Canada
Toronto Islands in the Snow
In December 2021, I had an unforgettable experience discovering the Toronto Islands in the snow. A magical day, out of time, just 10 minutes by ferry from the city shore.
3 min read
Loading
The world second-largest country fascinates with the turquoise lakes of the Rockies, the charm of old Quebec, and wilderness that stretches to the Arctic.
Canada captivates with the turquoise lakes of the Rockies, the charm of old Quebec, and wilderness that stretches to the Arctic.
Join 15,000+ monthly readers
Subscribe to our newsletter and promotional offers. Read our privacy policy.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our review | ||||||||||||
| Weather | ||||||||||||
| Crowds | ||||||||||||
| Max temp | -5° | -3° | 3° | 11° | 18° | 24° | 27° | 25° | 20° | 12° | 4° | -3° |
| Rain | 12j | 10j | 10j | 10j | 10j | 9j | 8j | 8j | 9j | 10j | 11j | 12j |
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Ski | ||||||||||||
| Northern Lights |
May
In may, the climate in Canada is good. The weather is generally cloudy, with maximum temperatures around 18°C and about 10 rainy days. Tourist crowds are moderate.
Canada is an immensity that defies the imagination. The world’s second largest country (10 million km²) offers landscapes of breathtaking diversity and grandeur: Rocky Mountains with turquoise lakes, endless boreal forests, wild coastlines battered by the Atlantic and Pacific, golden prairies and Arctic tundra.
It is also a bilingual and multicultural country, where Montreal and Quebec City buzz in French, where Vancouver blends Asian influences with West Coast culture, where Toronto is a mosaic of communities from around the world. Canadian nature is of exceptional richness: 48 national parks, bears, whales, moose, northern lights and a quality of life regularly ranked among the world’s best.
The Canadian Rockies are the country’s absolute jewel. Banff (Canada’s first national park, 1885) and Jasper offer postcard landscapes: turquoise lakes (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake), ancient glaciers, snow-capped peaks and abundant wildlife (bears, elk, wolves). The Icefields Parkway (232 km between Banff and Jasper) is one of the world’s most beautiful drives, passing glaciers and waterfalls at every turn.
Yoho National Park (Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge) and Kootenay National Park complete this mountain tableau. In winter, the resorts of Whistler, Lake Louise and Revelstoke offer some of North America’s best skiing, with legendary powder snow.
Montreal is a vibrant, bilingual, creative city — festivals (Jazz, Just for Laughs), inventive gastronomy, lively neighbourhoods (Plateau, Mile-End, Old Montreal). Quebec City charms with its fortified Old Town, UNESCO-listed: cobbled lanes, Château Frontenac, local cuisine (poutine, tourtière, maple syrup). The Gaspésie offers spectacular coastal panoramas (Percé Rock, Forillon) and the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean fascinates with its fjord and whales.
The Maritime Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) are Canada’s best-kept secret: red cliffs, lighthouses, fishing villages, fresh lobster and warm hospitality. The Bay of Fundy and its record tides (16 m!) are a unique phenomenon.
Vancouver is regularly ranked among the world’s most beautiful cities: ocean, mountains, forests and modern urbanism all meet. Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown and Kitsilano beaches make for an exceptional setting. Vancouver Island (orca watching, Tofino’s temperate rainforests) and Whistler (year-round skiing and adventure) are just hours away.
For adventurers, the Yukon and Northwest Territories are the last frontier. Whitehorse and Dawson City (Gold Rush history), the Dempster Highway (gravel road to the Arctic), Nahanni National Park (UNESCO-listed), and above all the northern lights of Yellowknife — one of the world’s best spots to see them (September to March).
Canada is a road trip paradise. Distances are immense but the roads are spectacular, and the scenery constantly changes.
A car is essential for exploring Canada outside the major cities. Roads are excellent, well-signposted, and distances between cities immense (Toronto – Vancouver: 4,400 km). Check our road trip experiences to prepare your Canadian adventure.
Canada is more expensive than the neighbouring US but remains reasonable. Budget 80 to 180 CAD per day per person (€55–125) depending on travel style. Vancouver and the Rockies are the most expensive, Quebec and the Maritimes more affordable.
The Canadian climate varies enormously by region and season. Summer (June – September) is high season: pleasant temperatures (20–30°C), all parks and roads open, festivals in Montreal and across the country. The best time for the Rockies, Quebec and the Maritimes.
Autumn (September – October) is magical in Quebec and Ontario: Indian summer paints the forests red, orange and gold. Winter (November – March) transforms the country into a winter sports paradise: skiing in Whistler and the Rockies, snowmobiling in Quebec, northern lights in the Far North. Spring (April – May) is low season — ideal for avoiding crowds, but some mountain roads remain closed.
Calgary (1 day) → Banff (3 days: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Johnston Canyon) → Icefields Parkway → Jasper (3 days: Maligne Lake, Athabasca Glacier) → return via Yoho (Emerald Lake) → Kootenay → drive to Vancouver. The ultimate circuit for mountain and wilderness lovers.
Montreal (3 days) → Eastern Townships route (vineyards, cheeses) → Quebec City (2 days) → Charlevoix coast → Tadoussac (whales, 2 days) → Saguenay (fjord, 2 days) → return via Mauricie. Add 5 days for: Gaspésie (Percé, Forillon, Mont-Albert). A French-speaking journey at the edge of the world.
Vancouver (3 days) → Sea-to-Sky Highway → Whistler (2 days) → ferry to Vancouver Island → Victoria (2 days) → Pacific coast road → Tofino (3 days: surfing, rainforest, bear and whale watching). Western Canada in all its oceanic and forested splendour.
Beyond the classics, Canada is full of hidden treasures. Newfoundland is a world apart: icebergs drifting in spring, Vikings at L’Anse aux Meadows (the first European site in America, UNESCO-listed), Gros Morne (fjords and geology), Irish accents and legendary hospitality. Manitoba offers Churchill — the polar bear capital of the world (October – November).
Saskatchewan and its endless prairies, Haida Gwaii (mystical West Coast islands, millennial Haida culture) and Labrador (Trans-Labrador Highway, extreme adventure) are destinations for explorers. To extend your North American adventure, neighbouring United States perfectly complements a Canadian trip. Find all our destinations.
Entry to Canada requires an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for French nationals flying in. The application is made online, costs 7 CAD and is valid for 5 years.
Some links in this article are affiliate links. This means that if you book or purchase a product through these links, we receive a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It's thanks to this support that we can continue creating free, quality content.
You can also buy us a coffee, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Share
Looking for more information for your trip? Book a personalised video call with us, or join the Curious Souls community on Discord.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *
