Activities in Canada
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FEATURED
Small-Group Maligne Canyon Icewalk in Jasper National Park
3 hours (Departs Jasper, Canada)
by Viator
Take a break from skiing and experience the wonders of the Maligne Canyon during this small-group winter wonderland icewalk in the heart of Jasper National…Not LP reviewed
from USD$57.03 - All activities
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Kayak Sans Frontières
Adrenaline junkies should head straight for this ‘school of river surfing and kayaking.’ Utilizing the rushing white water of the Lachine Rapids, KSF will get you out on the river and taking on the beast, in the safety of a tiny snub-nosed kayak or atop a surfboard. You can take instruction in beginner, intermediate or advanced surfing or kayaking. Day-long surf courses cost $100, and a three-hour kayak class costs $50. Wet suits are available for hire. Those with skills can rent kayaks for $15 to $20 for four hours.
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Ghost Tours of Québec
Local theater actors or storytellers lead you through the streets of the Old Town by lantern recounting the hangings and hauntings of Old Québec. The 90-minute tours are great fun and usually finish with a visit to the city’s most haunted building. Tours leave from the sitting area (98 Rue du Petit-Champlain near Blvd Champlain) in the Old Lower Town. Buy your tickets from the Ghost Tours of Québec office or from the guide 15 minutes before the tour.
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McNabs Island Ferry
Fine sand and cobbled stone shorelines, salt marshes, abandoned military fortifications and forests of maple, beech and red spruce paint the scenery of the 400-hectare McNabs Island in Halifax Harbour. In all there are 30km of roads and trails to explore close to the city yet far away from its clatter and clamor. Staff of the McNabs Island Ferry will provide you with a map and an orientation to the island.
For camping reservations, contact the Department of Natural Resources; due to increased fire risks from rotting trees ploughed down by Hurricane Juan campfires are currently prohibited on the island. The ferry runs from Fisherman's Cove in Eastern Passage, a short drive…
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Paramount Canada's Wonderland
During summer keep your kids occupied at Paramount Canada’s Wonderland, a state-of-the-art amusement park with over 60 rides. Highlights include some lunch-losing roller coasters, an exploding volcano, a 20-hectare Splash Works water park, and the Fantastic World of Hanna-Barbera for the young ’uns. Queues can be lengthy; most rides operate rain or shine. Wonderland is a 45-minute drive northwest of downtown Toronto on Hwy 400. Exit at Rutherford Rd, 10 minutes north of Hwy 401. Alternatively, from Yorkdale or York Mills subway stations catch GOTransit’s hourly Wonderland Express Bus. Parking costs $10.
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Complexe Aquatique de L’île Ste-Hélène
Originally constructed in 1953, this outdoor pool complex was completely demolished and rebuilt when Montréal scored the 2005 World Aquatic Championships. The state-of-the-art facilities are now open to the public. The diving pool (complete with underwater viewing windows) and competition pool are mainly reserved for hosting competitions or for training competitive swimmers and athletic teams. But the championships’ magnificent 55m-by-44m warm-up pool is open for recreational swimming. There’s also a bay-like portion of the pool with a shallow, gently sloping bottom that’s great for kids and families.
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Granville Island Brewing
Canada's oldest microbrewery offers half-hour tours where the smiling guides will walk you through the tiny brewing nook (production has mostly shifted to larger premises) before depositing you in the Taproom for four generous samples, often including the summer-favorite Hefeweizen, mildly-hopped Brockton IPA or the recommended Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale. You'll spot many of these brews in bars and restaurants around the city. You can also buy some takeout in the adjoining store – look out for any seasonal or special-batch tipples that might be worth a try (the Ginger Ale is a winner).
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Rideau Canal
Ottawa's most famous outdoor attraction, the Rideau Canal, became Canada's 14th location to be named a Unesco national historic site on June 28, 2007. It's ideal for boating with parks, small towns, lakes and many places to stop en route, and in winter, it turns into the longest skating rink in the world.
The 7km of groomed ice features numerous rest stops and changing stations, but most importantly, skaters can pause to purchase a scrumptious slab of fried dough called beavertails. The tourism office on Wellington St has information about skate rentals.
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La Ronde
Québec’s largest amusement park, La Ronde has a battery of impressive rides, including Le Monstre, the world’s highest wooden roller coaster; and Le Vampire, a corkscrew roller coaster with gut-wrenching turns. For a more peaceful experience, there’s a Ferris wheel and a gentle minirail that offers views of the river and city. Concerts and shows are held throughout the summer, and fireworks explode overhead on weekend evenings (when the park stays open later).
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Old Québec Tours
This tour operator has a variety of tours from three-hour walking tours (adult/child $22/11) to 4½-hour tours out of town that take in the Montmorency waterfall and Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré (adult/child $49/23) or Île d’Orléans (adult/child $65/38). There are also adventure excursions, including whale-watching from June to October and dogsledding and visits to the ice hotel in the winter. You’ll be given the rendezvous point when you make your reservations.
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Ovarium
The excellent staff and the Ovarium weightlessness experience have garnered a loyal following at this day spa. Packages are available, such as the half-day ‘Essential’, a flotation bath followed by a massage ($115). Ovarium’s flotation tanks are egg-shaped tubs filled with water and 2000 cups of Epsom salts, making you gravity-free.
reviewed
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Arctic Nature Tours
In an office behind the Nova Inn near the entrance to town, Arctic Nature offers numerous tours, the most popular being a half-day flight to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast ($280 per person). It offers a $35 Inuvik town tour, boating in the Mackenzie Delta ($65 per person) and air excursions to untouched places such as Herschel Island.
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Bluefish Services
Blue- fish takes fisherfolk out on Great Slave Lake to battle grayling, pike and lake trout. Prices range from $125 for 4½ hours up to $275 for 10 hours. It also offers simple one-hour boat tours ($39), and 2½-hour bird-watching excursions ($110).
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Theodore Too Big Harbour Tours
One-hour tours on this funny-looking cartoon character boat of book and television fame are particularly good for under-sixes.
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Whistler At Night Snowmobile Tour
2 hours (Departs Whistler, Canada)
by Viator
This after ski hours exploration takes you high into Blackcomb's alpine with the moon lighting your way. With equal parts of thrill and adventure, you'll tour…Not LP reviewed
from USD$139.96 -
High-Speed Passenger Ferry From Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington
3 hours (Departs Victoria, Canada)
by Viator
Take a one-way high-speed passenger ferry from Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington. Sit back and relax on a scenic 2- to 3-hour cruise as you…Not LP reviewed
from USD$81.17 -
Camp Fortune
In the Gatineau Hills, about 20km from downtown, groomed slopes are available.
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Island Queen
Two-hour trips push off at 10am daily and three-hour trips at 1pm.
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Prince of Whales
Long-established local operator.
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Whistler Mountain Bike Park
Colonizing the melted ski slopes in summer and accessed via lifts at the village's south end, this park offers barreling downhill runs and an orgy of jumps, beams and bridges twisting through 200km of well-maintained forested trails. Luckily, you don't have to be a bike courier to stand the gonad-crunching pace: easier routes are marked in green, while blue intermediate trails and black diamond advanced paths are offered if you want to Crank It Up – the name of one of the park's most popular routes. Outside the park area, regional trails include Comfortably Numb (a tough 26km with steep climbs and bridges); A River Runs Through It (suitable for all skill levels, it has…
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Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour by Bus
13 hours (Departs Vancouver, Canada)
by Viator
lt;pgt;Explore Victoria's highlights on this small-group day trip from Vancouver. Enjoy a 1.5-hour cruise to Vancouver Island and then take a sightseeing coach…Not LP reviewed
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Quebec City and Montmorency Falls Day Trip from Montreal
12 hours (Departs Montreal, Canada)
by Viator
lt;pgt;Visit the historic heart of French Canada on this day trip from Montreal to Quebec City. On your sightseeing tour, see famous landmarks including Place…Not LP reviewed
from USD$97.79 -
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Hastings Racecourse
What it lacks in stature – this isn’t exactly the Kentucky Derby – Vancouver’s mountain-view Hastings Racecourse more than makes up for in good old-fashioned fun. It’s an alternative day out if you’ve covered all the usual spectator sports; they’re used to seeing first-timers who don’t know how to place a bet here and will be more than happy to show you how to part with your money. Even if you bet small, there’s an undeniable thrill when the bell sounds, the gates open and the thoroughbreds speed off around the dirt track. If you’re here in August, drop by for BC Cup Day, the biggest race card of the year, complete with live music, family-friendly…
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Parc du Mont Royal
Montréalers are proud of their 'mountain,' the work of New York Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted. It's a sprawling, leafy playground that's perfect for cycling, jogging, horseback riding, picnicking and, in winter, cross-country skiing and tobogganing. In fine weather, enjoy panoramic views from the Kondiaronk Lookout near Chalet du Mont-Royal, a grand old stone villa that hosts big-band concerts in summer, or from the Observatoire de l'Est, a favorite rendezvous for lovebirds. It takes about 30 minutes to walk between the two. En route you'll spot the landmark 40m-high Cross of Montréal (1924), which is illuminated at night. It's there to commemorate city…
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Moose Cree Outdoor Discoveries & Adventures
Run by the Moose Cree First Nation, this outfit offers customized trips incorporating cultural activities (storytelling and traditional foods, for example), along with canoeing in summer and snowshoeing in winter. The friendly and laid-back staff will ask you two questions when tailoring your adventure: 'what do you want to experience?' and 'what are you not looking for?' From there, they can organize absolutely anything, just make sure to give them plenty of time. Prices vary greatly depending on whether you're one person or many, and whether you want a one-day island tour or a weeklong wilderness expedition. These highly recommended trips offer a unique opportunity to…
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Naturally Superior Adventures
Naturally Superior Adventures is based 8km southwest of Wawa. Its lodge quietly sits along Lake Superior between a craggy expanse of stone and smooth sandy beach. A day on the grounds is itself a memorable experience, as cool mists roll through in the afternoon and the evening sun gently melts into the lake. Naturally Superior guided day trips ($95) depart several times a week, while relaxed weekend kayaking trips ($350) feature an afternoon of instruction, a night at the lodge, and a night of beach camping while paddling on Lake Superior. These trips are suitable for total beginners. Intermediate paddlers can be outfitted with their own kayaks and canoes for $35 to $45…
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