DISCOVERIES CANADA
We Have That Too! Canada can equal–or best–some of the world’s top sites BY DIANE SL AW YCH
Ottawa tulips
Holland’s Keukenhof vs Ottawa’s Tulip Festival
Isn’t it great to live in a country as large and diverse as Canada? Though some restrictions and additional costs associated with the pandemic have put a damper on some overseas travel plans, rest assured, there are plenty of gems to explore close to home. In fact many of the types of attractions we travel abroad to see, exist in one form or another, in our own backyard! And you won’t lose money on exchange rates, or deal with major jet lag. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find.
You don’t have to travel to the Aloha State to catch a wave. Tofino, B.C. has 35 kilometres of beaches that attract surfers of all skill levels. Home to surf shops, surf adventures and surf schools, including one catering to women (Surf Sister), you can get started with one of the 3-hour private or group lessons on offer. Cox Bay Beach is Tofino’s main surfing destination, where most surf competitions are held. Beginners will want to make their way to Chesterman Beach or hang out with surfers of all ages at Long Beach. If you’re a stand up paddleboard enthusiast, check out the calmer waters of MacKenzie Beach.
Begin your visit at Commissioners Park, alongside Dows Lake, which has the largest flower displays. Then walk, cycle or take a bus to other tulip locations including Major’s Hill, a photographer’s delight, where Parliament Hill forms the background for picturesque flower beds. Special festival programming will include workshops, guided walking tours, fireworks, music, a kid’s zone, craft stalls and more.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOURISM TOFINO
Hang 10 in Hawaii? Try surfing in Tofino, B.C. instead
Tulips are synonymous with Holland and the country’s Kuekenhof Gardens (March 24 to May 15, 2022) are worth travelling to see. But if you can’t make it across the pond this spring, a great alternative on home ground is the annual Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa. It happens over two weekends (May 13 to 23, 2022) and features more than a million blooms. The festival was established in 1945, after Holland sent what would later become an annual gift of thousands of tulip bulbs–a token of appreciation for Canada’s role in both liberating the Netherlands and hosting members of the Dutch royal family during the Second World War.
Surfing Tofino
TRAVELLIFE.CA SPRING 2022 | 46
