Before traveling to Canada, it is worth a little planning and research. Avoid common travel mishaps like planning to do too much and misjudging distances between Canadian cities by knowing travel requirements, weather, and transportation.
Furthermore, Canada, although adjacent and friendly to the United States, is a different country with its own protected border, currency, and laws. Don’t assume that what flies in one country is fine in the other.
Determine your eligibility
To visit Canada, you must meet some requirements according to the Government of Canada, Immigration and Citizenship. These include things like having a valid travel document, being in good health, appearing ready and willing to leave Canada when your trip is over, having a sufficient amount of money, and no criminal record.
What travel documents will you need
Don’t slow down your vacation by not having the correct travel documents. Once a confusing problem, crossing the Canadian border is now pretty straightforward – bring your passport. Some exceptions apply to US citizens, but the best option is a passport or passport equivalent.
Other nationalities may require a visa.
In addition to travel documents, know what you can and cannot cross the Canadian border. Some articles may surprise you.
Consider the size of Canada
With 10 provinces and 3 territories, Canada is the second largest country in the world; only Russia is bigger. The area of land plus freshwater in Canada is 9,984,670 square km (or 3,855,174 square miles). In fact, from coast to coast, Canada covers five time zones.
Victoria, the capital of Canada’s westernmost province, is 4,491 kilometers (2,791 miles) from Toronto and a whopping 7,403 kilometers (4601 miles) from the easternmost capital, St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Choose your destination (s)
You may have a destination in mind, or you may want to include several in your Canadian travel itinerary. Canada is famous for its adventure travel and landscapes, but there is a wide range of destinations to satisfy any interest.
Because the country is so large, not many people visit all of Canada in one trip. It is usually divided into more manageable parts, such as a visit to the Maritime (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) or Quebec and Ontario (Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto and Niagara Falls) or West Coast, Prairie Provinces, or Northern Canada.
Decide when to go
Maybe you’re heading to Canada on a whim because of a strong US dollar or a great travel deal, or planning your vacation in advance. Prices, weather, and available activities change depending on when you are in Canada.
Money matters
Canada uses the Canadian dollar, unlike its neighbor to the south, which uses the US dollar. Some Canadian / US border cities and major cities will accept both currencies, but you should familiarize yourself with Canadian money, where to get it, sales taxes, tips, and more.
Differences in laws
Before coming to Canada, be sure to read the local laws on drinking age, speed limits, regulations on the introduction of firearms, spirits and more.
