Why go to Canada? The 10 good reasons to go Canada

A distinction must be made here between urban centers and regions. In the cities, the points of interest are generally open all year round, with limited opening hours outside of the summer season (e.g.: closed on Mondays). In the regions, they are often seasonal, with an opening period that goes from May to October. If they are open every day in the summer, the schedule is often reduced from Patriots' Day or Victoria Day (the Monday before May 25) to June 24 and from Labor Day (^{the first} Monday in September) to Thanksgiving (the^second Monday in October).

Reservations are rarely required, except for guided tours, immersive shows, or special workshops and activities in museums and galleries. However, following the pandemic, many attractions recommend, or even require, advance reservations. It is also important to know that some attractions also offer on-site accommodation, often experiential. In this case, it is strongly recommended to reserve your package in advance.

Admission is usually between $10 and $30 CDN for an adult ticket. Discounts are almost always available for children, students and seniors, or even free admission. For example, admission to national parks and historic sites is always free for those under 18. Many points of interest are also completely free, although some may require a voluntary contribution. In cities such as Montreal and Toronto, passes combining various museums and attractions allow you to save a lot of money, as long as you are there for at least 2-3 days.

Countless festivals and events take place every year in Canada, with themes as varied as documentaries, beer, music, ethnic diversity, comedy, rodeo or dog sled racing. Among the most important and famous are the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which is one of the most important in the world, the Calgary Stampede, which is one of the biggest rodeos in the world, and the huge Osheaga music festival in Montreal, which hosts the coolest singers and bands of the moment. Also not to be missed are the various wine festivals in the Okanagan Valley and Niagara Peninsula, as well as theater and performance arts festivals such as PuSh in Vancouver and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

All kinds of guided tours are offered in Canada, from traditional city bus tours to dinner cruises on one of the country's many waterways. Themes for all tastes are also part of the offer: tour of craft breweries or vineyards, gourmet stops in an emerging neighborhood, discovery of murals and graffiti, "haunted" walk by lantern light, historical tour with characters in period clothing, snowcoach excursion to see glaciers or boat to admire icebergs, hunt for the northern lights, etc. Some 15 Canadian cities are also members of the international Stroll Buddy (formerly Greeter) network, including Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg (strollbuddy.com).

Whether on a guided tour or in a museum, smoking is prohibited. For outdoor points of interest, such as interpretive sites and national historic sites, smoking areas are sometimes provided.

If you are taking a guided tour in Montreal or Quebec City, make sure your guide is accredited and has a city permit (which must be visible at all times while performing his or her duties). For these two Quebec cities, the guides have followed a mandatory training program recognized by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Education of Quebec. This ensures the quality and veracity of the information provided during the visits.