There’s no doubt that Canada is one of the most stunning countries on the planet with plenty to offer eager travelers. However, if you are planning to visit the country for the first time, you likely have a few questions about the experience that awaits you. Below, we’ve sought to answer the most common questions first-time visitors tend to ask, so you can be fully prepared to embrace all the wonders the country has to offer when you finally set foot on Canadian soil.

“Do I need a visa to visit Canada?”

As with most visa questions, the only way to answer this is by saying… it depends. Some passport holders – such as those from the USA – do not need a visa to travel to Canada, but the vast majority will need an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) in order to enter the country. Thankfully, you can go through the Canada visa application process online, so you should have no problem ensuring you have your eTA in place by the time you’re ready to travel. If you want to go to Canada in order to start a business, you need to consult with a local lawyer about the requirements in this case.

“What should I expect from the weather in Canada?”

Canada is a famously cold country, though you should be able to avoid the worst of this if visiting during the (Canadian) spring or summer. However, even in the warmer months of the year, even relatively warm areas rarely see temperatures above 27C, and temperatures can dip in the evenings so pack with this in mind. If you’re visiting in autumn or winter, then pack a lot of cold-weather options; even major cities can become bitterly cold, while temperatures in more remote areas will plummet even further.

“Will I need to understand French?”

Canada has two national languages; English, of course, and French – so it’s no surprise that visitors occasionally wonder if they’ll need to understand French to navigate around the country. However, this is unlikely to be the case; even in parts of the country where French is the main language, such as Quebec, English is still spoken and included in road signs, so there’s no need to specifically pick up a few Quebecois phrases before your visit.

“What side of the road do they drive on in Canada?”

If you’re accustomed to driving in New Zealand, then hiring a car and driving in Canada will be a very different proposition; Canadians drive on the right-hand side of the road. In addition, you’ll need to be particularly cautious if driving in cold weather conditions; Canadian roads can, unsurprisingly, become rather treacherous, so it might be best to stick to the public transport system during your stay.

“Do I have to pay for any medical treatment I might need in Canada?”

Yes, so you’ll need to ensure you have good travel insurance that will cover any healthcare costs you may experience while visiting the country – hopefully you won’t need to use it, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution.

With the above questions answered, you should be ready to enjoy the wonders that your Canadian vacation is sure to bring – enjoy!

“Canada” (CC BY 2.0) by kevin dooley

Bring to mind the facts that you know about Canada and they’re probably the most obvious ones – the Mounties always get their man, it’s the world’s biggest single producer of maple syrup and there’s a crazy mix of both imperial and metric measurements. But, as you might expect from the second-largest country in the world (after Russia), there are a whole different set of facts that are less well known.

It has the world’s longest coastline

At 202,080km or 125.567 miles, Canada’s coastline is longer than any other country’s in the world. So long, in fact, that if you decided that you were going to walk all the way around it and set off today you’d still be walking in four and a half years’ time. What’s more, you will have walked past the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans along the way.

It’s been as cold as Mars

“Mars – Crater” (Public Domain) by mariagatmariagat

Anyone who’s been to Canada in the winter will know that it can get pretty seriously chilly – Ottawa’s average temperature in January is a little over -14°C. But back in 1947 the settlement of Snag, deep in the Yukon hit an all-time low of -63°C, around the same temperature you’d experience on one of the warmer days on Mars.

It’s a casino lover’s paradise

Cities like Las Vegas and Macau might be the high-profile casino centers but Canadians love to try their luck too. Right now, a huge new 330,000 sq.ft. casino is nearing completion in the center of Toronto and you only have to go online and browse site after site to see that there are numerous generous offers and bonuses available to encourage Canadians to enjoy their favorite games on the internet too.

You could fit whole countries into its national parks

Just as the cold is taken to extremes, so are the wide, open spaces. So, if you wanted to fit either Switzerland or Denmark in Alberta’s Wood Buffalo National Park you could, with ease. Alternatively, either Israel or Albania would fit very snugly in the Northwest Territories’ Nahanni National Park Reserve. It’s also the country where you’ll find 10% of all the world’s forests and nearly 20% of its fresh water in over 30,000 lakes including 560 of them that are bigger than 100 sq. km.

It’s where the Hawaiian pizza was invented

“Athena Pizza – Hawaiian Pizza” (CC BY 2.0) by elsie.hui

It’s unlikely but it’s true. The lasting legacy of the restaurateur Sam Panapoulos, who sadly passed away in 2017, was the pizza that tends to divide the population in equal measures. It came about because he and his brothers were looking for something different for their Ontario restaurant and thought the sweet and savory contrast would be popular. The pizza was named after the brand of tinned pineapple they were using – and the rest is history!

As you’d expect, there are a million and one other interesting facts about Canada and we’ll leave you with one of the most surprising. Did you know that the familiar Canadian interjection “eh” has even earned a place in the country’s official dictionary?

Canada is cherished by outdoorsy types for its gorgeous landscapes and multitude of fun activities. It’s not all ice fishing and hockey, though. Here are six of the most unique experiences waiting for you up in the Great White North.

Ski and snowboard like a champ

An Olympic champ that is! It’s no secret that Canada is home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding spots on Earth, but how many can say they let you race down the same paths as the best athletes of 82 nations?

In the snow-covered tourist town of Whistler, thrill-seekers can relive the 2010 Winter Olympics at the world-renowned 8000-acre Whistler Blackcomb resort or at the appropriately named Whistler Olympic Park, where the giant Olympic Rings still stand.

Go kayaking next to orcas

Soon to be a recognized Whale Heritage Site, the scenic Johnstone Strait near Vancouver Island is home to around 150 orcas every summer. Similarly hundreds of tourists find themselves drawn there for a chance to glimpse these amazing creatures up-close.

There’s no better way to do that than in a kayak. With paddle in hand, rowers can float right alongside the enormous and friendly animals as they swim the clean, crystal waters.

Hang off the edge of the CN Tower

With a height of nearly 2000 feet, Toronto’s CN Tower is one of the tallest free-standing structures in the world. Doesn’t that just make you want to gather your friends and go dangling off the edge? If you said “yes,” you might be crazy, but you’re definitely in luck.

EdgeWalk allows visitors to walk the exterior perimeter of the tower’s panoramic viewing area, completely hands-free while tethered to an overhead rail system. Guests can even lean over the side of the platform for a bird’s eye view of the Toronto real estate market. All of it.

Try the Zen art of snow-tagging

What is snow-tagging, you ask? A uniquely Canadian answer to Zen gardening and a whimsical marriage of exercise and art, that’s what. At La Mauricie National Park in Quebec, visitors wait for fresh snowfall (you never have to wait long in Canada), then strap on snowshoes and head outside to meticulously stomp out elaborate patterns with a little help from GPS of course.

It’s kind of like UFO crop circles, but chillier. Afterwards, a quick hike up a nearby hill provides a chance to bask in the delicate winter beauty of your creation.

Ride a zip-line across Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls may be one of those majestic natural attractions in North America. It’s certainly one of the most celebrated. If you’ve ever visited the falls and watched them dump over 3000 tons of water into the river below, you know how impressive a sight it really is.

The only way to make it more impressive? Go soaring over it with nothing but 2,200 feet of cable above you and empty air beneath.

Be amazed by the aurora borealis

Also known as the Northern Lights, aurora borealis is an enchanting natural phenomenon where electrically charged particles from the sun react to Earth’s atmosphere and paint the night sky with dreamy splashes of green and pink light.

Aurora borealis occurs year-round, but in many parts of the world the artificial lights of our cities make it impossible to see. With 80% of Canada being virgin wilderness, remote villages like Yellowknife, Churchill, and Whitehorse provide a rare opportunity to witness the Northern Lights in all their psychedelic glory.