24.FIND A BEACH

Direct beach access is a big deal for Canadians looking for a summer vacay spot, says Sherlee Taylor, Booking.com’s regional manager for Canada. But just how do you find the best beach property? Taylor recently snagged her very own Vancouver Island seashore cottage rental using the site’s keyword tool to sort for properties with “beach walks.” Then, using the map tool, she zoomed in on the locations that interested her. As a final check, she considered the guest review scores. (The site boasts over 86 million guest experience reviews.) “The trick is to focus your search on the few things that matter most to you,” she says. But with thousands of kilometres of beaches in Canada alone, how do you narrow down the possibilities? Go to ELLECanada.com/travel and start with our insiders guide to Canada’s best beaches.