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Prices and rules verified October 2026 · US$1 = C$1.40Toronto timeContact
BLUE PASSPORTTravel · CanadaCanada
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Canada,planned for Americans.

The Rockies, Quebec, the big cities and the Atlantic coast, explained in miles, US dollars and plain English, with the border rules that trip Americans up. In-depth guides, checked in October 2026.

First trip to Canada What you need at the border Banff and the Rockies Quebec City Niagara Falls Driving in Canada

ALBERTALES ROCHEUSES

Before you book

Nine things every American should know

The planning guide →
Flying? Bring the passport bookA passport card, an enhanced driver’s license or a NEXUS card works when you drive, walk or sail across. Every air traveler needs a passport book or NEXUS.Entry rules
An old DUI can keep you outCanada treats impaired driving as a serious crime, and a conviction from years ago can make you inadmissible. Sort it out months before the trip, not at the booth.Records and the border
Leave the cannabis at homeIt is legal in Canada and in many states, and still illegal to carry across the border in either direction, in any amount, medical or not.What you can bring
Prices are shown before taxAs at home, sales tax is added at the register. It runs from 5 to 15 percent depending on the province, and tipping works much as it does in the US.Money, tax and tipping
Everything is metricSpeed limits in km/h, gas by the liter and weather in Celsius. A posted 100 is about 62 mph, and a cold morning of -10°C is 14°F.Driving in Canada
Buy travel medical insuranceProvincial health plans cover residents only, and Americans are billed at non-resident rates. Most US plans pay little or nothing abroad, and Medicare generally doesn’t.Health care
Quebec runs in FrenchGreet with “Bonjour” and switch to English if you need to. Road signs, menus and parking rules are in French, and Montreal is far more bilingual than the rest of the province.French for Quebec
Book the Rockies earlySummer rooms in Banff and Jasper, park campgrounds and the shuttles to Moraine Lake, which private cars can’t reach, sell out months ahead.The Rockies
Clear US customs before you fly homeThe big Canadian airports have US preclearance, so you do your US arrival formalities there and land at home like a domestic flight. Allow extra time.Flights

Ready-made routes

Four classic first trips

Each route links to the guide with the details: where to stay, how to get around and what to book ahead.

5DAYS

Toronto and Niagara

DAYS 1–3 Toronto, the islands and the markets
DAYS 4–5 Niagara Falls and the wine towns by the lake

Read the Toronto guide → 7DAYS

Montreal and Quebec City

DAYS 1–3 Montreal’s neighborhoods and food
DAYS 4–6 Old Quebec and Île d’Orléans
DAY 7 Montmorency Falls or Charlevoix

Read the Montreal guide → 7DAYS

Banff and Jasper

DAYS 1–3 Banff, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
DAY 4 The Icefields Parkway
DAYS 5–7 Jasper and Maligne Lake

Read the Rockies guide → 8DAYS

Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria

DAYS 1–3 Vancouver and Stanley Park
DAYS 4–5 The Sea-to-Sky Highway and Whistler
DAYS 6–8 The ferry to Victoria

Read the Vancouver guide →

Where to go

Find your Canada

Compare every destination →
ALBERTA · BRITISH COLUMBIALES ROCHEUSESRockiesBanff, Jasper, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: shuttles, passes, bases, seasons and itineraries. QUEBECVILLE DE QUÉBECQuebec CityOld Québec's walls, cliffs and cafés, with day trips, winter festivals and itineraries. BRITISH COLUMBIAVANCOUVERVancouverNeighborhoods, transit, Stanley Park, the North Shore, food and itineraries for Canada's Pacific city. ONTARIOTORONTOTorontoNeighborhoods, hotels, transit, CN Tower to Kensington Market, sports, food and itineraries for Toronto. ONTARIOCHUTES DU NIAGARANiagaraThe Canadian side of Niagara Falls, the boat and tunnels, border bridges, and Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country. QUEBECMONTRÉALMontrealNeighborhoods, the métro, bagels and smoked meat, Old Montreal, Mount Royal and 2–4 day plans. NOVA SCOTIANOUVELLE-ÉCOSSENova ScotiaHalifax, Lunenburg, the Cabot Trail, Fundy tides and the CAT ferry from Maine. BRITISH COLUMBIAWHISTLER ET LA ROUTE SEA-TO-SKYWhistlerThe Sea-to-Sky Highway, Whistler Blackcomb in winter and summer, buses, winter tires and lodging costs.