The wilds of Canada

May 2021
Volume 3 Issue 9
THE CHARTROOM
Twice a month travel news from Charting Memories Travel
Charting Memories Ship

The world of travel continues to change on a daily basis. People are packing their bags and are getting away from home. As COVID rates fall in the US, Americans are being welcomed to more and more places. Restrictions are going away so travel is starting to feel more normal.

Congress has passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act and it has made its way to the President’s desk where it was signed into law.  This temporarily allows large cruise ships to sail to Alaska without having to stop in Canada. While this is great news for the industry, they still must meet the guidelines imposed by the CDC. The cruise industry has been given more guidance from the CDC and some of the major cruise lines hope to start sailing from the US again as soon as July.

Much of Europe is reopening its doors to vaccinated individuals from countries with low levels of COVID infection. We will soon know how that affects the US with our rapidly falling infection rate. The last I checked there were over 70 countries that are allowing US travelers with varying levels of restrictions.

Florida theme parks have been open for months. Thanks to the precautions that have been taken to keep everyone safe, the parks are now able to start increasing capacity and are reducing restrictions.

Despite all the craziness in the world, we are seeing signs of normalcy. With this new sense of optimism, we are seeing an explosion of bookings for all types of vacations. I personally have clients and personal trips booked as well into 2023 and 2024 is becoming available. If you are even considering travel in the next couple of years, I highly recommend planning now. Demand is extremely high and growing rapidly and there are still capacity restrictions in most areas.

 

CANADA – PART 1

As promised, this week will be a quick overview of what Canada has to offer travelers. Canada is the second-largest country in the world. The only country that is bigger is Russia. Despite the large size, Canada has fewer residents than the state of California. You will find wide open spaces, quaint fishing villages and large metropolitan centers. Canada even has the second largest city with a French speaking population in the world. The only city with more French Speakers than Montreal is Paris. There is something for everyone.

Banff National Park

Even though most of the population lives in cities, today the focus will be on the natural beauty of the country. Have you watched Free Willy or fallen in love with the killer whales at Sea World? Orcas can be found in every ocean across the planet, but Canada is considered to be one of the best places to see Killer whales in the wild.  Since these are social animals, you rarely see just one. Vancouver Island has Orcas year-round and migrating whales visit in between May and November with the peak season being July and August. While Orcas may be a highlight for many, there are opportunities to see about 30 different species of whales in the wild. Be sure to keep your eyes open to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures.Telegraph Cove

When people think of the Northern Lights Alaska or Iceland are often the first places to come to mind. While these are great places to see the lights, northern Canada rates as one of the best places to see them as well. In theory, the northern lights can be seen from any providence in Canada and can be seen year round. The best time to see the lights are in the north during the winter months. The longer nights and frequent cold clear nights make the period between December and March ideal. Look for a remote area away from lights and head to high ground for your best chance of a spectacular light show.

Can you say mountains? Canada has some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world and it is only a reasonable plane ride away. Most of the skiing is in the western part of the state where you will find resorts as diverse as Whistler Blackcomb which is the largest resort in North America to RED Mountain Resort with its extreme terrain. epic tree-skiing, and small crowds. This area is challenging to get to and not for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for some challenging runs with massive snowfalls, this may just be the ticket. Would you rather be in a European ski town but don’t like the idea of a long and expensive transatlantic flight? You might want to consider Mont Tremblant which is a family-friendly resort only about 90 minutes from Montreal. With its diverse terrain and abundant night life this might be your perfect destination.

 

Canada boasts more lakes than any other country in the world including 5 of the world’s largest (by surface area). If you love to fish, boat, water ski, SUP, kayak, swim, or engage in any activity dealing with the water then Canada needs to be on your destination bucket list.

Northern Lights

The next issue of The ChartRoom is going to cover some of what the cities have to offer so be sure to check back next time. Until then, be sure to reach out to start planning your next vacation. There are so many places to explore there will always be another new adventure to:

Keep Charting Memories

Drew

 


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