It might seem like traveling to Canada is almost a domestic trip, but there are some significant differences between our northern neighbors and us. The perfect road trip requires more than GPS and a reliable car.
You have to do a little research and planning to make the most of a road trip adventure. From finding out about unique local laws to skipping the tour magnets for more under the radar attractions, here are eight things that surprised me the first time I visited Canada:
Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park Moraine Lake Canada / Photo Credit: Travel and Leisure
- Purple bane. If you drive around Kanata, Ontario, take a look at the garage doors. Even the kookier houses won’t dare sport the color purple. It’s one of the country’s many strange laws, but one of the few that are actually enforced. People have been fined in recent years for testing this law.
- You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Paris when you’re in New Brunswick. It’s well-known that many Canadians learned both English and French as a child, but in actuality, this isn’t as common as people think. In addition to having thriving pockets of different cultural communities in Canada, New Brunswick is the only province where both French and English are the official languages.
- Books always cost more in Canada. If you’ve ever seen the tag on a Canadian book, you could have been sticker shocked. Books cost more, sometimes considerably more, in Canada. But why? A law was amended 20 years ago so that US publishers were required to help pay for the currency imbalances that happen when books were shipped north.
- Part of the straightest road in North America is in Canada. What’s the big deal about a long, straight road? A lot for those who suffer from motion sickness, and avoiding winding roads is one of the best ways to ensure a carsick passenger stays healthy. The official straightest road in North America is highway 46, which begins in North Dakota and heads into Canada.
- You can get poutine in McDonald’s. Around the world, McDonald’s customizes menus to please the local palate. In Canada, this means having poutine on the side dish menu. Yes, many foodies head to Canada to try out the various poutine joints alone, but there’s something wildly American about making sure to sample the local McDonald’s offerings. However, McDonald’s in both Canada and the USA only uses 100% grade A maple syrup for their pancakes.
- Big country, little flag. Surprisingly, Canada holds the record for the smallest national flag in the world. If you pass by the Institute for Quantum Computing in Waterloo, Ontario, you might be able to see it. It’s not a typical flag, and the color was created by the oxidization of a bare silicon wafer inside a tube furnace. This allowed for the growth of silicon dioxide, and the creators carefully monitored the thickness.
- What Canadian Thanksgiving is all about. Many Americans think they have a corner on the Thanksgiving market, but Canada actually has records of celebrating a “thanksgiving” in 1578 (43 years before the pilgrims even landed in Massachusetts). Canadian Thanksgiving, in October, is tied to the European harvest festival traditions. Like the American Thanksgiving, it’s a big holiday featuring food and visiting family.
- Mounties aren’t necessarily as easy to find as you’d think. For many people, it’s not a real Canadian getaway without a selfie with a Mountie (or at least spying one). It’s rare to see a Mountie in that signature red uniform while riding a horse, but it does happen during some special events. Initially designed in the 1870s, the signature red uniform has become synonymous with Canada. The good news? There are plenty of festivals in Canada you can plan your trip around—which means plenty of opportunities to see Mounties in their full regalia.
Remember that many parts of Canada experience worse winters than the US. There are some fantastic events that take place in the winter months, but travel with caution. Make sure a properly equipped vehicle is rented, and consider opting for hotels instead of more off the grid house rentals where you might have to tackle untamed roads. If you plan to stay longer in this beautiful country, you might want to invest in a great place like the Riverview condos (more on Riverview condos here).
Canada is famous for plenty of dishes, thriving pocket communities, gorgeous outdoors, and of course that Canadian hospitality. Etiquette is upheld to a standard where fun gets poked at it around the world. However, a welcoming host country makes for a memorable trip. There’s no better way to explore the vast beauty of Canada than on a road trip.
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