It's summer, so you won't have a shot at polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba or B.C.'s slick, snow-tapped alps, but you should be on the road. Moving. Driving. Doing whatever you can to get even the slightest – and necessary – bit of R & R.
Of course, I don't say this to be naive. Work gets in the way. Budget gets in the way, especially when it costs more to fly to other parts of Canada than it does to Hong Kong. Maybe you're already locked into a wedding in some small town you've never thought of being and you can't spare the time. We all have different schedules, different desires, and just differences all around.
Still, our country caters to us pretty nicely.
What's your favourite part of Canada? Chances are, if you're reading this, you're British Columbian.
But chances are, if you're British Columbian, you have roots somewhere else.
Do you have a special spot? A favourite from when you were a kid? Maybe you even pulled over one night on Highway 1 and liked what you saw out your window.
We're at our best in Winter, but we're not bad in Summer, neither. The Calgary Stampede kicks off in a few days, Vancouver's Stanley Park is getting a righteous 125th birthday in August, the Toronto Blue Jays are chasing a playoff spot they haven't had for 20 years, and Maritime seafood tastes a little better in the sun, doesn't it?
Whatever your choice, Canada's got some gems:
(*All photos credit to Wikimedia Commons)
The North
A polar bear campuses the canvas near Churchill, Manitoba.
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The Prairies
All that glitters is gold, from Alberta through Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
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Atlantic Canada
Little boxes on the hillsides in the colourful Newfoundland capital, St. John's.
A welcoming sight and sign on the cusp of Nova Scotia.
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Ontario
Niagara Falls shines, glows, and sparkles beneath the Ontario sky.
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Quebec
Welcome to Europe. As in, Quebec City.
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The West
Look out on the blue from a peak near Whistler, B.C.