# What to see in Canada

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 27, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107 "2005-02-27T03:05:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107/41 "2005-03-04T05:11:21Z")

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> [@Sunspace](#):
>
> Don’t forget the palm trees in the Gulf Islands and around Victoria, and the banana farm outside Osoyoos. 🙂

Okay, I buy the palm trees in Victoria (I have a splendid one, quite large now, called Harry–Harry Palm, yes–in a pot, and two baby palms in pots, too) but what are these bananas in Osoyoos? I’ve never heard of that…

Off to Google I go.

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**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107/42 "2005-03-04T05:15:56Z")

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Osoyoos, I hardly knew ye!

Now I really regret all the times we’ve driven right through, bent on reaching the Kootenays one way or the last ferry heading the other way.

(Unfortunately, all my trips through BC in the last seven years have been due to family illness or death, with no time to stop and enjoy our beautiful province.)

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**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107/43 "2005-03-04T18:33:08Z")

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> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#):
>
> Bzzzt! Sorry, but you’re dead wrong there.
> 
> I’ll say what I always say in these threads: [Canmore](http://www.canmorealberta.com), and [Banff National Park](http://www.banffalberta.ca/).

I’ll second those suggestions. You could make a nice holiday in western Canada by visiting Vancouver and [Vancouver Island](http://www.vancouverisland.com/) (perhaps staying at [The Empress Hotel](http://www.fairmont.com/empress/) if you have the funds), and then heading east up into the Canadian Rockies to visit the places mentioned by **GingerOfTheNorth**. I’d spend maybe a day or two in Vancouver, two or three days on Vancouver Island, and I think I’d reserve the rest of my trip for exploring the Rockies.

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**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107/44 "2005-03-04T18:38:08Z")

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On second thought, I think I’d reverse that. I’d fly into Vancouver and then immediately head east up into the mountains. (Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, etc.), and I’d save exploring Vancouver and Vancouver Island for the end of the trip.

If you have the option of flying into one city and out of the other, I’d recommend flying into Calgary and then returning from Vancouver. Lots of scenic beauty between those two cities.

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**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-see-in-canada/292107/45 "2005-03-04T19:23:43Z")

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I also agree with **Sunspace** that the Canadian side of Lake Superior is really beautiful.

Canada’s an awfully big place, and you just can’t see all the good stuff in two weeks.

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