Canada
Winter Holidays

Forget Route 66 – in Canada it’s all about the Sea-to-Sky (or Sky-to-Sea) Highway. After a few days in the Coast Mountains, there is no better way to reacclimatise with civilization than cruising down the mountain-hugging highway, past jagged peaks, scenic shores and secluded coves, to one of the country’s most civilized cities – Vancouver. Despite its young age, Vancouver’s left-field culture, charm and cuisine remains relatively unrivalled by its older east coast siblings. From Main Street – the artistic aorta of the city – which boasts 30 blocks of drip-coffee cafes, hip vegan hangouts and indie thrift shops filled with counter-culture couture, and downtown – which was designed with bar hopping in mind – to Gastown, the historic heart of the city, Vancouver is the perfect place to chill out and eat out. And, thanks to its mild winter months, Canada winter holidays don’t strictly have to be just about skiing and snow either. Rent a fat bike (a bike with oversized wheels) and hit the city’s surrounding trails, past the Capilano Suspension Bridge and impressive Christmas light show at Stanley Park and hit up the city’s slick sushi scene. Rumoured to be the birthplace of the California Roll, its chefs delight in creating untraditional, playful, and anything-goes dishes.

The same could be said about Canada winter holidays – anything goes. In Yukon, where moose outnumber humans, magic and madness mash together in the overhead astronomical phenomena of aurora borealis – the Northern Lights. Experience nature’s most coveted light show on a Concierge-organised tour to lone secluded ridges; or pair it with some high-speed thrills on an Alaskan Malamute guided sled ride across the Yukon’s sweeping plateaus. If you want to know more about the Yukon way of life, look no further than the winter Sourdough Rendezvous. Sadly, not a festival celebrating the bread, it honours Yukon pride through a series of axe-throwing, chainsaw-chucking and ice-sculpting competitions… which they are more than happy to let tourists in on too. So, whatever kind of winter wonderland you have in mind, Canada winter holidays are sure to have you covered.