Canada is big enough to make choosing where to go a holiday in itself. Sandra Potter, founder of Frontier Travel, returns to Destination Unlocked to help us find our way, from the lakes and mountains of the Rockies to Québec City’s historic streets and the icebergs off Newfoundland.
Joining Daniel Edward for a coast-to-coast conversation, Sandra shares the places she loves, the journeys she recommends and the decisions that can make a Canadian holiday work better. Having lived in Vancouver and built a travel business that began with Canadian skiing, she brings decades of experience and plenty of strong opinions.
We start with Canada’s cities. Toronto has distinctive neighbourhoods and an impressive restaurant scene; Montréal offers a different cultural flavour; and Québec City has left Daniel with some of his favourite Canadian memories. Sandra explains why Vancouver remains her favourite city, with ocean, mountains and outdoor adventures close at hand.
Then we head into the Rockies. We explore Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, compare skiing holidays in Alberta and Whistler, and consider what makes a winter visit rewarding even when you aren’t spending every day on the slopes. For train lovers, there’s a discussion of VIA Rail’s Canadian and the Rocky Mountaineer, including why travelling through the mountains in daylight matters.
Further east, we consider Niagara Falls and Sandra’s preference for staying in Niagara-on-the-Lake, before turning to Ottawa, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Expect Peggy’s Cove, colourful coastal towns, maritime history and the appeal of spotting an iceberg from shore.
There’s also time for food: lobster on the Atlantic coast, salmon in the west, Québec’s poutine and Daniel’s enthusiasm for sharing a BeaverTail. Sandra introduces her favourite Canadian cocktail, the Caesar, and reveals the Vancouver Island village she heads to when she wants a few days off.
In this episode:
• Choosing between Toronto, Montréal, Québec City and Vancouver
• Victoria, Vancouver Island and Sandra’s love of Tofino
• First Nations cultural attractions on the West Coast
• Scenic rail journeys through the Canadian Rockies
• Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Whistler
• Niagara Falls versus Niagara-on-the-Lake
• Ottawa and Canada’s Atlantic coast
• Newfoundland’s Iceberg Alley
• Canadian food, drinks and tips for a first visit
About our guest
Sandra Potter is the founder of Frontier Travel, specialising in tailor-made holidays, with extensive experience of travelling throughout Canada.
Find more episodes and share your own Canadian recommendations at destinationunlocked.com.
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