Canada Travel
Canada is the second-largest country in the world, behind Russia. Its natural beauty stretches from Toronto in the south to the Nunavut province in the north, and from Newfoundland in the east to Vancouver in the west. You can hear people speaking French in Quebec, English in Ontario and Inuktitut in Nunavut. Canada is a huge, diverse place with breathtaking beauty, and this guide can help you navigate it.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhat to do in Canada
Because Canada is so huge, with big cities and tiny towns scattered from the Pacific Ocean to the ... read more »
Canada Travel Requirements
Canada is generally a safe placeæno question about it. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared when you arrive. This section offers resources to help keep you safe and healthy abroad, and provides an introduction to Canadian customs and traditions.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Canada’s Constitution recognizes English and French as the two official languages. But the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Nunavik, as well as Quebec, also consider Inuktitut (Inuit languages) an official language.
- When entering Canada from the United States, some form of government-issued photo ID is necessary, like a driver’s license, as well as proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or passport. For U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country, a passport is required. To be safe, U.S. citizens are advised to carry a passport at all times, no matter where they’re traveling from, when driving into Canada.
- The majority of the population in the province of Quebec speaks French, while English is the majority everywhere else. In 1969, the province of New Brunswick declared itself officially bilingual (English and French), and today French speakers comprise over a third of the population.
- This section mentions some Canadian traditions. For more information on one of Canada’s most treasured traditions, ice hockey, take a look at the findingDulcinea Hockey Web Guide.
- Technically, it is illegal to bring Cuban cigars into the United States from Canada.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of travel practicalities …
The Official Site of the Canadian Tourism Commission
has information on practical topics like time zones, currency and money, fishing regulations, measurements and voltage, weather and seasons, public holidays and more.
For official documents, health, and safety …
The U.S. Department of State
’s International Travel page for Canada lists pre-trip essentials, including advice for passports, visas, health and safety. Also learn crime statistics and embassy locations.
The Official Site of the Canadian Tourism Commission
has this easy-to-follow Web page explaining the passport and visa requirements for entering Canada. Use the links near the top of the page to skip to topics of interest: international visitors, U.S. visitors and FAQ.
For currency conversion …
Bank of Canada
’s Web site meets all of your currency conversion needs. Pick any currency to convert to or from the Canadian dollar, either by today’s rates or from the past 10 years.
For customs and traditions …
TransCanadaHighway
explains some of the basic customs that should be considered when traveling to Canada. Scroll down the page to get a description of standard tipping practices.
Frommer’s
offers a short guide on the best times to visit Canada, taking the Canadian climate and weather into account. Also learn about the country’s national holidays, special events and festivals.
For a social and political background …
CanadaInfo
is devoted to information about all things Canadian. This Web page simplifies the structure of the Canadian government, with a chart of the executive, legislative and judicial departments. Find a concise description of the federal government or scroll down for information on the political parties in Canada.
The Government of Canada
official Web site details some of the more recent political developments and explains the setup of the government. The “About Canada” section divides information neatly into categories including “Society,” “Government,” “Land,” and “Economy.” Also find information on the various Canadian politicians in the “About Government” section.
Trail Canada
offers a short rundown of the country’s history. Learn about the aboriginal peoples, the European settling of Canada and some notable events up to the present day. This history provides a helpful background before visiting the country.
Getting to Canada
The United States and Canada share the world’s longest undefended border, stretching 3,145 ... read more »
Canada Hotels
Canada offers a variety of accommodations. To step inside from the cold, stay in one of the many ... read more »
Getting Around in Canada
Earlier in the guide we mentioned that visiting Montreal and Vancouver in the same trip might not ... read more »
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