadian chain Tim Hortons is full of donuts, sandwiches, wraps, coffee, cookies, and muffins. But, we also have sushi, steak, stir-frys, tacos, perogies, fish and chips, pasta, kimchi, fried chicken — I think you get the point.
Read more about Canadian food here!
Shoulder season hiking in Jasper, Alberta
The first lake in the Valley of the Five Lakes
There are stunning hikes throughout Jasper National Park, and many are located near the town of Jasper itself. Because of the convenience of their location, however, these hikes are usually packed with day hikers during peak season, which makes your attempt to escape the crowds of the city, well, anything but an escape.
If you want to avoid playing “follow the leader” while trekking through the forest, the shoulder season for the Rockies tends to fall in the autumn during the few weeks before the ski hills open and in the spring, right after the ski hills close. This is when there are fewer people in the park, and the trails located close to the town are usually empty of hikers.
One of my favorite shoulder season hikes close to town is the Valley of The Five Lakes. If you want to see stunning blue water and escape into the trees for a couple of hours while enjoying a mild trek this is the hike for you.
Check out the guide and more photos of the Valley of The Five Lakes.
Local spots to eat and drink in Halifax
Bar Kismet in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada’s east coast is chock full of history, natural wonders, great music, and amazing food — Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia, is no exception! This vibrant city has a huge natural harbor, is home to several universities, has fantastic museums, lots of shops, and an incredible food scene that boasts unique, locally-owned restaurants and cafes.
While most visitors to the city stick to those on the waterfront or downtown, there are many spots in Halifax’s hip North End that are local favorites. This area of the city is where you will find vibrantly painted townhomes, beautiful boutiques, great coffee, cute bakeries, and cocktail bars serving small seasonal menus based around what can be bought locally.
Learn more about the best places to eat in Halifax here.
Stay safe! Here are 7 dangerous things in Canada
Canada gets A LOT of snow, and in the depths of winter temperatures can drop to -45°C (-49°F)!
Virus carrying mosquitoes, microscopic poisonous spiders, giant man-eating bears... there are a lot of things that can kill you when you are traveling. Especially when you aren't aware of them. Every country you visit has dangers that you may never encounter, but are important to at least know about.
Here's what could kill you in Canada if you aren't prepared.
Winter Destination: Maligne Canyon
The frozen Maligne Canyon in the winter
If you plan on traveling during the winter months, and you live somewhere cold, you are usually headed straight for sand, sun, and Pina Coladas.
But, just because temperatures have dropped well below the freezing mark, requiring down-filled jackets and large insulated boots, does not necessarily mean that you should head to the summer skies in the south — especially if you are looking for a unique, tourist-free experience.
The Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada is one of the Rocky Mountains' most impressive limestone canyons. During the summer months, its hiking trails and bridges are overrun with tourists taking in the stunning views of the smooth, steep walls and the river below.
As soon as the snow falls, however, everything changes — learn more about this canyon here!
The culture of Canada’s First Nations People
A traditional Totem Pole carved by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada
Imagine that you are one of the first explorers to North America’s West Coast.
It’s early morning, and after a paddle through the still ocean water, you have docked your canoe on a grey pebble beach. The sun has yet to pierce through the thick fog, and you can see your breath in the crisp air.
There is not a soul in sight.
The forest in front of you is lush, thick, and dark. Taking a deep calming breath, you step into the green, snapping twigs underfoot and moving damp leaves out of your path.
Bushing away an especially heavy branch your jaw drops as you find yourself suddenly in a clearing with a massive, wooden sculpture that seems to stretch up almost higher than the trees, standing in the middle of it.
You had heard rumors that these monumental structures existed, and now there it was, right in front of you — a totem pole.
Learn more about the history of the totem pole here.
Trekking on the epic west coast of Vancouver Island
Breathtaking views on Vancouver’s west coast
The West Coast Trail will forever hold a special place in my heart.
I embarked on this epic 75 km trek with a group of fellow trekkers that included my dad, my best friend and her dad, and three of our dads' friends. We had no idea, standing at the trailhead in Port Renfrew on our first day, the adventures that would befall us, the amount of mud that would be caked on our clothing, how much our hip bones would hurt every morning, and how absolutely unforgettable every moment would be.
Learn more about this epic hike here.
Your guide to the Royal Alberta Museum
A fossilized skeleton of a Woolly Mammoth in the Royal Alberta Museum
Located in the heart of the city of Edmonton, the capital of Alberta in Canada, the Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) opened its doors in its new location in October of 2018. The new space is 419,000 square feet — twice the size of the former museum — making it the largest museum in western Canada!
RAM Building Fast Facts
More than 18,000 m3 of concrete was used to construct the Royal Alberta Museum. That's enough to fill more than seven Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Over 2,500 metric tons of steel reinforcement was cast into the concrete. That's heavier than 500 elephants!
Indiana limestone is something we proudly have in common with New York. The limestone that adorns both the interior and exterior was pulled from the same quarry as stones used in the Empire State Building in the United States.
Check out more photos of the museum here.
Rocky Mountain hike with an incredible view
Standing on top of the world in Canada’s Rocky Mountains
There are a lot of stunning hiking trails in Jasper National Park, but when it comes to day hikes, the Sulphur Skyline Trail offers the biggest bang for your time and effort.
Yes, waterfalls are beautiful, glaciers are awe-inspiring, and fragrant flower-filled mountain meadows are delightful, but nothing beats a 360-degree view that seems to stretch out forever and makes you feel like you are on top of the world. And, while there are many hikes all over the Rockies that can get you this view, ones that you can do in a day are rare.
Learn more about a must-do Rocky Mountain day hike here.
Tips for traveling in Canada in the colder months
It can get COLD in Canada, but that doesn't stop Canadians from having adventures!
The first thing you need to know is that you will have to plug your car in... like a toaster.
Yup, it’s true! It gets SO cold that if you do not plug your block heater into an electrical source so that it keeps your anti-freeze warm, your engine will not start. Most outdoor parking lots have electrical outlets.
Learn more about life in sub-zero climates here.
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Meet The Author
Lindsay Shapka is an avid traveler and the creator of The Anthrotorian — a website dedicated to sharing travel tips, stories about adventures, culture quirks, artists you should know, fascinating bits of history, and more!
She is also an artist, marketing specialist, editor, and freelance writer who has work featured on websites, blogs, and in magazines like National Geographic Traveler.
