Best Time to Visit Canada: Weather, Safety, Tourism
Canada is the second largest country in the world and with that massive landmass comes lots of attractions that have definitely caught the eye of the rest of the world. This is if the number of foreign visitors visiting the country every year is anything to go by.
With each season, the beautiful Canadian landscape comes to life in a different form than the previous one. The wildlife spotting opportunities too vary depending on the season. This makes the time of the year have a significant influence on how you experience this great place we all call Canada.
To decide on the best time of the year to visit is challenging. The beautiful scenery in Banff National Park and the Rocky mountains can be best enjoyed during the winter months, so that one can fully appreciate how breathtaking the glaciers and the snow capped peaks are. On the other hand, to fully appreciate the beauty of the Niagara falls, a summer visit will be most suitable.
Different attractions may require different seasons to be fully enjoyed. The best time will depend on the kind of places you want to visit and the activities you want to take place in and this may vary based on preference. But to further help you in deciding, let’s discuss this further with weather, safety, and tourism in mind.
Weather
To further dissect it further let’s divide the weather into the four known seasons.
Summer
Summer in Canada is between the months of June to August. The days are long, sunny, and warm making them ideal for the outdoors. It’s the best time for mountain hiking, surfing, kayaking, or even water rafting. It’s a great time too to spot bears and go watch humpback whales on the shores of Newfoundland. You can also decide to go just go sunbath on the beach as you shoot breeze
Autumn
Autumn is between the months of September and November and presents some wonderful and spectacular fall foliage and fun festivals. It is also a perfect time for wildlife spotting as the salmon run on the pacific coast attracts predators including bears. It is also a good time to spot blue and humpback whales on the St. Lawrence river. Polars bears too come out to play in Manitoba as the ice begins to form.
Winter
The winter months are December to March. Some people find it the ideal time to visit Canada for the activities like skiing and other events that take place. Some attractions include the Snow Days events at Banff’s national park and Ice Magical festival at Lake Louise. It can also be a wonderful time to catch the Northern lights in Yukon.
Spring
Spring in Canada is between the months of April and May. As the temperatures begin to rise slowly, the Canadian landscape transforms into beautiful colors. Cherries bloom and tulip bulbs in Ottawa flower marking the Ottawa tulip festival. You can also watch Iceberg sail down off the coast of Newfoundland. Bears also begin to come out of hibernation throughout the country.
Tourism
Thanks to the stability of the country, beautiful landscape, amazing forest and wildlife Canada is a major tourist destination in the world with people coming from all over to enjoy all that it has to offer.
The ideal means of moving around Canada is by car. There are several Canada car rentals you can choose from. Just make sure you have gone through and understood the rental policies including the minimum age to rent a car in Canada.
Below are a few car rental tips to apply while in Canada:
- Don’t always go for the cheapest car rental.
- Use membership discounts.
- Shop around before you settle on one. You can use rental24h.com for shopping around.
- Inspect the exterior and interior of the car before driving away.
- Make sure you return the car in the condition you took it.
The main periods that attract a majority of tourists are during summer and winter. This is not to take anything away from the other two seasons that equally have visitors too.
Traveling to Canada may require a visa if you are from some countries but tourists from the USA, the UK, France, Japan, Germany,South Korea, and Australia do not need one for shorter stays of up to 180 days. Some of the attractions you can expect to see include:
- Rideau Canal.
- The Okanagan Valley.
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
- Calgary Stampede.
- The Vancouver Stanley Park.
- Gros Morne National Park.
- Niagara Falls
- Bay of Fundy.
- Whistler.
- Banff National Park and The Rocky Mountains.
Security
On matters of security Canada can overally be said to be a safe country to visit at any time. On the world stage it is known for its diplomacy, peace keeping missions, and even respect and tolerance to human rights earning it even more friends than enemies.
Internally the risk for pickpockets, mugging, terrorism, and threats to women are generally low. However, you should not let your guard down and should be conscious of your surroundings at all times.
Conclusion
Canada is a major tourist attraction attracting millions of tourists throughout the year. The best time to visit will solely be based on personal preference. How each season shapes its unique landscape, beautiful flora and fauna are among the main reasons for this. Choose your preferred time based on how you want to experience Canada.
To navigate this country and sample its attractions conveniently you will need a car. There are many car rental opportunities in almost all corners of Canada that you can take advantage of. Identify one cars for rent companies, get a comfortable car and move around as you appreciate all that Canada is. Won’t you?