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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Kingston Archaeological Centre
If you've been traveling along the boring stretch of Hwy 401, you probably spotted the sedimentary rock outcrops – the only interesting thing on the road. Swing by the archaeological center to learn more about the craggy formations, and while you're there check out the archaeological record detailing the 8000-year-old human history of the area.
reviewed
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Stereo
Montréal’s underground house-music giant has opened and closed for various reasons throughout the years. Still featuring a sound system so amazing regulars gush about out-of-body-experience, Stereo is open for business once again, attracting anyone – gay, straight, students, drag queens – looking to lose sleep in style.
reviewed
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Panna Bar & Grill
This sleek venue puts a refreshing spin on traditional Mediterranean fare, with fusion favorites like the signature tasting platter consisting of calamari, garlic shrimp and veggie tempura. The modern menu is echoed in the smooth, minimalist decor as though Panna were plucked from a trendy urban center and plopped down amongst homely neighbors.
reviewed
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Place Montréal Trust
One of downtown’s most successful malls, with enough rays from the skylights to keep shoppers on their day clock. Major retailers here include Athletes World Superstore, Indigo books, Mexx, Winners and Zara. It has a tremendous water fountain with a spout 30m high, and during the holidays a Christmas tree illuminates the five-story space.
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Main on Main
Complete with a restaurant serving good Greek comfort food, the warm and welcoming Main is one of Vancouver’s liveliest folk and roots music venues. Professional performers – usually heartfelt local soloists or guitar-wielding singer-songwriters – hit the stage Thursday to Saturday, delivering an ideal accompaniment to your souvlaki or moussaka.
reviewed
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Sat
Officially called La Société des Arts Technologiques, this slick warehouse and new media space promotes partying as much as digital art. DJs and performance artists push the envelope with banks of multimedia installations, while cult party brands like NEON throw parties here. Dancing and carousing with the arty, electro-loving glam set.
reviewed
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Bikram's Yoga Vancouver
Dynamic yoga performed in a heated room, Bikram is a 26-asana series designed to warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons. It is reputedly good at providing relief for arthritis, back problems and other chronic conditions. Also has a Kitsilano branch.
reviewed
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University of Toronto Faculty of Music
U of T's scholarly and professional music faculty presents a series of concerts – orchestral, chamber, wind ensembles, jazz and new music – at various venues around the university's St George campus. An afternoon of tea and opera at the MacMillan Theatre costs less than $30. Vocal classes and select concerts at Walter Hall are free.
reviewed
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Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery
This museum-like store showcases an excellent array of Inuit and Northwest Coast aboriginal jewelry, carvings and prints. Focusing on the high-art side of aboriginal crafts, the exquisite items here are ideal if you're looking for a very special souvenir for someone back home – they can ship the totem poles if you can't fit them in your suitcase.
reviewed
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Focaccia Restaurant
Focaccia fills a woody room in a cute yellow Victorian house just off Yonge St. Oddly enough there's no focaccia on the compact, well-considered menu, just contemporary Euro fare with a fusion twist. Try the grilled calamari with parsley pesto and tomato jam ($9), followed by bison striploin with merlot and black grape sauce and yam gratin ($28).
reviewed
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Vineland Estates Winery
From Hwy 81, turn right at Cherry Ave up the hill and then turn left onto Moyer Rd for the stone buildings of Vineland Estates Winery, the elder statesman of Niagara viticulture. Almost all the wines here are excellent – Riesling and cabernet franc are the flavors of the moment. The restaurant and accommodations are fabulous too.
reviewed
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Good for Her
This friendly, cozy shop celebrates women's sexuality and prides itself as a great environment to peruse an impressive array of high quality sex products. The staff are helpful, the reading chairs are comfortable, and you'll find everything from movies and books to erotic art and massage oils. Check the website for frequent sex-positive workshops.
reviewed
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Gelato Espresso Bar
If Yaletown is your rest spot of choice, drop by the Gelato Espresso Bar for a sophisticated approach that includes a toasted marshmallow and apple pie variety (the baked pie crust is crumbled in) and a ‘drunken gelato, ’ which comes with a drizzle of booze – limoncello (Italian lemon-flavored liqueur) is recommended.
reviewed
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Ciro's
Way out west in the emerging West Bloor Village neighborhood, dodge the dealers and duck into Ciro's for a come-as-you-are beer and a game of pool as old soul crackles on the stereo. The good-looking owners inherited Ciro's from their parents, and they've refused to gentrify it – the crusty old Bukowskis at the bar still feel right at home.
reviewed
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Muttart Conservatory
Looking like some sort of pyramid-shaped, glass bomb shelter, the Muttart Conservatory is actually a botanical garden that sits south of the river off James MacDonald Bridge. Each of the four pyramids holds a different climate region and corresponding foliage. It's an interesting place to wander about, especially for gardeners, plant fans and those in the mood for something low-key.
reviewed
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Palais Montcalm
This place has slowly been falling off the radar since the Grand Théâtre was built in the 1970s. It was undergoing heavy renovations at the time of research and there’s talk the new, improved model is gearing up to carve out its place on the entertainment scene. Keep your eye out, it should be open again by the time you read this.
reviewed
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Place Roy
On a sleepy corner of the Plateau sits an intriguing installation by artist Michel Goulet. A giant stone map of the world sits in the center of the small square, with water trickling alongside the continents. Goulet finished off the piece by scattering several bronze chairs of different types across the pavement, each facing a different direction.
reviewed
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Vancouver Harbor Sunset Dinner Cruise
2 hours 30 minutes (Departs Vancouver, Canada)
by Viator
See Vancouver’s waterfront sights while you dine on a sunset dinner cruise. This leisurely cruise takes you past the downtown skyline, Canada Place, the North…Not LP reviewed
from USD$86.60 -
Marty's World Famous Café
Well, it might not be world famous, but Marty's is locally loved for butter tarts (try the butter tart ice cream – divine!), as well as giant apple pies, home-made pizzas, quiche and bread. Owner Marty is a character himself, and authored a cookbook that dishes all his recipe secrets. Show up early – the butter tarts sell out quickly.
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Mel’s Montréal Delicatessen
You’re here for one thing and one thing only: Mel’s famous Jumbo Smoked Meat Sandwich. A cardiac arrest on a plate, this 8oz spectacular struggles to contain layers of Mel’s old-fashioned meat, shipped in from Québec twice weekly and cut against the grain to retain the juices. If you survive, one feed will last you a week.
reviewed
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Currency Museum
Make sense of cents at this small museum tucked within the greenhouse lobby of the Bank of Canada building. Various displays detail the global history of money, from seashells and whales' teeth to banknotes and credit cards. Don't miss the giant Yap stone – used to display a family's wealth – sitting amid exotic foliage near the museum's entrance.
reviewed
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Armen's
Forget the local greasy spoons and say hi to chatty Armen as he prepares a tasty sandwich from the ever-changing menu. A rotating dinner menu in June, July and August highlights global cuisine; one night it's Canadian, another it's Moroccan. It keeps your taste buds on their toes. Sneak upstairs and enjoy your fresh eats on the sunny rooftop deck.
reviewed
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Equinox Gallery
Another veteran of the South Granville scene, Equinox generally focuses on quality contemporary works from established Canadian and international artists. Some of the leading lights the gallery continues to showcase are Jack Shadbolt, Fred Herzog and Liz Magor, and, along with the canvasses, there's a commitment to sculpture and provocative installations.
reviewed
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Balkan Bistro
A husband-and-wife team run this joint, a Turkish take-out dressed up with timber paneling to look like something much more. The homemade cooking follows suit, elevating itself past simple kebabs to meaty mains served with rice, baked potatoes and grilled veggies. Try the hunkar begendi – Ottoman veal stew on mashed grilled eggplant.
reviewed
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Excalibur Québec
Devoted to all things medieval, this Québec company sells clothes, jewelry and accessories. It also manufactures about 80% of its merchandise. Some of the outfits are pretty spectacular – and pricey. But plenty of items have been dialed down a notch and are actually wearable in public. This is one of many such stores around the province.
reviewed