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New York Post
24-06-2025
- New York Post
Not sorry: 6 unapologetically awesome Canadian adventures to try this summer
Too many TikTok influencers turning Aspen's hiking trails into photo sets? Does driving through Yellowstone National Park feel more like rush hour in the Holland Tunnel? As America's adventure tourism destinations deal with overtourism and staffing shortages, perhaps it's time to consider a trip (slightly) further afield. How about a visit to our neighbors to the north? Canada's adventure tourism market is booming. In 2023, it generated over $11 billion in revenue and is expected to reach over $33 billion by 2030. And with 1.6% more land and roughly one-tenth the population of the United States, the Great White North stands only to further solidify its reputation as an outdoors playground. Better still, Canada boasts an abundance of small operators ready to help take you where you've never dared before. 7 Canada's adventure tourism market revenue hiked to over $11 billion in 2023. Handout 'Our vast landscapes and low population density make it easy to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in untouched wilderness,' said Dane Tredway, experience designer for Butterfield & Robinson, a travel company that organizes active small group trips. 'Rather than ticking off the same bucket-list sites as everyone else, [travelers to Canada] are seeking out hidden gems that deliver equally epic landscapes and cultural experiences without the crowds.' This summer, Air Canada alone offers more than 200 daily flights to over 45 destinations in the United States. And with an exchange rate of around $1.35 per greenback, Canada feels even more appealing. Chasing adventure? Point your compass north. Here's how to experience the best of Canada's wild side. Polar bear safaris in Manitoba Each year, roughly 25,000 people make the journey from Winnipeg to Churchill, a small far-northern village on the southern shores of the Hudson Bay home to the world's highest concentration of polar bears. This is a unique place — residents are encouraged to never lock their doors in case a pedestrian needs to spontaneously seek shelter should a bear saunter through town — but it remains one of the most moving wildlife encounters you can have in Canada, or anywhere. 7 The wee village of Churchill is home to the world's highest concentration of polar bears. Travel Manitoba Tour operator Churchill Wild, known for offering polar bear safaris across the tundra of the adjacent Churchill Wildlife Management Area (packages from $15,995), just opened a new hotel, the Blueberry Inn (a big step up for this town). A new cafe Ptarmigan also recently opened, increasing this remote town's restaurant count from four to five. Beyond polar bears, the area's other main draw is beluga whales — during the summer months, these melon-headed oceanic dolphins migrate to Churchill to feed and give birth in the warmer waters of the Churchill River Estuary. Lazy Bear Expeditions just added a new beluga whale-viewing boat, the Matonabee, to their fleet. It features an underwater viewing area with large windows so guests can get up close with beluga whales (two-night packages start from $585). Glacier hiking in Alberta 7 Canadian glaciers: Catch 'em while you can! Paul Zizka 'Having just returned from Banff and Lake Louise, I can see why this area is a beacon for so many travelers looking for a true escape,' said Lauren McWilliams Jones, an independent affiliate of Brownell Travel, a Virtuoso travel agency. 'It's paradise for outdoor adventurers.' New adventures for 2025 include the Ice Odyssey, a premium, small-group tour located at the Columbia Icefields in Jasper National Park. The two-hour experience takes guests aboard a lunar buggy to an exclusive site on the Athabasca Glacier, providing an immersive exploration of the glacier's history (from $258). For something more off the beaten track, Explore Banff Tours & Transfers offers guided hikes to Bow Glacier Falls, a glacial waterfall in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. To relax afterwards, visit the new hydrotherapy circuit Basin Glacial Waters at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Mountain biking in British Columbia 7 A thrilling trail ride in BC. Ben Girardi Recognized as one of the most important regions in the world for mountain biking, the trails of British Columbia attracts everyone from seasoned experts to those experiencing the sport for the first time. New for this summer and just seven miles north of downtown Vancouver, Grouse Bike Park offers the only lift-accessed bike park within the limits of Metro Vancouver (day passes from $69). Over in the interior, RED Mountain Resort (a 2½-hour drive north of Spokane, Wash.) also just launched a lift-serviced bike park, further turning this cult classic ski resort into a year-round destination (day passes from $65). For more daring thrill-seekers, Tyax Adventures will helicopter riders into the backcountry and drop them and their bikes off for single- or multi-day adventures in the off-grid beauty of the Chilcotin Ranges (from $1,490). Whale watching amidst icebergs in Newfoundland 7 A whale-watching experience with titanic icebergs in Newfoundland. Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism The jagged coast of Newfoundland offers prime access to North Atlantic waters, and one of the best places to spot enormous floating icebergs along 'Iceberg Alley,' the stretch of water that connects the island of Newfoundland and mainland of Labrador to the north. There are a number of small boat tour operators that specialize in bringing guests up close (but not too up close) to icebergs, including Iceberg Quest operating out of the town of Twillingate ($150 per person). For over 30 years, the family-owned and operated company Sea of Whales Adventures has brought guests up close and personal with fin, humpback, minke, pilot and sperm whales (from $100 per person). If you're up in this neck of the woods, book a room at the luxurious Fogo Island Inn, a remote favorite of jet-setters including Gwyneth Paltrow (rooms from $1,675). Aurora spotting in the Yukon The current solar cycle through 2026 makes for particularly prime aurora viewing, and while much of northern Canada offers great northern lights spotting, few destinations give you the chance to experience it up close and personal like the Yukon. In February 2026, the Northern Lights Resort & Spa is offering a special all-inclusive five-night package including a charter flight (from $6,775) providing rare and spectacular views of the action from the sky. In the historic gold rush town of Dawson City — the gateway to many other Yukon adventures, such as backpacking the rugged Tombstone Territorial Park — Dawson Lodge just opened the country's northernmost day spa, complete with a sensory deprivation tank for the ultimate relaxation experience, and an outdoor hot tub for soaking in the northern lights in ultimate comfort (rooms from $210). Wild waters in the Northwest Territories 7 Put down the syrup and get wild with a NWT tundra tour. Destination Canada 'Adventure tourism is not just alive in the NWT, it's thriving,' said Tyler Abela, a spokesperson for Northwest Territories Tourism. The territory's annual visitorship is up 13% year-over-year, and 29% of visitors identify outdoor tourism as their primary reason for visiting. A national park the size of Belgium and teeming with grizzly bears, wolves and moose, Nahanni National Park Reserve is a bucket-list destination for paddling enthusiasts. Nahanni River Adventures leads extended backcountry whitewater canoe trips through the park (13 days, from $9,990). For a truly adventurous experience, Tundra North Travel offers multi-day guided tours of the territory's northernmost reaches, including traditional indigenous fishing along the Mackenzie River, and scenic drives up the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Canada's only year-round road to the Arctic coast (its Signature Package starts from $6,000). Accessible adventures Coast to coast, Canadian operators are also making sure that adventure tourism remains accessible when possible. Parks Canada is working to increase accessibility in many of its parks, including Prince Edward Island National Park, which uses universal beach mats for wheelchairs to access sandy areas, and also offers special buoyant wheelchairs for rental. 7 Canada's adventurous side is doable by all. Photo: Scott Munn In British Columbia, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will soon open the Revelstoke Mountain Highline, a suspension bridge, a viewing platform and a clifftop hiking trail at the top of its Revelation Gondola, with spectacular views of the Columbia Valley — where anyone brave enough to make the journey can savor the views ($39 per person).
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mount Etna Eruption in Sicily: What Travelers Should Know
Mount Etna tours have resumed following the Sicilian volcano's eruption on Monday, June 2, that sent hikers fleeing from its large plumes of smoke and ash. The scene, while dramatic, is not an unusual occurrence for the Italian island, and no injuries or fatalities have been reported. The June 2 eruption was the largest in four years, but posed no danger to visitors or the local population, according to officials. 'As every Sicilian knows, since the dawn of time, Mount Etna does erupt few times a year, resulting mainly in ashfall,' Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist Marcello Giancoli, who specializes in planning trips to Italy, says. 'This means that the volcano activity is a regular part of local life, that, with safety measures in place, is a natural hazard as well as a wonderful attraction to experience.' If you have an upcoming trip planned to Sicily, here's everything you need to know about the recent eruption. Monday's eruption lasted several hours and produced lava fountains, bursts of gas, and ash clouds visible across much of eastern Sicily, according to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. This was the volcano's fourteenth eruption since mid-March. Volcanic activity at Mount Etna is 'predominantly effusive, characterized mainly by the emission of lava flows that do not impact surrounding populations,' Ernesto Fucci, a trip designer for Sicily and Puglia at Butterfield&Robinson, tells Condé Nast Traveler. 'Eruptions characterized by lava flows, which are harmless, are frequent and occur at regular periods, and also represent a remarkable attraction." 'There is no major impact on a day-to-day life in the surrounding cities, but when explosive activity happens there could be inconvenience due to ash accumulation,' he adds. An aviation warning was put in place at Catania Airport on Monday, the Associated Press reported, but the airport did not close and flights were not significantly disrupted. In the past, ash from the volcano has occasionally shut down flights to Sicily for several hours or days. 'The alert level has soon dropped to yellow and will drop to normal in the coming days,' Fucci says." There has been a slight impact on flights to and from Catania airport, but it lasted only a few hours, and the situation is completely back to normal now." Scientists have developed automatic alert tools that predict Mount Etna's eruptions 'hours to days in advance by monitoring gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground changes,' Giancoli says. As of Wednesday, June 4, the Italian government has the alert level for Mount Etna listed as 'yellow,' which means signs of volcanic activity are slightly above normal ('orange' means there are significant signs of an imminent eruption, and 'red' indicates an ongoing eruption). 'Etna's volcanic activity is highly monitored by Civil Protection Department and the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology,' Fucci says. 'The latter is the most important authority on the matter, and it constantly issues information and updates regarding the volcanic activities.' Mount Etna, whose stunning peak rises 11,014 feet tall and slopes toward the Ionian Sea, is a popular attraction for both hikers and tourists. Video footage obtained by CNN shows a tour group running downhill away from the explosion on June 2; Italian officials have confirmed that all hikers were evacuated safely. Hikers have since returned to the volcano's slopes following the eruption, but officials are advising tourists to check for warnings before venturing towards the summit, Reuters reports. Trekkers are required to be accompanied by an authorized guide in order to hike Mount Etna above 2500m (8202 feet). 'There are many activities that can be organized, always in safety, on Mt. Etna, from helicopter tours to guided jeep excursions, from mountain biking to very immersive hiking in the company of experienced volcanologists,' says Fucci, who notes there are also several winery visits and tastings offered in the area. This is a developing news story and will be updated with information as it becomes available. Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips Stop Counting the Countries You Visit How Safe Is Flying Today? 5 Things Experts Want Travelers to Know The Best Places to See the Northern Lights Worldwide
