Best Place in Canada To Visit This Summer?
We think this is more a question of should you visit the Canadian Rockies, or take a detour and hit the Westcoast, including Vancouver Island.
What Are You Looking For In A Canadian Destination?
Let’s think about what would make the perfect destination for your summer vacation. Here is a list:
Sun and good weather
Wildlife
Beautiful ecology (trees, plants, flowers)
Lack of crowds
Natural attractions
Good infrastructure (think hotels, parking lots, visitor information centers etc)
Great food and drink
Culture and history
So now the question is where has the best of these factors?
Why Visit The Canadian Rockies in Summer?
OK, so the Rockies are definitely on your bucket list, or at least they should be. With epic scenery as far as the eye can see and everything the eye looks, there is no shortage of beauty here. In fact, it seems like every photo you take could be a professionally shot post card. This is one of the reasons the Rockies are one of the best places to visit in Canada during the summer.
The food is decent. The cultural food around the Rockies would be what the early settlers ate, or what the First Nations ate during their travel through the mountain corridors. I suppose this would be buffalo (bison), elk, and venison, all of which can be found at any restaurant worth their salt in the Rockies. Try the Grizzly House in Banff for some really exquisite meat selections.
I can’t say that the Rockies aren’t crowded, although the crowds are easy to escape, especially if you are on a guided tour with Fresh Adventures, and your local guide is an expert at dodging crowds and taking you far into the mountains, away from the rest of the people.
The infrastructure is great, with ample hotels and parking lots (most of which are sold out or over-run though. There is plenty of history, and the culture that goes with that.
Overall I would rate the Rockies very highly as one of the best places to visit in Canada during the summer.
Why Visit Vancouver Island During The Summer?
OK, so full disclosure I shouldn’t write this article. Why? I am biased. I spent countless days, weeks even, exploring both Vancouver Island and the Canadian Rockies. In fact, I have lived in both of them as well. I do currently live on Vancouver Island, and I have to admit, I do have a favourite during the summer. And that is Vancouver Island.
So where is the best place to visit in Canada during the summer? I would have to say Vancouver Island is, and here is why…
Vancouver Island has an incredibly diverse landscape, ranging from flat grasslands to forests and also to mountain ranges that stretch as far as the eye can see. Most people don’t realize that Vancouver Island has mountains on it, but most people also don’t know Vancouver Island exists!
There are towering mountains along most of the Island, many mountain ranges that do a great job at rivaling the mountains in the Rockies.
As far as a lush ecosystem goes the Island is the hands down winner, with massive old growth trees, and ferns that date back to prehistoric times. You can’t help but feel like a baby dinosaur as you walk through these forests.
There are plenty of hotels all around the island, and most of them are actually available during the summer (except around Tofino). There are also parking lots anywhere you need them, and believe it or not, you can actually park in them (except Cathedral Grove).
The food on Vancouver Island is amazing, with a definitely focus on seafood. Feast on fresh mussels, salmon, halibut, crab and shrimp, all caught in the same water you just swam in. There are berries everywhere.. oh the berries…. enough to live off, and the best part is that most people (including the locals) don’t know the majority of the berries are edible, which means that you can feast on them when your Fresh Adventures guides show them to you.
There are virtually no crowds on Vancouver Island.. ever. Oh yes, and there is a ton of wildlife. There are over 10,000 black bears on the island, and near the water you are downright likely to see eagles, sea lions, seals, bears and even whales or porpoises.
So Where Is The Best Place To Visit In Canada During The Summer?
My vote is Vancouver Island.
Check out our 8 Day Vancouver Island Camping Adventure for the perfect guided Westcoast experience.
About The Author
Alex Ross - Founder and Adventure Guru
Alex moved to British Columbia over 10 years ago, right after graduating university in Halifax. When he came he planned on working as a dishwasher in the Rockies, but after 24 hours he threw in the towel and moved back to the coast to drive boats, walk dogs, guide adventures and surf. After moving around a bit over the past ten years he now lives on Vancouver Island and loves it.