A land of adventure, the central region of Newfoundland is a vast area of dense forests and rugged coastlines.
To the north, between April and June, icebergs from Greenland drift along the famous "Iceberg Alley."
Inland, forests, lakes, and rivers dominate—once precious resources for Indigenous peoples and European settlers.
To the east lies Terra-Nova National Park and its typical habitat, made up of islands, ponds, bogs, and forests.
Finally, the southern coast, dotted with spectacular fjords, is home to several isolated fishing villages as well as the Miawpukek First Nation of Conne River, the province’s only recognized reserve.
Creating a masterpiece like Gros Morne National Park wasn’t done overnight. So, when you first discover this extraordinary place, it’s easy to understand why Mother Nature took over 485 million years to bring it to life.
Here, glacial valleys, forests, rugged coastline, beaches, and peat bogs follow one another and intertwine to form a unique ecosystem, one that’s rare in the world. After all, this is where geologists found tangible evidence of the theory of continental drift, and it’s one of the few places on Earth where you can see—and even walk on—the Earth’s mantle. This site is a true celebration of the raw, enigmatic power and beauty of the physical world.
Designated a national park in 1973 and later a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, it’s an 1,805 km² playground just waiting for the adventurer in you. Whether you’re traveling solo, with family, or with friends, for a few days or several weeks, you won’t run out of things to do here.
To do this, we traveled to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to board a Marine Atlantic ferry that took us to Port aux Basques in Newfoundland. The crossing takes about 7 hours.
The ferry *Highlanders* features spacious cabins for two or four people, a restaurant, a retail store, and a play area for kids.
The reclining seats are comfortable and include a headphone jack and a USB charging port.
We went out on the open-air panoramic observation deck several times to admire the Atlantic Ocean, hoping to spot some marine wildlife. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any.
This short video gives you an overview of the facilities. For more details, I invite you to check out Marine Atlantic’s website at the following address: https://www.marineatlantique.ca/.
In July 2018, we decided to go on a road trip to Prince Edward Island. We had four days off, so it was the perfect opportunity to set off on an adventure.
This time, I hadn’t had much time to prepare an itinerary. I’d only done a bit of research online to try and find tourist attractions that might interest us.
I should say that it wasn’t our first visit to the island, and since our stay was quite short, we decided to complete the island loop by making stops along the coast to admire the lighthouses, small fishing villages, beaches, and the stunning steep cliffs.
We also made a few stops at lookouts along the road and even went for a hike in Greenwich National Park.
Our trip was more of an escape into nature. When we travel, we feel best when we’re far from the noise and crowds.
So, I invite you to discover the fabulous landscapes of Prince Edward Island.
To get there, we had to cover nearly 1,000 km. It took us a full day, and we had to cross parts of Quebec and New Brunswick.
The roads are beautiful. However, there isn’t much to see except the vast forests lining the highways.
The Confederation Bridge, which is 12.9 kilometers long, connects New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island.
There’s no fee to enter the island when you cross this bridge. However, a toll must be paid when leaving the island.
We’d like some info on insurance for our RV—it’s a 2024 heavy vehicle, and we’re having trouble finding coverage for a 6-month trip through Canada, Alaska, and the USA. If anyone knows an insurance company that offers this kind of policy, please share the details with us.
Hi there,
We’re 4 adults heading to Montreal on June 13 for 15 days to explore eastern Canada, moving between accommodations.
We need a vehicle with enough trunk space for 4 checked bags (24 kg each).
Which model should we rent, and which rental company do you recommend (preferably at Montreal Airport)?
Thanks to anyone who can help us figure this out—it’s trickier than it seems since car models in Canada aren’t the same as in Europe!
Nicolas
Hi there,
Our son is in Canada for a year on a Working Holiday Visa, and we’re planning to join him around September 20th for a 15-day campervan road trip in Nova Scotia.
I was thinking of going with Canadream, but if you have other rental companies to recommend, don’t hesitate!
Here’s the itinerary I’ve been considering—I tried not to cram in too many stops so we’re not just driving the whole time.
Day 1: Pick up campervan in Halifax at 3 PM. Stop at Peggy’s Cove, then drive to Lunenburg and Blue Rocks (151 km)
Day 2: Explore Lunenburg, then head to Kejimkujik National Park for hikes or other activities. Overnight in the park (91 km)
Day 3: Drive to Annapolis Royal (visit), Port-Royal National Historic Site, then on to Digby (111 km)
Day 4: Ferry to Saint John (visit Reversing Falls), then drive to St. Andrews (103 km)
Day 5: Whale-watching excursion and explore St. Andrews
Day 6: Drive to Alma and Fundy National Park (233 km—we’ll probably leave St. Andrews the night before to split the drive and arrive earlier in Alma)
Day 7: Hopewell Rocks (check tides) (43 km)
Day 8: Hopewell Rocks—Tatamagouche (dinner train)—Pictou (237 km). Any suggestions for this day?
Day 9: Drive to Baddeck, Cabot Trail to Chéticamp (317 km). Ideas for breaking up the drive? I thought of Pomquet Beach Provincial Park for a walk on the boardwalks, but any other suggestions are welcome.
Day 10–11: Cape Breton Highlands National Park for hikes and Cabot Trail to Baddeck (208 km)
Day 12: Explore Baddeck, Graham Bell Museum, and Bras d’Or Lake Drive. Drive to Louisbourg (118 km)
Day 13: Fortress of Louisbourg, then drive to Liscomb (302 km)
Day 14: Drive back to Halifax via Lawrencetown Beach (or other suggestions?). Fisherman’s Cove (205 km)
Day 15: Return campervan by 10 AM
- All suggestions are welcome, as long as they don’t add too much detour from the main stops. We’d rather skip some places to fully enjoy the ones we visit. We love hiking in beautiful landscapes, charming and lively towns or villages, etc.
- I wanted to add a museum dedicated to Acadian culture, but I didn’t find anything along the route—or they’re closed this time of year. Maybe there are places to listen to folk music?
- If you have any campgrounds or wild camping spots to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
- Do we need to book the ferry this time of year?
Hi there, I’m starting to look into traveling to Quebec but mostly up North, so I’m looking for info on boat travel and accommodation options. Just doing some trip planning—I’m traveling solo. Best, Marie
Hi everyone,
We’re planning to head to Québec on June 11th (departing from CDG) and return around July 3rd, leaving from Toronto—so about 3 weeks there, traveling by rental car.
We’re thinking of stopping in Ottawa to visit a friend.
We’d love to see the "must-see" spots, but not *too* many, along with nature, parks, some short hikes, canoeing, a seaplane ride, and wrapping up with Niagara Falls.
Do you think we can fit all that into the time we have?
What are the spots you’d recommend not missing along our route?
Is a short trip to Gaspésie at the start of our trip worth considering?
Anyway, as you’ve probably guessed, we’re still in the early planning stages and aren’t quite sure how to organize everything 🤪
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice!
Hi everyone,
I’m finally heading to the Yukon in May-June 2025 and also Alaska.
My flight is booked, the truck camper too, but I’m a bit stuck on visas:
I’ll arrive in Canada by plane, drive to Alaska by road, and return to Canada by road before flying out again. Is the eTA sufficient?
I’d also love to hear from people who’ve done this trip—great tips, places to stay, warnings, or personal experiences!
What about bear spray? Where can I find it, and how much does it cost?
I’ll be spending a few days in Whitehorse when I arrive on May 8th, and again the weekend of June 20th—any suggestions for accommodation are welcome.
I’m Belgian and flying out of Germany.
Here’s the itinerary I’ve planned for this summer. I’d love to get your thoughts and recommendations on it.
We’ll be 2 adults and a 15-year-old teen.
11/07 Calgary - arrival around 9 PM
12/07 Calgary - exploring the city
13/07 Calgary : Stampede
14/07 (Canmore) Banff - Kananaskis Valley - Town of Canmore - Banff Centre - Upper Hot Spring (pool)
15/07 Banff - Johnston Canyon - Lake Louise - Moraine Lake
16/07 Banff - Banff Gondola with ridge walk (1 km) - Lake Minnewanka
17/07 Yoho (Field) - Herbert Lake - Yoho Valley Road (before Field) - Field - Natural Bridge - Emerald Lake + hike to Takakkaw Falls - night at The Crossing
18/07 Jasper - Icefields Parkway - Herbert Lake - Bow Lake - Peyto Lake viewpoint (15 min from the parking lot) - Saskatchewan River Crossing - Columbia Icefield with the Skywalk - Sunwapta Falls - Goat and Glacier Lookout - Athabasca Falls
19/07 Jasper - Maligne Valley - Medicine Lake - Maligne Lake
20/07 Jasper - Whistlers Peak - Miette Hot Springs
21/07 Wells Gray - Yellowhead Highway
22/07 Wells Gray - Helmcken Falls - Dawson Falls - Spahats Falls - Clearwater Lake
23/07 Hat Creek Ranch
24/07 Whistler
25/07 Whistler
26/07 Nanaimo - Sea to Sky Highway - 1.5-hour ferry
27/07 Nanaimo - North Coast - Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park - Old Country Market - Goats on Roof - McMillan Provincial Park - Cathedral Grove
28/07 Victoria - Kinsol Trestle - Malahat Skywalk
29/07 Victoria - whale watching
30/07 Victoria - Inner Harbour - Chinatown - Fisherman’s Wharf floating houses
31/07 Vancouver - 3-hour ferry
01/08 Vancouver
02/08 Departure
We’re being really careful not to spend more than 3 to 4 hours driving between stops. We want to take our time.
Thanks for your input....
I’d like to visit Niagara Falls from the Canadian side: is an eTA enough for a French citizen (from Toronto or Ottawa) and then public transport? Which Canadian city is the easiest to get there from?
I plan to spend one night in Canada before seeing the falls on the American side.
Do I need an ESTA to visit the American side for just a few hours and then return to Canada?
I’m planning a month-long trip that’ll take me from San Francisco to Seattle, stopping in Vancouver BC along the way. After tweaking this route every which way and trying to balance must-see spots with more relaxed stops (like the Oregon coast), I’ve landed on this itinerary—I’d love your thoughts!
Days 1 and 2: San Francisco
Days 3 and 4: Lassen Volcanic Park
Days 5 and 6: Crater Lake
Days 7 to 9: Portland
Day 10: Astoria or Cannon Beach
Day 11: Ruby Beach or Forks (for the Hoh Rain Forest)
Days 12 and 13: Port Angeles (for Hurricane Ridge)
Day 14: Victoria (Vancouver Island)
Days 15 to 17: Ucluelet (Vancouver Island)
Days 18 to 20: Vancouver BC
Days 21 and 22: North Cascades NP
Days 23 to 25: Mt. Rainier
Days 26 to 28: Seattle
Of course, there’s travel time built in—for example, the third day on Vancouver Island will mostly be eaten up by getting back to the mainland and Vancouver.
Do you think there are any extra stops or anything I’ve missed? A month feels like a lot and not a lot at the same time… Thanks!
Hi,
I’m reaching out to those familiar with British Columbia 😉
My son is on a Working Holiday Visa in Canada and is currently in Calgary.
He’s found a great job in Quesnel, in the northern part of the province, starting in March.
It seems like it’s a bit in the middle of nowhere, especially since he doesn’t have a car.
Could you advise on the quickest way to get from Calgary to Saint-Georges, for example (I think it’s tough to go further by public transport)?
Thanks for your help.
Claire
We’re heading to the Pacific Northwest (USA) and Western Canada this summer. We’ve made some progress planning, but we still have a few questions.
Our trip is mostly nature-focused—hiking, wildlife spotting (ideally bears, orcas/whales, otters, etc.), mountains, forests—and a few days in cities, though we’re not big on museums.
We’re looking at flying into Seattle (cheaper than Vancouver), then renting a car and staying in Airbnbs.
A few years ago, we traveled through eastern Canada/USA (Halifax/Montréal/Boston/Halifax) and ended up driving *way* too much and switching accommodations too often. This time, we’d like to settle in a bit more.
Here’s our current plan:
- 2 nights in Seattle to avoid hitting the road right after the flight. One day for a quick city visit, then we’ll leave early after the second night.
-> Heading to Olympic National Park from the south.
- 4 nights near Olympic National Park, likely around Forks.
-> Then to Port Angeles and a ferry to Vancouver Island via Victoria (maybe 1 night there).
- 7 nights in Port Alberni, which seems like a central base for exploring Vancouver Island (Tofino, Pacific Rim, Cathedral Grove, etc.). We really want to enjoy the area without constantly packing and unpacking.
The issue is, that brings us to 13–14 nights, and we’d like to spend 2 in Vancouver.
We’re wondering if we should head farther north on the island and add a few more days, or reduce our stay in Port Alberni to explore the north as well.
After that, we’d have about a week left. We’re considering a detour near the Canadian Rockies, then slowly making our way back to Seattle via North Cascades National Park.
We’re planning a trip to western Canada in September 2025. Here’s the route we’ve mapped out:
- Calgary: 2 days
- Lake Louise: 4 days, hikes around the lakes (L. Louise, L. Agnes, L. Moraine, L. Emerald)
- Icefield Parkway
- Jasper: 3 days, L. Maligne, Hot Springs
- Fort Fraser
- Prince Rupert
- Inside Passage by boat
- Port Hardy (Vancouver Island)
- Port Alberni: 2 days, Cathedral Cove
- Ucluelet: 2 days, Tofino
- Victoria: 3 days
- Crossing to Vancouver
- Vancouver: 4 days
Total: 27 days.
What do you think?
About the Inside Passage—has anyone here done it? Our only concern is the weather for that boat day between Prince Rupert and the northern part of Vancouver Island. Under clear skies, the landscapes are stunning. If it’s foggy or mediocre weather, well, we’ll have given it a shot! Just know you *have* to book the car passage way in advance.
Thanks for any tips or advice you can share!
Cailleurs64
First of all, I hope you're all staying healthy and your loved ones too during the epidemic.
So, I need some information for a future trip (which I hope I can take soon).
My goal is to go to Vancouver and take a day trip (or two if necessary) to see bears, dolphins, and orcas.
Here are my questions:
- What’s the best time of year to maximize my chances of seeing all three species?
- Which town or village should I head to for the best chances?
- How much time should I plan to spend there?
Are there any excursion companies departing from Vancouver that offer this kind of tour? If so, could you recommend some names?
Hi there, here are some practical details that might help with planning a future trip to Québec-Ontario.
3 weeks as a couple from September 21 to October 15, 2024.
Lyon-Montréal flight with Air Transat: 850 €
Accommodation: We only booked the first two nights at a hotel in Montréal. After that, we reserved the day before or even the same afternoon for the next night, going with the flow of the trip. No availability issues—there are plenty of motels. Accommodation is expensive, though; budget around 80-100 € per night on average.
-Car rental with Authentik/Thrifty: 760 € for 20 days. Picked up at the downtown branch and returned at the airport. Smooth, quick, competent staff, and a recent car. Added extra insurance with SereniZen.
We drove 5,000 km, and gas was less than 1 € per liter.
-Food: We’ll keep it short—expensive and not great.
-Health: Medical costs seem very high, so on top of credit card insurance, we were advised to get additional coverage. We went with Heymondo.
-Tap water is drinkable everywhere.
-SIM card: 4GB with unlimited calls for 1 month: 17 €
-Our favorite spots for fall colors: the Eastern Townships, Algonquin Park, and Mont Tremblant.
Happy travels!
hi everyone, I’m asking for advice from those who know the area well
I’m thinking of taking a little gamble and I’d love your opinion—I’ll have an 8-hour layover at Toronto airport
I was thinking of making a quick trip to Niagara Falls!
booking a round-trip taxi—3 hours of driving there and back, 3 hours to get out of and back into the airport
that leaves us 2 hours on site!
I know it’s a stretch, but do you think it’s doable?
thanks in advance
Cécile
