Ask A Traveller: Terry Needham & Travel Within Canada

Avid Traveller | Lindsay | Jan 8, 2012

More and more, Canadians are exploring their own backyards and travelling within the Great White North. As we watch this growing trend, Avid Traveller took the opportunity to sit down with tour guide (and former Novack’s manager) Terry Needham to pick his brain on travel in Canada.

What are some of the attractive features of travelling in Canada?

The rest of the world is coming to or wanting to visit Canada in part due to the marketing of our country with sights such as Niagara Falls and the Rockies. There is so much more than those “tourist destinations” to attract travellers. The advertised places are crowded, the others not. Few places in the world can boast of such a huge variety of scenery or activities. The lure of open spaces and nature are Canada’s strongest points. Where else in the world can you play a game of golf with elk strolling through the scenery? Secondly, our larger cities offer culture and entertainment found in the great cities of Europe and Asia, yet much of the culture is Canadian in content.

Canada has a long coastline that attracts many travellers. With wildfowl spotting,kayaking, great fishing or just beachcombing, these sea coasts with their boundless beauty and uniqueness, such as the Bay of Fundy or the Pacific Rim National Park, worldwide travellers see our country filled with absolute delights not found at home. Another increasingly popular Canadian vacation is the opportunity to take Via Rail or the Rocky Mountaineer across the entire country from Halifax to Vancouver with incredible views out of the train windows and no stress of driving or wondering where to stay. The sound of a loon on a northern lake transports you to another world. We as Canadians need to wake up and realize the wonders of where we live.

What are some of the problematic features of travelling in Canada?

Perception of cost and distances. For about $100 more than a flight to Vancouver, you can fly to England! That is one of the most common complaints one hears. However, staying in foreign countries, especially the U.K. or Europe is very expensive. Canadians in particular seem unaware of what is in their backyard, and seldom travel in Canada other than a few kilometers from home to their cottage or favorite campsite. We sometimes do not realize that we have some 42 National Parks, 950 National Historic Sites, 4 National Marine Conservation Areas, thousands of campsites, as well as wild and open country available for us to view scenery, wildlife not found elsewhere and a quality food and wine industry growing very quickly. Canadians need to have conversation with other Canadians about their own country and what there is available to see and do.

Where are the areas in particular that you are noticing growing numbers of travellers within Canada? And why have these locations become so popular?

The three areas that are growing in popularity are the west and east coasts and the north. The beauty of ocean coasts have been fascinating people for hundreds of years, and the growth of facilities has allowed more people to explore from Tofino to Twillingate. In the north, travellers who venture into the lesser known areas, find, for lack of a better word, a mistique like nowhere else. The wild spaces draw you back! Ask anyone who has been to these three areas, and you are in for a long conversation.

From your perspective, as someone who grew up in British Columbia, what is it about that area that attracts Easterners to the West coast?

In my opinion, there is no other province that can give you as much as British Columbia. (no bias, honestly!) Cool rainforest, desert, lakes and mountains, opportunities for skiing, hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, enjoying the big cities and exploring the Native culture, not to mention the growing food and wine industry. Did you notice that Penticton B.C. in the Okanagan Valley was named the number 4 spot to visit in the world by facebook users? One can go on forever talking about the “West Coast” of Canada. For Canadians living east of Calgary, the lure of variety is the key. Where else can you ski in the morning and go sailing in the afternoon? Whatever you want in a vacation, it is there.

You have travelled extensively in the UK and Europe, how does travelling in Canada compare in terms of accommodations, food and wine?

I think we all kind of dream about arriving at a U.K. b&b – a wonderful old English cottage covered in roses with those huge breakfasts. In reality, accommodation in Canada can meet and surpass anything you will find in the UK and Europe. Much of it depends on your style of travel, how much you want to spend and where you want to stay. To stay in convenient downtown large cities, the pricing is comparable in rough numbers. I checked with a major hotel in Toronto at $275 including breakfast and the same brand name in London England at 379 English pounds for similar room. (do the math) Canada has everything from hostels to major 5 star hotels. So you can find whatever you want, and of course it depends if you are travelling in summer high season or not!

Food and wine have become one of the reasons many people travel. Canada is now proudly producing “world class” wines, surprising the judges in Europe with a disbelief of origin. We have come a long way! Wine tourism is growing especially in Ontario and British Columbia. Unfortunately living in one province does not give you much choice of tasting another province’s wines due to provincial protectionism. So – plan a trip to the region you want and enjoy the wine tastings. There are many. Canada has perhaps more diversified food than many places in Europe. As much of Canada’s population is from elsewhere, the food also is from elsewhere. We have less strictly regional food than many places in Europe. For an instance, in the Dordogne in Southern France, every restaurant menu has at least 2/3′s of the menu with duck or goose dishes. Although I personally like French food in France, I can find it here, even in London. And then there is Thai….we truly are blessed.

Terry will be leading the tour “Okanagan: Walking and Wine” in June 2012. For more details Click Here.