Things to do in Canada
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FEATURED
Usa & Canada Express
15 days (New York)
by Intrepid
Take a bite out of the Big Apple, Talk politics in Washington DC, Hear the roar of Niagara Falls from both the US and Canadian sides, Go hiking in the pristine…Not LP reviewed
from USD$2,270 - All things to do
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Stash Café
Hearty Polish cuisine is served up with good humor in a dining room with seats made of church pews and daringly low red lights illuminating the tables. Staff range from warm and gregarious to completely stand-offish, but the food is consistent, with quality fare like pierogy (dumplings stuffed with meat or cheese, with sour cream) and potato pancakes with apple sauce. An enthusiastic pianist hammers away from time to time.
reviewed
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CN Tower
Though it's been around for more than 30 years, the funky CN Tower still warrants 'icon' status. Its primary function is as a radio and TV communications tower, but relieving tourists of as much cash as possible seems to be the second order of business. It's expensive, but riding the great glass elevators up the highest freestanding structure in the world (553m) is one of those things in life you just have to do. On a clear day, the views from the Observation Deck are astounding; if it's hazy, you won't be able to see a thing. Beware: two million visitors every year means summer queues for the elevator can be up to two hours long – going up and coming back down. For…
reviewed
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Eatery
Wooden booths, lava lamps and a neon ‘miso horny’ sign are all part of the ambience at this pop-culture reinvention of the traditional sushi joint. Bring your manga comic and dip into the giant, well-priced menu of soba bowls, curry-rice and several sushi combos, all washed down with a good selection of Japanese and Canadian bottled beers. There are plenty of vegetarian options, including some shareable platters for all those veggies who travel in packs.
reviewed
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360°
You don't need to tell us that dining at the top of the CN Tower is an obvious cliché, and it's damn pricey too, but come on, how can you compete with those views?! Even if the food was ordinary (which it most certainly isn't), there would be no better place in Toronto, if not Canada, for a high-class meal and a conversation about mankind's magnificent achievements. And the elevator ride is free!
reviewed
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Schwartz’s
Known far and wide, this old-time Hebrew deli is widely considered to serve the best smoked meat in Montréal whether it’s brisket, duck, chicken or turkey, all piled high on sourdough rye bread. The Romanian-style meat is cured on the premises and aged without chemicals. You can order it fat, medium (recommended) or lean. Expect long lines.
reviewed
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Art Gallery of Ontario
The AGO houses art collections both excellent and extensive (bring your stamina). Renovations, designed by Frank Gehry, were completed in 2008, and include a new entrance and a massive glass and wood facade. Other highlights include rare Québecois religious statuary, First Nations and Inuit carvings, major Canadian works by the Group of Seven, the Henry Moore sculpture pavilion, and a restored Georgian house, The Grange. There's a surcharge for special exhibits.
While you're in the 'hood, note that TIFF Cinematheque screens movies at the AGO's Jackman Hall.
reviewed
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Da-De-O
A classic diner restaurant serving Cajun food, Da-De-O competes for the prize of Edmonton's most memorable eating joint. With retro jukeboxes, art-deco lighting and some jazz etchings on the wall, the decor is eye-catching and interesting, while the food – oysters, jambalaya and filling po'boys – is the stuff of Louisiana legend. The perennial highlight is the spice-dusted sweet potato fries. Forget the Big Easy. Save the airfare and eat here.
reviewed
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Jardin Botanique
Montréal’s Jardin Botanique is the third-largest in the world, after London’s Kew Gardens and Berlin’s Botanischer Garten. Since its 1931 opening, the 75-hectare garden has grown to include tens of thousands of species in 30 thematic gardens, and its wealth of flowering plants is carefully managed to bloom in stages. The rose beds in particular are a sight in summer. Climate-controlled greenhouses house cacti, banana trees and 700 species of orchid. Bird-watchers should bring their binoculars. A popular draw is the landscaped Japanese Garden with traditional pavilions, tearoom and art gallery; the bonsai ‘forest’ is the largest outside Asia. The twinning of…
reviewed
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Banff Gondola
In summer or winter you can summit a peak near Banff thanks to the Banff Gondola, whose four-person enclosed cars glide you up to the top of Sulphur Mountain in less than 10 minutes. Named for the thermal springs that emanate from its base, this peak is a perfect viewing point and a tick-box Banff attraction. There are a couple of restaurants on top plus an extended hike on boardwalks to Sanson Peak, an old weather station. Some people hike all the way up on a zigzagging 5.6km trail. You can travel back down on the gondola for half price and recover in the hot springs.
reviewed
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Naam
A rare and evocative relic of Kitsilano's hippie past, this vegetarian restaurant has the feel of a comfy, highly chatty farmhouse. It's not unusual to have to wait for a table here at peak times, but it's worth it for the hearty stir-fries, Mexican platters and sesame-fried potatoes with miso gravy. This is the kind of veggie spot where carnivores are also happy to dine. There's nightly live music, an array of great organic beers and a popular patio – it's covered, so you can cozy up here with a bowl of broth and still enjoy the rain.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Bridges
You'll easily spot this bright yellow bistro as you pass over the Granville Bridge on your way here. In summer it offers one of the best sunset patios in town from which to enjoy well-executed classics like seafood chowder, halibut and chips and thin-crust pizzas – the smoked-salmon variety is recommended. Also consider a pitcher of Granville Island Iced Tea (if you have enough friends to finish it). Diners can escape the patio clamor at the quieter, more upscale upstairs dining room (dinner only).
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La Banquise
A Montréal legend since 1968, La Banquise is probably the best place in town to sample poutine (if you’ve never heard of this dish, see the boxed text, opposite). More than two dozen varieties are available, including a veggie poutine (peppers, mushrooms, sautéed onions) and straight-up classic poutine. There’s an outdoor terrace, a full breakfast menu and a selection of microbrews, plus the kitchen never closes.
reviewed
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Paillard Café-Boulangerie
This bright and buzzy space has high ceilings, huge windows looking onto the street and a long wooden table down the middle where diners tuck into tasty gourmet sandwiches (ham with green apples and brie; hot roast beef sandwiches with blue cheese, caramelized onions and horseradish), satisfying soups and fresh salads. The attached bakery with its displays of sweet temptation is too hard to resist. It’s a bit of a madhouse at lunchtime.
reviewed
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Mint
This loungey late-night hang-out is popular with bar staff winding down after their shifts. But they don't just come to bitch about their non-tipping customers; Mint offers an eclectic, finger-licking menu of Nepalese, Tibetan and fusion delicacies that runs from spicy lamb cooked with apricots to almond-and-cashew pesto fettuccine. There's an equally diverse menu of regular DJ performances.
reviewed
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Café Santropol
This is an iconic Montréal eatery known for its towering and creative sandwiches, its colorful digs, and lush outdoor garden patio. Its creations range from the sweet root (carrots, raisins, coriander, nuts, mayo and fresh apple) to pepper island with ham (which comes with jalapeño pepper jelly, pesto and cream cheese spread).
reviewed
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Peter's Drive-In
In 1962 Peter's opened its doors and locals have been flocking there ever since to a largely unchanged menu of super-thick shakes, burgers off the grill and fries that make no pretence of being healthy. It's a true drive-in, so either bring the car along or be happy to eat on the lawn out front.
reviewed
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St-Viateur Bagel & Café
A splendid café that serves its signature bagels, grilled or nature, with soup or salad. There are about a dozen sandwiches but most popular are the traditional smoked lox with cream cheese, and roast beef with Swiss cheese and tomato. You can also find breakfast bagels with eggs and ham.
reviewed
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Pagliacci’s
At Pagliacci’s, unlimited baskets of fresh focaccia bread are delivered to the marble-topped tables. Generous pasta servings from the cinema-themed menu almost defy devouring; try the Hemingway Short Story (beef-stuffed tortellini).
reviewed
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Alycia's
One of those must-visit places without any real draw except that it's Winnipeg's favorite Ukrainian restaurant. Everything is deliciously bad for you; daily made pierogy have a tendency to sell out. The borscht will cure those -50°C blues.
reviewed
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High Level Diner
Want to catch up with some locals over eggs? This friendly, popular eatery right beside the river is a great way to start the day.
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Le St-Sulpice
This student evergreen is spread over four levels in an old Victorian stone house – a café, several terraces, disco and a sprawling back garden for drinks ‘n’ chats. The music changes with the DJ’s mood, from hip-hop and ambient to mainstream rock and jazz. It use recyclable glasses and also sells alcohol-free beer.
reviewed
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St Lawrence Market & Hall
Old York's sensational market has been a neighborhood meeting place for over two centuries. The restored, high-trussed 1845 South Market building houses more than 50 specialty food stalls: cheese vendors, fishmongers, butchers, bakers and pasta makers with lots of action and yelling of prices in silly voices. Inside the old council chambers upstairs, the St Lawrence Market Gallery (admission free; 10am-4pm Wed-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat, noon-4pm Sun) is now the city's exhibition hall, with rotating displays of paintings, photographs, documents and historical relics. Hordes of school kids laugh it up, perhaps not as enthralled as you might be. On the opposite side of Front St, the…
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Biodôme
At this captivating, kid-friendly exhibit you can amble through a rainforest, the Arctic Circle, rolling woodlands or along the raw Atlantic oceanfront – all without ever leaving the building. Be sure to dress in layers for the temperature swings. The four ecosystems house many thousands of animal and plant species; follow the self-guided circuit and you will see everything. Penguins frolic in the pools a few feet away from groups of goggle-eyed children; the tropical chamber is a cross-section of Amazonia with mischievous little monkeys teasing alligators in the murky waters below. The Gulf of St Lawrence has an underwater observatory where you can watch cod feeding…
reviewed
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Artillery Park
The French chose this location for their army barracks because of its strategic view of the plateau west of the city and the St Charles River, both of which could feed enemy soldiers into Québec City. English soldiers moved in after the British conquest of New France. The English soldiers left in 1871 and it was changed into an ammunition factory for the Canadian army. The factory operated until 1964 and thousands of Canadians worked there during the World Wars. Now you can visit the Officers’ Quarters and the Dauphine Redoubt where guides greet you in character (ie the garrison’s cook) and give you the scoop on life in the barracks. There’s also a huge model of Québec…
reviewed