Canada travel guide

Getting there

Major international airports include Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, with direct flights from around the world. There are also many land crossings and rail and bus routes from the United States, and ferries and cruise ships on both coasts.

Best time to visit: Jun–Sep for hiking and road trips; Dec–Mar for skiing.

Tougher months: No bad time – winter (December to March) is very cold in most regions but perfect for skiing, northern lights and winter festivals.

Weather by month in Ottawa

• -6°J●
• -5°F●
• 1°M●
• 11°A●
• 19°M●
• 24°J●
• 27°J●
• 25°A●
• 20°S●
• 13°O●
• 5°N●
• -3°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: America/Cambridge_Bay, America/Dawson, America/Dawson_Creek, America/Edmonton. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 1 of 198 other passports can enter Canada without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 53 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 144 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Canada (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-06-05). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Canada travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Canada are based around Banff National Park, Vancouver or Quebec City. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$70–100 for a backpacker and US$150–250 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Canada page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: A, B. Voltage: 120 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +1.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Banff National Park (Alberta · Rocky Mountains): Canada's first national park, with Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and endless hiking and skiing.
• Vancouver (British Columbia · city & nature): A cosmopolitan city framed by mountains and ocean, with Stanley Park and easy access to the outdoors.
• Quebec City (Quebec · historic city): A UNESCO-listed walled city full of French charm, especially magical during the winter carnival.
• Toronto (Ontario · city): Canada's largest city, buzzing with diverse food, galleries, sports and the CN Tower.
• Montreal (Quebec · culture): A bilingual city famous for festivals, bagels, smoked meat and a lively arts scene.
• Jasper National Park (Alberta · wilderness): Wilder and quieter than Banff, with glaciers, dark skies and abundant wildlife.
• Gros Morne National Park (Newfoundland · fjords): Dramatic fjords and rare geology where you can walk on the Earth's exposed mantle.
• Vancouver Island (British Columbia · coast): Home to Victoria, the surf town of Tofino, rainforests and whale watching.

Things to do

• Road-trip the Icefields Parkway. Drive between Banff and Jasper past glaciers, turquoise lakes and jagged Rocky Mountain peaks.
• Feel the spray at Niagara Falls. Ride a boat into the mist of the thundering Horseshoe Falls.
• Wander Old Quebec. Stroll fortified walls and cobbled lanes in North America's most European-feeling city.
• Chase the northern lights. Head to Yukon or the Northwest Territories in winter for spectacular aurora displays.
• Watch whales off the coast. Spot orcas near Vancouver Island, humpbacks in Newfoundland or belugas in the St Lawrence.
• Paddle a canoe in Algonquin. Glide across quiet lakes and camp under the stars in Ontario's classic wilderness park.
• Ski or snowboard in the Rockies. Carve deep powder at world-class resorts such as Whistler, Banff or Revelstoke.
• See polar bears in Churchill. Join a tundra-vehicle tour in Manitoba each autumn as bears gather along Hudson Bay.

Source: full Canada guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Poutine – fries topped with cheese curds and gravy
• Butter tarts – sweet pastry with a gooey filling
• Nanaimo bars – no-bake layered chocolate and custard squares
• Montreal-style bagels – smaller, sweeter, wood-fired bagels

Source: RoamSun Canada guide

Money and safety

Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 15–20% in restaurants; tip taxi drivers and guides too.

Emergency numbers: 911 police, fire & ambulance.

• The currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD); cards, including contactless payments, are accepted almost everywhere.
• ATMs are widely available, though you may want some cash for rural areas and small markets.
• Canada is very safe, but use normal precautions with valuables in big cities.
• In bear country, carry bear spray, make noise on trails and store food properly.

Source: RoamSun Canada facts