42 | GO WEST... CANADA CALLING!
www.nitravelnews.com
April/May 2025 oh, canada! Canadian natural wonders not far from the city
Home of the True North strong and free, Canada is a wild wonderland of inspiring scenery, incredible experiences, and a vibrant cultural mosaic that spreads from coast to coast to coast
CANADA is a vast country filled to the brim with incredible natural wonders that will leave any lover of the outdoors awe-struck. You don’t have to fly to the far corners of
the country to enjoy them. There are amazing wonders within close proximity to Canada’s biggest cities. Here’s a look at a handful of Canadian
natural wonders you can experience within two hours of a major urban centre.
Waterfalls Less than a two-hour drive
from Toronto sits Canada’s most renowned natural wonder: Niagara Falls.
Seeing
them once means you’ll want to see them again. Picture this: the sound of rushing the water as you approach the falls, the mist on your ski as you look up at a torrent of blue and white 50 metres above and the sheer power you can feel through your entire body... Once you’ve taken the falls, enjoy the surrounding region. It’s full of fantastic attractions and entertainment, terrific dining and wonderful wines. Many people are surprised to discover
that a waterfall one and a half times higher than Niagara Falls sits just minutes from Quebec City. At 83 metres, the Montmorency Falls are a sight to behold, both from within the city, and up close and personal in the Montmorency Falls Park (Parc de la Chute- Montmorency in French). Hang out near the base or ride the gondola up to the top for a spectacular view. More adventurous visitors might choose to hike one of the three Via Ferrata trails, stopping at viewpoints along the way for some Instagram-worthy shots, or even zipline across the falls. Then there’s Shannon Falls, a beautiful waterfall less than an hour’s drive
from Vancouver. Located next to the Sea-to- Sky Gondola, the falls originate 300 metres above sea level and steadily tumble down between granite cliffs. This waterfall is incredibly accessible and well worth the drive along the picturesque Sea to Sky Highway.
Northern Lights Canada offers some of the best northern
lights viewing in the entire world, and you often don’t have to leave the city to enjoy it.
The Northwest Territories provide some
of, if not THE best aurora borealis viewing in the world. To see the bright reds, blues, greens, and yellows dance across the night sky, all you have to do is take a look through your hotel window in capital city Yellowknife-known as the “Aurora Capital of North America.” For a memorable adventure,
experience
the Northern Lights by dog sled or while staying in a comfortable tipi. The Yukon capital of
Whitehorse is also a fantastic place to see this natural wonder in action as this city often finds itself underneath coloured night skies. Only 20 minutes out of town, you can leave the lights behind and enjoy the aurora surrounded by nature before sleeping in a prospector-style tent. If you can’t make it up to Canada’s territories, the Northern Lights have also been known to make a rare a p p e a r a n c e in Edmonton, at the Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve a couple
of
hours north of Toronto, and even in Prince Edward Island National Park half an
hour north of the capital city Charlottetown. Beaches
Often called the best beach in Canada, Singing Sands in Basin Head Provincial Park, just 75 minutes from Charlottetown, is a
14.5-kilometre white sand beach with some of the warmest waters in Prince Edward Island. In fact, the beach is said to have some of the warmest waters north of Florida, occasionally exceeding 21 degrees celsius. The beach’s name is a result of its fine sand, which squeaks as your feet press into it- the result of a high concentration of silica and quartz. There are 23 beaches on Prince Edward Island, and all of them are within a couple of hours of one another, so you can enjoy a handful of these natural wonders in a day.
Forget near the city, how about directly
within it! Vancouver has nine beautiful beaches within its boundaries, so you never have to stray far from your hotel to enjoy soft sand beneath your feet. In fact, National Geographic named Vancouver one of the 10 best beach cities in the world. The standout of the bunch is probably Wreck Beach, a 6.6-kilometre, clothing-optional beach near the campus of the University
of British Columbia. If you prefer to keep your kit on, English Bay with its volleyball courts, diving platform, and peerless people watching in the heart of the city’s West End neighbourhood comes a close second. You only need to travel 10 minutes from
the city of Toronto to enter a completely different, beachy world. Hop on a ferry and journey to Toronto Island and their three beautiful beaches. Lay down your towel and enjoy the best of nature with beautiful views of the city. Finally, about an hour north-east
of Winnipeg, Manitoba, sits Grand Beach, often named one of the best beaches in Canada. There, on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, you’ll find dunes reaching nearly 12 metres in height, and ample opportunities for sunbathing, swimming and even camping.
Other natural wonders
Every single year, thousands upon thousands of skiers and snowboarders take
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
