I love Canada and have visited the country dozens of times. There is so much to see and do in Canada and I feel as if many Americans and even Europeans have no idea and haven’t even visited our closest neighbor, Mexico aside. From the stunning mountain scenery of the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta to the gorgeous Maritime Provinces, Canada is the second largest country on Earth and has a lot to offer, but my favorite is Western Canada.

Set between the province of Alberta and the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia is a land blessed with amazing diversity and a temperate climate. There is an equally amazing variety of places to see and things to do across Canada’s most beautiful province. From Vancouver and Victoria Island to the most beautiful place in North America, Whistler, down to the bustling metropolis of Vancouver which will be the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics-BC will win you over with it’s charm and natural beauty.

Whistler is one of my favorite places on Earth and home to some of the best mountains in North America. While I don’t ski (but I do plan to try snowboarding this year), I do love to be there to hike and certainly enjoy the energy and life in the village of Whistler. What a great time it is going out at the end of the day and watching the world class skiers and snowboarders show their videos from the day while enjoying some fine Canadian lager. The hotels in Whistler are also world class and there is something for every budget as well.

Just to the east of BC is my other favorite province of Alberta. Alberta’s grandeur and beauty are obvious from the moment of arrival. Rolling foothills, intimidating mountains and prehistoric hoodoos are a few of Alberta’s more distinct natural landmarks. Most impressive are Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, which facilitate the world famous resort towns of Banff (Second only to Whistler as my favorite in Canada), Jasper and stunning Lake Louise.

Calgary, home of the ridiculously fun and crazy Calgary Stampede each July, is best known for its warm hospitality, the oil and gas industry (Cowtown Canada), killer restaurants and steakhouses, Cowboys Bar (the single best bar in North America-the US included) and its close proximity to the Rockies. Calgary will be a favorite of anyone who visits, it really is an amazing city with something for everyone and has a really homely warm feeling, even if it is freezing outside which tends to happen-it is Canada afterall (insert igloo joke here for all my Canadian friends and readers).

Edmonton, the provincial capital and home of the 5 time Stanley Cup Champion Oilers, is often synonymous with its largest attraction—the West Edmonton Mall which is “North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex offering over 800 stores and services and over 110 dining establishments, the epitome of one-stop shopping”. That quote is from their website and it’s not true-the mall actually really sucks and it seemingly has the same crappy stores over and over and an awful selection of restaurants. Basically it’s torture to visit and you will get lost and annoyed as I did.

Anyway, there is so much in Western Canada and especially in the two provinces of BC and Alberta. The best times to see it are anytime. I have been all throughout the year and have never had a bad time. If you ski or snowboard you’ll love it and if you hike, you’ll love the summer and fall seasons. Anyone who likes great scenery has to drive the route from Vancouver to Whistler-it doesn’t get much better than that for natural scenery.

Sharing is caring!