While Canada is the second-largest country in the world in area, it’s one of the most lightly populated. Majestic landscapes highlight the country’s vast wilderness and attract nature-lovers with their beauty. Yet a Canadian vacation offers the best of both worlds. Not only can you ski or hike the Canadian Rockies, fish in pristine lakes, and luxuriate in solitude during a vacation to Canada, you can explore exciting cities, all close to the U.S. border.
Cosmopolitan Vancouver enchants visitors with its spectacular location between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The city will host the 2010 Winter Olympic games, along with nearby Whistler, often ranked as the top ski destination in North America. Canada’s largest city, Toronto, boasts citizens from 100 different cultures, a diversity reflected in its many restaurants and interesting neighborhoods. Quebec’s Montreal, the second-largest French-speaking city in the world, boasts a quaint, walkable historic section featuring an array of shops, cafes and boutique hotels. Those interested in a Canada family vacation could explore both the rural and urban sides of the country—camping has become a popular pastime, while the cities’ festivals attract young and old alike.
U.S. citizens departing Canada by air require a passport. By summer 2008 that requirement is expected to extend to U.S. citizens arriving and departing by sea and land as well (currently U.S. citizens traveling to Canada are required to show a U.S. Government-issued photo ID and proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate). For the latest on U.S. re-entry requirements, visit travel.state.gov, the U.S. State Department’s website. Canadian currency is the Canadian dollar. Driving is on the right-hand side, and it’s easy to travel by car between the U.S. and Canada. For more information on travel to Canada, log on to www.canada.travel, the official website of the Canadian Tourism Commission.