Place these 10 trips on a Canadian bucket list
Bucket lists can be a fun way to remind yourself to get the most out of life.
In Canada, we are truly lucky to have such a beautiful country, so what better way to celebrate Canada Day then by starting up a Canadian themed bucket list? Cross country travel never sounded so fun!
B.C. - Penticton Channel
While the odds are high you’ve experienced many of the things B.C. has to offer, sometimes it is the more subtle experiences we tend to overlook. While many people may have experienced it already, if you haven’t floated lazily down the Penticton River Channel in an inner tube with a cooler floating behind you, then you are missing out. One of the best ways to spend a summer day.
Alberta - Glacier Skywalk
Sometimes a bucket list is about beating your fears, and that is just what the Glacier Skywalk provides. Inspired by the Grand Canyon observation deck, this glass walkway leads you 35 meters away from the cliff face that is around 1000 feet above Sunwapta Valley. Looking down at your feet and seeing nothing but glass keeping you afloat will test your nerves, but will be a great experience.
Saskatchewan - Roughriders game
Watermelon helmets invade BC Place on a regular basis during Lions games. You can spot the green love a mile away. Yes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the football team that inspires Rider Nation, should definitely be on your bucket list. They have the craziest fans in the CFL, but also the most passionate. It doesn’t get more Canadian than heading down to Mosaic Stadium to experience the CFL with 30,000 new best friends.
Manitoba - Snorkel with beluga whales
Sure, dolphins are the sexy choice for aquatic swimming companions, but Raffi didn’t sing about dolphins, did he? That’s why you should do Raffi proud and try snorkelling with beluga whales in Churchill, Man. Every year, thousands of beluga whales get together in the Churchill River before pouring into Hudson Bay. It’s like a teddy bear picnic, except no man-eating bears, just curious, gentle belugas.
Ontario - The Diefenbunker
I know Niagara Falls is probably tops for most people thinking of going to Ontario, but sometimes it’s good to honour our past. The Diefenbunker, named after Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, is a four-storey deep nuclear fortress built in secrecy between 1959 and 1961 in the event that a nuclear war broke out. It has since been turned into a Cold War museum, and is a sombre reminder of the tension and stress of that time period.
Quebec - Winter Carnival
Sometimes it is fun to go with the cliché choice, which is why the Winter Festival should be on anyone’s bucket list. Dating back to 1894, it is an icier version of Mardi Gras. They have snow sculptures, the infamous ice palace, and canoe and sleigh rides. They also have a night parade overseen by a strange character named Bonhomme, basically a snowman version of the clown from Stephen King’s It. It sounds super weird, but that’s the point of a bucket list, right?
New Brunswick - Zip-line over Grand Falls waterfall
Sometimes you kind of want to conquer nature, right? Well why not do that by ziplining over a waterfall? If you’re into selfies, what better challenge than a “holding on for dear life, praying you don’t fall” selfie? Your Facebook friends will have to respect that.
Nova Scotia - Fortress of Louisbourg
Call me a sucker for history, but there is something romantic about experiencing things from a different era. Louisbourg is a prime example of this, as it is the largest historical reconstruction in North America (16,000 acres!). Filled every summer with historical re-enactors playing the part of French colonials from 1744, you’ll get a glimpse of what life might have been like back then.
P.E.I. - Anne of Green Gables
If you haven’t heard of Anne of Green Gables, then you aren’t truly a Canadian yet. Written in 1908, Anne of Green Gables is the story of a plucky red head’s journey through life in Canada. In the book (and movie), Anne is sent to P.E.I. as a child, which is where you can visit if you wish to see first hand the places described in the novel. P.E.I. also has plenty of tourist spots set up based purely on the Anne of Green Gables experience. There might be nothing more Canadian than asking for time off work so you can go see where Anne of Green Gables grew up.
Newfoundland - L’Anse aux Meadows
Christopher Columbus who? The Vikings found North America long before ol’ Chris did. See for yourself, as you walk amongst the timber framed buildings on the Great Northern Peninsula. They have various Viking exhibits and Viking actors, and you can learn more about the Norse way of life.