Things South Africans love to do in Canada
If you are living in Canada and want to enjoy some of your favourite ‘South African’ activities in your new country, here is a list of suggestions:
Soak up the great outdoors
One of the things that is embedded in all South African’s bones is a great love for the environment and the outdoors. Even if you are not into hiking or fishing the blue skies and beautiful surroundings of Jasper National Park in Alberta will make your South African heart sing! Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and extends over 11 000 square kilometres. Here you can:
- Get your adrenalin going: If you love your mountain biking, canoeing and hiking, you can do it all at Jasper.
- Take things slower: If you are into a more relaxed pace, you can take one of Jasper’s many scenic drives, picnic outdoors in the beautiful pristine countryside with the majestic mountains as a backdrop and spot wildlife (that you won’t see back in South Africa) including moose, cougars and even bears.
- Spend time outdoors: Jasper has many campsites for family outings throughout the year – even in winter! All campgrounds have bear-proof lockers and many have log cookhouses in case you need to cook indoors.
- Relax at the beach: Yes really! Jasper has some wonderful lake beaches that allow you to do satisfy your longing for lazing in the sun, swimming and you can mountain views, while you do it!
- Soak in the hot springs: Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park has the hottest mineral springs in the Canadian Rockies and is one of the parks top ten attractions. It’s the ideal destination for a relaxing day out and some wildlife watching.
Soak up some sun
South Africans love their beaches and while Canada may not be known for its sun and surf, there are some wonderful beaches with coastlines that stretch further than in any country in the world! Here is a suggestion of the top 10 beaches you can spread your towel on and enjoy crystal clear seas and sand:
- Long Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
- Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, British Columbia
- Devonshire Beach, Alberta
- Grand Beach, Manitoba
- Wasaga Beach, Ontario
- Sandbanks, Ontario
- Sauble Beach, Ontario
- Iles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands), Quebec
- Parlee Beach, New Brunswick
- Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island
Relax on a road trip
Like South Africa, Canada has plenty of road trips through magnificent countryside, with some wonderful places to stop along the way. If you want to head out into the countryside and really explore what Canada has to offer, here are our top suggestions:
- The Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia: Recommended time to travel is Autumn to enjoy the dramatic landscapes and coastal scenery.
- Vancouver to Tofino, British Columbia: Great for stops where you can enjoy surfing and long walks in the wood.
- Regina to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: If you enjoy stops where you can get into the saddle and enjoy horse riding, this is for you!
- Icefields Parkway, Alberta: Ideal for stopping off to enjoy long glacier walks and the stars at night.
- Montréal to the Gaspé Peninsula, Québec: Stop along the route for whale watching and visiting heritage sites.
Put your snowshoes on!
One thing South African’s are not that familiar with and that Canada has a huge amount of, is snow! To really assimilate yourself into the Canadian lifestyle, you need to get to grips with the snow and see if it is for you. Here are some top suggestions for Canadian snow and ski resorts for the whole family (non-skiers included):
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
- Sun Peaks, British Columbia
- Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta
- Mount Tremblant, Tremblant, Quebec
- Le Massif, Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec
- Fernie, British Columbia
- Kicking Horse Resort, Golden British Columbia
- Blue Mountain Resort, Collingwood, Ontario
- Martock, Nova Scotia
- Crabbe Mountain, New Brunswick