When to Visit Canada

Whilst Canada is known for its long and cold winter, if you are prepared for the weather it can be a magical time to visit with fun activities such as dog sledding and snowmobiling. Canada is known for its excellent skiing, and March is a particularly great month for winter sports as it boasts milder temperatures and good snow. Head west to legendary Whistler or to the east lies Mont Tremblant, which is a great choice for beginners. The winter months are also one of the best times to see the northern lights, where the dark skies are illuminated with green and purple flames. Between January and March, Ottawa’s historic Rideau Canal transforms into the world’s largest skating rink, and February hosts the Quebec Winter Carnival which is home to night parades, snow sculptures, ice palaces and canoe races.

As the snow starts to thaw and temperatures begin to rise, spring can be a lovely time to visit Canada. It is still a quiet time to visit, meaning cities and hotels are less busy and more affordable than the summer months. In the Rockies, the ski season is often at its best in April with sunny, blue skies, whereas in the east it is a great time to tour Canada’s historic cities by rail. As you move into May, the weather warms up, national parks become more accessible, lodges start to reopen, and the country’s wildlife begins to emerge from hibernation as colourful wildflower carpet the mountains and meadows. Canada’s countryside and cities burst into life in with colourful flowers during the spring months and celebrations including the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and Ottawa Tulip Festival are held.

With long sunny days and warm pleasant weather, the months of June, July and August are the best time to visit Canada. The summer is perfect for experiencing Canada’s great outdoors through hiking, kayaking, and fishing, and is also a great time for wildlife enthusiasts with puffins nesting on the Newfoundland coast, active bears on Vancouver Island and whales breaching in the Maritimes. The Canadian Rockies and little-visited Yukon are also spectacular at this time of year. June is National Indigenous History Month which offers great opportunities to learn about the history and culture of Canada’s indigenous communities. Other festivals include the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and the famous Calgary Stampede, a ten-day rodeo festival that celebrates Canada’s cowboy culture.

September and October are Canada’s shoulder season and is often considered a great time to visit where days remain warm, hiking trails are still accessible and prices tend to decrease. Canada puts on a phenomenal display of autumnal leaves during fall, where the countryside and city foliage turns to a kaleidoscope of reds and oranges, making it a magical time for a self-drive tour, especially in Quebec and Ontario. September and October are great months to see grizzly bears in Canada. Bears come out in their droves to catch and feast on the spawning salmon as they travel upstream, in preparation for the long winter hibernation ahead. The autumn months are also the last time to go whale watching before they migrate to warmer waters.

November marks the start of the Canadian winter where temperatures drop, days are shorter, and snow starts falling. Canada’s east coast cities are still lively during this time of year however, and December is great for festive city breaks where twinkling lights illuminate the skylines and Christmas markets spring to life. It is also the beginning of the ski season where resorts will be busy over the holiday period. November is the best time for polar bear viewing in the way-out-there wilds of Churchill, Manitoba, often described as the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World’. These beautiful and graceful creatures begin to cross the vast tundra in preparation for seal hunting for winter feeding, and they can be viewed on a once-in-a-lifetime tour. There are also excellent opportunities to see the northern lights in November.