Travel Canada: 5 Family Vacation Ideas

From its culturally rich cities to its scenic natural splendors, Canada boasts many options for a memorable family vacation.  Below are five tried-and-true favorite vacations that travelers with children are sure to enjoy.

Montreal
This French/English bilingual city is full of fun and educational experiences to be had by children of all ages.  Both parents and kids will take pleasure in experiencing life as it was hundreds of years ago in Old Montreal.  Fast-forward a few centuries and learn about technological advances of today and tomorrow at the Montreal Science Centre.  Explore natural environments by visiting the Biodome, or enrich your family’s cultural appreciation at the Museum of Fine Arts.  Want an adventure? Take a jet boat tour down the Lachine Rapids.

Stay
For the budget-conscious, the Holiday Inn Montreal-Midtown offers a family-friendly stay at a wallet-friendly price.
The ritzy Loews Hotel Vogue specializes in luxury and comfort –for parents and kids.  They have games to lend out, a children’s menu at the hotel restaurant and a welcome gift at check-in. Read more

Canadian Cuisine – Good Eats

What makes Canadian cuisine unique are its regional specialties: Alberta beef, goldeye fish in Manitoba, salmon from BC, Nova Scotia lobster, and Quebec French pies and pastries.

Game, including rabbit, caribou, and bison, which have been served in aboriginal homes for centuries, are now considered gourmet dishes at cosmopolitan restaurants. A tradition of French haute cuisine is evident in most of the country’s major cities, particularly in top hotels. However, as Canada is a nation of immigrants, ethnic restaurants are common everywhere.

German, Greek, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Ukrainian, African, and Italian cuisines, along with other international favorites, provide a wide range of choice at a price to suit every budget.

Regional specialties can be sampled in their place of origin, but most of the larger towns will also offer a choice of the country’s best local produce, and in some areas this includes Canadian wines and beers.

Types of Restaurants

Eating out in Canada is surprisingly easy on the pocket, particularly compared to European and American prices. This makes a trip to a top restaurant to sample international cuisine (often made with local produce) very worthwhile. Eating places are extremely varied, with the tearoom, bistro, brasserie, and theater café competing with the more usual café, restaurant, and fast food outlet. Many pubs also serve excellent bar food, at reasonable prices.

More unusual, but no less worthwhile, is the uniquely Canadian dining experience of the delicious lobster supper.

Held throughout the summer on Prince Edward Island, these lively gatherings usually take place in church grounds on wooden tables surrounded by local fishermen. Equally unique, though by no means public, are Inuit dinners.

Traveling through the Arctic north may result in an invitation to join an Inuit family for the evening meal. Traditional dishes might include sun dried caribou sweetened with berry sauces or smoked and dried local fish. These family dinners are usually alcohol free and very lively.