Places to Visit in Canada
The world's second-largest country by area, a bilingual federation of ten provinces and three territories where most of the population lives in a narrow band along the US border.
Photo: The original uploader was Soggybread at English Wikipedia. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Canada has a continental climate across most of its populated south, so winters are cold and snowy (December to March, with Toronto commonly around -5 to 0 degrees Celsius and colder inland) and summers are warm, sometimes humid (June to August, often 22-30 degrees Celsius in Toronto). June to September is the main travel window for city sightseeing, festivals, national parks and lake beaches; early October brings autumn colour to Ontario and Quebec, and winter suits skiing and Christmas markets. English and French are both official languages, and signage is bilingual by law on federal services, with French dominant in Quebec. Provincial sales tax rules differ: Ontario adds 13 percent HST at checkout, and posted prices usually exclude tax. Tipping is expected: 15-20 percent at sit-down restaurants, and similar for taxis and bars, while counter service is optional. Cash is largely optional, since contactless card payment is widely accepted, and the penny was withdrawn in 2012, so cash totals are rounded to the nearest five cents. The legal drinking age is 19 in Ontario (18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec), and cannabis is legal for adults, with sales through licensed stores. Distances between cities are large, so domestic flights or VIA Rail are the practical options between regions, and winter driving needs snow tyres and caution.
Capital
Ottawa
Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD, $)
Time zone
Six zones from Newfoundland (UTC-3:30/-2:30) to Pacific (UTC-8/-7); Toronto and Ottawa use Eastern Time (UTC-5, UTC-4 in daylight saving)
Calling code
+1
Best months
Jun – Oct
Visas and entry
Visitors from visa-exempt countries (including the UK, most EU states, Australia, Japan and South Korea) need an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through Canada. The eTA costs CAD 7, is applied for online and is usually approved within minutes; it is tied to the passport and valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Land and sea arrivals do not need an eTA, only a valid passport. US citizens do not need an eTA and cannot apply for one, but should carry a valid passport, and US lawful permanent residents are exempt from the eTA. Most dual Canadian citizens must travel on a Canadian passport. Citizens of other countries need a visitor visa, although some nationalities became eligible for an eTA in place of a visa for air travel on 26 May 2026 (including Indonesia and Malaysia, per IRCC); check the current list at canada.ca before booking, since eligibility changes.
Where to start in Canada
The place ranked first in each of our city guides.