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Long weekends in Canada: adventure getaways

Manitoba - credit: Ben Jaworskyj

Long weekends in Canada: adventure getaways

Check the most up-to-date travel restrictions, including border closures, before planning your trip and be sure to contact businesses prior to travel to book reservations and confirm availability.

 

Adventure awaits with these Canadian long weekend ideas. Whether you're looking to spend some time on the water, on land or in the air, every province and territory has activities to keep you challenged and help you unwind.

 

On the Water

River surfing on the Bow River by the 10th Street bridge in Calgary
River surfing on the Bow River by the 10th Street bridge in Calgary. Photo credit: Davey Lieske @davey_gravy

Calgary, Alberta: Urban surfing 

When you think of urban CalgaryExternal Link Title, you probably think of cowboys rather than surfers. You'll be surprised to find you can ride a curl under the 10th Street BridgeExternal Link Title, thanks to a permanent wave on the Bow RiverExternal Link Title. Start your long weekend with a lesson and gear rental from the aptly named Outlier Surf ShopExternal Link Title. On day two, intermediate and advanced surfers will want to drive  just 45 minutes from Calgary to surf the Lower Kananaskis River waves with equipment from Bow Valley SurfExternal Link Title. End your weekend on a high in Calgary with a 'flight' at Altitude Flight SimulationExternal Link Title and a sugary treat from Hoopla doughnutExternal Link Title!

 

Northwest Territories: Fishing and wilderness

YellowknifeExternal Link Title is a not-to-be missed destination on the rocky shores of Great Slave LakeExternal Link Title within casting distance of some truly outstanding fishingExternal Link Title. Book a long weekend's stay at an all-inclusive lodgeExternal Link Title, design a custom guided tour, rent a cabin or houseboatExternal Link Title for the whole family. No matter your choice you'll rise with the sun each morning to pull the night's supper from clear lake waters. 

 

Montr?al, Quebec: Surfing and island vibes

Chic, multicultural Montr?alExternal Link Title is the perfect place to start your island-inspired surfing weekend with Oasis Surf ClubExternal Link Title lessons. On day two of your vacation, hire an instructorExternal Link Title and head for the St. Lawrence River's most accessible standing wave, La Vague ? Guy by Habitat 67External Link Title. In the evening, take a deep dive into the rich culinary culture of the Caribbean islands with a dinner at KamuyExternal Link Title, known for both its delicious dishes and cocktails. On your last day, shake off your rum-fueled night with a hike up to the highest point of the urban island of Montr?al, Mount RoyalExternal Link Title. Before heading home, soothe your sore muscles aboard Bota BotaExternal Link Title, a floating spa in the beautiful Old Port of MontrealExternal Link Title.

 

Trails, Tracks and Tours

Skyline Trail – Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Skyline Trail – Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Photo credit: Communications Nova Scotia

Ontario: Hiking the fall colours

Fall in love with the reds, yellows and oranges of autumn by spending a long weekend exploring OntarioExternal Link Title's most colourful trails. Grab your hiking shoes and hit a few segments of the 900 kilometre-long Bruce TrailExternal Link Title that stretches from QueenstonExternal Link Title to TobermoryExternal Link Title. You won't become an end-to-ender in three days--but you'll love the trail so much, you'll return to it, year after year.  On day two, find more fall hues at Rattlesnake PointExternal Link Title in the rolling Halton HillsExternal Link Title, about 20 minutes off the Bruce Trail. End your weekend beautifully with colours of another sort--white, ros?, red, burgundy--at the wineriesExternal Link Title of the nearby Niagara regionExternal Link Title

 

Nova Scotia: Exploring the high points of Cape Breton Island

Start your long-weekend adventure in Nova ScotiaExternal Link Title with a walk along the infamous Skyline TrailExternal Link Title in Cape Breton Highlands National ParkExternal Link Title here you'll find jaw-dropping ocean vistas at every turn. While you could spend your entire trip hiking on the island, we recommend you also explore on wheels, both driving and cyclingExternal Link Title along the winding Cabot TrailExternal Link Title, and by boat. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife sightings, including moose and test your sea legs on a whale watching tourExternal Link Title. Prior to returning home, make sure to try the fresh-from-the-waves fish and chips at the Sea Gull RestaurantExternal Link Title and explore the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and DesignExternal Link Title in SydneyExternal Link Title, which is full of Nova Scotian art and handcrafts.

  

 Newfoundland and Labrador: Icebergs, whales and lighthouses

After the drive from St. John'sExternal Link Title to TwillingateExternal Link Title, you'll love climbing aboard the Iceberg QuestExternal Link Title boat, feeling salt spray on your face and seeing that first early summer iceberg. When a whaleExternal Link Title appears, you'll be telling your family and friends to come next time! On your next day, reacquaint yourself with the land with a hike to the picturesque Long Point LighthouseExternal Link Title standing 300 feet above sea level, for an unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean. Next, celebrate your love of the sea with a classic boil at Doyle Sansome & Sons Super Lobster PoolExternal Link Title. Take some of the traditional Newfoundland and Labrador craftsExternal Link Title home by paying a visit to the well-curated collection at Durrell MuseumExternal Link Title.

 

On Two Wheels

Cycling Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail
Cycling Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail. Photo credit: ©Tourism PEI / Stephen Harris

Yukon: All-adventure mountain biking

Whether you're an expert mountain biker or a novice rider, you'll love CarcrossExternal Link Title, YukonExternal Link Title, where Tagish First Nations youth have created world class cycling trails. Get your family and friends together and enjoy a three-day, two-night, remote mountain biking trip. Led by experienced guides from Bore?ale Explorers and RanchExternal Link Title, roll through stunning, mountainous landscapes by day and enjoy cozy accommodationExternal Link Title by night. Sit by the campfire, gaze at the aurora borealis and listen to guides sharing stories from the local Carcross and Tagish Peoples.

 

New Brunswick: Bay of Fundy fun

A long weekend in New BrunswickExternal Link Title's Bay of FundyExternal Link Title region offers something different to get you out of bed each morning. Start by mountain bikingExternal Link Title the White Rock Recreational AreaExternal Link Title- named for the white gypsum on which it's built--where there's a trail for every ability. The next day, stretch your legs on the tamer Pangburn and Melvin Cliffs trailExternal Link Title that takes you downhill to the entrance to Pangburn Beach where you can enter at low tide. Be sure to book a stay at the Falcon Ridge Inn B&BExternal Link Title to take in unobstructed views of the Bay of Fundy, the Nova Scotia shoreline and Fundy National Park. On day three, walk the ocean floor or kayak to experience the highest tides in the world at Hopewell RocksExternal Link Title.

 

Prince Edward Island: Countryside pedaling

In Prince Edward IslandExternal Link Title, a must for cyclists is the St. Peter's LoopExternal Link Title, a spectacular coastal route that takes you past rolling farmland, sandy beaches and working harbours. Equally popular is the Confederation TrailExternal Link Title, a 449-kilometre rolled-stone trail that runs from TignishExternal Link Title to Elmira with spoke trails into CharlottetownExternal Link Title and smaller communities. No matter the trail, you won't ride for very long without stopping--not to rest, but to take a photo--so your ride might consume most of your days. On your last day, rest your legs by wandering the charming shops of Charlottetown'sExternal Link Title Victoria RowExternal Link Title and touring historic Beaconsfield HouseExternal Link Title. Sweet on Charlottetown? Treat yourself to a big scoop of Cow's ice creamExternal Link Title then visit the must-see St. Peter's Harbour LighthouseExternal Link Title.

 

Camping in the wilderness

Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan
Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. Photo credit: Tourism Saskatchewan/Eric Lindberg

Saskatchewan: Big Sky, Big Adventure

Saskatchewan's Grasslands National ParkExternal Link Title, is home to the darkest Dark Sky PreserveExternal Link Title in Canada. While the sun is up, spend your three days hikingExternal Link Title, mountain bikingExternal Link Title and horseback ridingExternal Link Title while you look for prairie dog towns, quicksand, bison and even dinosaur bones. For a refreshing perspective on your surroundings, hop in a kayakExternal Link Title and explore the Frenchman River that weaves through the West BlockExternal Link Title of the park. When the sun sets, enjoy the comfort of a front country campsiteExternal Link Title (pitch your tent in the backcountryExternal Link Title for a more rustic experience), roll out your sleeping bag and be enveloped by Saskatchewan's big sky. 

 

Nunavut: Arctic adventuring

IqaluitExternal Link Title offers once-in-a-lifetime wilderness camping adventures in the Arctic tundra. Direct three-hour flights from OttawaExternal Link Title make long weekends in NunavutExternal Link Title an accessible experience. Hire a local guide from Arctic KingdomExternal Link Title who will share the traditions of the Inuit culture that make this such a unique place, while you hike, camp and appreciate this remote region. Of note, anglers will be delighted with the cold clear waters where bass, trout and bluegill are ready for your line. 

 

Manitoba: Beach camping

ManitobaExternal Link Title's Whiteshell Provincial ParkExternal Link Title, a collection of 200 lakes, rushing rivers, warm sandy beaches and rugged forests, will make you feel like a kid at camp again. Choose from luxury adult-only, family-friendly or backcountry optionsExternal Link Title to camp out under the stars. Spend your days in the sun hiking, paddling, fishing, building castles on sandy beaches and swimming in crystal clear water. Book a guided tour to the Bannock Point PetroformsExternal Link Title--rock layouts thought to have been created as a healing site by Anishinaabe people. Making the two-hour drive back to WinnipegExternal Link Title? Enjoy modern dishes made from traditional Indigenous ingredients at Feast Caf? BistroExternal Link Title.