We love to travel here at Rrampt. Hell, the ‘t’ in Rrampt stands for travel. Right from the start we’ve raved about all the day trips, staycations and experiences within Grey Bruce Simcoe. But we know that from time to time we all like to travel outside of our region for some new experiences and fresh perspectives. With summer on the horizon, it’s a perfect time to start planning our coveted summer vacation.
It’s a big world out there, but you know what else is expansive? Canada! Instead of crossing an ocean or heading south, we highly suggest you take the opportunity to see our amazing nation this summer. We even asked our Rrampt team for Canadian places to visit, so you can get some sweet ideas on where to go and what to do.
When I was in my early-twenties, after having backpacked through Europe for months on end, I thought it was time to see my own country in all its maple-y polite Canadian Sheild-ness and so my university roommate and I hopped in his Ford Ranger and drove to PEI, turned around after visiting Anne’s House, and drove all the way to Tofino, B.C to learn to surf. The coast-to-coast trip took us two months all in all, with stops along the way that lasted from a couple nights to a couple weeks (I’m looking at you Penticton), and I learned a little more of what this country has to offer. The answer: a whole hell of a lot!
The trip across Canada changed my life and introduced me to so many unknown Canadian gems. It made such an impression on my friend, he moved out West to the Okanagan Valley, a place we had both fallen in love with. I spent the next few summers in my twenties driving out there to paint chalets with him at Silver Star Mountain.
Whenever anyone asks me where to travel in Canada, I have a long list of places that definitely includes the Okanagan Valley, Vancouver Island, St John’s, and Quebec City. If you haven’t been to Calgary during the Stampede, or Ottawa for Canada Day, or walked the Cabot Trail to see the whales, or attended Osheaga in Montreal, or taken a houseboat along the Trent-Severn Waterway from Bobcaygeon to Fenelon Falls, this could be your summer to do it.
But this isn’t about my experience driving coast to coast (keep an eye out for my book on that); no, this is a whole Rrampt team effort. We asked the Rrampt crew which Canadian travel destinations they would recommend, and we got a lot of great suggestions! The Rrampt team is a savvy, well-traveled crew, and if they recommend a spot, I’d put money on it that it’s worth a visit.
Willy Waterton
Tombstone Territorial Park
Tombstone Territorial Park is up the Dempster Highway about 1.5 hrs from Dawson, Yukon Territory. Tombstone is nicknamed ‘Patagonia of the North’ and although we haven’t been to the Patagonia region of South America, from photos the resemblance is striking. The 2,200 km² of protected alpine terrain is bisected by the Dempster Highway. This may be one of our most favourite places in Canada. Unless you fly into the high arctic there just isn’t anywhere this accessible to view stunning arctic tundra landscapes, flora and fauna unique at this latitude. Yet another amazing part of this country we call home!
Maddy Grasman
Comox, British Columbia
Comox is the perfect blend of slow living and adventure. This charming coastal town offers stunning ocean views, top-notch breweries, cozy coffee spots, and incredible restaurants.
Mystic Beach, British Columbia
Located along the Juan De Fuca Trail, I think Mystic Beach is one of British Columbia’s most breathtaking coastal spots. A scenic hike through the lush Vancouver Island forest leads to a beautiful sandy beach, dramatic cliffs, and even a waterfall cascading right onto the shore.
Carey Low
Cycling the Eastern Townships of Quebec
Hop in a car with family or friends, hitch your bike to the back and head out to the Eastern townships of Quebec. Exploring the beautiful towns and landscape on quiet country roads, eating delicious local foods and enjoying the bike friendly Quebec culture is the perfect active summer getaway.
Marshall Veroni
Rossport, Ontario
Between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, Rossport is an unincorporated township resting on the north shore of Lake Superior. I love this spot so much because it gives you access to some of the most gorgeous nature and topography in the country, without feeling like a ‘hot spot’. I actually prefer this part of Ontario to most of BC. Pop over to Pukaskwa National Park, kayak the shoreline, camp along Superior or hike the mountainous trails nearby, there’s so much to do outdoors. Definitely get a coffee and at Serendipity Gardens Café too.
Sarah Goldman
Yellowknife, NWT
Surrounded by the sprawling natural beauty of the Canadian shield, Yellowknife is worth the journey north. Here, you’ll find a thriving community of artists and entrepreneurs, offering everything from unique galleries and delicious craft beer, to the notable Folk on the Rocks music fest and the Yellowknife International Film Festival.
Ashley Winters
Drumheller, Alberta
Drumheller is known for the Horsetheif Canyon, also known as the Badlands. It looks like a Canadian Grand Canyon! There have been many movies filmed there, including the first Ghostbusters. If you have a dinosaur-loving kid, or are a dinosaur lover yourself, the city of Drumheller is a must visit. Dinosaurs can be spotted all over the city – sitting on benches and hanging from street lights!
Rob Iantorno
Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick
An East Coast road trip to Alma, New Brunswick on the Bay of Fundy, combined with the world’s highest tides and the best 1.5lb lobsters (served steamed and chilled w hot butter). Covered bridges, beautiful hiking, friendly people. We drove this thing there:
Maddie Johnson
Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
If you love the ocean, you’ll fall for Lawrencetown. Just outside Halifax, it’s a laid-back spot with incredible (albeit cold) waves, rugged coastline views, and a community that lives and breathes surf culture—perfect for a day of adventure or a sneaky weekend getaway. It’s no frills, but it’s pure magic.
John Fearnall
Taddousac, Quebec
One of the most interesting stops on our way to our Gaspe Peninsula tour was Taddousac, Quebec. Situated at the maritime junction of the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord (I didn’t even know Canada had fjords), we were welcomed by beluga whales before we even crossed the ferry (both can be seen in photo #1) into the town proper. And this monstrous sand dune (photo #2) is just a short drive from town.
Joel Loughead
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
In beautiful Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, this is a spectacular little museum great for all ages with interactive installations. My favourite part: you can go on different fishing vessels from different eras to see how ocean fishing has changed
Caeli Mazara
Saugeen Bruce Peninsula
An idyllic picture of Ontario nature, the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula has become for me that place against which all other natural beauty is measured. It boasts craggy limestone cliffs full of history, dark skies splashed with stars, clean and cold turquoise waters, owls and foxes and snakes and butterflies and bears…what’s not to love?
Newfoundland
Newfoundland offers spectacular hiking and camping, rare and ancient geological gems (including a sepia-toned valley of exposed crust, and fossils of the oldest complex lifeforms on earth etched into shining black rocks), a glimpse into human history (Irish and Norse) through well-preserved and curated sites, breathtaking drives along a rugged coast, the freshest seafood you can imagine, and kind and jovial Newfoundlanders quick to laugh and unrivalled on a fiddle.
Nelson Phillips
Algonquin Park
There’s no place I’d rather be with a crew of friends and a bottle of rye, taking in the most unbelievable starry nights while being sore as hell from paddling 6 hours per day. Algonquin Park is pure Canadian alchemy, and the envy of the world. Island hopping while trolling for trout in the September sunshine (the bugs and crowds are gone by then) is one of the funnest, cheapest, most satisfying ways to spend a long weekend.
PEI
The food, the landscape, the music – what’s not to love about Canada’s smallest province? Stay in Cavendish Beach at Stanhope, eat in North Rustico (cocktails at the Blue Mussel Cafe are legit top 10 in Canada) and take in a show in downtown Charlottetown. Laid back, friendly, and beautiful, PEI holds a very special place in my heart.
Banff/Canmore
I don’t have to say much more. The Rockies are the epitome of the stereotypical Canadian postcard, and a wonderful place to explore with friends and family, especially in the fall and winter. Elk and deer wander the streets, the mountains make every angle a jaw-dropper, and the hospitality of the region makes it feel like home. There’s no place quite like Alberta.
Manitoulin Island
No place reverts me back into a 13 year old boy more so than the Big Island: Manitoulin. It’s an extension of the Peninsula, geographically and culturally, but also isolated and unique; there’s something special about its shores and trails that feels both familiar, and foreign. Square Bay, Mindemoya, Gore Bay (Split Rail Brewing has arguably the best craft brewery patio in Canada) and Burnt Island (shoutout to the Purvish Fish Station) are particularly awesome.
Montreal
Oh my… This city… For those who know me, I’m not a city guy at all, but Montreal offers something that just can’t be turned down. Joe Beef is unequivocally the best meal I’ve ever eaten, QC beer is world-class. The culture and diversity of each corner of the city makes you feel like you’re traversing Europe. *Chef’s kiss*.
Muskoka
I’ve been going to Muskoka annually, sometimes twice, since I was a kid. What it offers on top of its accessibility from Grey Bruce is a total evolution of what we think of as being quintessentially Canadian. The lakes, the water, the wildlife, the landscape – it’s magic up there. Rosseau is a must-hit, Parry Sound (not technically Muskoka, but whatever) is unbelievable, Bracebridge is a total gem, and Bala holds a couple of the epic memories for me as a youngster – those who attended Wakestock at The Kee know what I’m talking about. Rent a cottage, camp, do whatever you’ve got to do, but make Muskoka a must.
Article by Jesse Wilkinson
