If you’ve never been to Canada, you are missing out! Canada is a beautiful, vast country with breathtaking views, amazing wildlife, bustling cosmopolitan city centres and every kind of natural wonder you could want, from majestic mountains to oceans on each coast.

Travelling to Canada can be very rewarding, but there are a few things you should know before you go.

Bring a good travel guide
It’s a great idea to purchase a good travel guide in advance of any trip, and a trip to Canada is no exception. These days, with e-readers, tablets and smartphones, it’s never been easier to tote along a travel guide for reading on the go. These guides give you advice about places to stay, dine and shop as well as insider tips on all of the practical things you need to know about travelling to Canada, such as local customs, currency and other need-to-know things.

Know how to pack
Canadians enjoy four different seasons, which means that depending on the time of year you are planning to travel, you could run into virtually any type of weather imaginable. More than just the time of year, however, each region in this huge country has different climates, too. For example, British Columbia, a province on the country’s west coast, experiences a lot of rain all year round. Alberta, on the other hand, is very dry. The Maritime provinces on the east coast experience the harshest winters of the whole country, but experience moderate and pleasant temperatures the rest of the year.

When you are planning your trip, it’s important to be aware of the different seasons, not only so you know what to expect in terms of weather, but also so you know how to pack for your trip. Do some research to find out average temperatures, climate etc. during your projected trip dates.

Be aware of border crossing rules
The Canadian Border Services Agency takes protecting the country very seriously. As a result, there are strict rules and regulations about who can and can’t enter Canada, either by land or by air. It’s absolutely imperative that you check into the border crossing rules and regulations for your particular situation. If you are travelling to Canada from the United States, the Department of State website offers a wealth of information that will be useful to you. Canadian sites such as nationalpardon.org also offer a lot of very valuable information if, for example, you have a criminal record and you are unsure whether it may cause problems with your admission into Canada. It’s your responsibility to ensure you are following all of the requisite rules for getting into the country so that you can enjoy your vacation worry free.
One last thing: It’s important to understand that Canada is a very large country! If you are from Europe or elsewhere in the world where you are accustomed to travelling the breadth of a country inside of a day, you will be surprised to find out that to drive from one end of Canada to the other can take you around a week! It’s best to plan a trip that focuses on one city or region so that you can really see all that that part of Canada has to offer.

Canada is a fantastic travel destination. As with any trip, however, it’s always a good idea to be
prepared, do some research, and know the laws and regulations that may affect your ability to travel to Canada successfully.