Canada

Montreal is the most European city in North America — French-speaking, festival-obsessed, and blessed with a food scene that rivals any major city. Old Montreal's cobblestone streets and basilica, the Plateau's colorful staircases, and the underground city are highlights. The bagels are better than New York's (don't @ us), and poutine is a religion.

Vancouver is where mountains meet the Pacific — snowboard in the morning, kayak in the afternoon, and eat world-class sushi for dinner. Stanley Park, Granville Island, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge are highlights, but the city's real draw is its setting. The food scene reflects its Asian-Pacific crossroads, especially in Richmond's Chinese restaurants.

Banff National Park is the Canadian Rockies at their finest — turquoise lakes (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake), towering peaks, glaciers, and abundant wildlife. The charming town of Banff sits right inside the park, and the Icefields Parkway connecting to Jasper is one of the world's most scenic drives. World-class skiing in winter, incredible hiking in summer.

The northern anchor of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO site. Maligne Lake's Spirit Island, the Columbia Icefield's Athabasca Glacier, the 230 km Icefields Parkway drive down to Banff, and the Jasper SkyTram up Whistlers Mountain (2,263m). World's 2nd-largest Dark Sky Preserve with an annual Dark Sky Festival. Wildlife: elk, bighorn sheep, bears, wolves. Honest note: the town suffered major damage in the 2024 wildfire; confirm operational status for specific lodges. Access from Edmonton (YEG) 4hr or Calgary (YYC) 5hr; VIA Rail stops in Jasper.

The only fortified city north of Mexico — Old Quebec (UNESCO) is a living 17th-century French colonial town perched on the St. Lawrence clifftops. The Château Frontenac is the world's most photographed hotel. Carnaval de Québec is North America's largest winter festival. French is the heartbeat of this city, which feels more like Brittany than Toronto.

Canada's largest city holds the CN Tower (553m), the world's most multicultural population (200 languages spoken), and St. Lawrence Market (National Geographic's #1 food market in the world). The Distillery District is the largest collection of Victorian industrial architecture in North America. From Kensington Market's bohemian stalls to the waterfront Islands ferry and the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto delivers a world-class city without the pretension — and Niagara Falls is 90 minutes away.

North America's flagship ski destination — a purpose-built resort village 125 km north of Vancouver via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, set at the foot of two side-by-side mountains. Whistler (2,182 m) and Blackcomb (2,436 m) hold 200+ marked runs across 8,171 acres, joined by the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola whose 3.024 km unsupported span is the longest of any cable car on earth. Blackcomb's 1,609 m vertical drop is the largest at any North American resort. The Village core is fully pedestrian — no cars allowed. Co-host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Summer flips to lift-served downhill biking at the largest bike park in North America.