8 unforgettable Canadian travel destinations for summer 2025 and beyond, according to an expert
Soak up coastal views and spot wildlife in Newfoundland
'One of the iconic places to go this time of year is Twillingate, Nfld. where you'll see icebergs coming by and the arrival the puffins,' says Cook. Just 90 minutes from Gander's airport, visitors can watch dolphins, seabirds and harp seals in the waters off the rugged coast, or explore the outport's historic, charming streets.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Fogo Island Inn (@fogoislandinn)
Perched off Newfoundland's northeast coast, just a couple of hours away from Twillingate, Fogo Island's wild beauty is set against magnificent landscapes, making it another great place to visit, she adds.
'For a special treat, don't miss staying at the Fogo Island Inn,' suggests Cook. The luxe property offers spectacular views, fine dining, iceberg tours and whale-watching excursions.
Pro tip: Take a short ferry ride to Europe — the French islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are just 20 kilometres from Newfoundland's southern coast.
Dine on the ocean floor in Nova Scotia
For an unforgettable culinary experience, head to Burnt Coat Head Park on the Bay of Fundy, the home of the world's highest tides.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dining on the Ocean Floor (@diningontheoceanfloor)
Organized by Food Fantastique, Dining on the Ocean Floor includes scrumptious coastal fare, local craft beer and Tidal Bay wine. Guests can forage for edibles, tour the ocean floor to see fossils, then savour a three-course dinner while watching the incoming tide followed by Mi'kmaq storytelling around a campfire.
'This is a five-hour event and it's absolutely incredible,' says Cook, adding that foodies will also love the seasonal delights at the award-winning Flying Apron Inn & Cookery in Summerville, an hour from Halifax.
Explore the Flavour Trail in Charlevoix, Québec
Québec City's European-style culture, architecture and gastronomy make it a popular destination, but Cook encourages visitors to venture about 80 kilometres east to discover Charlevoix.
'It's a beautiful area with lots of hiking; you can get outside into more remote areas and do a wonderful wine and food road trip,' she says.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Tourisme Charlevoix (@tourismecharlevoix)
Known for its lush forests and rolling hills hugging the St. Lawrence River, plus its Biosphere Reserve — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Charlevoix also has a vibrant culinary and agrotourism scene. Guests can take a self-guided driving tour along the Flavour Trail to meet 40 local producers, growers and chefs and sample award-winning artisanal cheese, organic charcuterie, hand-crafted chocolate, maple whiskey and traditional cider; all perfect ingredients for an alfresco picnic.
Discover lakefront luxury in the Muskokas
Ontario residents have flocked to the Muskoka District north of Lake Simcoe for decades. For an unmatched experience, Cook suggests renting a bespoke villa for a week on this expansive stretch of pristine waterfront. The region's 4,000 hectares of accessible forests, abundant wildlife and rocky shorelines make it the perfect nature getaway, she notes.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Discover Muskoka (@discovermuskoka)
If you're really looking to go big, 'skip the traffic and take a private plane from downtown Toronto, which makes this trip special,' says Cook. Beyond the private plane? Cook notes that travellers can still arrange concierge services, like a chef to prepare meals, guides to lead forest or water-based activities, or a personal masseuse.
Travellers can follow the Cranberry Trail to tour local wineries and sample wines and ciders, play a round of golf or enjoy Muskoka's waterways aboard a classic steamship cruise.
Enjoy remote fishing experiences in Northern Manitoba
'Northern Manitoba is fabulous for people looking for luxurious fly-in fishing lodges. There are lots of lakes and award-winning fishing up there,' says Cook.
One prestigious spot, Kississing Lake Lodge, features world-class trophy angling for lake trout, walleye and northern pike. After flying from Winnipeg to Flin Flon, visitors board a float plane for a 20-minute scenic flight to the main lodge to fish the countless bays and channels nearby, enjoying delicious shore lunches.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Kississing Lodge (@kississinglodge)
Guests can also do wilderness excursions including hiking in the boreal forest, paddling along the shorelines or relaxing in a traditional wood-burning sauna.
Pro tip: Sign up for the Aurora Alert wake-up service so you don't miss the Northern Lights. Peak viewing is typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Sleep under the stars on Vancouver Island
Cook suggests exploring the wild west coast surrounded by a UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve.
'The Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge offers remote glamping that's truly incredible,' she says.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge (@clayoquotwildernesslodge)
Here, 25 luxury canvas tents dot the magnificent shoreline surrounded by ancient growth conifers – the property sits at the mouth of the Bedwell River within an inlet of the Pacific Ocean that's only accessible by boat, helicopter or seaplane. Visitors can enjoy sunrise yoga, hiking, wildlife-spotting, guided fly-fishing or helicopter tours with gourmet picnics.
Cook also recommends staying at Sonora Resort, a fly-in property tucked in the Discovery Islands archipelago off British Columbia coast. This bespoke destination offers guided adventure tours, gourmet dining and world-class salmon fishing.
Sail away to the Canadian High Arctic
Travellers wanting the ultimate adventure should book an expedition cruise, suggests Cook.
'Think Northwest Passage, polar bears, seeing the Northern Lights, bird migration and experiencing First Nations communities — what it looks like today may not look like this in 10 years, so now is the time to go,' she says.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Quark Expeditions (@quarkexpeditions)
Expedition cruises are usually two to three weeks long, and guests can depart from several locations including Edmonton and Newfoundland, adds Cook, who recommends sailing with Quark Expeditions or Aurora Expeditions.
Enjoy a secluded haven in the Northwest Territories
For those seeking an authentic way to experience Canada's North, head to the jaw-dropping wilderness of the Northwest Territories. Cook suggests staying at the lakeside Blachford Lodge, which operates year-round.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Arctic Kingdom | Polar Safaris (@arctickingdomexpeditions)
'In the spring, summer, and fall, you fly in, and in the winter and early spring, you go in on planes with skis instead of floats,' she explains. 'You're on the edge of the North in luxury, with amazing culinary experiences.'
From birdwatching, canoeing and fishing to hiking and kayaking, there's no shortage of fun for nature lovers, she adds. Bonus: In the summer, you can swim any time of day and you'll always be bathed in sunlight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
P.E.I. visitor numbers in July 'stronger' than last year's, says tourism association
July was busier for tourism this year compared to the same month in 2024, says the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island, with things only expected to get busier next month. While official numbers haven't been made public yet, association CEO Corryn Clemence said she's heard nothing but positives from tourism operators across the Island. Clemence said the province's accommodations and food and beverage sectors have seen a spike in business this summer. "A lot of accommodation providers I've talked to have said that they've been really busy, and some of those... empty rooms are getting filled last minute, which is great," she said. "We've talked to a lot of restaurant operators who are saying that they've seen record sales days one over the other.... We haven't heard that in the last few years." Clemence said that there are a few factors heading into August that could make things even busier for the tourism sector. "August long weekend is traditionally a busy time, we're actually following right on that Quebec holiday week that they get, so it's a busy time of year," she said. "With the announcement, of course, with the lowering of the bridge fares and the ferry, we're optimistic we'll see some extra traffic from that too." The association hopes the reduction in tolls might incentive repeat travel from residents of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. "They represent 60 per cent of our visitation, traditionally," Clemence said. "It's a little extra incentive, maybe, to come across that second, third or fourth trip over." Canadian staying close to home Clemence said last year saw a record number of American visitors, while operators are noticing more Canadians vacationing within the country this season. "We've heard from a lot of our operators that we're still getting that American visitation… so we're happy to see that they're still coming and we want them to feel welcome while they're here," she said. "But... that 'love Canada' kind of mentality this year, we're seeing that pick up." The recent spell of warm weather, along with free visitation to Canada's national parks and historic sites, likely played a role in boosting the numbers, too. "We've seen how busy the park's beaches have been… so I think, you know, good weather, beautiful beaches — we have kind of a great recipie for success." Clemence said P.E.I. is one of the few Canadian provinces that are back to pre-pandemic visitation numbers, and the goal is to keep that going into the off-season. "We're hoping to kind of keep that momentum straight into the end of fall."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cécile Dionne, one of the famous Dionne quintuplets, dead at 91: family spokesperson
Cécile Dionne, one of the world-famous Dionne quintuplets, died earlier this week at the age of 91 following a long illness, a family spokesperson confirmed Friday. Cécile and her sisters became an instant global sensation from the moment of their birth in the Ontario community of Corbeil on May 28, 1934 as they became the first quintuplets known to survive past infancy. Carlo Tarini, a spokesperson of the family, confirmed the death and told The Canadian Press that Cécile died early Monday morning. "She lived her life with quiet dignity, exemplary discretion, and gentle humour, despite the hardships of a childhood lived in the public eye," reads an obituary Tarini shared. Cécile weighed less than two pounds when she was born and dealt with osteoporosis and other ongoing health problems related to her premature birth. She also fought COVID-19 twice, Tarini said. "She was not just a survivor, she was a real fighter. She showed remarkable strength of character," Tarini said in an interview Friday. The Dionne quintuplets were hailed as a salve to the gloom of financial austerity at the peak of their Depression-era fame — but the sisters said the attention came at a personal cost. Cécile and her sister Annette, who is now the last remaining quintuplet, spoke to The Canadian Press in 2019 and said parents should view childhood as a precious time that shouldn't be exploited for profit. When the quintuplets were only months old, the Ontario government took them away from their cash-strapped parents, who already had five children before their brood doubled overnight. The government then installed them across the street from their childhood home in a nursery-style exhibition called Quintland, where millions of tourists lined up to observe the girls sitting in a closed compound through one-way glass. The attraction became so popular that the route between Toronto and North Bay was expanded to a four-lane highway to accommodate the flood of tourists coming to visit the quintuplets, Tarini said. The girls also became ambassadors for companies such as Kellogg's and Palmolive, and had five identical ships named after them during the Second World War. When the quintuplets were 18 years old, they decided to move away from home and out of the public eye. But it was thanks to Cécile that the sisters came forward asking for compensation, Tarini said, prompting the Ontario government to issue an apology and a $4-million settlement to the three surviving Dionne quintuplets in 1998 for the years they spent on display. In the rare times she'd speak out during adulthood, Cécile was a vocal advocate on the consequences of childhood fame. In 1997, Cécile, Annette and Yvonne emerged momentarily from their privacy to publish an open letter in Time magazine offering advice to the McCaughey family from Iowa after they welcomed septuplets. "We sincerely hope a lesson will be learned from examining how our lives were forever altered by our childhood experience," the sisters wrote in the letter. "Multiple births should not be confused with entertainment, nor should they be an opportunity to sell products." The Dionne quintuplets' family home has since been moved from its original site and transformed into a museum in North Bay, Ont., where the family legacy lives on. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Natasha Baldin, The Canadian Press
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Travel Like A Local, Not A Tourist: The Good Life Abroad Makes It Easy
Many tourists want to live like locals. getty Overtourism has sparked a vocal backlash among residents in cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Venice, and more. Ironically, many veteran travelers also have frustrations about European travel. They are weary of the crowds and hectic pace of their trips, and they yearn for slower, more authentic, and more meaningful experiences. The Good Life Abroad (TGLA), founded by Andrew Motiwalla, is an innovative travel company that aims to fill the niche between escorted tours and independent travel. The tour agency enables adults over the age of 55 to book one- to three-month-long apartment stays at a single destination with a small group of kindred travelers. This slow style of immersive travel allows them to live among locals and get to know a city more intimately and deeply than most tourists. Seeking: The Slow Travel Experience 'One of our daughters traveled extensively during college via study abroad opportunities,' says Diane Cook, 64, of Louisville, Kentucky. 'We often commented how fortunate she was to be able to spend time in a country like she did.' Diane, a retired marketing executive, and her husband, Bob, had gone on a number of Seabourn cruises that offered guided excursions to exotic international locations. They had rented a house in the south of France for several weeks and had booked personalized tours through luxury travel companies like Abercrombie and Kent, and Andrew Harper. When they learned about The Good Life Abroad on social media (the company advertises on Google and Facebook), they were seeking a travel experience that was slower and would offer opportunities for connections. They booked a month-long stay in Palermo, Sicily. Seeking: A Sense of Community Linda Scena, 71, is single and lives in Manhattan. Since she retired from a global software technology firm three years ago, she has been involved in volunteer work and is a museum docent in the city. Also well-traveled, she was planning a solo trip but was intrigued by the sense of community offered by TGLA. Linda booked a one-month stay in Paris, France, intrigued because the program offered the possibility of alone time as well as opportunities for support and companionship, should she wish to partake inof them. Seeking: Hassle-Free Travel Sharon Grandinette, 67, of Redondo Beach, California, is a legal consultant focusing on traumatic brain injury in children. She still works remotely; her husband Paul is a retired corporate trainer who has lived abroad. After their marriage, the two traveled extensively throughout Europe, returning to Sweden and Italy multiple times. 'I hate planning trips, and I hate wasting time trying to figure out what to do,' says Sharon. 'I thought it might be nice to live in one place for a while to get to know it, and to share travel with a community of people,' she says. Sharon and Paul booked a month-long trip to Lisbon, Portugal, with TGLA, and extended it for another week, traveling themselves to Porto by train. What The Good Life Abroad Provides The TGLA provides a package with furnished apartments with equipped kitchens, weekly housekeeping, and high-speed internet connection. Andrew explains that while these aren't high-end, luxury apartments, they are modern, clean and relatively new. Participants can opt for one or two-bedroom units. One essential component of the program is a group's Community Manager, a local tour guide who knows the ins and outs of the area. That individual plans weekly community meals, happy hours, and other activities to bring people together. 'They are like an 'in-country concierge' who can help you plan local transportation, recommend activities, restaurants, and not-to-be-missed sites,' says Diane. 'They help educate you and demystify the culture and geography.' Everyone in the group has access to the Community Manager via WhatsApp, who also troubleshoots any problems that might arise. Participants love that they learn about activities, events, places and foods that they may never have discovered on their own. 'Our farewell dinner was on a boat anchored in the Seine," says Linda. 'She [the community manager] also planned visits to Montmartre, Versailles Gardens, the St. Denis suburb, a walk with an architect around the Marais, an exploration of the passageways around Paris, and a cooking class.' Linda notes that the community manager also reached out to the group every day with suggestions of things they could do on their own. Another reassuring inclusion, especially for older travelers: The TGLA program provides travel medical insurance, evacuation insurance and facilitates access to a global network of medical providers in case of an emergency. Participants are responsible for booking and paying for their flights, with everyone arriving on the same day, and are responsible for all meals except those sponsored by TGLA. The Genesis of The Good Life Abroad Founder Andrew Motiwalla is a seasoned entrepreneur and 30-year veteran of the travel industry. His overseas travel experience began as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. After that, he founded several successful programs, including Terra Education, all of which can be described as 'meaningful travel' or 'travel with a purpose.' One such effort, Discover Corps, organizes group tours to allow travelers to connect with local people through volunteer work. Andrew's vast experience underpins the design of The Good Life Abroad. 'Even savvy travelers discover that planning an independent trip isn't as easy as it might seem,' he says. 'Accommodations aren't like the photos they saw online; they may not speak the language, and they can feel isolated and lonely.' He describes TGLA as independent, community-based travel. The term 'community' embraces both the locals in the neighborhood where clients reside, as well as the friendships formed with other travelers in the group who live in the same building or adjacent ones. The Chance To Live Like A Local Participants expressed that some of the most satisfying experiences were derived from simple day-to-day pleasures. 'Most mornings, my husband would walk through the neighborhood discovering coffee shops and bakeries,' says Diane. 'In no time, he knew what time his favorite baker's pastries would come out of the oven and where he could purchase the best fresh roasted coffee beans for the coffeemaker in our apartment.' Then the couple would head out to explore museums, markets and historical sites. 'We became known to the local shop merchants (bakery, fruit store, grocery store, etc) and felt like it was our home,' says Sharon. 'As someone who is used to city walking and public transportation, I felt comfortable getting around Paris much the same way as I get around NYC,' she says. Besides planned group activities, Linda used her time to explore the arrondissements of Paris, and visit department stores, food markets, cafes and restaurants. A friend from London even popped over to visit for one weekend during her stay.. The Good Life Abroad: Forming Connections Each group typically includes 10-20 people, usually a mix of couples and solo travelers. 'Because we were all in the same building in Palermo, we had lots of opportunities to plan meals or activities with other members of the group,' says Diane. 'We became friends with others from the group with whom we still remain in contact,' says Sharon. Linda explains that there were just enough activities planned so that the group could get to know each other. Then it was up to them to reach out if they wanted more than that. 'We wanted something a little different than a tourist experience,' says Diane. Since its inception in 2023, The Good Life Abroad has facilitated some 2,000 bookings, many from repeat customers, demonstrating its success in attracting travelers seeking a distinctive experience. It also provides an excellent opportunity for those considering international relocation to see what living abroad might be like. Destinations currently offered include Barcelona, Florence, Lisbon, Palermo, Paris, Valencia, Vienna, Prague, Seville, Amsterdam, London, Cagliari, Split, and Rome. Pricing varies by dates and destinations. For additional information, see the booking page of The Good Life Abroad.
