Beginning Aug. 9, Canada plans to reopen its border to nonessential American visitors — including tourists — as long as they are fully vaccinated. Americans must submit proof of vaccination via the government's ArriveCAN app or website. They must also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival in Canada.
Tourism officials are banking on an influx of visitors in a vast country rich with cultural influences from around the world. For those Americans who aren't yet ready to cross an ocean, Canada offers the world without requiring you leave North America, all at a favorable exchange rate — one U.S. dollar is currently about 1.28 Canadian dollars.
Bear in mind that COVID-19 rules, restrictions and business reopening dates may vary by province, territory or city.
Instead of Paris: Quebec City
In 1608, French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City on the rising banks of the St. Lawrence River; the city would become the center of the New France colony until the British conquest in 1759. That colonial reign left a lasting impression on local language, architecture, food and culture generally.
"I often call Quebec City 'Paris without the jet lag,' " Robert Mercure, the general manager of Quebec City Tourism, said.
There's no Eiffel Tower, of course, but there's enough 17th-century ambience to make a convincing case for provenance, particularly in central Old Québec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only walled city in North America outside of Mexico. Here, you'll find the grand Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral-Basilica; the Québec Ursulines Convent, the continent's oldest school for girls; and nearly 3 miles of walls encircling the city that visitors can walk upon.
Outdoor living is a hallmark of life in Québec (even in winter, when the city holds its popular Winter Carnival). In summer, many of Old Québec's lanes are closed to cars, allowing pedestrian-only access to shop-lined Rue Saint-Jean and the cafes of cobblestoned Rue du Petit-Champlain.
"Quebec City is probably the most European city in all of North America," said Allison Van Rassel, a local resident and food columnist. "It's really centered around that very heavy heritage of French culture, but it's Nouvelle France, with a North American influence and modern approach."
Instead of the Alps: Banff
In southern Alberta, the Banff region offers mountain majesty with an Alpine connection. Long after Indigenous peoples sought healing in the region's hot springs, the Canadian Pacific Railway chose the Bow Valley to build a grand hotel, one in a string designed to encourage cross-country tourism. For more than 50 years, beginning in 1899, the company brought in Swiss mountaineers to safely guide climbers and hikers in exploring the area — now Banff National Park, Canada's first national park.
"I walk out the same doors they did," said Jeff Douglas, the lead guide at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise resort, where adventures like hiking and canoeing in summer, and skiing and snowshoeing in winter have supplanted Alpine summiting.
"Banff National Park offers sights you wouldn't otherwise experience in France, Italy or Switzerland, like our local grizzly bear populations," said Kim Gray, publisher of the Canadian travel blog "Toque & Canoe."
She recommends taking a medicine walk in the park with an Indigenous guide through Mahikan Trails, and a scenic ride to about 7,500 feet aboard the Banff Gondola.
During the pandemic, a two-block stretch in downtown Banff has been turned into a pedestrian zone with outdoor dining tables for savoring mountain views over meals. Nearby, the new Three Bears Brewery and Restaurant has a retractable roof for stargazing.
Instead of China: Vancouver
When Judy Lam Maxwell, the owner of Historical Chinatown Tours, guides her three-hour food and walking tours of Chinatown in Vancouver, she introduces travelers to the private heritage buildings in the district that once served Chinese immigrants, who came in the late 1800s to build Canada's transcontinental railroad.
"It's fun to go in and see the elders playing mahjong and the insides of these buildings, which are like museums," said Lam Maxwell, who continues the tour with a two-hour lesson in dumpling making, which she describes as central to Chinese culture: "It's bonding and sharing food."
A wave of immigration preceded the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule; a more recent wave has been linked to China's booming economy.
Many newcomers settled in the suburb of Richmond, which is 54% ethnic Chinese, according to a 2016 census, and home to Asian shopping malls, the International Buddhist Temple and, most famously, food, including more than 800 restaurants, a "dumpling trail" of more than 20 restaurants, including Empire Seafood, and a night market.
"In North America, Chinese food is pasteurized in so many ways," said Alex Chen, executive chef at Vancouver's Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, where the cooking is grounded in French techniques.
Around Vancouver, the Chinese options are regional, he added, or specialize in hot pot dishes, noodles, fried rice and more. Among his Richmond favorites are HK BBQ Master for Peking duck and Chef Tony Seafood Restaurant for innovative dim sum.
Instead of Scotland: Nova Scotia
With the evictions of many from the highlands and islands of Scotland beginning in the mid-18th century, many Gaelic speakers found their way to Nova Scotia, where, in places like Cape Breton Island, their descendants have kept their culture, traditions and language alive.
"The people of Cape Breton Island were very protectionist of who they were and their music, dance and language," said Rodney MacDonald, the president of the Gaelic College in St. Ann's and the former premier of Nova Scotia. "Ironically, because of the isolation of the island, there was a certain integrity maintained. Step dancing, for example, was brought back to Scotland from Cape Breton Island."
Though suspended this year, the college normally offers immersive weeklong summer sessions that introduce visitors to the Gaelic language, fiddling, weaving, dancing and more. But travelers can still visit the museum and drop in for a "cèilidh" (KAY-lee), or concert, over lunch or on Wednesday nights.
In Iona, the 40-acre Highland Village is a living history museum devoted to the Gaelic experience in the province, with a blacksmith shop and a farm that includes sheep.
The Celtic Music Interpretive Center in coastal Judique offers music exhibitions and cèilidhs in its restaurant.
