A sense of immensity pervades any cross-country tour of Canada. In a space of 3,855,102 sq mi/9,984,670 sq km, just slightly more than 30 million people occupy it, 90% of whom cling to the warmer areas near its southern border with the U.S. But the country is far from empty. If you're traveling via Canada's excellent road network, you may have trouble concentrating on your driving with the abundance of natural beauty looming beyond your windshield. And you'll be tempted to park your car for days as you enjoy the neighborly hospitality of its world-class cities.
From the fogs of Halifax Harbour to the quaint sophistication of Montreal, the international vivacity of Toronto and the nearby honeymoon mecca of Niagara Falls, the eastern half of the country can easily occupy the span of a multiweek tour. But the wide-open spaces of the west and the vistas of a wild northern frontier will satisfy the appetite of anyone in search of an adventure in an untamed, magnificent wilderness. From the heartlands of Winnipeg and Saskatoon to the awe-inspiring Rockies surrounding Calgary and Edmonton, Canada's west will elicit the cowboy in even the strictest city dweller. Regardless of where you venture, you'll welcome the opportunity to lose yourself in Canada's vastness.