West Edmonton Mall
Edmonton is home to the West Edmonton Mall – North America’s biggest shopping complex. With over 800 stores and covering 48 city blocks, it has the world’s largest indoor wave pool, an amusement park with over 25 rides and attractions, an indoor triple loop rollercoaster, indoor lake, bungee tower, underwater world and everything you could possibly imagine to excite and entertain the whole family. It attracts around 28 million people a year.
VANCOUVER
Canada Place
Built for Expo ’86, Canada Place, in the heart of busy Vancouver Harbour, is a stunning building with a row of five white sails – somewhat resembling the Sydney Opera House. Home to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, Canada Place also houses the Cruise Ship Terminal, Pan Pacific Hotel and CN IMAX Theatre.
Queen Elizabeth Park
Located in one of the highest points in the city, this beautifully landscaped park has splendid views of the city, mountains and sea. As well as formal gardens and plenty of room for the kids to run around, Queen Elizabeth Park is also home to the Bloedel Floral Conservatory. This triodetic dome contains a tropical environment with over 500 species of plants from lush rainforest ferns to desert cacti. Over 100 exotic birds fly overhead and tropical fish swim in streams and pools.
Science World
Science World is a hands-on science centre aimed primarily at kids, although it’s great fun for adults as well. Housed in the impressive dome-shaped building it features entertaining and educational exhibits, many of which are interactive. The OMNIMAX Theatre gives the building its shape shows science and nature films on its enormous wrap-around screen.
The Lookout
This glass elevator launches visitors up 169m in 40 seconds, where an observation deck affords an incredible 360 degree view of the city. After you’ve exhausted your camera’s memory card, enjoy a snack and buy a souvenir at the Lookout gift shop, or watch a multi-image show about Vancouver in the theatre.
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
This excellent aquarium offers the opportunity to observe thousands of fish and marine animals inside in a variety of different habitats, and marine mammals in outdoor pools with have underwater viewing windows. It takes at least a couple of hours to see everything.
TORONTO
CNN Tower
At 553 metres, this is the highest freestanding structure in the world. Its primary function is radio and TV communications but it’s also a must-see on every tour of the city, as an elevator whisks you to the glass observation deck near the top where the entire city is spread below your feet.
Casa Loma
A curious mock medieval castle, the “house on the hill” is a step back in time to European opulence, complete with decorated suites, secret passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and beautiful 5-acre estate gardens.
Paramount Canada’s Wonderland
This is Canada's leading amusement park and water fun park with attractions, entertainment and over 60 rides including The Italian Job stunt track.
Niagara Falls
Renowned the world over for their beauty, these magnificent falls are one of Canada’s top tourist attractions. While they’re not the tallest falls in the world, the amount of water that thunders over them is truly staggering – about the equivalent of one million bathtubs full every minute. The falls are located on the border of Ontario, Canada and New York State, USA, two hours drive from Toronto.
MONTREAL
Old Montreal
The original part of the city is beautifully preserved at historic Old Montreal. The cobblestone streets are lined with historic grey stone buildings, museums, galleries, shops and restaurants. The area is also home to the Viuex Port, lively public squares like Place Jacques-Cartier and the magnificent Basilique Notre-Dame.The whole family will love the chance to ride around town in a traditional horse and buggy.
Biodome
Originally built as the velodrome (cycling stadium) for the 1976 Olympics, this impressive spherical building allows visitors to walk through replicas of the four ecosystems found in the Americas – tropical rainforest, Laurentian forest, marine ecosystem and an Arctic environment, all complete with a thriving array of plants and animals.
La Ronde Amusement Park
This excellent theme park is a great way to break up a few days of sightseeing, shopping and museum hopping. La Ronde is home a sailing lagoon, an “Enchanted Forest” with costumed storytellers, and a Western town with a saloon. There are also Ferris wheels, carousels, roller coasters, carnival booths, and plenty of places to eat and drink.
EVENTS
Quebec City Winter Carnival
Held over 10 days in chilly February, the Winter Carnival has been a tradition since 1954. The streets of Quebec City come alive with parades, ice sculptures, dances and winter sporting events.
Caribana, Toronto
Each year in late July/early August Toronto’s Caribbean community celebrate their heritage with this lively, colourful festival. Highlights are the fantastic Caribbean music and a street parade complete with wild costumes and dancing.
Calgary Stampede
This is Canada’s largest annual event and the world’s largest outdoor rodeo. It takes place over ten days every July and features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, rides, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city. An unmissable family event if you’re headed for Calgary in July.
Skiing
Canada is one of the most popular overseas snow destinations for Australians with its spectacular scenery, challenging terrain and hundreds of excellent ski resorts to choose from. Plenty of ski holiday packages are available that offer outstanding value for money. Popular ski resorts for families include Big White and Whistler in British Columbia, and the villages near Calgary, Alberta including Fernie and Banff.
 Wildlife Watching
With vast tracts of largely untouched wilderness between its borders it’s no wonder Canada is one of the world’s premier destinations for wildlife watching. A wildlife expedition on Vancouver Island will take you to see magnificent orcas and humpbacks at play in the ocean and grizzly bears roaming the shores. If it’s bears you love you can brave the cold and make the journey to Manitoba in the Arctic Circle to see the biggest of them all, the polar bear. And there are great hikes and wildlife watching opportunities in many of Canada’s more accessible national parks like Banff and Jasper National Parks in Ontario and Glacier National Park in BC.
Top 10 Things to Do in Canada
1. Meet one of Canada’s biggest and furriest residents – the grizzly bear. Check them out on a guided wilderness tour.
2. Photograph the world famous Niagara Falls
3. Take a horse and carriage ride through Old Montreal
4. Spend a morning on the harbour at Canada Place, Vancouver
5. Go downhill on the snowfields of Banff
6. Visit the fascinating Montreal Biodome
7. View Toronto from the tallest free-standing structure on earth, the CNN Tower
8. Launch yourself to the top of the Lookout, Vancouver
9. Learn about Canada’s marine life at the Vancouver Aquarium
10. Take the kids on the ride of their life at Canada’s Wonderland
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