A sense of immensity pervades any cross-country tour of Canada. Slightly more than 30 million people occupy a space of 3,855,102 sq mi/9,984,670 sq km, and 90% of those live in the warmer areas near its southern border with the U.S. But the country is far from empty.
From the fogs of Halifax Harbour to the sophistication of Montreal, the international vivacity of Toronto and the nearby honeymoon mecca of Niagara Falls, the eastern half of the country can easily account for a multiweek tour. But the wide-open spaces of the west and the vistas of a wild northern frontier will satisfy anyone in search of adventure in an untamed, magnificent wilderness.
If you're traveling via Canada's excellent road network, you may have trouble concentrating on driving with the abundance of natural beauty in front of you. And you'll be tempted to stop for days to enjoy the neighborly hospitality of its people (in English or French, as Canada is officially bilingual) and its world-class cities.
From the heartlands of Winnipeg and Saskatoon to the awe-inspiring Rockies around Calgary and Edmonton, Canada's west will lure out the cowboy hidden in even the most urban city dweller.
Regardless of where you venture, Canada will offer the richness of complex and multiple cultures co-existing in a country of vast beauty.
