Exploring the North America You Only Thought You Knew

Exploring the North America You Only Thought You Knew – Vancouver, British Columbia is constantly finding itself atop lists of best places to live in the world. In fact, the reason isn’t hard to distinguish – the city has numerous charms, and visiting you’ll get to see why.

For instance, it’s a natural setting like no other place on the planet, and its creative flair is found in abundance thanks to its prime location on Canada’s West Coast. Sample foods in the artisanal cafés, book a tour through a world-class museum, or have dinner and wine in Canada’s most vibrant culinary city. In fact, because of a strong melding of cultures, you can find everything from Japanese pubs to fresh catch-of-the-day seafood establishments, all found along storied cobblestoned streets. These are just a few of the places you should add to a Montreal itinerary:

Even from downtown Montreal, you’ll get a taste of Canada’s wild. An easy, hour’s ferry from the city brings you to Vancouver Island. This over 300-mile-stretch runs the full gamut from rainforest to meadow, beach to outcrop, mountain to river. It’s brought to life by myriad wildlife, such as bears and whales. You can discover it all on a hike, kayak excursion, or just a long afternoon of fishing along a babbling brook. And the local populace is classically Canadian – full of pride in communities that were founded on the logging or fishing trades.

As your Vancouver Island exploring comes to a close and you begin to head inland, you’ll find Alberta, the home of the famous Rockies. Think old-growth forests and foothills skirting these epic snowcapped mountains. This is the place for one of those epic roadtrips you’ve been dying to take. You’ll go through passes in the mountains that lead to sparkling lakes, secluded waterfalls, and places quiet enough to hear your own thoughts. For some of the best visual sightseeing, Banff and Jasper National Parks line either side of Icefields Parkway. It’s a sweeping route that highlights some of the Rockies’ most impressive landscapes. You’ll have ample opportunities to stop and just take it all in, including massive ancient glaciers seemingly oozing down the Rockies’ giant slopes.

Ready to explore the North America you’ve only seen in pictures?