Looking North

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Canada was never somewhere people talked about as a bucket-list destination. It was just... Canada. Our neighbor.

Friends crossed the border for weekends. My family did the same. One of my favorite childhood memories is visiting the hot springs in British Columbia. It was closer, easier, and honestly, being the youngest of eight, my parents weren't planning lavish vacations. Road trips were what we did.

Back then, I didn't think much of it.

Looking back, I think that's exactly why it gets overlooked.

These days, I spend a lot of time helping people plan dream vacations. Greece. Italy. Japan. The Caribbean. You name it. But I've noticed something over the years: Canada rarely comes up. Not because people don't think it's beautiful. They just don't think about it at all. Ask someone if Canada is on their bucket list and you'll probably get, "Why?" or, "Isn't it cold?" I can't really blame them either. I grew up with Canada in my backyard, and it wasn't until I started researching it through a different lens that I realized how much I'd been missing.

Mention Canada, and chances are the first place that comes to mind is Toronto. Canada's largest city has earned its reputation. It's vibrant, diverse, home to incredible restaurants, professional sports, and one of the most recognizable skylines in North America.

And I bet some of you just read that thinking, "Huh... I didn't know that."

Exactly my point.

But stopping there would be like visiting New York City and deciding you've experienced all of the United States.

And damn, wouldn't that be a shame?

That's what I love about Canada. Every province feels like a different trip. You can wander the cobblestone streets of Old Québec, spend Christmas exploring Montréal's festive markets and cozy cafés, hike through the mountains of British Columbia, drive Nova Scotia's breathtaking Cabot Trail, or watch humpback whales breach off the coast of Newfoundland.

Every time I start researching Canada, I end up adding another place to my own list.

Right now, I'd love to experience Montréal at Christmas. I'd go back to British Columbia in a heartbeat for the hiking. Banff has been on my bucket list forever, and lately Nova Scotia has found its way there too.

Oh... and then there's the Northern Lights.

If I asked where you'd go to see them, I'm guessing Iceland would be one of the first answers. It would've been mine too. But one of the best places in the world to witness the aurora borealis is right there in Canada's Northwest Territories. Yellowknife sits beneath the Auroral Oval, giving travelers the opportunity to see the Northern Lights on roughly 240 nights each year thanks to its ideal location and remarkably clear skies.

240 nights a year. Pretty crazy, right?

People spend thousands of dollars crossing the Atlantic hoping to catch a glimpse of the aurora, while one of the world's most reliable places to see them is sitting just north of the United States. Literally just a short flight away.

Don't get me wrong. Iceland is absolutely still on my list. But if your goal is to see the Northern Lights, Canada deserves a lot more credit than it gets. It also deserves to be in the conversation when you're deciding where you'll experience them.

The same goes for luxury travel. If your picture of Canada is camping and cabins, it's time for an update. Canada is home to some incredible hotels that are worth the trip all on their own.

Fairmont Banff Springs is one of those iconic properties that's on my own list. Set in the heart of Banff National Park, it's often called the "Castle in the Rockies." And while it comes with a pretty hefty price tag, I'd argue it's worth all the Benjamins for those unreal mountain views.

If you're dreaming of a cozy, posh fall escape, Manoir Hovey in Québec is hard to beat. Think lakeside mornings, colorful foliage, and the kind of place where slowing down is part of the experience. It's unbelievably beautiful and has this European charm that makes you forget you're still in North America.

Or there's Fogo Island Inn, perched dramatically along Newfoundland's rugged coastline. It's remote, beautifully designed, and unlike anywhere else in North America. It looks like something straight out of Inception. I don't know about you, but it's now at the top of my "Unique Stays" list. You're welcome for the inspo.

These aren't just places to stay. They're destinations in themselves.

One of my favorite parts of being a travel advisor isn't booking the destinations everyone already knows about. It's introducing people to places they may have never considered. Sometimes those end up becoming the trips people talk about for years.

So if Canada has been sitting in your "maybe someday" folder, it's time to move it a little higher on the list.

Whether you're dreaming of luxury mountain resorts, European-inspired cities, vibrant fall foliage, unforgettable hiking, charming coastal towns, or finally checking the Northern Lights off your bucket list, Canada has a lot more to offer than most people give it credit for.

I know it certainly changed the way I look at it.

Maybe that's what I hope you'll take away from this. Sometimes we overlook places simply because they've always been there. We assume the most memorable trips have to be on the other side of the world, when in reality they might be just across the border.

If Canada wasn't on your bucket list before, I'd love the chance to change your mind. And if it already was? Even better. Let's figure out which corner of this incredible country is calling your name.

Because sometimes the best destinations are the ones we almost overlooked.