Reasons To Visit Canada
Canada is known for it’s outdoor life, cosmopolitan cities and stunning seasons. Whenever you go, Canada offers a completely new experience. There are some really unusual and special places to visit, so when you’re looking at organising your trip, check out some of the following ideas. Flights have never been so easy to find, so here are some great reasons to visit this fabulous country.
The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
This one has got to be rarity – it’s a collection of Planes that float. Built in the1930’s these planes were designed to help people who lived in remote areas, and the planes delivered essential foodstuffs, clothing, medicine and equipment. There are a range of active displays, revealing some of the difficulties faced by local people living far away from amenities and facilities.
Canyon Tour Train
Take the Agawa Canyon Tour Train which makes its way up the Canyon – the landscape will take your breath away, with icy lakes, hills covered in pine trees and glimpse of white clothed mountains.
Lake O’Hara and Lake Louise
The crowning jewel of Canadian Lakes, O’Hara is not to be missed. Today it’s a protected environment, and Parks Canada is managing this precious place – just 42 people can visit the alpine meadows each day, so if you want to go, it’s worth booking your place in advance. You can find out more details at crmr.com/deer which is the website for Deer Lodge Hotel on Lake Louise. In Canadian years, this Hotel is ancient – in fact, it’s a respectable one hundred years old, but is comfortable, and has a great reputation for its excellent menu. Day passes are available to visit both Lakes, and you’ll be taken and brought back in a Ranger Bus.
You can also take a hike up to Mount Lefroy, which stands over Lake Louise – it’s a real leg stretcher, and you’ll have chance for a breather at the Six Glaciers Teahouse.
This landscape was once inhabited by the Huron, Abitibi, Montagnais and Mistassini people, the indigenous tribes of Canada, and you can still examples of their fine crafts, sold through Heritage Centres or out in the countryside and parks – totem poles are carved and placed in specific places and you’ll see lots of them!
Candian Art
In Charlevoix, north of Quebec, you’ll find about 20 art galleries – the legacy of a group of painters who visited this area for many years, hoping to capture the beauty and scale of the landscapes. Tom Thomson was the leader of this group, and he and his colleagues regularly visited the area from the early 1920’s through to the 1940’s. The work of this group was eventually acknowledged by Canadians, who initially felt a bit confused by the attention to their homeland – but today, they sell for huge sums. They are fascinating works – partly because the views they depict are so easy to find today. If you want some inspiration for visiting Canada, the Dulwich Picture Gallery has an exhibition of the Big Sevens work, running until January 2012.
If you want a totally different holiday experience, Canada is perfect – friendly, curteous people, a huge range of landscapes to enjoy and a fascinating history. Grab a couple of cheap flights and enjoy one of the most unspoilt places on earth.